A collection of imagery and sources designed to introduce pupils to the work of graphic designer Paula Scher.

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. 

*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*

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

Paula Scher

Paula Scher is an American graphic designer, painter and art educator in design. 

Paula creates branding, but she also created a series of “maps” which contain “errors and mistakes”. Explore in the video and link below. 

“Paula Scher painted two 9-by-12-foot maps that resembled patchwork quilts from afar, but contain much textual detail. She created lines that represented the separation of political allies or borders dividing enemies. Scher created the maps into layers that reference what we think when we think of Japan, Kenya, or the Upper East Side.

For instance, The United States (1999) was painted in blocky white print and full with a list of facts that we comprehend when we think about cities. Africa (2003) is represented in a stark black and white palette, hinting at a tortured colonial past. The land of the red rising sun is represented when we think of Japan (2004).

Scher decided to produce silk-screened prints of The World that contained large-scale images of cities, states, and continents blanketed with place names and other information. It is full of mistakes, misspellings, and visual allusions to stereotypes of places such as South America, painted with hot colours and has two ovaries on the sides. It was not created to be a reliable map but convey a sense of the places that are mediated and mangled.” Wiki

www.pentagram.com/news/paula-scher-maps

Abstract: Art of the Design/ Paula Scher 

Please Note: At timecode 8.00 Paula Scher talks about her maps. 

Questions to Ask Children:

How would you describe one of Paula’s maps to someone who couldn’t see them?

In what ways do Paula’s maps differ from regular maps?

How would these maps change if you held them in your hand?

This Talking Points Is Used In…

Pathway: Typography and Maps

This is featured in the ‘Typography and Maps’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see

A collection of imagery and sources designed to introduce pupils to the work of Typographer Louise Fili.

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. 

*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*

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

Louise Fili

Founded in 1989, Louise Fili Ltd is an award-winning New York-based graphic and digital design firm specialising in strategic brand development and packaging for speciality food products.

Enjoy the video below where Louise shares how she made a poster for the New York Subway. 

Louise Fili Website

Subway Series: Louise Fili

Watch this video in Vimeo here.

This Talking Points Is Used In…

Pathway: Typography and Maps

This is featured in the ‘Typography and Maps’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see

A collection of imagery and sources designed to explore bridge design.

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.

*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*

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

Bridge Design

Architects often use bridge design as a way to showcase their innovation. Many bridge designs entered for competitions never get built – but the ideas behind them move forward ideas about contemporary architecture. 

Explore the videos below to focus a discussion about what is possible. 

The Garden Bridge by Heatherwick Studios

The worlds first 3D printed bridge with robots by Joris Laarman

The Bouncing Bridge by AZC

Zaha Hadid Architects, Conceptual Bridge Project

Questions to Ask Children

What do bridges do?

How can bridges represent the communities they connect?

Are bridges just about destinations? Or are they about journeys?

Is there a limit to what a bridge can be?

Is there a limit to the materials you can use?

This Talking Points Is Used In…

Pathway: Be an architect

This is featured in the ‘Be an Architect’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see

A collection of imagery and sources designed to explore the work of architect Hundertwasser.

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. 

*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*

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

Hundertwasser the Architect

Use the following images and videos to introduce children to the work of Austrian artist Friedrich Stowasser, better known by his pseudonym Friedensreich Regentag Dunkelbunt Hundertwasser (1928 – 2000).

Hundertwasser was a visual artist and architect and he also worked in the field of environmental protection.

“Hundertwasser stood out as an opponent of “a straight line” and any standardization, expressing this concept in the field of building design. ” Wiki

Explore The Inventive Architecture of Friedensreich Hundertwasser – Google Arts & Culture

www.kunsthauswien.com/en/

https://hundertwasser.com/en

Hundertwasser House
by Studio Sarah Lou

Hundertwasser’s Beer Tower by AlexDROP

Hundertwasser Tower in Abensberg

Hundertwasser by twicepix

Usine d’incinération décorée par F. Hundertwasser (Vienne) by dalbera

Hundertwasser in Altenrhein. This video is not in English – you may wish to watch it silently and use the opportunity to talk as teacher. 

Questions to Ask Children

What words would you use to describe Hundertwasser’s architecture to those who can’t see it?

How does it make you feel?

What would it be like to be inside the buildings?

What kinds of materials does he use? 

How does he use colour in his buildings?

How important is the relationship of detail to big structures?

Can you see any straight lines?

This Talking Points Is Used In…

Pathway: Be an architect

This is featured in the ‘Be an Architect’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see

A collection of imagery and sources designed to introduce the idea of architecture to primary aged children.

