Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 3

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• Name different materials and techniques for textured art.
• Combine materials to create a unique artwork with texture.
• Explain how materials create different textures.
• Share and talk about our amazing artwork.

Lesson summary

Creative Arts in Life Skills allows us to express ourselves and explore the world around us in fun and exciting ways. This week, we'll be focusing on exploring different materials and techniques to create artwork. Learning about different materials and techniques helps us become more creative, allows us to find new ways to express our feelings and ideas, and also helps us develop fine motor skills. This is important because art is a way to share our stories and culture, just like the vibrant beadwork of the Zulu people or the colourful Ndebele house paintings. By trying different things, we can find our own unique artistic voices and contribute to the rich tapestry of South African art.

Lesson notes

This week, we're diving deeper into combining materials and techniques, paying special attention to texture.

Texture: Texture refers to how something feels or appears to feel. It’s the surface quality of an object.

There are two kinds of texture: Actual Texture: This is the texture you can feel when you touch something.

Examples: The rough bark of a tree, the smooth surface of glass, the prickly surface of a thorn.

Visual Texture: This is the texture you can see but not feel. Artists create visual texture using different techniques to make it look like something has a particular texture.

Examples: Drawing lines close together to make something look rough, or using different colours to create the illusion of bumps.

Materials: We can use all sorts of materials to create texture in our artwork: Paper: Different types of paper have different textures. Think about newspaper (thin and slightly rough), cardboard (thick and corrugated), tissue paper (thin and crinkly), or sandpaper (very rough).

Fabric: Scraps of fabric like wool (fuzzy), cotton (smooth), or lace (delicate) can add interesting textures.

Natural Materials: Leaves, twigs, sand, seeds, and even dried flowers can be glued onto artwork to create real texture. Remember to only use natural materials found on the ground and to be respectful of the environment.

Yarn/String: Yarn and string offer a variety of textures from smooth cotton to rough wool.

Recycled Materials: Items like bubble wrap, bottle caps, and corrugated cardboard can be repurposed to create unique textured effects.

Paint: Using paint with different tools can create textures. Thick paint applied with a sponge creates a different texture than thin paint applied with a brush.

Techniques: These are the different ways we can use materials to create texture: Collage: Gluing different materials onto a surface to create a picture. This is great for creating both actual and visual texture.

Printing: Applying paint to a textured surface and then pressing it onto paper. Examples include potato printing (cutting a shape into a potato, covering it in paint, and stamping it onto paper) or using bubble wrap to create a textured print.

Rubbing: Placing paper over a textured surface (like the bark of a tree) and rubbing a crayon or pencil over the paper. This captures the texture of the surface.

Painting with different tools: Using different brushes, sponges, or even fingers to apply paint can create different textures. Dry brushing (using very little paint) creates a scratchy texture.

Scratching: Applying a thick layer of paint (like wax crayons) and then scratching into it with a tool to reveal the colours underneath.

Layering: Layering different materials or colours of paint can create depth and the illusion of texture.

Worked example

Example 1: Textured Landscape

Imagine creating a landscape picture showing a South African savanna.

You could use:

Sandpaper glued to the bottom to represent the dry earth.

Brown and green paint applied with a dry brush to create the texture of grass.

Small twigs glued on to represent trees.

Cotton wool glued on to represent clouds.

Why this works: Each material adds a distinct texture that reflects the real world. The sandpaper feels rough like dry earth, and the dry brushing looks like dry grass.

Example 2: Textured Animal

Imagine creating a picture of a South African animal, like a leopard.

You could use:

Brown paper bag crinkled and glued onto the paper to create the body of the leopard. The crinkles provide a natural texture.

Black paint dabbed on with a sponge to create the spots. The sponge creates a bumpy texture.

Yarn glued on for whiskers.

Why this works: The crinkled paper gives the leopard body a textured, lifelike look. The sponge-painted spots have a raised texture.

Example 3: Textured Portrait

Imagine creating a portrait.

You could use:

A piece of fabric as a backing.

Brown yarn to represent hair, glued on to create a textured hairstyle.

Buttons for eyes, providing a shiny, hard texture.

Paint to outline the facial features, creating a smooth contrast to the textured hair.

Why this works: The contrast between the yarn hair and the painted face creates a visual interest.

Guided Practice (With Solutions)