Concepts and skills development for third and fourth classes
Through completing the strand units of the visual arts curriculum the child should be enabled to
An awareness of line
- recognise that lines can have varying qualities and can create shapes, textures, patterns, rhythms and movement
- look closely at and interpret the visual environment with increased sensitivity to materials and tools
- begin to show more keenly observed action in figure drawing and painting
- begin to use line sketches and diagrams to clarify design ideas to be interpreted in three-dimensional form
An awareness of shape
- become sensitive to shape and to relationships between shapes in the visual environment
- invent and experiment with a variety of shape characteristics to create movement, balance, contrast, emphasis and/or a sense of space in drawings, paintings, print, collage and appliqué
An awareness of form
- recognise the three-dimensional nature of form in objects
a mountain, a car, a teapot, a piece of fruit - explore the relationships between the parts and the whole of a complex form
balance, symmetry, asymmetry, rhythm, movement, the play of light and shade, aesthetic satisfaction - interpret form, creating surface texture in line, pattern and rhythm
- use malleable materials as media in which to design and invent
An awareness of colour and tone
- develop sensitivity to colour and tone in the visual environment
- analyse and mix increasingly subtle colours and tones
- become aware of the effects of warm and cool colours, of complementary and harmonious colours and of variations in tone
- begin to use colour and tone to create rhythm, emphasis, contrast and/or spatial effects in two and three-dimensional work
An awareness of texture
- explore the relationship between how things feel and how they look
- create variety and contrast in surface texture using a range of materials and tools
- experiment in interpreting texture in drawing and painting
An awareness of pattern and rhythm
- discover and explore pattern in nature and in the visual surroundings
ripples in water, sand formations on the shoreline, flowers - recognise and purposefully use repetition and variation of line, shape, texture, colour and tone in two and three-dimensional work
An awareness of space
- develop awareness of how people and objects occupy space
- create space and depth in drawings and paintings
by diminishing sizes of figures and objects further away
by overlapping - develop an understanding of how spaces can be organised through experience of construction.
Strand: Drawing
Strand unit: Making drawings
The child should be enabled to
- experiment with the marks, lines, shapes,textures, patterns and tones that can be made with different drawing instruments on a range of surfaces
looking closely at specially chosen objects and discovering qualities of line, shape, texture, light and dark
concentrating, as appropriate, on outline drawing, silhouette, shape, tone, texture, pattern and rhythm
using a computer art program to create and modify images and to organise a composition - make drawings from recalled experiences, emphasising pattern, detail, context and location
being in a familiar place
pastimes and games - express his/her imaginative life and interpret imaginative themes using inventive pattern and detail
stories, poems, songs, imaginary people, places, creatures and objects - draw from observation
still life arrangements
still life arrangements adding imagined backgrounds
aspects of the environment viewed from different angles
the human figure (e.g. a classmate posing in different positions).
Strand unit: Looking and responding
The child should be enabled to
- look at and talk about his/her work, the work of other children and the work of artists
describing what is happening in the drawing
the qualities of line, shape, texture, pattern and rhythm and tone created
how space in depth is suggested and background detail
how action is suggested
what was intended
problems encountered and solved
the work of other artists who have interpreted the theme in a similar or dissimilar way
what he/she feels about the drawing.
Linkage
Paint and colour: developing awareness of spatial effects of colour and tone
Print: developing awareness of shape and the relationships between shapes
Fabric and fibre: developing awareness of tactile, visual and spatial qualitie s
These and other possible links between strands could be developed as mixed-media activities.
A mixed-media approach within strands is also possible.
