Lesson video

Hello everyone.

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

My name is Ms. Afzal, and I'll be your art teacher today.

I'll be teaching you the lessons called "Mark-Making Using Different Tools." It comes from the unit of work, "Abstract Painting: Sustainable materials." So it's gonna be quite interesting to find some different materials that we're gonna be working with today.

Let's get into our lesson.

The outcome for our lesson today is I can explain what tools are and can make different tools to create expressive mark-making.

We've got some keywords in our lesson today.

Let's find out what they are.

So we have mark-making, art tools, and texture.

So mark-making is the process of creating different lines, textures, and patterns in art.

Art tools are instruments or materials used by artists to create marks, textures, shapes, and forms in their artwork.

And texture in art, this refers to the way a surface feels or looks like it feels.

These are our keywords.

Let's be on the lookout for them.

They will be coming up in our lesson.

Our lesson is called "Mark-Making Using Different Tools," and it has two parts to it.

Understanding tools for mark-making and expressive mark-making with experimental tools.

Let's begin with understanding tools for mark-making.

Throughout history, different cultures have used unique tools to create art reflecting their traditions and environments.

Take a look at this image and tell the person next to you what are some of the different tools that you can see.

Pause the video here.

Okay, thanks for sharing.

I wonder how many different tools you were able to identify.

Chinese and Japanese calligraphers use bamboo brushes for expressive strokes.

Love the precision of the strokes being created with that brush.

First Nation Australian artists use dotting sticks to create symbolic, textured paintings.

One of our keywords, textured.

Navajo artists create intricate sand paintings by hand with unique textures.

Wow, look at the detail on that.

Incredible.

West and Central African artisans carve wooden stamps for textile printing.

Again, so incredibly detailed.

What is a tool in art? Pause the video.

Tell someone nearby.

Okay, thanks for sharing.

I wonder if you came up with something like this.

A tool in art is anything you use to create marks, shapes, textures, or patterns in your artwork.

There are many examples of tools in art.

So we can see a lot of different tools in this image here.

I wonder if you could share with someone nearby.

How many different artist tools in this image can you name and identify? Pause the video here.

Tools such as paint brushes, pencils, and chisels are called traditional tools.

Non-traditional tools include sponges, twigs, and found objects.

And we can see a mixture of traditional and non-traditional tools in this image.

Aisha, Jacob, and Andeep are discussing different types of tools.

Aisha says, Traditional tools are pencils, paintbrushes, erasers, palette knives." And Jacob, "Natural tools are sticks, leaves, stones, flowers.

And then there's Andeep, "Experimental tools are sponges, forks, feathers, cardboard, string.

You see a whole range of tools there.

Let's check for understanding.

True or false? Is a paintbrush the only type of tool to make art with.

And as well, I'd like you to say a little bit more about your answer as well once you've decided true or false.

Can you say why is this true or false? Pause the video here.

Well done if you selected false and perhaps you gave an explanation like this.

A tool in art is anything you use to create marks, shapes, textures, or patterns in your artwork.

Here's Izzy.

A paintbrush makes smooth lines and can be described as a traditional tool, and we can see a range of paintbrushes there.

Different tools create different mark-making effects.

Can you see any natural tools in this image? Pause the video and tell someone nearby.

which of these tools in the image are natural tools.

Wonder if you spotted a few of the tools such as the feathers or the twigs, sponges.

And let's hear from Andeep.

"A sponge creates soft textures.

A toothbrush can be used for splatter marks." And Izzy says, A paintbrush makes smooth lines and splatter textures." So we can create different effects with different tools.

Check for understanding.

What tool can be used to create splatter textures, Toothbrush, sponge, or paintbrush? Pause video while you decide.

Well done if you selected toothbrush and paintbrush.

Artists like Cy Twombly, Rachel Jones, Anthony Daley, Katjarra Butler, and Winston Branch continue to use traditional tools, natural tools, and experimental tools to inspire the way they make their art.