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. 

*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*

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

Thinking About Architecture

Use the following videos to introduce the idea of architecture to young children. 

Architecture According to Pigeons, Illustrated by Natsko Seki. 

Imagine A World Without Architecture

Questions to Ask Children

What would birds see as they flew over the place you live in? 

Which buildings would stand out? 

Would they see patterns and shapes?

Can you imagine architecture from other perspectives? How would a dog see your local environment? How do YOU see your local environment?

This Talking Points Is Used In…

Pathway: Be an architect

This is featured in the ‘Be an Architect’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see

A collection of sources to explore “Dancing in Charcoal” by SketchBetter.

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. 

*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*

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

Dancing in Charcoal

Inspired by the work of performance artist Heather Hansen, the videos below share how SketchBetter worked with children in a school to enable their own charcoal dance performance. 

Questions to Ask Children

How would making a drawing like this alone, in a pair, in a small group, or in a large class change the experience and outcome?

How would music change the nature of the marks made by the artists?

Can we tell a story through the movements of our body, which is reflected in the final drawing?

How might our individual bodies and the movements available to them change the experience and the outcome?

How far would a photograph of the finished drawing capture the “experience”. 

You May Also Like…

Pathway: Gestural Drawing with charcoal

This is featured in the ‘Gestural Drawing with Charcoal’ 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 sources and imagery to explore the work of Heather Hansen.

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. 

*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*

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

Heather Hansen

Heather Hansen is a performance artist based in USA. 

Website

Questions to Ask Children

Discuss how the following words/ideas relate to Heather’s work:

• Time

• Audience

• Drawing Material (i.e. graphite, charcoal)

How do you feel watching Heather’s performance?

Heather makes her marks on very large sheets of paper, and on the beach. Where else could you make similar marks? 

See the Talking Points Used in Schools…

This Talking Points Is Used In…

Pathway: Gestural Drawing with charcoal

This is featured in the ‘Gestural Drawing with Charcoal’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see

A collection of imagery to explore work in charcoal by Edgar Degas.

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. 

*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*

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

Charcoal Drawings by Edgar Degas

Seated Dancer, 1873–74
Edgar Degas. Charcoal, Graphite and Chalk on Pink Paper

Violinist, Study for “The Dance Lesson” ca. 1878–79
Edgar Degas. Charcoal and  Graphite on Green Paper

Two Dancers ca. 1879 Edgar Degas. Charcoal and Chalk on Green Paper

Questions to Ask Children

Can you describe one of the artworks above? What kinds of words would you use to describe the drawing to a person who couldn’t see it?

Degas often used coloured paper for his drawings. Why do you think he did this? What does it add to the drawings?

Degas often used two materials such as charcoal and chalk, or charcoal and graphite. Why do you think he did this? What does adding two or more drawing materials add to the drawing?

In some of Degas’ drawings you can see a faint grid. Why do you think Degas used a grid?

Look at “Two Dancers” and this time look at the areas of the page where there is “no” drawing. How are these areas of the drawing as important as the areas with marks on? 

This Talking Points Is Used In…

Pathway: Gestural Drawing with charcoal

This is featured in the ‘Gestural Drawing with Charcoal’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see

Introducing you to the work of artist Laura McKendry.

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. 

*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*

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

Laura McKendry

Laura McKendry is an artist who lives and works in London. She takes her inspiration from nature – plants, animals, insects…

In the video above Laura shares why she likes drawing dogs, and why she likes using charcoal to help her make big gestural drawings. 

Website

Questions to Ask Children

Why do you think Laura likes to work in large scale when she uses charcoal?

Which words would you use to describe Laura’s charcoal dogs?

What kinds of lines does she use?

Where does she move from when she draws? Her wrist? Her elbow? Her shoulder? Her whole body?

This Talking Points Is Used In…

Pathway: Gestural Drawing with charcoal

This is featured in the ‘Gestural Drawing with Charcoal’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see

A collection of imagery and sources designed to stimulate conversation around the work of Shaheen Ahmed.

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. 

*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*

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

Shaheen Ahmed

Primordial Sanctuary by Shaheen Ahmed

“When countries are at war, when people are suffering, that is the time to reach out. The very least we should do is empathise.”

“Craftivist” Shaheen Ahmed lives and works in the West Midlands where she manipulates maps and paper using Kirigami to connect her passion for Islamic art, and exploration of social justice.

The concept of empathy is central to Shaheen’s work. Her manipulation of maps, over-writing with pattern and marks, is Shaheen’s way of commenting upon and mending the destruction and fear caused by boundaries and borders. The meditative actions she performs become Shaheen’s blessings outwards for a better world. 

