Contrast and Complement

In this art and design project, children build on learning from the projects Mix it in Y1 and Y2, revisiting and extending their understanding of colour theory by learning about colour families, including analogous, complementary, warm, cool and tertiary colours.

Children are introduced to watercolour paint and explore the properties and techniques of watercolour painting. They revisit the concept of a colour wheel from their earlier learning and paint colour wheels to record each colour family.

They also analyse a favourite painting to make and mix its colours accurately, using them to design and create imaginative colour composition.

Prehistoric Pots

In this art and design project, children learn about the cultural and artistic significance of Bell Beaker pottery and make preliminary sketches of the form, shape and pattern of the pots. They build on their previous learning about the properties of clay from the Y2 project Flower Head to extend their clay skills to include rolling coils, making and using slip and joining clay. They use these skills to explore ways to add decoration and embellishment to clay slabs in the style of Bell Beaker pottery. They consolidate their understanding by making a pot in the Bell Beaker style, using pinching, coiling and pattern making.