Using different types of tools helps artists create lots of different types of expressive marks and textures in their work.

Oh wow, that's quite a beautiful image appeared on the screen.

Take a good look at that.

In this painting, the artist has used different tools to create the textures of the water.

Which two tools could the artist have used to create the soft watery textures? Pause the video and tell someone nearby.

The artist used a paintbrush and a sponge to create soft textures.

Artists will normally use more than one tool to make their art with.

And now it's time for your first task.

I would like you to explore mark-making with tools inspired by artists like Cy Twombly, Rachel Jones, Anthony Daley, Katjarra Butler, and Winston Branch Find at least three tools that will help you make soft watery textures.

Prepare your paint palette with paint to dip your tools into.

Set a time of two minutes and use your tools to quickly make marks that could represent water.

Try lots of variations and take risks.

So pause the video here while you explore mark-making with tools that will help you to make soft watery textures.

I'll see you when you're finished.

And now for the next part of your task, I would like you to reflect on your mark-making with tools inspired by artists like Cy Twombly, Rachel Jones, Anthony Daley, Katjarra Butler, and Winston Branch You could consider which shapes did you like best, and which tools work best to create watery textures and why? So pause the video while you reflect on your mark-making and share with someone nearby.

Okay, it's good to be back with you.

So your watery textures may have looked like this.

So it's interesting to consider what tools you may have used to create these marks.

Real variety, I can see that.

And I wonder how you got on with your reflections.

Let's hear a little from Andeep and Izzy.

So Andeep, "I liked the very loose textured shapes as they're the ones that look more like water." And Izzy, "I used a comb and a sponge, which made soft textures.

The comb created lots of wavy lines." Great to hear from them, and thanks for your sharing too.

And now it's time for the next part of our lesson, expressive mark-making with experimental tools.

Why do artists make their own tools? Pause the video.

Share with someone.

Why do you think artists make their own tools? Artist Jim Dine creates customised brushes using twigs, rags, and other materials to achieve expressive strokes.

He uses his self-made tools to create bold textured brush work.

Monya Riachi uses poppies, salt, maps, and water both as tools, and materials, and stimulus for her work.

Emily Kam Kngwarray, Anmatyerre people First Nation Australia, created a painting installation called The Alhalker suite using dotting sticks to make vast canvas paintings.

Artists make their own tools to explore unique textures, express creativity, and push artistic boundaries.

I wonder if any of those were ideas that you came up with too.

Check for understanding.

True or false? By always using the same tools, artists are able to explore unique textures, express creativity, and push artistic boundaries.

Pause the video while you decide if this is true or false.

And as well, can you say a little bit more about why you have selected either true or false? Well done if you selected false and perhaps you gave a reason like this.

By using different tools, artists are able to explore unique textures, express creativity, and push artistic boundaries.

So why make and collect your own art tools? Why do you think this might be a good idea? Pause the video.

Tell someone nearby.

Thanks for sharing your answers.

You can create your own art tools by collecting different natural or manmade objects to use as art tools.

Creating your own self-made art tools is a great way to experiment with expressive and unusual mark-making, exploring new textures, developing unique artistic styles, and pushing creative boundaries.

You really can make art your own with self-made art tools.

Aisha, Jacob, and Andeep are in discussion again.

They're discussing options for creating self-made art tools.

Aisha's going for natural materials, leaves, twigs, feathers, pine cones, and shells.

Sounds nice.

Jacob is going down a manmade route, manmade materials such as cardboard edges, bottle caps, wooden blocks, while Andeep is going for recycled objects.

Bubble wrap, old toothbrushes, wire, string, a whole range of materials that can be used for self-made art tools.

Check for understanding.

Choose a natural tool from this list.

Toothbrush, wire, or shell.

Pause the video, tell someone nearby.

Well done if you selected shell.

We can be adventurous for tools using found objects or natural forms to create interesting marks.

