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Lesson 16 of 18
  • Year 11

Evaluate use of materials and techniques

I can evaluate my work, including the use of materials and techniques, using appropriate vocabulary.

Lesson 16 of 18
New
New
  • Year 11

Evaluate use of materials and techniques

I can evaluate my work, including the use of materials and techniques, using appropriate vocabulary.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Materials have distinct qualities which influence the creation and impact of your final outcome.
  2. Materials and techniques should be assessed to establish if they align with an artwork's intended message or concept.
  3. Evaluating your proficiency with different techniques helps to identify areas requiring further practice or exploration.
  4. Using suitable vocabulary will help you communicate your ideas clearly and show that you understand the subject well.

Keywords

  • Evaluation - thinking about and giving your opinion on how well your work was made, what was learnt and what could be improved

  • Proficiency - the skill or ability to do something well, gained through practice and experience

  • Characteristics - the features or qualities that make something unique, like colour, texture, or appearance

Common misconception

I should talk about all of the visual elements and principles of art in my evaluation.

Select and describe only the areas that are relevant, but consider them all to see if you notice anything new. Sometimes you make work instinctively and don't realise until later what techniques or principles you actually applied.


To help you plan your year 11 art and design lesson on: Evaluate use of materials and techniques, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

This is a great lesson to use after making a larger response to encourge critical thinking about materials, characteristics and techniques.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Recording materials as appropriate (pens, paper, word processing, voice recorders etc) and portfolios or sketchbooks of their work to review and consider.

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

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6 Questions

Q1.
What does the word "evaluate" usually mean in art and design?

to describe only what materials you used
to copy another artist’s style
Correct answer: to think about how well something works and how it could be improved
to choose materials without reflection

Q2.
True or false? Different materials have unique characteristics (like colour, texture, or strength) that affect how they can be used in artwork.

Correct Answer: True, Correct, yes

Q3.
Match the material to one of its characteristics:

Correct Answer:charcoal,creates bold, smudgy marks

creates bold, smudgy marks

Correct Answer:fabric,can be dyed or embroidered

can be dyed or embroidered

Correct Answer:glass,transparent or reflective

transparent or reflective

Q4.
Why is technical proficiency important when using techniques?

Correct answer: It shows how carefully and effectively you can use the technique.
It always makes the artwork colourful.
It means you never make mistakes.
It removes the need for creativity.

Q5.
True or false? When evaluating, using precise art vocabulary (like balance, emphasis, texture) helps explain ideas more clearly.

Correct Answer: True, Correct, yes

Q6.
Why might an artist reflect on the visual effects created by their chosen materials?

to avoid using those materials again
to replace the need for annotations
to make the work look identical to another artist’s
Correct answer: to understand how their choices support mood, meaning, or theme

Additional material

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