Exploring and experimenting with materials and techniques
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can make experiments that reflect my understanding of visual language.
Key learning points
- Consider how the choice of materials (e.g. paint, clay, fabric) affects the aesthetic and emotional impact of the work.
- Understanding and analysing an artist's process can illuminate the artist's skill and intent.
- Observe how artists experiment with materials and methods to create unique effects or push creative boundaries.
Keywords
Visual language - the way artists use elements like line, shape, and colour to communicate ideas and emotions
Implicit - describes things in which a meaning is implied or hinted at, rather than being expressed directly
Common misconception
I can just make lots of different versions and present them as experiments.
Experimentation is about thinking through doing. It is only useful when it moves your creative journey forward.
Teacher tip
This is a great lesson to start a period of exploratory learning based on the pupils' chosen artists or sources.
Equipment
Choose materials suitable for your specialism, but be prepared to explore those that cross boundaries and offer new experiences.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is meant by visual language in art and design?
Q2.Match each material to a typical association:
Modernity, disposability, mass production
Brutalism, urban life, functionality
Comfort, movement, creativity
Q3.Why is making quick experiments with materials and processes a good starting point?
Q4.Select 3 of the following reasons artists experiment with materials?.
Q5.What does the combination of concrete and neon typically suggest in visual language?
Q6.True or false? Materials can be symbolic or have associations that contribute to your visual language.
To help you plan your 11 art and design lesson on: Exploring and experimenting with materials and techniques, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 art and design lesson on: Exploring and experimenting with materials and techniques, 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 Second sustained project: working from a theme changing perspectives unit, dive into the full secondary art and design curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.