By Sarah and John Gamble

AccessArt is creating a body of work to explore, celebrate and promote the notion of “Tiny Art Schools” across the UK. In this series of case studies, we’ll be sharing how artist educators work with their audiences, using community centres, village halls, and private studio spaces as art education labs, to build creative and economic communities of all sizes. We’ll explore how the tiny art school concept can be both a viable business model for the artist educator and help inform a ground-up, inclusive and diverse re-thinking of the purpose and value of art education for all today.

In this first post within a series of three, we interview Sarah and John Gamble, who run Art School Ilkley, an independent art school based in Ilkley, West Yorkshire. Starting in 2016, John and Sarah now run ten classes a week, teaching across ages, from young artists to adults. With a focus on inclusivity and experimentation, they provide a space where people can meet and be led on a personal artistic journey.

In this series, John and Sarah discuss how the school came about, their journey as artist educators, and a unique approach that makes Art School Ilkley a cherished part of the community.

In this first post, John and Sarah discuss why they wanted to start their own Tiny Art School and how they began in 2016.

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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.

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elastic band sketchbook

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ten minutes, five times a week

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What We Like About This Resource

“This is a great activity to get students to think about drawing in a different way. Extending reach and accepting a lack of control can lead to really exciting and energised mark-making. It’s great to see that this resource has also been used in SEND settings, demonstrating its accessibility.” – Tobi, AccessArt.

A collection of imagery and sources which you can use to prompt drawing in schools and community groups. 

Please note that this page contains links to external websites and has videos from external websites embedded. At the time of creating, AccessArt checked all links to ensure content is appropriate for teachers to access. However external websites and videos are updated and that is beyond our control. 

Please let us know if you find a 404 link, or if you feel content is no longer appropriate. 

We strongly recommend as part of good teaching practice that teachers watch all videos and visit all websites before sharing with a class. On occasion there may be elements of a video you would prefer not to show to your class and it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure content is appropriate. Many thanks. 

Orchestras and Instruments

Use the film below to enable children to explore orchestras and instruments. Try to create a sense of momentum – for example you might pause the video 4 times and ask the pupils to make a 1 minute, 2 minute, 3 minute and 4 minute drawing at each pause. 

Encourage close and slow looking by talking as they draw – use your voice to attract their attention to different qualities.

Try the same exercise using different materials, ie handwriting pen, ink and nib, pastel, watercolour…

How might you invent your own instrument? What instruments might you combine? Is it self playing?

This Source Material Is Used In…

Pathway: Music and art

This is featured in the ‘Music and Art’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see

See This Resource Used In Schools

A collection of imagery and sources which you can use to prompt drawing in schools and community groups. 

Please note that this page contains links to external websites and has videos from external websites embedded. At the time of creating, AccessArt checked all links to ensure content is appropriate for teachers to access. However external websites and videos are updated and that is beyond our control. 

Please let us know if you find a 404 link, or if you feel content is no longer appropriate. 

We strongly recommend as part of good teaching practice that teachers watch all videos and visit all websites before sharing with a class. On occasion there may be elements of a video you would prefer not to show to your class and it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure content is appropriate. Many thanks. 

Shells

Use the films below to enable children to explore drawing shells. Try to create a sense of momentum – for example you might pause the video 4 times and ask the pupils to make a 1 minute, 2 minute, 3 minute and 4 minute drawing at each pause. 

Encourage close and slow looking by talking as they draw – use your voice to attract their attention to qualities of the shells.

Try the same exercise using different materials, ie handwriting pen, ink and nib, pastel, watercolour…

Charles Dessalines

Anselmus Boëtius de Boodt

Common Triton Horns, Charonia tritonis (1596-1610) by Anselmus Boëtius de Boodt. Original from the Rijksmuseum. 

