Lesson video

Hello, everyone.

How are you doing today? I hope you're feeling really great.

My name's Ms. Afzal, and I'll be your art teacher for this lesson.

I'm excited about that because I love this subject, and also because I'm interested in particular in what we're going to be exploring today, which is texture.

Our lesson is called The Elements of Art: Texture, and it comes from the unit of work, The Elements of Art.

Yes, exploring texture is something very elemental to art, so I think it's gonna be a helpful lesson, and I hope it'll be enjoyable for you as well.

We're gonna be getting right in there and getting practical, and I'm looking forward to it.

Hope you are too.

So if you're ready, got some energy, some enthusiasm, some focus, let's begin.

The outcome for today's lesson is, I can understand how texture can be created and translated in both 2D and 3D forms. We have some keywords in our lesson today.

Let's go through them.

Texture, implied, and impress.

So what do these words mean? Texture, well, there are two types of texture, actual texture and implied texture.

We'll be finding out more about those.

Implied is suggested or shown indirectly, not actually there but made to look like it is.

And impress, in art, is to press a tool, object, or texture into a soft material, like clay, yes, you heard it, we're using clay today, to leave a mark or pattern.

So these are our three keywords, texture, implied, and impress.

Let's look out and listen out for them.

They'll be coming up in our lesson today.

Our lesson is called The Elements of Art: Texture, and it consists of two learning cycles, inventing implied texture, and press and impress clay creatures.

Oh, doesn't it sound fun? Okay, so let's begin with inventing implied texture.

Whoa, look what's appeared on the screen.

Pause the video and share with someone, how do you feel about spiders? Okay, thanks for sharing.

I know they're not everyone's cup of tea.

Now, let's explore this a little bit more.

How would you describe the texture being shown in this artwork? Pause the video and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing your ideas.

This drawing of a spider looks like it would feel hairy because of the marks and shading used.

This is called implied texture.

Remember this.

Do you remember these keywords that we had? Which gives the illusion of texture, even though the surface of the paper or screen is actually flat.

We can use a range of mark-making in both 2D and 3D forms to create implied texture.

How would you describe the texture of this clay bird? Pause video and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing your ideas.

Perhaps you noticed the texture of the feathers.

Perhaps you noticed a softness to this bird.

Actual texture is the way something actually feels when you touch it.

Pause the video and share with someone, how do you think this caterpillar would feel if you were touching it? Thanks for sharing your responses.

Let's hear from Sofia.

"This caterpillar texture feels bumpy and soft on the surface of my hand." Let's have a check for understanding.

True or false? Implied texture is created using marks and shading to make a flat surface look like it has texture.

Pause the video and decide, is this true or false? Well done if you selected true.

And now I'd like you to say a little more about your answer.

Pause the video while you do this.

Perhaps you said something like this.

Implied texture is when artists use marks, lines, and shading to make something look textured, even though it feels flat to the touch.

Implied texture can be created using a variety of materials and mark-making techniques.

Take a look at this image.

How do you think this smooth texture may have been created? Pause the video and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing your ideas.

Let's hear from Jacob.

"The paint lines look blended with shading to suggest the texture." Really great observation there.

Let's take a look at some artists who are working with texture.

These artists experiment with layering surfaces and techniques to explore themes of nature, and animal form, and texture.

Cas Holmes creates layered textile collages using found materials to suggest the textures of fur and feathers.

Bardayal 'Lofty' Nadjamerrek used natural pigments and fine line work to capture the movement and spirit of animals.

There are many ways to create implied texture.

Look at some of those objects on the screen that could be used to create implied texture.

Experimenting with mark-making tools can create surprising surface effects.

What unexpected objects could you use to make marks to create implied textures? Pause the video and share with someone.

I wonder what ideas you came up with.

I thought it'd be quite interesting to use some wire, or maybe some stones, to see what textures they create.

Hmm.

Take a look at this object on the screen.

Pause video and share with someone, what words would you use to describe the texture of this feather? Thanks for sharing your ideas.

