In S2/3 pupils are encouraged to experiment with and manipulate paper and card, using simple shapes and repetition as well as paper construction techniques such as cutting, slotting, folding and bending in order to learn skills which could lead to other areas of design such as jewellery, textiles and fashion, product design (lamps, clocks, wall hangings)or more expressive pieces such as ornamental garden furniture or sculpture. These simple yet complex paper constructions in effect provide a pathway for future development and creative expression and are in no way prescriptive. They encourage individuality and ‘thinking outside the box’. Continue reading Leaps in Learning →

Having attended a felting CPD at Armadale Academy I transferred the skills and techniques which I learned to my S5/6 Higher/ Intermediate 2 Art and Design class as well as within the department.

I decided to select Hat/Headgear design in order to enable pupils to apply the techniques and use the materials I had learned how to manipulate through my CPD. The results produced were fantastic and I feel pupils achieved better results and enjoyed studying hat/headgear design as a result. Included are examples of Headgear from 4 pupils who have added comments in support of their learning and achievements. Continue reading Felting CPD →

Included are primary source, observational sketches, which have been used with various classes from S1 to S5/6. The Visual Elements of line, tone, colour are the focus and initially I demonstrate the use of a soft sketching pencil, then coloured pencil with colour mixing and blending and felt tip pens to produce a pointilist technique. Continue reading Observational drawing →