Linktree

www.shaheenahmed.com/

Q&A with Shaheen Ahmed by New Art West Midlands

Mapping Empathy by Shaheen Ahmed

Craft Council Exhibition

Instagram

Primordial Sanctuary by Shaheen Ahmed

Persia by Shaheen Ahmed

Questions to Ask Children

Look carefully at Shaheen’s artwork. How would you describe it to someone who couldn’t see it?

Do you think the processes Shaheen uses and the final outcome contribute to Shaheen’s wellbeing?

How do you feel when you look at the artwork? Are you thinking about the painstaking processes Shaheen uses, or the final outcome? Or are you thinking about the people in the places she makes art about? Or something else? 

Shaheen describes herself as a “Craftivist”. What do you think that means?

This Talking Points Is Used In…

Pathway: Exploring pattern

This is featured in the ‘Exploring Pattern’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see

A collection of imagery and sources designed to stimulate conversation around the work of Andy Gilmore.

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. 

*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*

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

Andy Gilmore

“A master of colour and geometric composition, Andy Gilmore’s work is often characterised as kaleidoscopic and hypnotic, though it could just as well be described as visually acoustic, his often complex arrangements referencing the scales and melodies in music.”

http://agilmore.com/

Instagram

Questions to Ask Children

Choose one of Andy’s pieces of art. Can you describe what you see?

How do you feel when you look at Andy’s work? 

Andy’s work appears in newspapers and magazines, record covers and in advertising. Why do you think Andy’s work is used this way? 

This Talking Points Is Used In…

Pathway: Exploring pattern

This is featured in the ‘Exploring Pattern’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see

A collection of imagery and sources designed to stimulate conversation around the work of Louise Despont.

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. 

*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*

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

Louise Despont

“[In drawing] the downshift in speed is what opened the door for information and inspiration to step through”

Louise Despont is an artist whose practice focuses on drawing. Her works comprise of detailed geometric drawings which evolve organically. The making of the artwork, and the outcomes, are powerful, meditative and mindful. 

She lives in USA and Bali. 

www.louisedespont.com/

Nicelle Beauchene Gallery

Apologies if you cannot watch the videos below if YouTube is blocked in your school. The videos do not appear on other platforms, but we thought they were worth including. Pls ask your school IT to see if they can whitelist these videos. 

In the videos below, Louise describes how art and life are intrinsically linked. 

For younger children: As teacher we think you will enjoy all the videos. Pls select sections to show your own class. 

“Drawing has taught me to see, and it has taught me a quality of attention unparalleled to most other states of mind.”

In the TedTalk below, Louise Despont shares why she thinks drawing is so important both to herself and to us all as human beings. 

How and where Louise finds inspiration…

Questions to Ask Children

Do you think Louise has a clear idea of the outcome before she starts each piece? 

How long do you imagine she works on each piece? How does she know when a piece is finished? Is a piece ever finished?

How do the drawings make you feel?

How would it feel to make drawings like that?

Louise gives advice:

• Look at your work upside down for a new perspective.

• Reorganise your pages to see if there isn’t an entirely different story inside the one you had.

What do you think she means by this advice, and can you apply it to your own work?

Look around you. Could you begin to collect images or objects, using your instinct, that you are attracted to. Could you use them as a starting point to draw? What tools could you use to help you draw? 

This Talking Points Is Used In…

Pathway: Exploring pattern

This is featured in the ‘Exploring Pattern’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see

Videos and activities to help you explore Typography.

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. 

*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*

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

What is Typography?

Typography is the art of creating and arranging letters in a way which is visually appealing and which makes the letters legible.

The videos below explore different aspects of typography. 

A Introduction to Typography…

Questions to Ask Children

Did you expect to see the artwork at the end? Was it a surprise?

How much practise do you think this took?

Do you think Pramod made lots of mistakes along the way? How much would he have learnt from his mistakes?

Questions to Ask Children

How do you feel when you watch the videos? 

What could you make letters out of?

Can you ever guess how the next letters might be made? 

What is Kinetic Typography?

Kinetic Typography is the technical name for “moving text”. 

Questions to Ask Children

What do you think the designers are trying to say through the font they use?

Questions to Ask Children

How do you feel when you watch the videos? 

Can you think of other examples you have seen of kinetic typography?

Logos

Logos can tell you a lot about what a brand is about and what it does. Next time you see a Logo, consider the message behind it.

Questions to Ask Children

What is Disney trying to convey through the Disney font/logo?

