Lesson video

Hello, everyone.

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

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

Today we're going to be looking at something called variety.

I wonder what it makes you think of when you hear that word, variety.

We'll be looking at variety as one of the principles of art, and that's the title of our lesson, and it comes from the unit of work, the principles of art.

So we'll be finding out what is variety in the context of art, what different things constitute variety, and we'll be getting practical, and, of course, exploring this through our own artwork as well.

I hope you are feeling interested and excited about this.

I am.

And if you're ready, we'll begin.

The outcome for our lesson today is, "I can understand and apply variety in my artwork." We'll be finding out what variety means in terms of art.

We have some keywords in our lesson.

Let's go through them.

Variety, abstract, contrast, and juxtapose.

What do they mean? Well, variety is using different elements to create visual interest and complexity in a work.

Abstract means using the elements of art to create ideas or feelings rather than realistic pictures of things.

Contrast is when you place very different things next to each other to make each one stand out more.

And juxtapose is to put different things side by side to highlight how they are different.

These are our keywords, variety, abstract contrast, and juxtapose.

Let's look and listen out for them.

Our lesson is called principles of art: variety.

It has three learning cycles.

Identify how artists create variety, apply the elements of art to create interest, and assemble a composition using contrast and variety.

Yes, we are gonna get really practical and create our own compositions using variety.

But we'll begin by identifying how artists create variety.

Variety and art refers to the use of different elements to create visual interest and complexity in a work.

Artists incorporate a range of colours, shapes, sizes, textures, and lines to engage their audience.

These different elements work together to make the art visually interesting.

Pause the video and share with someone what do you find visually interesting about this artwork.

Which of the many variety of elements do you find interesting? Thanks for sharing your ideas.

Let's have a check for understanding.

True or false? Artists create variety by using lots of different elements of art in their work.

Pause the video and decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you selected true.

And perhaps you thought something like this as well.

"Artists incorporate a range of colours, shapes, sizes, textures, and lines to give it variety.

This engages their audience and makes it visually interesting." Take a look at this image.

We can see a lot of different elements of art in this image.

And what are the elements of art? Well, let's go through them.

They're line, texture, shape and form, tone, colour, composition, and pattern.

Can you describe where the artist has used each of these elements in this artwork? Pause the video while you do this.

Thanks for sharing your ideas.

Perhaps you notice the pattern.

There's some chequered patterns.

There's some stripes at the lower right-hand corner of this image.

There's different textures that have been used.

See a range of colours, the blue, the brown, blush pink.

And many examples of line, texture, shape and form, tone, and composition as well.

Hope you enjoyed sharing about these.

Let's have another check for understanding.

Which answer lists all the elements of art? Is it A, line tone, colour, shape, form, texture, pattern, and composition? Is it B, line, tone, shape, photography, collage, composition? Or is it C, shape, pattern, contrast, space, scale, proportion? Pause the video while you decide which answer lists all the elements of art.

Well done if you selected answer A, all of the elements of arts are listed there.

And photography and collage are art media, and contrast is a principle of art.

So it couldn't have been answers B or C.

Abstract art is a style of art that uses the elements of art to create ideas or feelings rather than realistic pictures of things.

Abstract art doesn't represent real places or realistic people or objects.

What elements can you identify in this piece of abstract art? Pause the video and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing your ideas.

Perhaps you noticed the lines that are going horizontally and vertically, the use of colour, the composition of this piece, and perhaps some other ideas as well.

Abstract artists use variety by combining different elements.

Artist examples.

In "Dance of the Twin Souls," 1987, Charles Searles used a variety of vibrant patterns inspired by the textiles he saw whilst travelling and studying in Nigeria, Morocco, and Ghana.

Amy Fenton is a neurodiverse artist who intuitively explores pattern and shape through her abstract artwork.

Check for understanding.

Which image is abstract? So A, B, or C? Pause the video while you decide.

Well done if you selected image A.

This artwork uses the elements of art but isn't a representation of a real thing or place, as we can see in images B and C.

