PROJECTS & WORKSHOPS
Workshops for children
In my workshops for children I encourage experimentation with different media as a means to explore the chosen subject matter. The act of making things is fundamental to learning and understanding, and develops many skills. The children observe, share and talk about what they are doing, and the work is combined to create a 3D mural.
Using rollers, brushes, potato cuts, blocks, stencils, hands etc. the children covered long sheets of lining paper with various paint colours.
The paper was cut to form the collage, and hung on a free standing wooden frame, which was held in place behind the shelves.
With a choice of different shaped pieces of painted paper they formed a collage around the print, each inventing their own scene.
They used blue tack to stick the collage.
Each of the children chose one of my small animal blocks and made a print on A4 paper.
Using paint, leaves, blocks, potato cuts, rollers and stencils, the children experimented with different ways to make leaf shapes.
These were cut out and added to the branches and trunk of a tree, which was made from cardboard, bamboo and painted paper.
I made blocks and prints of a number of local bird species. The children cut out the birds and we talked about their names and plumage.
Using collage to make branches and leaves we talked about the different habits and habitats of the birds, and if we had seen them in nearby woods, fields and gardens.
With simple stencils, and just three colours, the children made delicate images of the flowers.
They pressed hard with the roller and softly with the sponges to discover different textures. They looked carefully at flowers I’d brought from the garden and drew the long, thin stems with pen.
Using sponge prints, finger prints, painting and cutting, the children made rabbits and mice in the long grass.
I drew various local wild animals in acrylic ink. The children painted them with sponges and brushes while we talked about their colours and markings.
We looked at reference images to learn about their natural habitats and the animals were cut out and placed in a collaged environment of trees, bushes and long grasses.
Here’s one of my murals. I’ve designed it using a collage of painted paper.
With help from Chloe, I’ve transposed it to a wall using masonry paints.