You could look around your home or classroom to collect manmade tools like toothbrushes, combs, bottle tops, fabric, string.

You could look around your home or classroom to collect natural objects like leaves, twigs, flower heads, hubs, and shells.

Artists can experiment with different tools to discover the variety of marks each one can make.

You can make art tools using a range of different natural and manmade objects.

Pause the video and share with someone nearby.

What are some of the objects that you can see in this image that have been used to create experimental mark-making tools? Thanks for sharing, and you may like to use some of these items yourselves.

It's important for artists to test their art tools to see what types of marks they create before they use them for making an artwork.

And we can see some experimentation here.

And now it's time for your task.

I would like you to gather a range of natural and manmade materials.

Manmade materials, you could go for toothbrushes, combs, bottle tops, fabrics, sponge, net.

Natural materials, you could gather leaves, herbs, shells, feathers, vegetables, or twigs.

So pause video here while gather your range of natural and manmade materials.

I'll see you when you've got them.

Okay, great to be back with you.

You have your materials.

Now we're gonna create your expressive mark-making tools using these materials.

So collect some clothes pegs, collect your natural and manmade materials like string, cardboard, and sponges.

And peg these materials into the top of the peg to make your tool.

Add to your mark-making toolkit.

So pause video here while you create your expressive mark-making tools.

Okay, great to be back with you.

Okay, now onto the next part of our task where we're gonna create some more expressive mark-making tools.

This time I would like you to collect sticks, chopsticks, pencils, old brushes, collect some natural forms like leaves or herbs, and then use an elastic band to attach the natural form to the stick or twig to make your paintbrush.

Add to your mark-making toolkit.

Pause the video while you have a go at this part of your task.

Now you have your toolkit together.

I would like you to use your toolkit to make a series of small testers with different marks on them.

Annotate each sample to explain which tool was used with the short description of the type of mark.

And then use the most effective tools to make a large abstract composition with expressive mark-making.

Pause video while you have a go at these two parts of your task.

Your composition is complete, and now I'd like you to reflect on your abstract composition with expressive mark-making.

You might want to use these prompts to guide you.

How would you describe your abstract composition? Which elements of your abstract composition are successful? What sorts of textures have you managed to create? Which tools were most successful for expressive mark-making and why? How could you improve your composition next time? So pause video while you reflect on your abstract composition and use these prompts to guide you.

Okay, good to be back with you.

How did you get on with your toolkit, making small testers? Let's hear from Andeep.

"My toolkit is in my sketchbook, like a visual dictionary." It's a nice way of putting it.

"Annotating my samples to explain what type of my tools make will help me remember which tool makes which type of mark-making when I create my large composition." That's very sensible.

And reflecting on your abstract composition with expressive mark-making, how did that go? Let's hear from Lucas.

"My composition was exciting and energetic." Yeah, we can see that.

"I was successful at creating lots of different textures and I contrasted the heavy black lines made with the cardboard to create a focal point.

Soft textures were made by using fabric on a peg.

Next time, I would use warm colours too for contrast." Great reflection there.

Thank you, Lucas, and I hope you enjoyed reflecting on your abstract composition.

And there are many possible outcomes for this task.

There's no right or wrong way to create your abstract composition.

You may have try to use all of your tools, used particular tools more often because you like the marks they created, expressed a particular mood or emotion or idea.

Well done, everyone, for having a go at this multi-stage task and for finishing up with a fantastic abstract composition.

In our lesson, mark-making using different tools, we have covered the following.

Custom mark-making tools allow artists to tailor their creative process to their unique vision by making or modifying their own tools.

Artists can experiment with textures and techniques that standard tools might not offer.

This customization fosters innovation, deepens the connection between the artist and their work, and ultimately enhances the expressive quality of their art.

What's not to love about mark-making using different tools? Well done for joining in with this lesson and I hope you're pleased with your creations.

I'll see you in another art lesson soon.

Wishing you well until then.