This Art and design scheme of work video introduces sketching with simple shapes, building children’s confidence in planning and structuring a drawing.

In this lesson, pupils learn that sketching is a quick, rough drawing to plan their work. They practise using light pressure and broad pencil grips to draw faint lines that can be refined later. Children are guided to break down complex images into basic shapes. This technique helps them get the size, position and proportion of different parts more accurately. Using familiar objects as examples, the video explains how artists often use geometric and organic shapes to map out a drawing before adding finer detail. Pupils are encouraged to consider what shapes they can see and to focus on drawing what is in front of them, not what they remember.

This is part of Kapow Primary’s Year 3 Developing drawing skills unit. It supports children to develop their observational drawing through manageable steps and creative exploration.

See more of our Year 3 Art and design scheme of work.

Art and design, Year 3, *Updated* Drawing: Developing drawing skills, Lesson 1: See like an artist.