This Art and design scheme of work video supports pupils as they explore how colour can be changed by mixing in black or white, helping them understand the difference between shades and tints.

The video begins by explaining key vocabulary, explaining that adding black creates a shade, while adding white creates a tint. Children will use this knowledge to mix their own colour range from a single starting colour.

They will need a blank sketchbook page in landscape position, a chosen colour of paint, plus black and white paint, and a palette for mixing. The video shows how to start by painting a patch of the base colour in the middle of the page. Then, by gradually adding small amounts of black, pupils create darker shades on one side. On the other side, they’ll mix tiny amounts of white to create lighter tints. As they work, pupils can observe how far the colour changes and practise controlling their mixing to create smooth transitions.

This video is part of Kapow Primary’s Year 4 Light and dark unit.

See more of our Year 4 Art and design scheme of work.

Art and design, Year 4, Painting and mixed media: Light and dark, Lesson 1: Tints and shades – Option 1.