Learning objective
- To understand how to mix tints and shades to create changes in tone.
Success criteria
- I can use the vocabulary tone, tint and
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National curriculum
Art and design
Pupils should be
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Cross-curricular links
Before the lesson
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Lesson plan
Recap and recall
This activity revisits learning from Year 3: Painting and mixed media – Exploring texture with paint and collage, to help the children recall key knowledge. Show slide 1 of the Presentation: Warm and cool colours to recap which colours are warm and which are cool. Click to reveal the labels next to the colour wheel.
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Adaptive teaching
Pupils needing extra support:
- Could be reminded about basic painting techniques (keeping a clean water pot, adding black and white paint in small amounts and holding the paintbrush near the bristles for greater control).
- Could use the Activity: Mixing tints and shades with a pre-prepared strip with segments to support mixing small, controlled changes in tone.
- Could use a step-by-step visual prompt from the Knowledge organiser to support understanding.
Pupils working at greater depth
- Should create a sequence of carefully controlled tonal changes by adjusting paint in very small amounts.
- Should discuss an artwork using accurate vocabulary, explaining how tone, tint and shade have been used.
- Could compare their own use of tone with an example artwork and explain similarities or differences.
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Assessing progress and understanding
Pupils with secure understanding can:
- Accurately use the vocabulary tone, tint and shade.
- Mix
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Vocabulary definitions
-
tone (Y4)
How light or dark something is.
-
tint (Y4)
Made by adding white to a colour.
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In this unit
Maintained by: Kapow Primary team
Last update: 26th June, 2026
Lesson 5: Still life
Drawing on all the skills they have studied this unit, painting a still life painting...
Lesson 3: Tone techniques
Exploring different ways artists use paint to create tone and experimenting with a range of...
Assessment – Art Y4: Painting – Coming soon
Lesson 4: Composition
Exploring still life and the elements of effective composition to plan a finished still life...
