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:
- Introduce students to new artists by showcasing their styles, discussing their backgrounds, and showing examples of their work
- Support students in generating ideas that promote critical thinking and creativity
- Give room for planning out concepts in a flexible way that allows for adjustments and revisions
- Show how to refine their outcomes to successfully meet the lesson goals
Students usually need specialist equipment or specific instructions on how to create good quality artwork. There’s nothing worse than coming back to your room to find equipment all over the place and your best coloured pencils chucked into random drawers! 🙈
If the cover lesson is being taught my a non-specialist, or not in an art room, creating sub tasks which are engaging can be really challenging and time-consuming. I don’t know about you but there is no way I’m getting my best quality materials out for an art cover lesson when I know that most will end up broken or on the floor!
These worksheets are simple to prep (just print!), easy to follow, have clear steps for students, include images and examples, and can be used across different projects and year groups. There are 4 pages of work for students to complete.
The format of the worksheets:
Step 1. Introduction and key information about the artist(s):
I have written a short intro about the artists so any teacher taking the class can confidently talk through the work with students. The task is then clearly outlined.
Step 2. Developing ideas inspired by the artist’s themes and topics – a short written task:
- I have also included more images of each artist’s work to help generate ideas
I had some great responses to this part of the cover lesson (using the Grayson Perry worksheet) with students coming up with really interesting themes…
3. Draw and sketch out initial ideas:
- I left plenty of room on the printout for students to draw and label 4 different initial ideas. I also included simple reference images for any students who were struggling. The drawing task is slightly different on each worksheet (depending on the artist reference).
I had some lovely drawings (from two different cover lessons – inspired by Grayson Perry and Kate Malone) where students had to design patterns, motifs and symbols related to their life:
Step 4. Develop and refine their initial ideas:
- Here students choose their best ideas and apply them. In this worksheet inspired by Keith Haring, students can draw out their own clothing or use the examples.
- On other worksheets, students might be designing sculptures / vases etc. depending on which artist the worksheet is based on.
Step 5. Create their final outcome(s):
- The last part of the task is to create their final designs / outcomes. There are checklists included so students remember what they need to include.
And that’s it! Most of my students only just started creating their final designs because it took the full lesson to write and draw out ideas then start planning. I have used these sheets with a mix of classes and been really pleased with the work considering the lesson wasn’t even taught by an art teacher 😊 🎨
Download the worksheets here.
Each PDF is £1.50. You can get them individually, or with the £3 per month subscription you can download them all in one go now. You will also get new art projects and resources sent directly to you monthly.
So far I have created 5 worksheets inspired by Keith Haring, Yayoi Kusama, Grayson Perry, Claes Oldenburg and Kate Malone.
Keith Haring Worksheet
Download the Keith Haring worksheet instantly
Yayoi Kusama Worksheet
Download the Yayoi Kusama worksheet instantly
Grayson Perry Worksheet
Download the Grayson Perry worksheet instantly
Claes Oldenburg Worksheet
Download the Claes Oldenburg worksheet instantly
Kate Malone Worksheet
Download the Kate Malone Worksheet
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So far I have been using the worksheets with my Year 9 classes and already had good work back! Yay. The worksheets can just be printed and given out with pencils or pens, nothing else needed (unless you want to, of course) 😊 🎨
The worksheets are suitable for any art cover / sub lessons that can easily be delivered by non-specialists, however, feel free to teach with them yourself!
