Drawing in reception 

Children in reception focus on exploring a variety of materials, tools and techniques to develop their skills in drawing, painting and sculpture. 

In drawing, they have been inspired by their observations of our environment when taking a walk around our outside environment. 

Have a look at the photos below to see examples of the children's drawings and use of colour. 

Drawing in years 1 and 2

Children in years 1 and 2 begin to use sketchbooks to record their ideas and pieces of artwork. They have been exploring the work of Mondrian, Kandinsky and Picasso and creating their own artist inspired pieces. 

When learning about the Great Fire of London, years 1 and 2 have been creating their own pieces of work inspired by the events. They have used shading, blending and different lines to create their drawings using pencils, pastels and charcoal. 

Drawing in year 3 and 4

In years 3 and 4, children continue to record their ideas in sketch books and begin to make observations about the artwork and techniques of famous artists. The use this knowledge to inspire their own pieces of work , share their opinions on their own drawings as well as the work of their peers and notable artists across different periods. 

Children develop their sketching techniques, using their sketch books to experiment with different grades of pencil and techniques such as cross hatching, hatching and stippling to create shade and tone in their drawings. They practise different aspects of their drawings before producing their final pieces of artwork. 

After experimenting in their sketch books, children create their final pieces of artwork. Here are some examples of L.S Lowry inspired drawings where the children applied their shading techniques and used pastels with different grades of pencil, trying to create perspective with 3D elements in their drawings as well as beginning to think about size and scale within their pictures. There are also examples of Stone Age cave painting pictures inspired by the caves of Lascaux.

Drawing in years 5 and 6 
 

In years 5 and 6, children continue to use sketchbooks to record their ideas and research as well as experimenting with different materials. Pupils use technology to research notable artists, their lives and their work and record their findings in their sketchbooks. They also use their sketchbooks to think critically about pieces of artwork we have discussed, share their opinions and to offer feedback on their own and others pieces of art. 

In years 5 and 6, pupils build upon the sketching skills taught in previous years. They continue to experiment with different shading techniques such as hatching, cross hatching, scumbling, random hatching and ink wash to create shade and tone as well as trying to create texture in their drawings. They also apply these techniques when using materials such as charcoal, pastels, graphite and different grades of pencil. They continue to practise and experiment in their sketchbooks. 

After exploring how artists create mood and atmosphere in their drawings, pupils create their own atmospheric drawings inspired by the poem ‘The Highwayman’ by Alfred Noyes. They apply the shading techniques using the most effective materials and practise key parts of their drawings in their sketchbooks before producing a final piece of work. Pupils continue to consider size and perspective when creating their drawings. 

When learning about South America, children in years 5 and 6 create drawings of animals in movement and in different positions. They use their skills to create light, shade and texture in their drawings and choose different materials to create effect. They they use reflection to position animals features such as eyes and create symmetry in their drawings. Finally, they incorporate digital images in their drawings to create their final pieces of work.