I really enjoyed getting stuck into my first Art input this morning and it was certainly a great way to start the day! Fiona McGarry allowed us to experiment with a vast array of materials that would likely be found within a primary school. We were to think about different ways we could use each material as well as the level of enjoyment we got out of it.

The different stations included collage/paper mache, paints, charcoals/chalks and oil pastels/wax crayons. Each table left me feeling so inspired in terms of lesson ideas and art processes I could teach to primary children.

At the collage table I experimented with different techniques and created different textures by moving from layering torn pieces of paper to balling up paper to create a 3D images. The different types of paper available at this table was also great as I could try out how a technique worked with crepe paper and compare and contrast this by trying the same thing using shiny mirrored paper for example. This helped me to learn about the different properties of each material.

I found that using the chalk was incredibly satisfying especially on black paper. I also noted the different ways I could work with chalk, creating bold lines as well as smudging and blending. With the oil pastels I tried some scraping as well as noting their water resistant quality while attempting to use water soluble pencils over the top of them.

All of these experiences are ones we want our pupils to be having and we should endeavor to frame our art lessons around these types of experiences rather than around a particular activity we think would be ‘fun’.