03. Artist in Residence

Olivia Berners-Price is a secondary school arts teacher and artist who works across Years 3, 4 and 5. Teaching both whole class and in small groups, she introduces the children to a variety of materials, encouraging them to experiment with different media and techniques; explores a variety of artists and cultures; and develops the children’s understanding of common art-based vocabulary.
We have created three gallery areas where we celebrate the work children have created with our artist-in-residence. These displays are updated, giving high visibility to some of this fantastic work.

In year 3, the children learn about:

• The composition of pencils, pencil grading systems, and what they are used for, they practice techniques, graduation of tone, pressure and grip.
• Cool and warm colours using oil pastels, discussing how this media differs from wax crayons or chalk pastels. They use this medium to develop an understanding of graduation of colour, blending tones with smooth transition. Initially working in larger areas with extension task to develop control and working within shapes.
• They are introduced to the works of Friedensreich Hundertwasser, using his art and design forms as inspiration for their own outcomes.

In year 4, the children learn about:

• How to build on and develop the techniques learned in Y3 with graduation of tone with shading pencils. They look at simple optical illusions, using artists’ work as an introduction and developing more sophisticated outcomes by using shading to enhance their drawings.
• How to use a mannequin, looking at form, proportion and negative space.
• Completing fast pen drawings, learning from mistakes focusing on the process not outcome.
• Charcoal, what it is made from and exploring the use of charcoal, experimenting with surface pattern, line and visual texture.
• Developing an understanding of other cultures. Printing with references to tribes in Northern India, being inspired by the imagery and storytelling on mud huts, pupils create poly prints.
• Being able to discuss art materials and their potential uses.
• Mixed media work by experimenting with household products.

In year 5, the children learn about:

• How to build on the use of mannequins following on from Y4. Children use pen and water technique, adding tone using alternative media and enhancing the paper background to disrupt the blank paper.
• Form, proportion, negative space and understanding that this applies to all observational work.
• Large oil pastel drawings and developing the techniques learnt in Y3. Children will become more sophisticated with their use of blending by focusing on the value (light and dark) and changing the colours from the original object.
• Recognising mistakes made with form and proportion and then being able to discuss how to correct the error.
• Chalk pastels and the graduation of colour by looking at artists’ work.
• Effective use of mixed media, blocking out areas to create depth and interest in a piece of work.
• Layering media and being free to experiment but using the artist as inspiration.
• How to look at a piece of work as a whole, not individual little sections.