Unit 2: Painting & mixed media: Artist study
This unit focuses on understanding how artists use painting to tell stories and share ideas. Learners explore meaning in artwork, develop their own interpretations and practise painting techniques. Lessons build creative expression, planning, and reflective skills through the work of selected artists.
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Unit 2: Painting and mixed media: Artist study
Unit outcomes
Learners who are secure will be able to:
- Understand a narrative and use descriptive language to tell a story.
- Suggest ideas for the meaning behind a picture.
- Identify different features within a painting and use the formal elements to describe it.
- Be creative and imaginative in finding their own meaning in a painting.
- Use their own art or personal experiences to justify their ideas.
- Read a picture well and see beyond the first glance, analysing and evaluating it successfully.
- Reflect on personal experiences to convey through their own piece of abstract art.
- Contribute to discussions to either the class, group or talk partner.
- Understand and choose a meaningful message to convey through imagery, creating some different composition ideas.
- Select an appropriate artist.
- Collect a range of information that is presented in an interesting and pleasing way in visual journals.
- Generate an idea for a final piece, demonstrating some inspiration from their chosen artist.
- Produce a final piece of work, selecting appropriate tools and materials to create an intended effect.
- Experiment and revisit ideas, drawing on creative experiences.
- Work in a sustained way to complete a piece, making evaluations at each stage.
Suggested prior learning
Unit 2: Painting and mixed media: Portraits
Get startedLessons
Lesson 1: Lisa Ericson
- To explore animal paintings and plan an artwork.
Lesson 2: Animal paintings
- To paint an animal in the style of Lisa Ericson.
Lesson 3: Fiona Rae
- To explore and respond to abstract art.
Lesson 4: Carl Larsson
- To explore how art can show stories about people’s lives.
Lesson 5: Watercolour scenes
- To paint a scene in the style of Carl Larsson.
Key skills
Experiencing:
- E.01
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Key knowledge
Formal elements:
- Colour:
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Key vocabulary
abstract
background
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Related content
Resources
Unit resources


Art and design
Vocabulary display – Art and design S6: Painting and mixed media: Artist study
A display version of the unit vocabulary.