Painting & mixed media: Light and dark
Developing their colour-mixing skills, pupils use shades and tints to show form and create three dimensions in their paintings.
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Painting and mixed media: Light and dark
Important update!
The Year 1–6 Painting units have been updated for 2026–2027 to provide a clearer progression of painting skills and knowledge.
An updated version of this unit will be available from July 2026. The current version will move to the Content archive area in August 2026, where it will remain permanently available.
Explore the Art and design, Long-term plan for 2026–2027.
Unit outcomes
Pupils who are secure will be able to:
- Share their ideas about a painting.
- Describe the difference between a tint and a shade.
- Mix tints and shades by adding black or white paint.
- Discuss their real-life experiences of how colours can appear different.
- Use tints and shades to paint an object in 3D.
- Try different arrangements of objects for a composition, explaining their decisions.
- Produce a clear sketch that reflects the arrangement of their objects.
- Create a final painting that shows an understanding of how colour can be used to show light and dark, and therefore show three dimensions.
- Paint with care and control to make a still life with recognisable objects.
Suggested prior learning
Painting and mixed media: Prehistoric painting
Get startedLessons
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To understand how to darken or lighten a colour when mixing paint.
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To know how to create tint and shade of a colour.
Lesson 2: Three dimensions
Lesson 3: Painting techniques
Lesson 4: Composition
Lesson 5: Still life
Key skills
Key knowledge
Related content
Unit resources
Cross-curricular opportunities
Science: Light