George Shaw

Tritonian murex or Sea trumpet illustration from The Naturalist's Miscellany (1789-1813) by George Shaw (1751-1813)

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Pathway: Spirals

This is featured in the ‘Spirals’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see

A collection of imagery and sources which you can use to prompt drawing in schools and community groups. 

Please note that this page contains links to external websites and has videos from external websites embedded. At the time of creating, AccessArt checked all links to ensure content is appropriate for teachers to access. However external websites and videos are updated and that is beyond our control. 

Please let us know if you find a 404 link, or if you feel content is no longer appropriate. 

We strongly recommend as part of good teaching practice that teachers watch all videos and visit all websites before sharing with a class. On occasion there may be elements of a video you would prefer not to show to your class and it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure content is appropriate. Many thanks. 

Water

Use the film below to enable children to explore drawing water. Try to create a sense of momentum – for example you might pause the video 4 times and ask the pupils to make a 1 minute, 2 minute, 3 minute and 4 minute drawing at each pause. 

Encourage close and slow looking by talking as they draw – use your voice to attract their attention to qualities of the water.

Try the same exercise using different materials, ie handwriting pen, ink and nib, pastel, watercolour…

This Source Material Features in…

Pathway: Cloth, thread, paint

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

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see

See This Resource Used In Schools…

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Pathway: Mixed Media Land and city scapes

This is featured in the ‘Mixed Media Land and City Scapes’ pathway

Talking Points: Kittie Jones

Talking Points: Vanessa Gardiner

Talking Points: The Shoreditch Sketcher

A collection of imagery and sources which you can use to prompt drawing in schools and community groups. 

Please note that this page contains links to external websites and has videos from external websites embedded. At the time of creating, AccessArt checked all links to ensure content is appropriate for teachers to access. However external websites and videos are updated and that is beyond our control. 

Please let us know if you find a 404 link, or if you feel content is no longer appropriate. 

We strongly recommend as part of good teaching practice that teachers watch all videos and visit all websites before sharing with a class. On occasion there may be elements of a video you would prefer not to show to your class and it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure content is appropriate. Many thanks. 

Egyptian Artefacts 

Use the film and imagery below to enable children to explore Egyptian artefacts. Try to create a sense of momentum – for example you might pause on an image or the video 4 times and ask the pupils to make a 1 minute, 2 minute, 3 minute and 4 minute drawing at each pause. 

Encourage close and slow looking by talking as they draw – use your voice to attract their attention to qualities of the artefacts.

Try the same exercise using different materials, ie handwriting pen, ink and nib, pastel, watercolour…

Explore the collections of Rijksmuseum van Oudheden here.

You can find lots of visual resources on Google Arts and Culture about preserving Egypt’s history.

Military Musicians Showing Nubian and Egyptian Styles, Nina de Garis Davies (1881–1965), New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, reign of Thutmose IV, ca. 1400–1390 B.C. From Egypt, Upper Egypt, Thebes, Sheikh Abd el-Qurna, Tomb of Tjeneny (TT 74) Tempera on paper, H. 44.5 × W. 93 cm (17 1/2 × 36 5/8 in.)  Rogers Fund, 1931

Watch the clip with the volume off as you guide children’s attention to parts of the paintings

Bronze statuette of Osiris, Late Dynastic-Hellenistic 664–31 B.C.  Egyptian Medium: Bronze Dimensions: H. 4 1/2 in. (11.4 cm) The Cesnola Collection, 1874–76

Tomb Chapel of Raemkai: South Wall, Old Kingdom, Dynasty 5, ca. 2446–2389 B.C., From Egypt, Memphite Region, Saqqara, North of the Djoser pyramid complex, Mariette D3, Egyptian Antiquities Service/Quibell excavations, 1907–08, Limestone, paint, Rogers Fund, 1908

Take a virtual tour of the Tomb of Menna on Google Arts and Culture

Deconstructing Ancient Egyptian Stelae on Google Arts and Culture

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Pathway: working with shape and colour

This is featured in the ‘Working with Shape and Colour’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see

A collection of imagery and sources which you can use to prompt drawing in schools and community groups. 

