Painting and mixed media: Colour splash

In this unit children learn about primary and secondary colours, colour mixing techniques, and applying these skills in painting and printing. The lessons encourage exploration and confidence in colour use, culminating in creating a painted plate in the style of an artist. This unit enhances pupils' understanding of colours and their applications in art. Use this unit hub to inform your medium-term plan and to navigate to related resources.

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  5. Painting and mixed media: Colour splash

Unit outcomes

Pupils who are secure will be able to:

  • Name the primary colours.
  • Explore coloured materials to mix secondary colours.
  • Mix primary colours to make secondary colours.
  • Apply paint consistently to their printing materials to achieve a print.
  • Use a range of colours when printing.
  • Mix five different shades of a secondary colour.
  • Decorate their hands using a variety of patterns.
  • Mix secondary colours with confidence to paint a plate.
  • Describe their finished plates.

Suggested prior learning

Painting and mixed media: Paint my world

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Lessons

Lesson 1: Making colours

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Lesson 2: Painting with colour

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Lesson 3: Printing with paint

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Lesson 4: Exploring colour mixing

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Lesson 5: Clarice Cliff plates

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Key skills

Generating ideas:

  • Explore
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Key knowledge

Making skills (formal elements):

  • Colour:
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Key vocabulary

blend

hue

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Related content

    Resources

Unit resources

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Art and design

Knowledge organiser: Art & design – Y1 Painting and mixed-media

Aimed at pupils, two pages providing key facts and definitions from the unit "Painting and mixed media: Colour splash".

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Art and design

Vocabulary display: Colour splash

A display version of the key vocabulary from the Colour splash unit.

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Subject resources

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Cross-curricular opportunities

Mathematics: Number – number and place value.

Build on the learning

Painting and mixed media: Life in colour

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