Subject: Art and design
Painting and mixed media: World in watercolour
Exploring artists' use of watercolour, developing watercolour techniques through sketchbook studies and applying these skills in an abstract final painting.
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- Art and design >
- Key stage 2 >
- Year 6 >
Please note
This unit has been updated for 2026–2027 to provide a clearer progression of painting skills and knowledge.
The old unit has moved to the Content archive area, where it will remain permanently available.
Unit outcomes
Pupils who are secure will be able to:
- Give examples of how artists use sketchbooks to record, explore and develop ideas.
- Identify and compare how artists use colour, materials and techniques to represent the natural world.
- Use wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry techniques to create different effects.
- Control the amount of water used to change the intensity of colour.
- Select and use a range of watercolour techniques to achieve intended effects.
- Use studies and sketchbook work to develop and inform a final composition.
- Create and develop painted studies to explore ideas before producing a final piece.
- Evaluate a final piece, identifying strengths and areas for development.
Suggested prior learning
Painting and mixed-media: Expressive portraits
Get started
Painting in the Primary classroom
Lessons
Lesson 1: The natural world
Lesson 2: Watercolour
Lesson 3: Experimental techniques
Lesson 4: Abstract studies
Lesson 5: From study to final piece
Optional lesson
Optional: Every picture tells a story
Key skills
- Choosing and combining different ideas or influences in thoughtful ways.
- Generating ideas that show a personal response or creative intention.
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Key knowledge
- That artists can use materials to respond to a feeling or idea in an abstract way.
- Artists take risks to try out ideas, which can lead to new techniques being developed.
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Key vocabulary
abstract (Y2)
bloom (Y6)
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Equipment list
Equipment needed across all lessons in this unit.
This list does not include equipment which is usually readily available in the classroom (e.g pencils, A4 paper etc)
Download
Full equipment list for the subject
Quantities marked × will update. Items without quantities are unaffected
- Sketchbooks or loose paper ×30
- Water pots ×15
- Paper towels ×30
- Salt ×1
- Paint palette ×30
- Paint ×8
- Pencils ×30
- Paintbrushes ×30
- Loose A4 or A3 cartridge paper sheets ×30
The equipment below is optional
-
Watercolour paper
×30
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Related content
Resources
Unit resources
Art and design
Knowledge organiser – Art and design Y6: Painting and mixed media: World in watercolour
Aimed at pupils, a double-page that gives key facts and definitions from the unit 'World in watercolour'.
Art and design
Vocabulary display – Art and design Y6: Painting and mixed media: World in watercolour
A display version of the vocabulary from the unit 'World in watercolour'.
Subject resources
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Cross-curricular opportunities
Geography: Human and physical geography.
