Expressive Painting & Colour Mixing
By Paula Briggs
This post shares how we can enable an exploration of primary and secondary colours, colour mixing and expressive mark making with paint, with primary-aged children.
Most often when schools introduce children to primary and secondary colours it is through the creation of a colour wheel, often with the expectation that the execution will be “neat”, turning the process into a technical skill.
In this session, pupils learn about primary and secondary colours through hands on experience of paint mixing and importantly paint application. They use a variety of made and sourced “tools” to help them apply the paint, layering primary and then secondary colours, and exploring expressive mark making. They start to think about how to use colour and mark making in response to what is already there – a key skill in painting.
Children work on sheets of paper (approx A4) and then consolidate the learning by choosing sections of their painted sheets to develop as sketchbook work, helping develop reflection and articulation skills, ready for the next stage of learning.
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Session Recording: Expressive Painting
Michaela C
January 25, 2023 @ 4:03 pm
This was very effective and an inspiring way of working with colour. It did take a long time though- you will need half a day. I worked with Y5 and Y6 children. We used lots of additional tools, such as matchsticks, cut up sponges, pip cleaners, glue spreaders etc.
Rachel
February 10, 2023 @ 10:47 am
Hi Michaela, you’re right, you could spend a lot longer on this activity and in fact we want to keep these things a little open for all teachers to feel their way through. Some will spend less time and some more, depending on timetabling etc. The main thing is that you feel in a position to adapt it as you see fit, according to your setting. Many thanks, Rachel
Michaela C
February 22, 2023 @ 12:11 pm
True. I could’ve easily done it all day. It was great fun. In fact, i’m getting my whole class to do it today, as we’re working on how to use our sketchbooks more efficiently and with greater purpose.