Integration
Music: interpreting (in drawing) songs and characters, events or atmosphere portrayed in a
story told in sound
Drama: interpreting (in drawing) themes explored through drama
Strand: Paint and colour
Strand unit: Painting
The child should be enabled to
- explore colour with a variety of materials and media
paint, crayons, oil or chalk pastels, coloured pencils, felt-tipped pens and fibre-tipped pens
print, small-scale collage
using a computer art program to experiment with the effects of warm and cool colours - make paintings based on recalled feelings and experiences, exploring the spatial effects of colour and tone, using overlapping, and with some consideration of scale
recent and vividly recalled events from own life events he/she identifies with
everyday familiar locations - express his/her imaginative life and interpret imaginative themes using colour expressively
stories, poems, songs, music
what might happen next in an adventure story
making large-scale group paintings of characters or story features - paint from observation
looking closely for subtle colour combinations in natural and manufactured objects
making large-scale paintings that emphasise colour, tone, texture, shape, rhythm
the human figure showing action
portraits of classmates posing for different activities - discover colour in the visual environment and become sensitive to colour differences and tonal variations through colour mixing
mixing and reproducing as accurately as possible the colours of objects of visual interest
exploring the spatial effects of colour and tone through themes chosen for their colour possibilities
using colour and tone to create a background, middle ground and foreground in simple still lifes, landscapes and cityscapes - discover harmony and contrast in natural and manufactured objects and through themes chosen for their colour possibilities
working out a colour scheme for a threedimensional model he/she may have made
playing colour-mixing games - discover pattern and rhythm in natural and manufactured objects and use them purposefully in his/her work
using repetition and variation of contrasting colours and varieties of line types and textures to add variety and unity to a piece of work - explore the relationship between how things feel and how they look
discovering texture in natural and manufactured objects
interpreting a variety of textures in colour and tone and with varied brush strokes.
Strand unit: Looking and responding
The child should be enabled to
- look at and talk about his/her work, the work of other children and the work of artists
describing what is happening in the painting the colours and tones chosen
how the shapes, textures, pattern and rhythm and contrasts combine in the composition
how materials and tools were used to create different effects and whether they might have been used differently
what he/she or the artist was trying to express
the work of other artists who have interpreted the theme in a similar or dissimilar way
what he/she feels about the painting.
Linkage
Drawing: making a composition
Print: developing colour awareness
Construction: developing awareness of the effects of light and shade on colour
Integration
Dance: interpreting (in paint and colour) themes explored through movement
Science: Energy and forces -- Light
Strand: Print
Strand unit: Making prints
The child should be enabled to
- experiment with a widening range of printmaking techniques
printing with a limited colour range to help focus on creating more complex images in shape, texture, pattern
discovering how simple prints could be further developed (e.g. overlapping shapes) - use a widening range of print-making techniques to make theme-based or nonrepresentational prints
making a variety of relief prints
composing relief print blocks, emphasising line, shape, nega t i ve shape, texture, pattern
impressing found items into a slab of clay
masking out some areas
making a variety of small-scale relief prints (stamp printing)
creating interesting patterns and rhythms by juxtaposing stamps
making stencils
spray or sponge painting over stencils cut to his/her design
making monoprints emphasising line and shape
combining with other techniques - make prints for functional uses (as well as for their own sake)
for use on wrapping paper, boxes, fabric
making posters for specific purposes - use a computer art program to create original images that are not dependent on clip art
organising a layout for a print design.
Strand unit: Looking and responding
The child should be enabled to
- look at, handle and talk about natural and manufactured objects for experience of texture, shape, pattern
- look at and talk about his/her work, the work of other children and art prints or print design that emphasise the play of shape, texture or line
describing the print
line, shape, negative shape, texture, pattern, colour used to create the image or design
how materials and tools were used to create and further develop the print
how problems were solved
what he/she likes about the work
looking at some prints to investigate printmaking techniques (as well as for their own sake)
comparing stencils and monoprints with his/her work - look at and talk about examples of design in everyday use.
Linkage
Drawing: experimenting with marks, lines, shapes, textures, patterns, tones
Paint and colour: developing colour awareness
Integration
Mathematics: creating patterns with 2-D shapes
Strand: Clay
Strand unit: Developing form in clay
The child should be enabled to
- explore and discover the possibilities of clay as a medium for imaginative expression
squeezing, pinching, pulling, squashing, prodding, rolling and re-forming a small ball of clay
tearing pieces from the clay and putting them together again without a noticeable joining
experimenting with non-representational forms
experimenting in balancing some of the forms - make simple clay pots
designing and making a pinch-pot or a coilbuilt pot
finishing it with incised decoration, with coil and pellet design or painting it when dry
making imaginative pinch-pot creatures - make sturdy figures in clay using the medium expressively and with imaginative detail
from stories and poems, songs, music, drama - work inventively and expressively with cubes or oblong blocks of clay
designing and making a theme-based structure (e.g. a house for a particular purpose)
designing and making non-representational structures (e.g. balancing and interlocking forms) - develop line, shape, texture and pattern in clay
decorating clay slabs with coil and pellet designs in line, shape and pattern and/or with textural effects
making simple low-relief sculptures,
considering shape and negative shape (e.g. illustrating a moment from stories, poems, songs)
making small pieces of incised jewellery (e.g. medals, pendants) - work inventively and expressively with papier mâché
designing and making papier mâché masks to illustrate stories, poems, songs or festivals
designing and making exotic papier mâché heads.