Please note that this page contains links to external websites and has videos from external websites embedded. At the time of creating, AccessArt checked all links to ensure content is appropriate for teachers to access. However external websites and videos are updated and that is beyond our control. 

Please let us know if you find a 404 link, or if you feel content is no longer appropriate. 

We strongly recommend as part of good teaching practice that teachers watch all videos and visit all websites before sharing with a class. On occasion there may be elements of a video you would prefer not to show to your class and it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure content is appropriate. Many thanks. 

Amazing Architectural Homes

Use this collection of films as source material for pupils exploring amazing architectural homes. In the first instance you might want to pause the videos as suitable points to enable the children to carefully look at the main forms and details. Try to create a sense of momentum – for example you might pause the video 4 times and ask the pupils to make a 1 minute, 2 minute, 3 minute and 4 minute drawing at each pause. 

Encourage close and slow looking by talking as they draw – use your voice to attract their attention to features of the building. 

When pupils are more experienced, you can also try getting them to make their drawings as the videos play – making quick gestural sketches. 

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Pathway: Architecture- Dream big or small?

This is featured in the ‘Architecture: Dream Big or Small?’ 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

A collection of imagery and sources which you can use to prompt drawing in schools and community groups. 

Please note that this page contains links to external websites and has videos from external websites embedded. At the time of creating, AccessArt checked all links to ensure content is appropriate for teachers to access. However external websites and videos are updated and that is beyond our control. 

Please let us know if you find a 404 link, or if you feel content is no longer appropriate. 

We strongly recommend as part of good teaching practice that teachers watch all videos and visit all websites before sharing with a class. On occasion there may be elements of a video you would prefer not to show to your class and it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure content is appropriate. Many thanks. 

This resource is free to access and is not part of AccessArt membership.

Oceans and Seas

Use the film below as source material to enable the children to draw things living in the ocean.

You can either choose to stop the video, and draw from a collection of paused images, or you can also choose to ask the children to work from the moving image. 

Find drawing exercises below to help your drawing exploration.

Drawing Exercises

1. Have the children draw in a quiet room, with the video on the whiteboard.

2. Stop the video at a chosen frame and use your voice to direct their drawing. Choose words which relate to the imagery, for example you might decide to focus their attention on vertical lines, so you might choose words like: line, growth, upward, downward, fall… or you might choose to attract their attention to the energy of a wave or the curve of an animals back. Think carefully about the words you use – they don’t have to be used in sentences – you can speak lists. 

3. Each sketchbook response might take just 3 to 5 minutes, then move on to another still. Create a sense of momentum. 

4. Direct pupils to use a chosen medium. You might like to start with soft pencil or handwriting pen. 

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Pathway: Stick Transformation project

This is featured in the ‘Stick Transformation Project’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see

A collection of imagery and sources which you can use to prompt drawing in schools and community groups. 

Please note that this page contains links to external websites and has videos from external websites embedded. At the time of creating, AccessArt checked all links to ensure content is appropriate for teachers to access. However external websites and videos are updated and that is beyond our control. 

Please let us know if you find a 404 link, or if you feel content is no longer appropriate. 

We strongly recommend as part of good teaching practice that teachers watch all videos and visit all websites before sharing with a class. On occasion there may be elements of a video you would prefer not to show to your class and it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure content is appropriate. Many thanks. 

Food

Use the film below to enable children to explore drawing food. Try to create a sense of momentum – for example you might pause the video 4 times and ask the pupils to make a 1 minute, 2 minute, 3 minute and 4 minute drawing at each pause. 

Encourage close and slow looking by talking as they draw – use your voice to attract their attention to qualities of the food.

Try the same exercise using different materials, ie handwriting pen, ink and nib, pastel, watercolour…

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Pathway: Festival Feasts

This is featured in the ‘Festival Feasts’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see