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Visual Arts Material Exploration

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Visual Arts Material Exploration

Create a small artwork that communicates an idea about change. You can choose a natural change (such as a seed becoming a plant) or an everyday change (such as a busy street becoming quiet). Explore how materials and visual conventions can help your audience feel or understand your idea. Use classroom-safe materials and follow handling instructions.

Notice and choose

Use the material examples below to make thoughtful choices: corrugated cardboard has ridges and a rough, raised surface; torn paper has irregular edges; charcoal makes dark marks that can be smudged; watercolour can make transparent washes; fabric can add a soft or woven texture; stippling creates patterns of small dots.

1.A student wants a rough, raised surface that catches the light. Which material from the examples is the strongest starting choice, and what quality makes it suitable?
2.Which watercolour test is most likely to produce a pale, transparent wash?
  • Use more water with a small amount of pigment.
  • Use less water and add extra pigment.
  • Press a dry brush hard onto the paper.
  • Cover the paper with opaque charcoal.
3.Match each material or technique to the visual effect it can create.
  • Layered torn paper
  • Charcoal smudge
  • Stippling
  • Soft, blended shadow
  • A pattern of small dots
  • Overlapping edges and depth
4.True or false: Testing a material on a scrap first can help you predict its marks and avoid damaging your artwork.
TrueFalse
5.You want to show a sudden gust of wind in your artwork. Name one kind of line you could use and explain how it might communicate movement.

Plan a material experiment

Choose a change to show, then plan a small artwork using at least three different material approaches.

6.Choose an idea for your artwork: a seed becoming a plant, a storm clearing, a place changing from day to night, or your own idea. State the change you want the viewer to notice.
7.Plan three material experiments for your idea. For each, name the material or technique and predict the mark, texture or effect it could create.
Draw a small layout for your artwork. Use arrows or notes to show where you will place each material effect.
8.Which visual convention will be most important for making your idea clear: line, colour, texture, shape or composition? Explain one choice you could make.
9.An artist is inspired by a living Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander art tradition. Which approach shows respect?
  • Copy a recognisable cultural design without asking.
  • Use a cultural symbol as decoration because it looks interesting.
  • Learn about the artist and context, follow guidance about permission, and develop your own visual language.
  • Assume all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art uses the same symbols.

Reflect and revise

After testing or making your artwork, use evidence from your process to decide what to keep or change.

10.Describe one result from your material tests that surprised you. What did you learn about that material?
11.Name one change you would make to strengthen the artwork’s message. Explain how that change could help the viewer understand your idea.

3 printable pages

  • Visual Arts Material Exploration, page 1 of 3: Notice and choose

    Page 1

  • Visual Arts Material Exploration, page 2 of 3: Plan a material experiment

    Page 2

  • Visual Arts Material Exploration, page 3 of 3: Reflect and revise

    Page 3

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