I can imagine it would feel really soft alongside, and then actually the point of the feather could feel quite sharp.

Can a smooth tool create rough looking texture? Hmm.

That's another question for you to ponder.

Pause the video while you reflect on this, and share your answers with someone nearby.

I wonder what answers you came up with.

Let's take a look at how this feather can be used to create different textures.

Okay, so this feather is being used as a tool to brush paint over the surface of the paper.

And here's Lucas.

"Even a smooth tool, like a feather, can make scratchy or broken marks if you use it in different ways, like dragging or dabbing it." Laura experiments with different tools to see what textures they create.

Oh, wow.

I love this balloon being used to create these wonderful circular shapes, and the fork being dipped in paint and then scraped down the page.

And now it's your turn.

I would like you to experiment with mark-making tools.

Try out at least three different tools and experiment with the different kind of marks that you can make.

Pause the video while you do this.

Well done for having a go at that.

I wonder how you got on, which objects you used, and what textures you created.

Laura tries lightly dragging the tools through paint and over the surface to create fine, repeated lines to build up the texture of feathers.

So she's using a fork, first of all there, and then a toothpick, and then a comb, creating some really interesting textures there.

These artists explore the connection between people and animals, using texture to express emotion and meaning.

Eileen Cooper uses bold colours, pattern, and stylized mark making to imply texture in her works looking at the human-animal connection.

Errol Theunissen paints animals using rough layered textures to express emotions and personal stories.

And Lynette Yiadom-Boakye includes animals like birds and foxes in her paintings using soft implied textures adding more realism.

You can see there are so many artists exploring connections between people and animals, and using textures.

Laura and Jun are discussing how they might use different tools and materials to create the look of texture for an animal.

"We can use different material to show fur, scales, or feathers, even if the surface stays flat." "You could roll string in paint for fur or print with scrunched foil to make a scaly texture." Love their thinking.

Laura is looking at a stimulus of a parrot's wings and is considering how to create the texture.

"I want to show the fine lines in the feathers, so I'll try using a fork, toothpick, or comb.

I'll angle them in different directions and layer colours to mimic the texture." Great ideas there.

And now it's time for your first task.

I would like you to create a series of implied texture samples inspired by the surface of an animal, real or imagined.

Use unusual tools, objects and materials, for example, foils, string fabric, forks, sponges.

Aim to show texture without adding actual depth.

Think about scales, feathers, fur, skin, slime, and then reflect on your work.

Which tool created the best texture and why.

So pause here while you have a go at this task, creating a series of implied texture samples inspired by the surface of a real or imagined animal, and then reflecting on your work.

I'll see you when you're finished.

So how did you get on with creating a series of implied texture samples inspired by the surface of an animal, real or imagined? Your work may have looked like this.

Wow.

Love those feathers.

Here's Laura.

"I think the comb worked best for the texture of the feathers because they created fine detail." Oh yeah, I love seeing that close up and that really, really fine detail.

And now we're onto our next learning cycle, press and impress clay creatures.

Texture is the way something really feels when you touch it.

If you could actually touch them, how would these clay textures feel? Pause the video and share with someone.

Here's Aisha.

"I think they would feel hollowed out, so you could trace the shapes and texture with your fingers." Perhaps you had an answer like this too.

When you press tools or objects into clay to leave a mark or texture, it's called impressing.

The mark left behind is called an impression.

This technique helps create tactile texture, something you can feel with your fingers, not just see.

Let's have a check for understanding.

In art, what does it mean to make an impression on a material? Is it A, to paint in the impressionist style? B, to leave a mark by pressing into a soft surface? C, to quickly sketch an idea before making an artwork? Or D, to copy a famous artwork using similar colours? Pause a video while you decide what it means in art to make an impression on a material.

Well done if you selected answer B, making an impression on a material means to leave a mark by pressing into a soft surface.

Ancient Mesopotamian artists made clay figures of powerful animals to show protection and myth.

