Getting arty

The focus of our threads in the summer term have been to continue to develop our sketching skills in art and to plan and start to critically evaluate our work within Design Technology.

Observational drawing

In Apple Tree the children have been building on their skills of observational drawings. They had previously drawn self portraits using mirrors, focusing on their different features. They had moved on to observational drawings of their favourite places around the Nursery. This child had decided that their favourite place was the tunnel in the garden and so his observational drawing is of that, including the child that was climbing on top! Once they have created their masterpiece, the adult who is working with them at that particular activity will scribe the child verbally evaluating their work and discuss their next steps with them.

The works of Sheilah Sheldone

Year 1 learnt about the artist Sheilah Sheldone. They discussed her work and her use of colour. They noted that Sheila often sketched and painted animals or women in her work. The children talked about what they liked about Sheilah’s work, what they disliked and what inspired them. This child’s work shows how Year 1 took inspiration from Shelia’s work and created their own colourful animal sketches. They improved their observational drawing skills by practicing to sketch their animal. They discussed what they felt was successful about their drawing and what they wanted to improve before going on to create a final painting.

Egyptian art

Year 3 have been focusing on preparing for their whole school project this term in which the Pharaoh has lost his headdress. They have been using their sketchbooks for design ideas, like this child who has sketched and coloured in their designs, and labelled what they like and would change about their work next time. Year 3 will be creating large headdresses within their classes, but before they do that will be creating prototypes individually which they will plan and evaluate using the new DT planning format. They plan to use fabric and glue to bond their headdresses together.

Studying the work of Julie Taymor

Year 6 have been preparing their whole school project this term. Their “problem” is a very simple one – that Year 6 have no costumes for their end of year performance! They have been learning about Julie Taymor, the Lion King costume designer and then creating mood boards for the main characters. From this they have been researching African prints and finding ones that best represent their character and every step of the way they have been critically evaluating their designs.