ART NOTES

Environmental Art - a choice of activities depending on the time allocated:

KS1  Mud Painting

The children will be shown a variety of soils with different colours and textures.  They will use them to paint within an outline - usually a tree.

Sticky Cards

On a small card the children will find a piece of of double sticky tape.  After peeling off the outside of the tape they will collect small natural items to stick on.  Depending on the time of year and the theme.

Miniature Gardens

In the woods the children find natural objects to make a miniature garden on the ground (generally in groups)

Leaf Circle

Using willow tied in a circle, the children encapsulate a leaf in tissue paper in the centre.

KS2

Hangings

Each child is given a small strip of fabric.  Wax crayons are used to make rubbings of natural and man-made objects on the fabric.  It is painted using dye in strips or spots to give a bright and interesting hanging.  When dry it needs a turning made for hanging on a stick.  A fringe can be made.  The finishings are usually done back at school.

Soil Painting

Looking closely at different barks and thinking about colour, pattern and texture, the children, in small groups, decide which tree they would like to paint on the paper.  A variety of soils are used to do this.  The whole page is used to paint part of a tree trunk.  Sticks can be sued to mark on the pattern.

Colour cards

The children are given an A4 piece of paper with a strip of double-sided sticky tape down the middle.  After peeling this off they collect as many small pieces of natural material that can fit on the tape.  Back at the Field Centre they will mix paint to match the correct colours of the leaves etc.  and extend the shapes to the edge of the paper.

Andy Goldsworthy

The children are shown some pictures of the work of environmental artist, Andy Goldsworthy.  In groups they use the natural materials in the woods to construct a picture or 3D sculpture of a mythical creature or another subject.