They carved and stamped textures to suggest fur, feathers, or scales.

The surfaces were tactile, made to be touched and understood.

Simple tools helped create detailed, expressive patterns in clay.

Bitossi is a family-run ceramic studio from Italy, known for its colourful animal figures and rich textures.

Their famous Rimini Blue collection was designed by Aldo Londi in the 1950s, using vibrant blue glazes and stamped patterns.

The animal sculptures are stylized into simple, exaggerated forms, making them feel playful and decorative.

Bitossi's work helped bring handmade ceramics into the world of modern art and design, using texture to add charm and character.

Playful, decorative animal designs might include, something like this bird whistle, or this toucan can ornament.

Pause video and share with someone, what do you like about these two animal designs? Perhaps something you liked or noticed were the simplified shapes, exaggerated or stylized features.

When working in clay, animal forms can be simplified into basic forms, 3D shapes.

These are then joined to create the form.

So this bird can be made from a sphere for the head, an oval like form for the body, and a cylinder for the tail.

When building in clay, you can use clay joining techniques.

So you could score surfaces, and then add slip, and then smooth the join to create strength.

If firing buff clay, make animals hollow to prevent damage during firing.

Let's have a check for understanding.

True or false? When building a clay model, use flat shapes like circles and squares to describe the parts.

Pause video and decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you selected false.

And now I'd like you to say a little more about your answer.

Pause the video while you do this.

Perhaps you said something like this.

In 3D clay work, we use forms, like spheres, cylinders, and cubes, not flat shapes.

I'd like you to look at your animal from different angles to understand its shape.

You could look at it from above, from the side, and then pinch, press, and shape the clay to form key features.

Experiment of tools to create tactile surface textures in your clay.

You could try pressing with a hair clip.

What objects could you use to impress into the surface? Pause a video and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing your ideas for objects that you can use to impress into the surface to create texture.

Here's Sam.

"I'll test impressions of found objects like coins and natural forms in a spare piece of clay." Great.

Love that experimentation.

I'd like you to focus on pattern, rhythm, and surface detail.

So you could try something like rolling beads, and try repeating impressions.

Press objects and tools into the clay at different angles.

Roll objects onto the surface to create repeated textures.

And experiment with creating a pattern or rhythm in the texture.

And now it's time for your next task.

I would like you to create a clay animal with impressed texture.

So simplify your chosen animal into 3D forms. Press tools and found objects into the surface to create impressions and physical texture.

Focus on pattern, rhythm, and surface detail.

And take inspiration from ancient animal art, traditional and contemporary ceramics.

When you've completed this part of your task, I'd like you to move on to some reflections.

Discuss and reflect.

Did you have any favourite textures and why? How does the texture you've created help bring your animal to life? So pause here while you have a go at this multi-stage task, first of all creating your clay animal with texture, and then next, discussing and reflecting upon the textures that you've created.

Pause the video while you do this.

I'll see you when you're finished.

So how did you get on with your task creating a clay animal with impressed texture? Your work may have looked something like this wonderful looking bird.

Here's Izzy.

"The texture creates unique indentations that give it a personal, handcrafted feel.

It brings the bird to life by showing the same natural irregularities found in real animals." Love that, Izzy.

Wonderful reflection.

And I hope you enjoyed creating your clay animal and reflecting upon the textures you've created.

In our lesson, The Elements of Art: Texture, we've covered the following.

Texture can be physical, you can feel it, or implied, it only looks textured.

Artists create implied texture using mark-making and unusual tools.

Mixed media and layering materials can build up surface detail and texture.

In 3D work, artists can impress objects into materials like clay to create real texture.

Well done, everyone, for joining in with this lesson.

It was wonderful to explore texture with you, the actual texture we can feel and implied texture, and to explore creating implied texture, and then to get right into it and to have a go at creating your own animal.

I hope you've enjoyed this lesson and that you're proud of what you've created.

It was wonderful to be here with you, and I look forward to seeing you at another art lesson soon.

Until then, stay creative.