New
New
The elements of art: Colour
I can use colour theory and personal preference to make a collage
Lesson 4 of 7
New
New
- Year 7
The elements of art: Colour
I can use colour theory and personal preference to make a collage
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Colours can carry different meanings, and these can vary across people, places and cultures.
- We can use colour to convey emotion in our work.
- Artists and designers can use colour theory and personal preference in their work.
Keywords
Colour - what we see when light reflects off an object. Colour helps us describe how things look and can also make us feel different emotions.
Colour theory - the idea of how colours work together. It includes the colour wheel, primary and secondary colours, and how colours can mix or contrast.
Common misconception
Colours carry the same meaning for everybody.
Colours can carry different meanings, and these can vary across people, places and cultures.
Engage pupils in looking and discussing the use of colour in a range of art and design.
Teacher tip
Equipment
Scissors, glue, paper, acrylic/poster paint, brushes, water pot, mixing palette.
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.Which of these describes a colour wheel?
Which of these describes a colour wheel?
a colourful car wheel
a wheel used to paint with
Q2.Which of these is usually one of the primary colours?
Which of these is usually one of the primary colours?
a piece of broccoli
an orange
Q3.Which of these is usually one of the primary colours?
Which of these is usually one of the primary colours?
a summer field of grass
an autumn leaf
Q4.How do you make a secondary colour?
How do you make a secondary colour?
Mix any two colours together.
Add white to a primary colour.
Q5.Which of these colours are secondary colours?
Which of these colours are secondary colours?
dark yellow
Q6.Artists can use colour to convey different moods in their work.
Artists can use colour to convey different moods in their work.
False
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.What do complementary colours do when placed side by side?
What do complementary colours do when placed side by side?
blend into each other
turn into black
create shadows
Q2.What does "saturation" describe in a colour?
What does "saturation" describe in a colour?
its position on the page
how dark or light it is
Q3.Which of the following is a primary colour?
Which of the following is a primary colour?
green
purple
orange
Q4.What is "colour theory" mainly used for in art and design?
What is "colour theory" mainly used for in art and design?
to choose the right brush size
to decide where to place objects in a picture
