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Year 9 - Art and design

Principles of art: variety

The principles of art

Unit Summary

This unit expands pupils understanding of the foundations of creative practice, building on knowledge of the elements of art, to now explore more complex principles. This will deepen understanding of how artists use these principles to question the world around them and communicate their ideas.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to understand and apply variety in your artwork.

Key Notes

  • Variety is the use of different elements to create visual interest and complexity in a work
  • Variety can be achieved by using different colours, shapes, sizes, textures, lines and materials
  • Variety can be created by contrasting elements such as light/dark, rough/smooth, or large/small

Vocabulary To Learn

  • variety: using different elements to create visual interest and complexity in a work
  • abstract: uses the elements of art, to create ideas or feelings rather than realistic pictures of things.
  • contrast: when you place very different things next to each other to make each one stand out more.
  • juxtapose: to put two different things side by side to highlight how they are different

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • For artwork to employ variety, it needs to be overwhelming or not unified.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

Variety is the use of different elements to create visual interest and complexity in a work. Variety can be achieved by using different colours, shapes, sizes, textures, lines and materials.

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

using different elements to create visual interest and complexity in a work.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: For artwork to employ variety, it needs to be overwhelming or not unified. Correction: Artwork that employs variety can do so in a unified way to still create work that is cohesive.

More Lessons In This Unit

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