In the animation what do you think the designers are trying to convey with the typography?

Resources which Explore Typography

Cut out Typography

Typography for Children

Making an illustrated Alphabet

Making a Monogram

This Talking Points Is Used In…

Pathway: Typography and Maps

This is featured in the ‘Typography and Maps’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see

Videos and sources to help you explore the work of African-American artist Romare Bearden.

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. 

*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*

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

Romare Bearden

Romare Bearden’s artwork includes poetic memories from his childhood, powerful and thought-provoking statements about African American culture, and reinterpretations of biblical stories from an African American perspective.

In the work below, we see Bearden’s collages of Homers Odyssey, influenced by the quilting craft from African-American slaves and by post modern artists such as of Henri Matisse. 

Download the PDF at this link to see some high quality images of the work produced. 

The following video describes Romare’s work as a Black American artist.

You can find a Google Arts & Culture Story about Romare’s work here.

Questions to Ask Children

“You sing on the canvas. You improvise, you find the rhythm, and catch it good, and structure it as you go along, then the song is you.” Romare Bearden.

What do you think Romare meant by the quote above? 

What do you think it is about the shapes and colours Romare uses in his artwork that helps his images speak to so many people?

This Talking Points Is Used In…

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

Videos and sources to help you explore the work of Printmaker Claire Willberg.

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. 

*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*

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

Claire Willberg

Claire Willberg graduated as a sculptor at the Royal College of Art in 1989. Subsequently she completed an MA in Printmaking at Camberwell College of Art. Since 2010 she has been based at the Slaughterhaus Print Studio in South London.

Her current practice combines traditional intaglio and relief printmaking techniques. She takes inspiration from discarded objects found on the streets of London and gives them a new existence through her work.

In the videos above Claire uses the shapes inspired by the objects she finds to make animations. 

www.instagram.com/clairewillbergartist/

Questions to Ask Children

When you watch Claire’s animations, what do you think? 

What kind of a world is Claire creating for us? 

Look around you and find items which have been discarded. Look at packaging too – open out cartons and boxes and look at the shapes. What kind of shapes would they inspire you to make out of paper, and what could they become in an animation?

Do you have particular colours you are drawn to using?

Do you think you have to know “what you are doing” or can you “play” with shapes and see what happens? Do the shapes give you ideas for stories? 

This Talking Points Is Used In…

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

Video and sources to help you explore cut outs by Matisse.

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. 

*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*

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

Painting with Scissors: Cut Outs by Matisse

Enjoy the videos below to understand what we Matisse meant by “Painting with Scissors” and to understand how revolutionary his cut outs were at the time. 

See a Visual History Of Matisse’s work at Google Arts & Culture here. 

The video below is an animation made using cut outs by Matisse, animated by Beatriz Rosa. 

Questions to Ask Children

How do you think the size of the scissors matisse used affected the artwork he created?

Do you think Matisse drew on the paper first before he cut the shapes out?

Do you think Matisse had a “plan” in his head when he picked up coloured paper and scissors?

Matisse was old and ill when he made the cut outs. Can you tell that from the energy of the work? 

How big would you like to work? 

What do you think Matisse would have thought about the animation made by Beatriz Rosa? 

This Talking Points Is Used In…

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

Video and sources to help you explore the Bayeux Tapestry.

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. 

   *If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*

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

The Bayeux Tapestry

Discover the entire Bayeux Tapestry scene by scene and follow online the 70 meter-long embroidered canvas which tells the story of the conquest of England in 1066 via the official Bayeux Tapestry site.

Use the above images to inspire “Show Me What You See” looking and drawing exercise. 

The Animated Bayeux Tapestry was created as a student project while at Goldsmiths College. Just as the historic original embroidery does, the animation depicts the lead up to the Norman Invasion of Britain in 1066. 

Animation by David Newton, Music and sound design by Marc Sylvan.

“Close Looking” Questions to Ask Children

Tell me about the clothes the people wear. What purposes do the outfits serve? What patterns can you see repeated? 

What shapes and forms do you see repeated? Why do you think the artists repeated similar forms? 

Tell me about the colours you see. How do they make you feel? Would we use similar colours today? 

How do the artists depict ideas about strength and power?

This Talking Points Is Used In…

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

Introducing you to the work of Enfant Précoce

Enfant Précoce / Francis Essoua Kalu

Teacher Advisory: Please watch the video before showing it to children to ensure you are happy. You may prefer to pause the video at several key points and present them as a series of stills. 

