Anna Atkins

Anna Atkins was a British botanist and photographer who created beautiful blue-and-white images of plants and seaweed. She used a photographic technique called cyanotype to capture the delicate shapes and textures of natural forms. Her work brings together art and science, showing how careful observation and simple compositions can turn an everyday specimen into a […]

Francoise Nielly

Artist Francoise Nielly is a portrait painter who uses a knife instead of a paint brush. Francoise Nielly’s artworks are vibrant, vivid and striking portraits of very famous people. Even though Nielly’s technique is to use a knife to make her paintings, the faces are still very intricate and detailed. Who is Francoise Nielly? Francoise […]

How to Analyse Art

How to Analyse Art: A Guide for Art Students, Teenagers and… Anyone else asking ‘what does it mean?’ 🖼️ 💡 If you’re looking for help with your art annotations, or help writing about art in general, click here to use the GCSE Art Annotation Assistant. Ever looked at a piece of art and thought… What […]

Liv Aanrud

Liv Aanrud is a textile artist and painter from the US. She is well known for her maximalist, large-scale figurative tapestries that blur the lines between painting and weaving. Combining traditional textile techniques with bold colour schemes, Aanrud’s portrait pieces are heavily textured, slowly stitched drawings that burst with symbols and patterns. Liv Aanrud is […]

KS3 Art Painting Scheme of Work: Abstract Still Life

I love teaching this Abstract Still Life painting project! I have used this painting scheme of work with lots of different year 8 groups and they have all enjoyed it and made great progress. The outcomes are all different and students like being able to see how they can improve their work each week, even […]

Art Cover Lesson Worksheets

Creating cover lessons for art can be quite tricky – especially when you are stuck for time or need something quick, effective and engaging 😵‍💫 In an effort to keep things interesting for my students, I have created these printable PDF worksheets to: Students usually need specialist equipment or specific instructions on how to create […]

Hannah Lipsey

Hannah Lipsey is a contemporary British artist known for creating hyper-realistic coloured pencil drawings that often look like photographs at first glance. She specialises in drawing shiny, reflective objects—think metallic surfaces, glass, and polished materials that seem like you can touch them. Hannah Lipsey’s art focuses on textures and shine, pushing the limits of hyperrealism […]

KS3 Oil Pastel Food Art Project

This is a quite a short, simple and succinct oil pastel art project aimed at teaching a few essential oil pastel skills such as layering, blending, colour matching and monoprinting. The theme of this scheme of work is food – which is ideal for engaging students. I always find that students love the experience of […]

The Formal Elements of Art

There are seven basic formal / visual elements in art: Line, Shape and Form, Tone / Value, Texture, Colour, Space, Pattern. The formal elements (also known as visual elements) are what artists consider and use when making their artworks, either explicitly or subtly. Understanding the formal elements of art is important and will help you […]

Vincent Valdez

Vincent Valdez is a Texas-born artist known for his large, hyper-realistic paintings that address real issues in American history and society. Raised in San Antonio, his artwork explores themes of social justice, memory, and the Mexican American experience through his mastery of the human figure. Vincent Valdez’s artwork is more than art; it is a […]