Art and Design.
ART @ HOLYWELLSCHOOL.CO.UK
Subject Leader: Miss S Warren
Vision / Intent
To provide all pupils with an inspiring, challenging and rewarding Art & Design education that nurtures creativity, curiosity and independent thinking. We aim to develop confident, imaginative and reflective young artists who can explore, experiment and communicate their ideas through a broad range of artistic disciplines, materials and processes.
Through the study of Art & Design, pupils will develop practical skills, critical understanding and an appreciation of the visual world. They will learn to recognise the importance of art, craft and design across different cultures, contexts and periods, whilst developing their own creative identity and personal artistic voice.
Our intention is to equip pupils with the knowledge, skills and confidence to take creative risks, overcome challenges and produce meaningful, personal and ambitious outcomes. We want pupils to understand that creativity is a journey of exploration, discovery, reflection and refinement, where individual expression and the freedom to experiment are valued.
'The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.’ Pablo Picasso
Approach / Philosophy / Implementation
The Art & Design department will provide a supportive, stimulating and ambitious learning environment in which pupils are encouraged to:
- Develop creativity and imagination through a wide range of visual, tactile and sensory experiences, exploring different ideas, concepts and approaches to making art.
- Become independent and resilient learners, developing a positive growth mindset through experimentation, problem-solving, creative risk-taking and learning from mistakes.
- Develop practical skills and confidence in a broad range of artistic techniques, materials, processes and disciplines, enabling them to make informed creative decisions.
- Explore, develop and refine ideas through sustained investigation, experimentation and reflection, demonstrating an increasingly personal and individual approach to their work.
- Record observations and experiences through drawing, photography, annotation, written reflection and other appropriate recording methods, recognising the importance of visual research and investigation.
- Develop critical understanding and visual literacy by analysing, interpreting and evaluating the work of artists, craftspeople, architects and designers, making meaningful connections to their own practice.
- Understand art within wider contexts, exploring the diverse roles and purposes of Art & Design across different historical periods, cultures, communities and contemporary society.
- Communicate personal ideas, feelings and meanings through expressive and creative responses, developing the confidence to make work that is thoughtful, purposeful and individual.
- Develop the ability to reflect, review and improve, understanding that refinement and evaluation are essential parts of the creative process and the development of successful outcomes.
- Take pride in their achievements by producing ambitious, high-quality work and celebrating their creative journeys through exhibitions, displays and opportunities to share their work with others.
- Work within an inclusive, calm, caring and inspiring environment where individuality is celebrated, pupils feel safe to express themselves and all learners are supported and challenged to achieve their potential.
Our Aspiration
We want every pupil who studies Art & Design at Holywell to leave with more than a qualification. We want them to develop an enduring appreciation of creativity, an understanding of the world around them and the confidence to express their own ideas and perspectives.
Ultimately, we hope our pupils leave Holywell recognising that Art & Design is not simply about producing an outcome, but about developing curiosity, taking creative risks, discovering possibilities and finding meaning and pleasure through making, exploring and appreciating art.
‘Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.’ Scott Adams
Department Members
Miss S Warren Art Subject Leader
Mrs A Jeavons Art and Humanities Teacher
Ms E Lau Art & DT Technician
Topic Overviews
Year 6
Projects
Natural Influences Project– Sculpture and photography
MAIN FOCUS: To be inspired and influenced by nature and the work Andy Goldsworthy.
To explore with material, process and form to create a final piece.
Mind Monsters Project– Illustration, imaginative drawing and painting
MAIN FOCUS: To explore own thoughts and feelings. To be influenced by the illustrator David Litchfield. To express own emotion in an imaginative Mind Monster illustration.
Our Ocean Project– Sculpture, observational drawing, printmaking and painting
MAIN FOCUS: To explore and develop skillset, sketching, painting and printing (shells and water) and design and make a fish sculpture from clay. To create a final composition and photograph.
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‘If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.’ Vincent Van Gogh
Year 7
Projects
Gargoyle sculptures – Gothic architecture
MAIN FOCUS: To develop knowledge and understanding of gothic architecture and gargoyles.
To design and create a gargoyle face sculpture from clay, focusing on exaggerated features and facial expression.
Arcimboldo Collage Painting and Celebrity portraits – Grid drawing method
MAIN FOCUS: To explore and discover the work of Arcimboldo. To use imagination and creativity to create a collage of a face using random objects and recreate it using paint.
To use grid drawing method and a viewfinder to create a pencil sketch of a celebrity face.
Cubist Self- portraits – Mixed media, painting, collage, oil pastels
MAIN FOCUS: To learn about Cubism (focus on Picasso); artists, features, analysis, critique and compare.
To create a cubist style self-portrait expressing a mood or emotion(s).
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Year 8
Projects
Figure and Form – Watercolour and pen wash techniques, imaginative drawing
MAIN FOCUS: To explore watercolour and pen techniques. To create figurative drawings to develop understanding of the human form. To create an imaginative final response inspired by research
Antoni Gaudi sculptures – Texture and shape focus
MAIN FOCUS: To explore and be inspired by the architecture of Gaudi. To explore creating textures in clay. To create a sculpture inspired by Gaudi from clay.
Monochrome Illusions – Op Art and printing
MAIN FOCUS: To explore the work of a range of techniques, artists and illustrators who use black and white and illusion in their work. To create a final lino print.
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'Creativity takes Courage’ Henri Matisse
Year 9
Projects
Edible
MAIN FOCUS: Student explore the theme through observational drawing and artist research. They will be refining ideas and techniques to create final response.
Formal elements focus – Line, shape, form, space, texture, tone, colour
Advanced Techniques and Skills: Drawing: Observational Drawing: Accuracy, proportion, and perspective.
Tonal Modelling: Creating 3D form using highlights, mid-tones, and shadows.
Colour Theory: Using complementary or harmonious colours to create mood. Mixed Media: Combining materials (collage, ink and watercolour).
Natural Environment
MAIN FOCUS: Students explore the natural environment through observation, experimentation, and personal interpretation. They investigate artists who respond to nature in diverse ways, from realism to abstraction and environmental art, before producing a final piece that communicates their own viewpoint.
Formal elements focus: Line, shape, form, space, texture, tone, colour
Advanced Techniques and Skills: Observational drawing- line, proportion, tone, texture, detail.
Colour theory: paint handling, composition, scale, colour blending
Constructed Environment
MAIN FOCUS: Students focus on the man-made world, local architecture, urban landscapes, and structural forms. Students will develop skills in perspective, scale, technical drawing, 3D construction, and mixed-media.
Formal elements focus: Line, shape, form, space, texture, tone, colour
Photography: Students photograph local buildings, derelict sites, bridges, or modern architecture, focusing on angles, textures, and line.
Drawing Skills: Ability to use perspective, grid methods, and line to record urban structures.
Perspective Drawing: Introduction to one-point and two-point perspective drawing of urban scenes
To see our Art curriculum in detail please open the documents below.