Discussion, investigation, exploration, and experimentation are great ways to promote and formulate ideas and create inspiration for art making. Here are some resources that may help support students’ with their interpretation the 2022 Student Art Competition theme, ‘My Environment’.
Exploring and using materials for art makingExplore natural and found materials
- Bark pieces/paper, bud cones, twigs, leaves, driftwood, clay etc
- How can these materials be used? Collagraphs, rubbings, collage, drawing studies, model making etc.
- Explore the work of Nils-Udo, Andy Goldsworthy, Chris Worthy and Rosalie Gascoigne
- Explore patterns found in the natural world, in flowers, on shells
Explore human-made materials
- Textiles, plaster, plastic, metal, glass etc.
- Where and how are these materials used in our environment? What are their properties? How do these surfaces compare to each other, and to natural surfaces?
- How can these materials be used or represented? 2D or 3D? Collagraphs, rubbings, collage, drawing form observation, model making etc.
Explore art materials and the different areas of art
- Paint: watercolour, acrylic, oil
- Papers: explore texture, colour, speciality papers etc
- Drawing: Crayon, pencil, charcoal, markers, ink etc.
- Printing: Collagraphs, block, mono, screen, etching etc.
- Model Making & Construction: natural clay vs polymer clay, dioramas, balsa wood, cardboard and papier-mâché, pop sticks, construction foam, Magiclay, Oz clay, plasticine etc.
- Textiles: natural fibres (hessian, cotton, silk) vs synthetic fibres (organza, polycotton, nylon, Tyvek). Explore weaving, or decorating existing textile surfaces with markers, stitchery and embellishments
- Collage and decorative material: Sequins, buttons, pipe cleaners, beads embossing foils etc.
Free lessons for art making
- Simplified landscape artwork using embossing foil and clay – view here.
- Creating artworks based on animals which can be found in ‘my environment’ – view here.
- Abstracted landscape painting – view here.
- Environment based on buildings and architecture. If I could choose my environment it may look like a “rainbow city” – view here.