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Year 8 - Art and design

Mark-making: matching technique to stimuli

Abstract painting: sustainable materials

Unit Summary

Pupils will develop their understanding of abstract painting and make more sophisticated connections. They will build confidence in taking risks with new ideas, look at different tools and techniques, and learn to communicate with symbols and marks.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to select and refine mark-making techniques in response to different stimuli.

Key Notes

  • A stimulus is anything that sparks inspiration and helps us to experiment, and express concepts or feelings.
  • We can make different textures and marks, such as drips and splattering, to respond to different stimuli.
  • We can select the technique and medium for an artwork in response to what we aim to communicate about a stimulus.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • technique: a specific way of using tools and materials to achieve a particular effect in an artwork
  • medium: the material or substance like watercolour, oil paint, or charcoal that an artist uses to create their artwork
  • materials: the physical items an artist uses to create artwork, such as paints, brushes, paper, clay, or fabric

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • When observing a stimulus, it is best to respond using pencil.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

A stimulus is anything that sparks inspiration and helps us to experiment, and express concepts or feelings. We can make different textures and marks, such as drips and splattering, to respond to different stimuli.

2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'technique'

a specific way of using tools and materials to achieve a particular effect in an artwork.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: When observing a stimulus, it is best to respond using pencil. Correction: Different stimuli, call for different methods like, loose washes, impasto, detailed line work, collage, etc. Matching technique to stimuli ensures the artwork communicates its idea effectively.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 8 Art and design guide library.