New
New
Lesson 9 of 9
  • Year 10

3D design: the influence of sources on your investigations

I can identify and apply influences from sources to create original 3D work.

Lesson 9 of 9
New
New
  • Year 10

3D design: the influence of sources on your investigations

I can identify and apply influences from sources to create original 3D work.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. By utilising a wide range of source materials, sculptors enrich their creative processes, resulting in dynamic designs.
  2. Exploring sources introduces sculptors to various styles, concepts, and cultural influences, fostering creativity.

Keywords

  • Source - the starting point or inspiration for design

  • Context - the cultural, historical, or social background of a source

  • Transforming - the process of changing a source into a new textile design

Common misconception

A source is just something to copy.

Sources are not meant to be copied. They act as a starting point for creativity. Designers explore a source’s shapes, patterns, colours, or meanings and reinterpret them to create original work that reflects their own ideas and context.


To help you plan your year 10 art and design lesson on: 3D design: the influence of sources on your investigations, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Encourage pupils to see their source as a springboard, not a template. Many pupils may feel they need to copy their chosen image or object directly. Model how to extract shapes, textures, forms, or patterns from the source.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Sketching materials for documenting sources. For practical making, prepare clay, plaster, wire, paper, card and found materials.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), 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

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
True or false? A source is just something to copy directly in your design work.

Correct Answer: False, Incorrect

Q2.
Which of these could be a source of inspiration for 3D design?

Correct answer: a natural object like a shell
Correct answer: a cultural artefact
Correct answer: a photograph or memory
an object with no shape, texture, or meaning

Q3.
Which of the following statements about the context of sources is not correct?

Understanding context makes designs more meaningful.
The material context of a source can inspire new textures.
Correct answer: Context is not important because sources are only for copying.
Considering context helps designers reinterpret sources in creative ways.

Q4.
True or false? Using the original colours and shapes of a source is the only way to stay true to it.

Correct Answer: False, Incorrect

Q5.
What does it mean to transform a source in 3D design?

copying it exactly as it is
Correct answer: changing its colours, textures, or materials to make something new
ignoring it completely
using it only for research and never in the final design

Q6.
Which of these benefits come from analysing sources before designing?

Correct answer: You gain a deeper understanding of their meaning.
Correct answer: You can make respectful and informed creative choices.
You guarantee that every design will look the same.
Correct answer: You discover textures, patterns, or forms you might reuse.

Additional material

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