LO: Create a typography piece of artwork taking inspiration from Eine

Eine (Ben Eine) is one of the most successful street artists in the world today and is regarded as a pioneer in the exploration of graffitti letterforms. His unique pieces can be seen across London. A particular area of the East End has been named ‘Alphabet City’ after his colourful array of shopfront ‘shutter art’.

Art Club were inspired by Eine's typography creations and made their very own 'Eine-style' piece of artwork using the research sheet above for guidance, pencils and watercolours. They could chose a letter, word, initials... the choice was theirs!

Such magnificent work as always!

LO: Warhol-style repeated shadow handprint art

For a short collaborative lesson Year 6 were challenged to create a repeated Andy Warhol-style piece of artwork. We discussed his work with the help of the research sheet below.

Each child was given two pieces of coloured card which they had to fold in half.

Then, draw around their hand over two coloured A5 pieces.

Next, cut out and stick on opposite colours.

Finally, children were allowed to create the shadow effect be having their hand painted black and printing on each card a hand.

They really enjoyed the process of having their hand painted! They hadn't made hand print painting in years. It was such good fun to see their happy faces when the paint was applied :)

The results are so effective, especially as a group piece.

Each child signed their work of art. I told them to keep it or even give it to a loved one as an extremely funky-Pop-Art-Warhol-style gift.

LO: Be inspired by Keith Haring's bold designs

American artist Keith Haring gained fame with his cartoony style designs that started out as part of the New York graffiti culture in the 1980s. He was best known for his graffiti-inspired drawings, which he first made in subway stations and later exhibited in museums. His images were scenes about various topics such as hip-hop music, dance, birth and friendship.

Each Art Club member was given the research sheet above containing many of Haring's designs. They were set the challenge of creating their own colourful piece with card, glue, scissors and black felt-tips.

They have chosen such bold and powerful colour combinations! 

I love the way children never forgot about Haring's trademark black 'movement marks'.

LO: Art lessons in relation to 'Wolf Brother' by Michelle Paver

Six thousand years ago evil stalks the land. Only twelve-year-old Torak and his wolf-cub companion can defeat it. Their journey together takes them through deep forests, across giant glaciers, and into dangers they never imagined.

In this page-turning, original, and spectacularly told adventure story, Torak and Wolf are joined by an incredible cast of characters as they battle to save their world.

Over the course of three one hour long lessons children were given the chance to draw wolves, create paintings and finally each make a wolf mask.

Sketches of wolves were made using different pencil shades.

 Paintings were created. Children learnt about different tones of grey by only using white and black paint.

Wolf masks 
These were made in three stages...
1. The structure of the mask was a bought template, cardboard and lots of masking tape.
2. Paper mache-ing the entire mask.
3. Paint!

Everyone could transform into a completely different character when they put on the wolf mask! They were used as part as drama lesson, class assembly dance and group games lesson.

LO: Create your own soup can inspired by Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol was part of the Pop Art movement. He was famous for exploring popular culture in his work, using images of brands like Coca Cola, Listerine and Campbell’s Soup (which was one of his favourite things to eat!).

Year 6 children were given the research sheet below and we discussed many aspects of Warhol's work and how he liked to use bright colours and silk screening techniques to mass-produce artworks.

Firstly, they were given an A5 piece of white card and taught how to draw and fill the page with a cylinder soup can shape. Then they were set the challenge to create their very own soup that reflects a part of themselves. Whether that be their personality, likes, dislikes, colours, name, inspiration from Warhol... whatever they want!

What talented children! What amazing colours! And don't they look great as a collaborative class piece?! Very proud as always :)

The Andy Warhol Museum over in Pittsburgh, USA, loved seeing the children's work too. Well done guys!

  

LO: Artwork inspired by Peter Kwangware and 'Journey to Jo'burg' by Beverley Naidoo

Year 6 students read the incredible book 'Journey to Jo'burg' by Beverley Naidoo. 

Frightened that their baby sister Dineo will die, thirteen-year-old Naledi and her younger brother Tiro run away from their grandmother to Johannesburg to find their mother, who works there as a maid. Their journey illustrates at every turn the grim realities of apartheid - the pass laws, bantustans, racism, the breakdown of family life.

This was an extremely moving, yet beautiful story. Many children were shocked and amazed that such discrimination against people based on race happened so brutally and so recently.

I decided that it was only fitting to introduce the children to an artist from Africa. After much research, I came across a vibrant figurative artist named Peter Kwangware. I instantly fell in love with his work, as did the children.

Kwangware's paintings are mostly created from oils and are inspired by social aspects of African life and explore themes of everyday living in both the city and rural areas. He often paints popular spots such as fields, markets and strives to tell the tales of present times.

Year 6 were challenged to create their own interpretation of his work. They could use, pencil and felt-tips. Great results as always!

LO: Create a piece of artwork inspired by Roy Lichtenstein including onomatopoeia

Whammmm!!!! Today, Art Club were exposed to the artwork of the wonderful Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein. 

I brought lots of books to school featuring his paintings, plus a variety of comics to inspire them. The research sheet below was given and stuck into their sketchpads.

                                   

The challenge was to create their own freeze-frame, or series of images in a comic strip style and it MUST contain onomatopoeia.

BANG! CRASH! POW! KAPOW! BOOM!!!! Great results Art Club! :)

LO: Create a koi fish to complement class topic Japan

Whilst studying Japan in their topic, Year 6 students were set the challenge to create a large koi fish painting. This would eventually be used as a prop for their class assembly.

To begin with, they were taught the step by step instructions on how to create the basic shape of a koi fish and asked to fill an A3 page full of practice sketches. Once they felt confident they were able to draw their fish on a larger scale for their final piece and paint using watercolours or poster paint.

They used the research sheet below for guidance. One sheet gives instructions on how to draw a simple koi whilst the other is slightly harder.

            

             

The story of koi overcoming adversity has been in Japanese culture for generations. The story says that koi fish climbed waterfalls in spite of the heavy current attempting to keep them in their pool. They battled perseverance to climb the falls because they wanted this outcome so badly.

Take a look at the beautiful koi Year 6 have created! Such beautiful colours and so much detail. I am very proud of this artwork. Well done! :)