Summary

This activity can be used as a whole class teaching session. It would be helpful to have some Van Gogh prints available for the pupils to look at. A Van Gogh-style picture is shown on the first screen, parts of which are then looked at in more detail. Van Gogh's use of line to paint is discussed throughout. The final screen allows pupils to practise the technique using the whiteboard tools. Activities are then suggested for the pupils to try out practically for themselves.

Suitable for

Year 6

Using a non-interactive whiteboard

The activity would run the same using the mouse to navigate the pages, and the mouse would need to be used to paint on the last screen.

Prior learning required

Some awareness of how pictures are normally painted.

Aims and objectives

Knowledge and understanding:

• to understand how the visual element of line can be used in painting and drawing
• to understand the roles and purposes of artists in other times and cultures

Making:

• to respond practically and imaginatively to the work of other artists

Vocabulary - line, strokes, short, long, curvy, straight, impressionist, Van Gogh

Timings

The interactive whiteboard discussion would take approximately 20 minutes. Pupils would discuss the painting on the first screen and then the line technique used in the close-up pictures. They could all take a turn in practising their line technique on the whiteboard, which would take around 10 minutes each.

The suggested activities would take two or three sessions to complete, beginning with experimentation with Van Gogh's technique, then developing their own pictures.

Suggestions for group activities

• Explore mark making on paper using a variety of brush strokes. Use a variety of brush sizes. Try painting with feathers, quills or lollipop sticks. Which gives you the best effect?
• Paint a picture in the style of Van Gogh using one of his paintings as a stimulus. Some good examples are The starry night and Wheat field with cypresses. Remember to use the technique you found the most effective when you were practising.
• Look at a photograph of a landscape in Wales (this could be from your local area). Draw the landscape using chalks. Look at Van Gogh's painting Olive trees. Look at the way he has used swirls and curves in his picture. Carefully drag your finger in swirls around your picture. It should turn into a landscape picture like Van Gogh's. Finally, spray your picture with fixing spray (or hairspray) to fix the chalk into place on the paper.

Suggestions for differentiation

Pupils could be given parts of a simpler picture drawn in Van Gogh style, eg a flower or a tree. They could make their own painting based on these rather than painting a whole landscape picture.

Further activities

Look up Vincent Van Gogh on the internet. What interesting facts can you find out about him? See the printable worksheet.

Look up impressionist artists on the internet. How many can you find? Write a bit about each artist. Print off some of their pictures and make a scrapbook of impressionist art.

National curriculum links