Strand unit: Looking and responding
The child should be enabled to
- look at, handle and talk about natural and manufactured objects for experience of three-dimensional form
pottery, household items with interesting forms - look at and talk about his/her work, the work of other children and figurative and non-representational pieces of sculpture (slides or prints)
describing the form
the malleable nature of the clay
how he/she or the sculptor used materials
what he/she or the sculptor was trying to express
balance, symmetry and overall effect
problems experienced and solved
what he/she likes about the work - look at and talk about ritual masks, street theatre masks and figures, and functional and decorative pottery (or slides or prints)
bowls with decorative surfaces, pottery based on animal forms.
Linkage
Drawing: developing awareness of form through drawing
Construction: developing awareness of balance through construction
Integration
Drama:interpreting (in clay and papier mâché masks) characters explored through drama
Strand: Construction
Strand unit: Making constructions
The child should be enabled to
- explore and experiment with the properties and characteristics of materials in making structures
group, balance and build with a variety of materials
how the different parts relate to the whole the various outlines and spaces created
whether the structure is delicately balanced or robust and solid
exploring the possibilities of free-standing abstract paper sculpture
the spaces created, the play of light on the structure - make drawings from observation to analyse the structures of buildings and the natural structures of plants
investigating structure and balance in contemporary architecture and sculpture, in cast-iron structures, in bridges and in nature - make imaginative structures
designing a model for a building complex
talking about what functions different parts of the complex might serve
designing a relief structure, concentrating on planes, shapes, rhythm, texture
designing papier mâché forms and structures (e.g. exotic heads).
Strand unit: Looking and responding
The child should be enabled to
- look at collections or photographs of natural and built structures and investigate spatial arrangements, balance, outline
honeycomb, bridges, tower blocks, farm buildings - look at and talk about his/her work and the work of other children
describing the structure
the materials and tools chosen for the task
the arrangement and functions of the spaces created
how balance was achieved
how construction or aesthetic problems were resolved
what he/she likes about the work - look at and talk about interesting examples of contemporary architecture and the work of great architects and builders of history.
Linkage
Drawing: analysing the structure of buildings and plants through drawings
Paint and colour: exploring the spatial effects of colour and tone
Clay: developing awareness of relationships between parts and the whole form
Integration
Drama: exploring the organisation of space in making a model theatre set
Science: Materials -- Properties and characteristics of materials
Strand: Fabric and fibre
Strand unit: Creating in fabric and fibre
The child should be enabled to
- explore and discover the possibilities of fabric and fibre as media for imaginative expression
experimenting with line, shape, colour, pattern and texture with variously textured
fibres and open-weave fabric as a stimulus for further creativity
exploring ways of inventing stitches for decorative effect - make small inventive pieces in fabric and fibre
designing and making a collage, emphasising colour
designing and making an appliqué piece
within a limited colour range to express personal themes
decorating a piece of fabric with invented stitches
creating small individual pieces with basic knitting stitches
armbands or hairbands
combining knitting with decorative items to make individual pieces of jewellery
emphasising colour, pattern, texture
weaving a wall-hanging and incorporating decorative items into the fabric - make soft toys, emphasising individuality and variety
knotting pieces of stuffed fabric to create forms
stitching on features, limbs and other embellishments - invent a costume for a character from a story or use fabric as a stimulus for an exotic costume design
creating costumes by stitching and pinning pieces of fabric to items of old clothing.
Strand unit: Looking and responding
The child should be enabled to
- look at, handle and talk about a variety of fabrics and fibres for experience of tactile, visual and spatial qualities
soft, rough, coarse, stiff, warm, cool, thinly
or thickly woven, textured
colour and pattern
covering, folding, draping qualities
the work of artists who have used these fabrics (slides or prints) - look at and talk about his/her work and the work of other children
describing the piece of work
the qualities of the materials and tools chosen
those he/she liked best to work with how he/she invented, adapted and/or
combined stitches for decorative effect
colour combinations, patterns, textural effects achieved
what he/she likes best about the work - look at and talk about woven, embroidered, knitted and other fabrics, including interesting items of clothing from different times and cultures
- look at and talk about fabric crafts and artefacts and visit a craftsperson at work if possible.
Linkage
Paint and colour: developing colour awareness
Construction: developing awareness of suitability of materials for task
Integration
Drama: inventing a costume for a character explored through drama
Science: Materials -- Properties and characteristics of materials