The Grove Primary School

Totnes, Devon

Mrs Caldwell's Year 4 class

We looked at various images of art on the website, A Picture of Britain, as well as selecting some images to look at in more detail in the class. We talked about the various ideas/themes that emerge in representations of place: abstract and traditional, use of natural/bright colours, feelings, realism, messages. For homework we thought about and drew sketches of the area in which we live (from local parks to places further afield like Dartmoor). At school we used these sketches as starting points for our work on A3 paper. Some of us applied pencil and watercolour, others used twigs from the playing field, some chose sugar paper and other scrap materials to do collage. Finally we made an absolutely wonderful display of all the work in our hall!

 
Final Thoughts

Students:

• I have learned from the project that natural media can make a lovely picture. I also have found out that fields and hills are really beautiful. I did not like the way we only had a limited amount of time to finish the art work.
  By Harry (Age 9)
• I learned a special technique that Mrs Pearson showed me using watercolours. You had to put the watercolours on first then go over it with a thick paint brush with water. I also really enjoyed it but it seemed too quick.
  By Harriet (Age 9)
• I learnt from the project that art can take any form and can be made of anything. If we do this project again in the future I would like more time to do it.
  By Kahina (Age 9)
• I liked the project because I quite like drawing. It is quite nice to go out and draw anything about where you live, so that's why I drew St Mary's Church. It was quite a nice project as you could see other people's work from St Michaels Primary School in Bournemouth. I would like to do it again.
  By Isaac (Age 9).
• I liked the way you didn't have to use the right colours to do all of the paintings/ collages because if you had to use the right colours it would be a bit boring.
  By Joe (Age 9).

Teacher: I wanted to give the children the opportunity to create art about their locality. The curriculum is prescribed in so many ways that I wanted to give the children lots of choices. I really enjoyed doing it although the time scale seemed too short.