Stars and Texture

Overview

In this third lesson of a five-lesson unit, students practise oil pastel techniques to build colour and texture for a Matariki-inspired artwork. They also reference the spirit of Vincent Van Gogh’s expressive mark-making while keeping the focus on technique, observation, and safe studio practice.

Learning intentions

• WALT demonstrate key oil pastel techniques for bold colour, blending, and texture.
• WALT plan a small Matariki composition using thumbnail sketches and a clear focal point.
• WALT create a finished oil pastel study inspired by Matariki with dynamic texture and controlled colour choices.
• WALT reflect on what technique was used and how it affected the artwork.

Success criteria

• I can use oil pastel to create at least two different textures (for example: scumbling, cross-hatching, stippling, or thick colour layering).
• I can blend or layer colours to show variation and depth, not just flat colour blocks.
• I can keep my composition focused (a clear sky area and a Matariki focal point).
• I can explain which technique(s) I used and how they changed the look of the image.

Curriculum links

• Visual Arts: Students develop and communicate ideas using drawing skills and techniques, exploring how media can create effects.
• Visual Arts: Students investigate and practise processes and skills to enhance their artworks, including texture, colour, and composition.
• Key competencies: Using language, symbols, and texts (visual planning and explaining choices), Managing self (materials care and time management), Thinking (evaluating technique impact), Relating to others (peer feedback using respectful language).

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–3 min · Starter: “Technique word” demo. Teacher shows 2–3 quick mark samples (scumble, cross-hatch, stipple) on scrap paper and asks students to name one technique they see. Students respond with a quick hand signal and one verbal guess (or write one technique word in their art journal).

2. 3–10 min · Direct teach: Van Gogh-inspired mark-making (technique focus). Teacher demonstrates how oil pastels can be used expressively:

• Colour layering for richer hues
• Angle and pressure for thick texture
• Cross-hatching and scumbling to build energy in the sky Teacher models how to avoid muddy mixes by using intentional colours and fresh marks. Students practise the techniques in the air and then on a small practice rectangle, aiming for clear texture differences (at least two techniques).

3. 10–15 min · Plan: mini composition sketch. Teacher gives a quick prompt: “Matariki becomes visible in the eastern morning sky during mid-winter.” They remind students their small piece should include a sky background and a Matariki focal area. Students do a thumbnail sketch (2–3 minutes) then choose their colour plan (warm/cool contrast, plus 1–2 accent colours).

4. 15–25 min · Create: small oil pastel artwork. Teacher circulates, checks technique, and asks probing questions: “Which texture are you building here?” and “How does your colour choice help the focal point?” Students work from their plan, building background texture first, then adding Matariki details last for stronger visual emphasis.

5. 25–28 min · Peer check: “Glow & Growth” feedback. Teacher pairs students. Each student shares: one thing that looks effective and one technique to try next (specific, not just “better”). Students use a sentence starter in their journal: “My artwork is strongest because… Next time, I could… using…”

6. 28–30 min · Exit ticket reflection (quick). Teacher collects or prompts an exit response on a strip of paper or in journals. Students answer: “One technique I used was… It created… because…”

Resources

• Pre-cut oil pastel paper or mixed-media paper (small format, e.g., A5 or smaller)
• Oil pastels (labelled if possible; enough for all students)
• Scrap paper for technique testing
• Art journal or worksheet for thumbnail + reflection
• Tissue/rub cloths (if students need help with smudging control)
• Soft pencils for thumbnail sketching (optional)
• Visual reference cards showing technique examples (scumbling, cross-hatching, stippling)
• Paper towels for clean-up; a clear classroom routine for waste disposal

Assessment

• Teacher observation during practice (uses targeted questions and checks textures are distinct and intentional).
• Formative feedback in the “Glow & Growth” peer check (students name technique and effect).
• Exit ticket: students identify a technique used and explain its impact on texture/colour depth.

Differentiation

• Support: Provide a choice of 2–3 pre-labelled technique patterns students can copy (scumble strip, cross-hatch area, stipple stars) and sentence starters for explanations (“I used ___ to create ___.”).
• Support: Offer a basic composition template (sky rectangle with an indicated area for the eastern morning sky) for students who need structure.
• Extension: Challenge students to vary pressure and line direction within one texture (for example, cross-hatching that changes orientation to suggest movement or depth).
• EAL/SEN: Keep instructions short, use gesture-based modelling, and allow technique labels to be drawn or matched from cards instead of only written language.

Note for teaching alignment (how this lesson fits the unit)

This lesson builds the technical skills students will use in the next lesson’s artwork refinement stage: they practise texture and colour control now, so later they can focus on overall composition, detail, and finishing choices with confidence.