Manipulating photographs
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can experiment with different ways to manipulate a photograph, exploring how to reflect personal ideas in my work.
Key learning points
- Old photos can be repurposed to create interesting artworks that are relevant to today.
- Artists use photos to express ideas about identity and contemporary society.
- Stitching into photos and manipulating them can add another layer of meaning.
Keywords
Distort - to change something from its original shape or appearance
Destroy - to completely break or ruin something so that it cannot be used or fixed
Fragmentation - taking an image or object and dividing it up, so that the whole thing is not clear or complete
Common misconception
Distorting a photograph with manipulation techniques only damages it.
In art, photos are not just static records of the past; they are versatile tools that can be reinterpreted and manipulated to express new ideas and perspectives.
Teacher tip
Encourage students to experiment freely with their photos, reminding them that manipulation is a process, not about perfection. Have them document each stage to track progress and build confidence, focusing on exploration rather than worrying about mistakes.
Equipment
Photographs, scissors, pens, ink, glue, needle and threads.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.How does manipulating a drawing help refine your final artwork in GCSE Art?
Q2.Understanding your narrative can be helpful because it allows you to reflect on how to your message.
Q3.Match the techniques to demonstrate layering in art.
overlapping torn or cut pieces to build texture and detail
uses textured or prepared surfaces to affect layers built on top
adds depth using transparent or opaque colours
Q4.Why is manipulating drawings and artwork an important way to develop an artist's work?
Q5.In art and design, to means to change or alter something to create a new effect, meaning, or form.
Q6.What does "develop" mean in art?
To help you plan your 10 art and design lesson on: Manipulating photographs, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 art and design lesson on: Manipulating photographs, 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 4 art and design lessons from the Foundation workshops: selecting primary sources and recording observations unit, dive into the full secondary art and design curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.