By Rachel Parker

In the first video of three in the ‘Exciting Colour‘ series by surface pattern designer Rachel Parker, she shows us how she collects colours from magazines to inspire new and exciting designs. Become a member to access the full video below.

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AccessArt is a UK Charity and we believe everyone has the right to be creative. AccessArt provides inspiration to help us all reach our creative potential.

What We Like About This Resource…

“It’s really nice to see that although Rachel Parker works quite digitally, her process from the beginning is very tactile. Rachels books act as a really great source of inspiration, helping to break down the creative blocks that we all get from time to time. Having a sketchbook dedicated to colour means that as well as working with colours that you already love, you can test new colour palettes and see colours from a new perspective. I especially love how Rachel picks up on the different tones in colours by looking at the way light hits it in order build her colour palette around those supporting tones as well as big statement colours.” – Tobi, AccessArt

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Which Artists: Rachel Parker

Find out about Rachel’s journey to becoming a pattern designer

Make Repeat Patterns

A resource by Rachel Parker to help students build repeat patterns

Exciting Colour

A collection of resources by Rachel Parker to help you build your own colour moodboard

What We Like About This Resource…

“It’s great to see how a simple exercise such as colour collecting, which can be done in a classroom setting, is also used in a professional capacity. This gives the activity a clear context and purpose. It’s nice to see Rachel’s  decisions being made in real time, it demonstrates how artists are constantly reflecting on and self evaluating their own decisions. Rachel also shows us that she sometimes gets colour palettes from photos that she’s taken herself, this is really exciting because it demonstrates how the artists experience is central to their work. Students will be able to bring their own experience and personality to this activity by having complete control over what their colour moodboard becomes.” – Tobi, AccessArt

See How This Resource Is Used in Schools…

You Might Also Like…

Which Artists: Rachel Parker

Find out about Rachel’s journey to becoming a pattern designer

Make Repeat Patterns

A resource by Rachel Parker to help students build repeat patterns

Exciting Colour

A collection of resources by Rachel Parker to help you build your own colour moodboard

What We Like About This Resource…

“Rachel’s work is so vibrant and full of joy, it’s really exciting to see how she starts to form creative ideas around colour. Rachel highlights the importance of colour trends but also gives herself the opportunity to create her own trends which adds a level of playfulness and personality to her colour exploration. Seeing her colour books translate into fabric demonstrates a real clarity in her decision making process.” – Tobi, AccessArt.

You Might Also Like…

Which Artists: Rachel Parker

Find out about Rachel’s journey to becoming a pattern designer

Make Repeat Patterns

A resource by Rachel Parker to help students build repeat patterns

Exciting Colour

A collection of resources by Rachel Parker to help you build your own colour moodboard

See the Resource Used in Schools…

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Pathway: Making Monotypes

This is featured in the ‘Making Monotypes’ pathway

Talking points: What is a monotype?

Talking Points: Kevork Mourad

See the Resource Used in Schools…

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Pathway: Expressive Painting

This is featured in the ‘Expressive Painting’ pathway

Talking Points: Brush Work of Van Gogh & Cezanne

Talking Points: Marela Zacarías

talking points: Charlie French

Session Recording: Expressive Painting

What We Like About This Resource….

“It’s really interesting to hear how the interest Liz has in the quality of light comes from a personal place and is something she has responded to since childhood. Seeing how her work has developed over the years is therefore a really positive re enforcement that individual creative journeys, where nurtured, are so central to a rich arts education. We also love hearing Liz is always on the ‘quest for knowledge’ – meaning she is open to her ideas constantly evolving and the process of gathering new information and inspiration never stops!” – Rachel, AccessArt

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Pathway: Brave Colour

This is featured in the ‘Brave colour’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Find out how pupils can respond to artists work in sketchbooks

Show me what you see

Enable close looking and drawing with this exercise

Lightbulb Art

Mini World Light Boxes

Visual Arts Planning: LIght and Dark

See This Resource Used In Schools…

What We Like About This Resource….

“We love how this activity provides an opportunity to explore a well known Artist’s work, through focussing on their materials and techniques. The children looked at Frank Bowling’s work before creating their own individual responses that retained individual ownership – something we advocate as part of a rich and balanced visual arts education. It was also great to see how a professional artist visited the school to further enhance the children’s experience.” – Rachel, AccessArt

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Pathway: Cloth, thread, paint

This is featured in the ‘Cloth, Thread, Paint’ pathway

Talking Points: Frank Bowling

Talking Points: Hannah Rae

Talking Points: Alice Kettle

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Pathway: using natural materials to make images

This is featured in the ‘Using Natural Materials to Make Images’ pathway

Talking Points: What is a cyanotype

Talking Points: Anna Atkins

See How This Resource Is Used in Schools…

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Pathway: Spirals

This resource is in the ‘Spirals’ pathway.

the drawing journey

Layered Colour Gestural Drawing

Resources created by painter Hester Berry, which aim to introduce some basic drawing and painting concepts to primary-aged children and their teachers.

Explore Resources….

Shape

Hester explains how seeing shapes objectively can help our drawing skills.

Colour

Simple, progressive exercises to explore colour mixing in a dynamic way.

Tone

Hester explains how we can use tone in drawing and painting to help describe form, atmosphere, and context.

Portrait

Hester shares simple exercises to kick start drawing portraits.

Be Inspired to Inspire

Teenagers take on the challenge of transforming a studio into their own bluebell forest.

See how a group of young artists create an enchanted installation.

Exploring Primary Colours and Progressing from Powder Paint to Gouache and Acrylic

Mastering colour mixing

This resource is based on methods shared during an AccessArt InSET session for primary school teachers at New Hall School, Chelmsford, to ultimately enable their pupils to develop colour skills. Teachers explored using their intuition and experience to mix primary colours, creating coloured swatches that matched the colours of spring flowers, whilst comparing painting mediums.