Glen Waverley Primary School Specialist Newsletter

Visual Art


This term, we’ll continue delving into creative exploration and refining our technical skills through a range of materials and processes. Throughout this term, the Art Club will continue to give students an opportunity to engage in social art-making. In addition, there will be an exciting new art competition run by the art captains. The art competition will be open for all students in all year levels and will revolve around the theme of ‘gratitude’. 

 

Prep

In Term Four, Prep students will continue to delve into landscape watercolour paintings. Students will use their new understanding of watercolour techniques, including flat wash, graded wash, wet-on-wet, and lifting techniques to transfer into their final landscape artwork. They will be specifically focusing on how to incorporate these techniques to add detail to features such as trees and grass through layering and using a variety of different brushstrokes. During the second half of the term, Prep students will be celebrating their Prep journey by creating Prep Prom T-shirts. Students will be connecting their inquiry focus of light and sound through celebrations onto their designs. They will be using acrylic fabric paint and experimenting with a range of different painting techniques.   

 

 

Curriculum Links:

  • Explore ideas, experiences, observations and imagination to create visual artworks (VCAVAE017)
  • Experiment with different materials and techniques to make artworks (VCAVAV018)
  • Respond to visual artworks and consider where and why people make visual artworks (VCAVAR020)
  • Create and display artworks (VCAVAP019)

 

Key Vocabulary: landscape, layering, techniques, detail

 

Year 1

This term, students will continue with their embossing artwork. They will be transferring their colour designs onto their final artwork focusing on symmetry to enhance colour balance. They will be incorporating both sharpies and sequins to capture the art element of colour. Throughout the remainder of the term, students will be honing their watercolour painting skills and drawing skills. Students will be creating sea creature watercolour artworks that will focus on proportions, scale and symmetry when drawing. 

 

 

Curriculum Links:

  • Explore ideas, experiences, observations and imagination and express them through subject matter in visual artworks they create (VCAVAE021)
  • Experiment with different materials, techniques and processes to make artworks in a range of art forms (VCAVAV022)
  • Create and display artworks to express ideas to an audience (VCAVAP023)

 

Key Vocabulary: balance, sharpies, symmetry, proportion

 

Year 2

In Term Four, students will continue their development in creating patterns from a range of mediums and techniques and exploring self-portraits. They will be using a watercolour resist technique with oil pastels, watercolour layering, sgraffito technique, acrylic paint layering and exploring patterns using optical illusions. Students will then use their favourite background in their final self-portrait and incorporate colour into their facial features, clothing and hair. Considering colour groups such as complimentary colours, warm and cool and analogous colours. 

 

 

Curriculum Links:

  • Explore ideas, experiences, observations and imagination and express them through subject matter in visual artworks they create (VCAVAE021)
  • Experiment with different materials, techniques and processes to make artworks in a range of art forms (VCAVAV022)
  • Create and display artworks to express ideas to an audience (VCAVAP023)

 

Key Vocabulary: watercolour resist, sgraffito, water colour, acrylic 

 

Year 3

In Year Four, students will refine their painting skills with a focus on their cultural pinch pots created in Term Three. Students will experiment with a variety of painting techniques such as layering, blending and stippling to enhance their cultural designs. Students will also be using Posca markers (liquid paint) to further add more intricate details. Throughout this process, they will engage in reflection, drawing connections between their current work and the art elements they've explored in the earlier terms. Throughout the second half of the term, Students will be practising a variety of techniques and using various technologies to find different ways of interpreting a theme and/or subject matter using watercolour paint. They will aim to create artwork that conveys intricate and detailed information.

 

 

Curriculum Links:

  • Explore ideas and artworks from different cultures and times as inspiration to create visual artworks (VCAVAE025)
  • Explore visual conventions and use materials, techniques, technologies and processes specific to particular art forms, and to make artworks (VCAVAV026)
  • Identify and discuss how ideas are expressed in artworks from a range of places, times and cultures, including artworks by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (VCAVAR028)

 

Key Vocabulary: Intricate, stippling, posca markers, interpretation 

 

Year 4

This term, students will be continuing with their Mola Art. Building upon their acquired knowledge of various Mola Art characteristics, they will harness these insights to craft their very own designs. Their focus will centre on the art of storytelling, vibrant and daring colour palettes, intricate detailing, the skilful use of patterns (comprising lines and shapes), and the artful practice of layering. During the second half of Term Four, students will look at artworks from the impressionist art movement, specifically looking at Vincent Van Gogh and Claude Monet’s unique art styles. They will then be exploring and experimenting with these thin and small brushstroke techniques using acrylic painting. Their goal will be to transfer these skills into their own impressionist painting. 

 

 

Curriculum Links:

  • Explore ideas and artworks from different cultures and times as inspiration to create visual artworks (VCAVAE025)
  • Explore visual conventions and use materials, techniques, technologies and processes specific to particular art forms, and to make artworks (VCAVAV026)
  • Identify and discuss how ideas are expressed in artworks from a range of places, times and cultures, including artworks by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (VCAVAR028)

 

Key Vocabulary:  Mola Art, Impressionist, Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet 

 

Year 5

In Year Five, students will embark on a journey to refine their painting skills, focusing on their clay animal/food sculptures. Building upon the foundation of painting skills they developed in the first semester, they will now explore a new medium, expanding their artistic horizons even further. They will be using a combination of watercolour and acrylic paint and comparing the two mediums and their impact on their designs. Students will also be comparing their experiences in painting on canvas versus on clay. Throughout the second half of Term Four, students will be collaboratively creating and displaying their artwork, considering how their ideas can be expressed to an audience. 

 

 

Curriculum Links:

  • Explore visual arts practices as inspiration to create artworks that express different ideas and beliefs (VCAVAE029)
  • Select and apply visual conventions, materials, techniques, technologies and processes specific to different art forms when making artworks (VCAVAV030)
  • Create and display artwork considering how ideas can be expressed to an audience (VCAVAP031)

 

Key Vocabulary: medium, mixed-media, art elements, juxtapose, 

 

Year 6

This term, students will be reflecting upon their studio process projects completed in Term Three. They will be looking at the importance of reflection in the arts, contemplating the techniques and processes they may approach differently in the future and how they now describe themselves as artists. Throughout the remainder of the term, students will be creating artwork of their choice on the theme of graduation. Students will have an opportunity to produce a technical drawing (focusing on shading) of a graduation object, an artwork showcasing their journey from Prep to Year Six, a self-portrait or a graduation hat infused with artistic symbolism that reflects their emotions and personal journey toward graduation.

 

 

Curriculum Links: 

  • Explore visual arts practices as inspiration to create artworks that express different ideas and beliefs (VCAVAE029)
  • Select and apply visual conventions, materials, techniques, technologies and processes specific to different art forms when making artworks (VCAVAV030)
  • Create and display artwork considering how ideas can be expressed to an audience (VCAVAP031)

 

Key Vocabulary: self-identity, artistic symbolism, technical drawing, art elements

 

How can you support your child’s art learning at home? 

  • Expose Them to Diverse Art: Introduce your child to a wide range of art styles, artists, and cultural art forms from around the world. This broadens their artistic horizons and fosters cultural appreciation
  • Experiment with a range of materials to develop different techniques from different mediums. Providing them with diverse materials will help foster their creativity and expand their artistic skill set.
  • Ask Open-Ended Questions: Engage your child in discussions about their artwork. Ask open-ended questions like, "What inspired this piece?" or "Tell me about your creative process." This helps them articulate their thoughts and ideas.