Design a street art mural
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can design a street art mural that communicates a chosen theme, using digital tools.
Key learning points
- Street art has cultural, social, and artistic significance, and is created in both traditional and digital formats.
- Using digital media allows artists to experiment and refine their ideas before committing to a large-scale mural.
- Consideration of the wall space, scale, and public context is crucial when designing a mural.
Keywords
Street art - art created in public spaces, often with social or political messages
Mural - a large artwork painted or applied directly onto a wall or ceiling
Digital media - tools and platforms that allow for the creation, sharing, and manipulation of artwork using digital technology
Stencil - a technique used in street art where a cut-out template is placed on a surface to spray or paint a design
Proportion - the size relationship between different elements of a design
Common misconception
Digital tools are not necessary for street art; real street art has to be done with spray paint on walls.
While spray paint is common in street art, digital tools are increasingly used in the design and creation process. Digital art allows artists to experiment, refine, and plan their murals before transferring them to large-scale physical surfaces.
Teacher tip
This lesson requires use of an editing programme. Encourage students to experiment with their digital designs before finalising them, emphasising the importance of scale and public space. Remind pupils that their mural could have a message behind it, making their design more meaningful for viewers.
Equipment
Computers or tablets with digital art software. Sketchbooks or paper. Pens, pencils, erasers.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Why do street artists often use symbolism in their artwork?
Q2.Where can symbolism be found?
Q3.Which of these artists are internationally known for street art?
Q4.Why is street art powerful?
Q5.What is meant by a social message in street art?
Q6.Match the keyword to the definition:
Art created in public spaces, often with bold visuals
A message in art about issues like equality or climate
Using images or objects to represent ideas or feelings
Art made or shared using computers, tablets, or apps
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is a mural?
Q2.Why is proportion important in mural design?
Q3.True or false? Before painting a mural, it can be useful to start by sketching your design on paper or digitally.
Q4.What affects how your mural is seen?
Q5.Put these steps in the correct order to design a street art mural:
Q6.Match the word to its correct meaning:
art created in public spaces, often with social or political messages
a cut-out template is placed on a surface to spray or paint a design
the size relationship between different elements of a design
tools and platforms that allow for the creation of artwork
To help you plan your 6 art and design lesson on: Design a street art mural, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 6 art and design lesson on: Design a street art mural, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 art and design lessons from the Street Art: digital and new media unit, dive into the full primary art and design curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.