When we analyse artworks, we can identify the different elements that contribute to their variety.

We notice how artists use the elements of art to create a visually stimulating experience.

They want to draw us in.

This enhances our appreciation of the art.

It also helps us understand the techniques artists use.

Lucas and Izzy are discussing the elements here.

"It looks like they've considered lots of the elements of art, like colour, and use them to create a really fully abstract image." Great point.

And here's Lucas.

"Yes, it's got a real variety of colours, lines, shapes, and patterns.

It feels balanced and fun." So, yeah, again, thinking about the composition there in terms of the balance.

That's another element of art that's in this work.

Check understanding.

Which image has the greatest use of variety? Is it abstract image A, B, or C? Pause the video while you decide.

Well done if you selected image A.

This uses the greatest variety of shapes, textures, patterns, colours, and lines.

And pause the video additionally, and share with someone which of these images are you most drawn to and why? Thanks for sharing your ideas.

And now, it's time for your first task.

I would like you to describe how the artist has used the elements of art to create an image that is visually interesting.

And can you use the word variety in your answer? So pause the video while you do this.

All right, good to be back with you.

So how did you describe how the artist has used the elements of art to create an image that is visually interesting? You may have said something like this.

"The shapes and colours are all similar and unified, but at the same time, they're torn and have small differences, which gives it more variety." Yep, got that word in there, Aisha.

Amazing.

Here's Andeep.

"The artist created an exciting artwork using ape variety of the elements.

For example, there is a range of colours, lines, and patterns in the artwork." Some fantastic answers there.

And now we're onto our next learning cycle, apply the elements of art to create interest.

Atelier Bingo are a contemporary artist duo that work collaboratively using collage in print to combine a range of bold and vibrant colours, shapes, patterns, and lines in their abstract artwork.

Can you find an abstract artwork that uses all the elements of art? Pause the video while you do this.

Well done if you're able to find an abstract artwork that uses all the elements of art.

Check for understanding.

True or false? Abstract artists use the elements of art to create variety.

Pause the video and decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you said true.

Abstract art doesn't represent real people, places, or things.

The artists use a range of elements of art to create variety and make the work visually interesting.

You can create visual interest by applying the elements of art in your own work.

Using a wide selection of materials allows you to experiment and express your creativity.

You can create abstract art that showcases variety through texture, colour, pattern, line, tone, space, size, and shape.

Look at the examples below.

Can you identify the materials and elements of art used? Let's start with the image on the left, first of all.

Pause the video while you do this.

Perhaps you up with these ideas.

So the materials are orange and black oil pastel on blue paper, and the elements are line, colour, and shape.

And now I'd like you to identify the material and elements of art used on the image on the right.

Pause the video while you do this, The material was printing, and the elements were shape, tone, colour, and texture.

Check for understanding.

Which example uses a variety of colours and layers, A, B, or C? Well done if you selected example A.

This uses a variety of layered, multi-coloured squares to create interest.

To make surface patterns, you can use print like this.

Collect relief materials to print with.

Create a range of prints using a variety of materials and colours.

Roll link over the surface and turn onto the page to print.

You can print with found objects like this.

Step A, find common objects to make a variety of marks.

Step B, repeat using a variety of colours, materials, and shapes.

And your technique could be dip into paint or ink, and then press print.

Love those marks being made by the edge of a ruler.

So for your task, I would like you to make a set of abstract papers that apply the elements of art to create variety and interest.

Step A, create marks using a variety of shapes, lines, and colours.

Step B, test layering different colours, shapes, lines, and patterns.

And step C, save your work for the next stage.

Pause the video while you have a go at this task, making a set of abstract papers that apply the elements of art to create variety and interest.

Great feedback with you.

You may have used a variety of line shapes, colours, tones, patterns, textures and sizes.

You've been busy.

You may have used a range of materials to create visual interest.

Well done.

And now we're onto our final learning cycle, assemble a composition using contrast and variety.

