Gouache Still Life Exploration

Overview

This 100-minute lesson enables Year 12 students to experiment with gouache paint as a medium for still life painting, focusing on fruit to explore colour, texture, opacity, and layering. The lesson is firmly rooted in the National Curriculum for England for Art & Design, promoting creativity, technical skill, and critical understanding of materials and processes.

National Curriculum Links

KS5 Art & Design Programmes of Study:
- AO1: Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding.
- AO2: Experiment with and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques, and processes, reviewing and refining work as it progresses.
- AO3: Record ideas, observations, and insights relevant to intentions as work progresses.
- AO4: Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and demonstrates understanding of visual language.
Cross-Curricular Themes:
- Critical thinking and analysis (Literacy)
- Scientific understanding of materials and colour theory (Science link)

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

Understand the unique properties of gouache paint regarding opacity, layering, and texture.
Apply experimentation techniques to explore how gouache can communicate different ideas about still life objects.
Develop observational skills by painting a still life arrangement of fruit, focusing on tone, colour mixing, and composition.
Reflect critically on their own and peers’ gouache paintings, articulating artistic intentions and technical challenges.
Create a personalised gouache still life study that demonstrates exploration and technical control.

Resources Required

Gouache paint sets (variety of colours)
Various sizes of paintbrushes (flat, round, fine detail)
Thick paper suitable for gouache (e.g., 300gsm watercolour paper)
Palettes and water pots
Still life set-ups with assorted fruit (e.g., apples, oranges, bananas, grapes)
Aprons or protective clothing
Sketchbooks or drawing paper for preparatory work
Paper towels or rags
Visual aids/examples of gouache techniques and still life artworks (printed or projected)
Whiteboard and markers

Timing and Activities

Time	Activity	Details	Outcomes
0-10m	Introduction & Contextual Overview	Present gouache’s history, characteristics, and examples of still life paintings using gouache (brief slide show or printed images). Discuss how gouache differs from other paints (e.g., acrylic, watercolour). Students record initial observations and questions in sketchbooks.	Builds understanding of gouache’s unique properties (AO1, AO3)
10-20m	Demonstration	Teacher demo of gouache techniques: layering, dry brush, flat washes, mixing opaque vs. translucent areas, and use of white for highlights. Highlight how these techniques can suggest texture, light effects, mood, and conceptual ideas.	Visual and verbal modelling supports AO2
20-35m	Warm-up Experimentation	Students create small experimental swatches to test opacity, blending, layering, and mark-making with gouache using simple shapes. Encourage notes about effect and potential uses for painting fruit.	Builds confidence and technical understanding (AO2, AO3)
35-50m	Still Life Observation & Sketching	Arrange fruit still life stations. Students spend 15 minutes sketching compositions, noting light sources, shapes, and shadows. Focus on composition and planning painting approach with gouache.	Develops observational and planning skills (AO1, AO3)
50-90m	Main Painting Task	Students paint a still life of fruit using gouache, applying techniques practised. Encourage layering to build volume and texture, experimenting with opacity and colour blending to represent surface qualities and conceptual mood. Teacher circulates to provide individual guidance, encouraging reflection on artistic decisions.	Demonstrates experimentation and technical skills (AO2, AO4)
90-100m	Peer Review and Reflection	Students pair up to discuss their paintings using prompts (e.g., Describe your use of gouache techniques, what ideas are communicated through your work, what challenges did you face?). Students make annotated notes in sketchbooks.	Critical thinking and articulation (AO1, AO3, AO4)

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Focus	Success Indicators	Alignment to Curriculum
Experimentation with Gouache	Varied use of gouache techniques; evidence of risk-taking and discovery	AO2: Experiment with media and techniques
Observational Accuracy & Composition	Effective translation of still life to paper; thoughtful composition and tonal control	AO1: Develop ideas informed by observation
Communication of Ideas	Artwork communicates mood, texture, form, or conceptual ideas through paint handling	AO4: Personal, meaningful response
Critical Reflection	Insightful peer discussion and written reflections on artistic decisions and challenges	AO1, AO3: Analytical understanding and recording ideas

Differentiation Strategies

Support: Provide step-by-step demonstrations; offer alternative mark-making tools (e.g., sponges, palette knives) for students struggling with brush control; scaffold reflection prompts.
Challenge: Encourage students to incorporate mixed media elements with gouache (e.g., drawing overlays, collage) or explore abstract interpretation of fruit to communicate conceptual ideas.
Extension: Independent research on historical/contemporary still life painters using gouache; develop a small series expanding on today’s work; peer teaching opportunities.

Cross-Curricular Enhancement

Science: Brief exploration of how pigments mix and interact in gouache; practical colour mixing linked to light absorption and reflection principles.
Literacy: Use subject-specific vocabulary (opacity, layering, composition, tonal value) discussed and recorded; art critique language during peer feedback.

Homework / Enrichment

Students create a small gouache study of a different still life object (non-fruit) at home or in the school environment to build experimentation beyond the classroom context. They annotate their sketchbook with ideas about how gouache suits their chosen objects.

Teacher Notes

Emphasise the importance of building up layers in gouache, as it behaves between watercolour and acrylic in opacity.
Reinforce observational accuracy but encourage explorations beyond photorealism to express feeling or conceptual messages.
Monitor paint drying times and demonstrate shortcuts (e.g., hairdryer) as appropriate.
Use questioning to prompt students to articulate their creative decisions, fostering a reflective practice that is key to A-Level progression.

This structured yet explorative lesson plan is designed to develop technical proficiency and artistic voice in Year 12 students, aligning closely with the National Curriculum for England’s aims and assessment objectives in Art & Design.

Teaching Instructions