Developing Visual Ideas

Overview

Lesson 14 of 30 in Exploring Whakairo Traditions. Students continue developing a connected series of visual ideas, moving from initial sketches towards more distinctive concepts that demonstrate cultural connection, informed decision-making and awareness of whakairo conventions. The lesson supports ongoing folio development rather than a single finished artwork.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• Develop a related series of drawings from a personal concept connected to whakairo traditions.
• Investigate how line, pattern, shape, repetition and symbolism communicate meaning.
• Make purposeful decisions about materials, composition and visual language.
• Reflect on cultural connection respectfully and use feedback to extend their ideas.

Success criteria

• I can create several drawings that are visibly connected but not identical.
• I can explain the meaning or significance behind key visual decisions.
• I can use selected characteristics of whakairo practice without copying a culturally significant design.
• I can respond to feedback by clarifying or extending at least one idea.

Curriculum links

• Develop ideas in a related series of drawings appropriate to established painting practice.
• Develop ideas in a related series of drawings appropriate to established design practice.
• Produce a systematic body of work showing generation, development, editing and ordering of ideas within painting or design.
• Produce a resolved work demonstrating control of skills appropriate to cultural conventions.

Lesson structure (120 minutes)

1. 0–10 min · Reconnect and focus. Teacher displays the learning intention and opens with the opening image and discussion prompt, revisiting the previous lesson’s drawings and explaining that today’s focus is uniqueness and cultural connection. Students review their own folios and write one sentence identifying the idea they are currently developing.

2. 10–25 min · Artist and practice discussion. Teacher uses the whakairo practice and visual language slides to discuss how recognised practitioners use pattern, rhythm, symmetry, line, negative space and symbolic forms; emphasise that students are investigating characteristics and ways of working, not reproducing protected or culturally specific designs. Students annotate two reference images in their folios, recording one visual strategy and one question about meaning, context or process.

3. 25–40 min · Demonstration and planning. Teacher models transforming one basic motif into three related variations through changes in scale, repetition, orientation, cropping, line quality and surrounding space, while thinking aloud about intention and cultural responsibility. Students complete the relevant planning fields in the visual idea development worksheet, identifying their concept, intended meaning, chosen visual strategies, materials and three possible directions.

4. 40–75 min · Drawing sprint: generate. Teacher sets three timed drawing rounds, referring to the drawing sprint instruction slides: a five-minute motif study, a ten-minute variation using repetition or symmetry, and a twenty-minute composition that combines selected elements. Students produce at least three connected drawings, label decisions as they work, and test different media or mark-making methods where appropriate.

5. 75–95 min · Peer critique and refinement. Teacher groups students in threes and displays the critique questions and tikanga reminder. Students present their drawings briefly, then peers respond using the prompts: “What visual connection can you see?”, “What feels distinctive?”, “Where could the cultural connection be clearer or more respectful?”, and “What could be extended next?” Each student records two useful comments and identifies one drawing to develop.

6. 95–115 min · Clarify and extend. Teacher conferences with students, checking that drawings show development rather than unrelated experiments and prompting decisions about composition, symbolism, process and audience. Students revise or extend one selected drawing, adding a short annotation explaining what changed, why it changed and how the change strengthens the concept or connection.

7. 115–120 min · Exit reflection and tidy. Teacher uses the plenary and exit prompt to review the progression from generating to clarifying ideas. Students complete the final reflection on the visual idea development worksheet, photograph or store their work in sequence, and return materials safely.

Resources

• the Developing Visual Ideas 2 slide deck
• the visual idea development worksheet
• Examples of contemporary and historical whakairo practice, selected with appropriate cultural context
• Student folios or visual diaries
• Drawing paper and pencils
• Fine-liners, charcoal, coloured pencils or other approved media
• Rulers, erasers and cutting tools if required
• Projector or interactive display
• Timer and drying/storage area

Assessment

• Confer during the drawing sprint: check that students are generating a related series and making deliberate visual decisions.
• Review annotations and peer feedback for evidence of analysis, reflection and respectful cultural engagement.
• Collect or photograph the three drawings and revised concept. Use the exit reflection to identify whether each student is developing, clarifying or extending ideas for the next lesson.

Differentiation

• Provide motif starters, a visual-elements word bank and sentence frames such as “My concept connects to…”, “I changed… because…”, and “The visual effect is…”.
• Allow students to work from observational sketches, personal experiences, natural forms or approved reference material rather than requiring a culturally specific motif.
• Support students who need it with pre-drawn compositional boxes, enlarged reference images, reduced media choices and teacher check-ins after each drawing round.
• Challenge confident students to integrate contrasting scales, foreground and negative space, or to develop a more complex sequence while explaining how each change strengthens meaning.
• For EAL learners, model key terms visually and accept labelled diagrams, oral explanation or recorded reflection alongside written annotation.