New
New
Raised portraits: representation through dots and relief
I can create raised and dot portraits that explore how subjects are represented in art.
Lesson 4 of 4
New
New
- Year 6
Raised portraits: representation through dots and relief
I can create raised and dot portraits that explore how subjects are represented in art.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- There are many ways that artists have used dots to create images.
- The Benin bronzes were made to honour the Oba and record the kingdom’s history and culture.
- Light and shadow can express status.
- Representation matters – images tell stories about inclusion and erasure.
Keywords
Oba - in the Kingdom of Benin, the Oba was the spiritual, political, and cultural leader
Representation - how people or groups are shown or left out in art/media
Relief art - a type of artwork where shapes or images are raised above (or carved into) a flat surface
Common misconception
Western portraits are the artworks where artists represent stauts effectively.
Many artefacts and artworks around the world and throughout history do this.
Include a range of examples of art and artefacts that represent different people and their actual or perceived status for discussion.
Teacher tip
Equipment
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What do geometric patterns in medieval art often represent?
What do geometric patterns in medieval art often represent?
random decoration
weather and seasons
the artist’s daily life
Q2.What does the word pattern mean in art?
What does the word pattern mean in art?
the colour of paint
a mistake in the artwork
a single picture
Q3.What is a geometric shape?
What is a geometric shape?
a natural or uneven shape
a pattern made of random lines
a shape with no sides
Q4.True or False? If shapes in an artwork look abstract, they don’t mean anything.
True or False? If shapes in an artwork look abstract, they don’t mean anything.
true
Q5.What can material surfaces and patterns carry in an artwork?
What can material surfaces and patterns carry in an artwork?
random decoration
only flat colours
unfinished details
Q6.What does texture mean in art?
What does texture mean in art?
the size of the artwork
the type of brush used
the thickness of the frame
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.What can material and scale do in a portrait?
What can material and scale do in a portrait?
make the subject look more ordinary
make the artwork smaller and less detailed
Q2.What does chiaroscuro mean?
What does chiaroscuro mean?
a type of shiny metallic paint
a pattern made with repeated dots
a kind of string used for texture
Q3.Light and shadow can help express __________ and focus attention in a portrait.
Light and shadow can help express __________ and focus attention in a portrait.
landscape
patterns
Q4.Why does representation matter in art?
Why does representation matter in art?
It makes artworks more colourful.
It keeps all art the same.