How has variety been created in this cut paper collage? Pause the video and share with someone.

Well done for sharing your ideas.

Perhaps you said there were different shapes, colours, sizes, and textures used.

A collage is a piece of art made by combining different materials, such as cut paper, to create a new image.

When cutting and composing the image, you might want to use variety to add interest.

Variety in a cut paper collage means using different shapes, sizes, colours, and textures.

Some simple ways to create variety and collage are through shapes.

Use geometric shapes such as squares, circles, triangles, and other organic shapes.

Sizes, mix big and small pieces of paper.

Colours, use a wide range of colours.

Bright colours can catch the eye while softer colours can create a calm effect.

And textures combine smooth, shiny, rough, or pattern papers.

This adds depth and makes a collage more engaging.

And layering, overlap the paper pieces.

This adds depth and interest to your artwork.

Artists combine these to create juxtaposition.

To juxtapose means to place two different things side by side to highlight their differences.

By juxtaposing different elements, like light against dark or large shapes next to small ones, we can create a varied and engaging artwork.

We can describe the difference between these elements as the contrast.

Check for understanding.

Which image doesn't juxtapose elements that contrast? Is it A, B, or C? Pause the video and share with someone.

Well done if you selected C.

Image C places two of the same shape in very similar colours next to each other.

These shapes don't contrast because they aren't very different.

Whereas in A and B, we can see a lot of contrast and juxtaposition.

Artists often use contrast alongside variety to create complex images.

Artists Joy Labinjo and Romare H.

Bearden use strong contrast in their work to create varied and visually interesting artwork.

In places, both artists use flat colour, and in others, they contrast this with implied texture and intricate surface pattern.

Check for understanding.

True or false? Artists use control to create more complex images.

Pause the video and decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you select false.

Artists use contrast to create more complex images.

Contrast means using very different elements to make each one stand out.

And now it's time for your final task.

I would like you to review your abstract papers and explore juxtaposing elements that contrast.

Here are some examples.

Looking at positive and negative, shape and line, pattern.

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

Great to be back with you.

You might have found contrast between light and dark, positive and negative, organic and geometric shapes, or many more different contrasting elements.

For the next part of your task, I would like you to assemble an abstract composition using contrast and variety.

Your composition should use your papers from task B to create a collage, contain a wide variety of elements, juxtapose different elements to create contrast.

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

Good to be back with you.

How did you get on? And there are many ways that you may have responded to this task, but you might have contrasted positive and negative space, used overlapping to create visual interest, created contrast through juxtaposing patterns.

And for the final part of your task, I would like you to reflect on your abstract composition.

Consider and discuss, how does your composition use a range of elements to create variety? How well have you juxtaposed different elements to create contrast? How could you improve your abstract composition? Pause the video while you reflect on your abstract composition and consider and discuss these questions.

Good to be back with you.

So you might have reflected on your composition and said something like this.

Here's Jacob.

"I wanted the whole piece to feel unified and varied at the same time.

I tried to add variety across the page without it looking disorganised and cluttered." There was a lot you were trying to do there, Jacob.

I appreciate that.

And Sofia.

"I found that adding elements that contrast helped me work look more interesting and made other elements stand out more." Wonderful.

Contrast is a great thing to bring to our artwork.

Well done everyone for joining in with this lesson.

In our lesson, principles of art: variety, we've covered the following.

Variety is the use of different elements to create visual interest and complexity in an artwork.

Abstract artists rely on the elements of art to create variety as they don't represent real life in their artwork.

We can juxtapose elements by placing two very different things side by side to highlight their differences and create contrast.

Well done everyone for joining in with this lesson.

It was great to explore variety with you.

All these different elements that we can use to create visual interest in our artwork.

And I love how you did just that.

You really explored, experimented, juxtaposed, contrasted.

And I hope you're pleased with what you've created.

I've really enjoyed this lesson and I hope you have too.

I look forward to seeing you at another art lesson soon.

Until then, stay creative.