Enfant Précoce / Francis Essoua Kalu. Enfant Précoce is a painter, born in Cameroon in 1989

Instagram

Interview at Metal Magazine

Interview at Artsper

Website

Questions to Ask Children

What do you think the artist is trying to do with his “Exposez-Moi” project? (translated as “Expose Me”)

Introducing you to the work of Kenyan Photographer Thandiwe Muriu.

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. 

*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*

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

Thandiwe Muriu

Camo 05 © Thandiwe Muriu

Thandiwe Muriu is a photographer from Kenya. Thandiwe’s work celebrates her own African heritage and tackles issues around perception of identity. 

See more at Thandiwe’s website and Instagram feed

Questions to Ask Children

When you hear Thandiwe speak and listen to her words how does it make you feel?

When you look at her photographs what do you see? What do you feel?

This Talking Points Is Used In…

Pathway: Exploring Identity

This is featured in the ‘Exploring Identity’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see

A collection of imagery and sources designed to explore the idea that artists can be collectors and explorers.

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. 

*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*

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

Introduction

The following videos and weblinks explore the idea that artists can be collectors and explorers. 

By approaching the world with curiosity and openness, we can re-see the things around us and use them to inform and inspire our creative processes.

The following artists all venture out into the world, exploring familiar and new places and finding inspiration in the things around them. These artists then bring the things they “collect” back to their studios to make work. 

Andy Goldsworthy

Andy Goldsworthy is a British Sculptor who has become know for making art from things he finds in the landscape. Sometimes he creates the artwork in the landscape itself (he calls this “land art”), but in this video he shares how he takes ice and rocks from the landscape and lets it make a “drawing” as it thaws in his studio.

The video is suitable for children, however depending upon the abilities/experience of the children in your class you may wish to watch the video yourself, then turn the sound down as you play it to the children, using your own voice to help share what the artist is doing. 

TateShots: Andy Goldsworthy, Studio Visit

Questions to Ask Children

Andy Goldsworthy says: “Art has this amazing ability to show you what’s there.” 

What do you think he means by that? 

Do you like the artwork in the video more because you can see how it has been made?

How much control does Andy have over the artwork he makes? Does he want more control? 

Joseph Cornell

Joseph Cornell was an American visual artist and film-maker, one of the pioneers and most celebrated exponents of assemblage. He was a great collector.

His images are copyright protected but the Royal Academy has created some excellent videos about his work, and there are images on the site too. 

Take a look at the videos here. 

Hassan Hajjaj

Hassan Hajjaj was born in 1961 in Larache, Morocco, and now lives and works in London, UK. He is inspired by Moroccan culture and artefacts and his work crosses many disciplines including photography and design. 

www.instagram.com/hassanhajjaj_larache/

Avantarte

Questions to Ask Children

What kinds of things catch Hassan’s eye when he is looking around his environment?

Do you think there is a clear distinction between “art” and “life” in Hassan’s mind? 

Lorna Crane the Brush Maker

Lorna Crane is an abstract painter whose work is inspired by the Australian landscape. She makes her own artist’s brushes using diverse natural and man-made materials, many of them found at Pambula river mouth on the NSW far south coast.

Questions to Ask Children

How do you think Lorna decides which things to pick up and turn into brushes?

Do you think two brushes are ever the same?

Which part do you think Lorna likes best: the collecting, the making brushes, or the painting with her brushes?

What could you make brushes out of? What marks would they make? What challenges might you face?

Alice Fox

Alice Fox took on an old allotment and on the allotment were a number of sheds. Alice spends time discovering the past through the things she finds and creates small, carefully crafted artworks, inspired by what she finds and natural materials.

You can see more of Alice’s work here. 

A film about artist Alice Fox who works with found, gathered and grown materials all within the boundaries of her allotment.

Questions to Ask Children

Can you think of some words to describe the small pieces of art that Alice makes? What do they make you think of?

When she is making her work, how do you think Alice feels? 

Where do you think she gets her ideas about how to transform materials from?

Do you think she works quickly or slowly?

Nicole White

Nicola is a “Mudlarker” and artist, who uses the glass she finds on the beach to make her artworks.

Nicola White, Mudlarker and Artist

Trash Art Project

Trash Art Project collected from Brokenstraw Creek, USA

Questions to Ask Children

Do you think these students knew what they would make before they found the materials?

How do you think they decided what to make?

Do you think the project went right from the start, or can you imagine they had to keep rethinking challenges along the way?

What challenges do you think they faced?

This Talking Points Is Used In…

Pathway: Explore and Draw

This is featured in the ‘Explore and Draw’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Pathway: using natural materials to make images

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

Show me what you see