Art Elements 2 (Year 2 Programme)

From Process to Finished Pieces

In Year 2, students move beyond experimentation into creating resolved, artworks. Building on the foundations of Year 1, this course develops confidence, control, and personal expression through a structured exploration of the core elements of art.

Each term balances technical skill-building with creative freedom, guiding students from first mark to finished piece.

 

Our Studio Structure

Every session follows a consistent rhythm to build confidence and routine:

• 30-Minute Drawing Warm-Up
  Every class begins with a focused drawing drill to develop fluency, coordination, and creative flow.

• Main Project Work
  Students explore a specific art element through guided techniques and artist-led projects.

• End-of-Day Studio Huddle
  A short group reflection to share progress, ideas, and discoveries.

• End-of-Term Reflection & Feedback
  Students review their work, celebrate progress, and set goals for the next stage.

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Autumn Term | Line, Tone & Texture

(12 Weeks)

 

Weeks 1–2: Expressive Line (Long Stick Drawing)

Inspired by Henri Toulouse-Lautrec
Students draw at scale using extended tools to free up movement and develop confident, expressive lines.

Outcome: Large-scale drawing focused on energy and movement rather than precision.

 

Weeks 3–4: Tonal Value & Still Life

Inspired by Barbara Walker
Students explore light and shadow through structured tonal studies.

Outcome: A resolved tonal drawing using chiaroscuro to create depth and form.

 

Weeks 5–6: Texture & Natural Forms

Inspired by Karl Blossfeldt
A sensory approach to drawing, focusing on texture and organic structure.

Outcome: A mixed-media study combining detailed pencil work with expressive charcoal.

 

Weeks 7–8: Pattern & Colour

Inspired by Yuko Kurihara
Students explore repetition, rhythm, and colour layering.

Outcome: A bold, pattern-based mixed media artwork.

 

Weeks 9–10: Line & Texture (Mono-Printing)

Inspired by Tracey Emin and Egon Schiele
Students experiment with printmaking to create expressive, unpredictable line work.

Outcome: A series of mono-prints translating drawing into print.

 

Weeks 11–12: Line Space & Form (3D Exploration)

Inspired by Alexander Calder
Students move from drawing into three dimensions using line in space.

Outcome: A sculptural piece exploring balance, form, and spatial awareness.

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Spring–Summer Term | Acrylic Painting & Final Outcomes

(12 Weeks | 2-Week Project Cycles)

 

Project 1: Raw Gesture & Value (Weeks 1–2)

Artist Inspiration: John Virtue

• Focus: Using Black and White to explore large-scale energy.

• Outcome: A monochromatic, gestural landscape or cityscape.

• Skill: Understanding tonal contrast and "letting go" of perfectionism.

 

Project 2: Texture, Grit & Land (Weeks 3–4)

Artist Inspiration: Joan Eardley

• Focus: Introducing colour through thick, "weathered" application. Rugged, tactile fields and coastlines.

• Outcome: A heavy-textured, expressive landscape painting.

• Skill: Impasto techniques, palette knife work, and layering "broken" colour.

 

Project 3: Colour, Light & Atmosphere (Weeks 5–6)

Artist Inspiration: John Riepenhoff

• Focus: Softening the approach. Using sponges and rags to create "skyscapes" and soft-focus depth.

• Outcome: An atmospheric painting focusing on light and receding horizons.

• Skill: Mastering gradients and "wet-on-wet" blending to create a glow.

 

Project 4: Bold Form & The "Cut-Out" (Weeks 7–8)

Artist Inspiration: Henri Matisse

• Focus: A total shift to graphic clarity. Using Matisse Flow to create flat, opaque organic shapes inspired by his cut-outs.

• Outcome: A vibrant, high-contrast composition of simplified forms.

• Skill: Precision colour blocking and achieving smooth, professional surfaces.

 

Project 5: Obsessive Pattern (Weeks 9–10)

Artist Inspiration: Yayoi Kusama

• Focus: Detail and repetition. Overlaying dots or "Infinity Nets" on top of the bold shapes learned in the previous project.

• Outcome: A contemporary patterned piece with intense visual rhythm.

• Skill: Fine motor control and understanding meditative repetition.

 

Project 6: Final Outcome: The Synthesis (Weeks 11–12)

The Major Work

• Focus: Students merge their favourite techniques—perhaps Eardley’s grit with Matisse’s shapes, or Riepenhoff’s sky with Kusama’s dots.

• Outcome: A fully resolved, large-scale final painting for their portfolio.

• Skill: Self-directed project management and creative synthesis.

 

Contemporary Watercolour (12-Week Term)

Control, Flow & Personal Expression

This 12-week course introduces students to contemporary watercolour through a structured exploration of the key elements of art. Students learn to balance control and fluidity, developing confidence with water, pigment, and composition.

Each week builds toward a final resolved artwork, combining technical skill with personal creative voice.

 

Contemporary Watercolour | 12-Week Term

(Two 6-Week Halves | 2-Week Project Cycles)

First Half: Energy & Flow

 

Weeks 1–2: Ohn Mar Win (Line & Shape)

• Focus: Continuous line drawing and "sketchbook" freedom.

• Outcome: Botanical or still-life studies using ink-like lines and juicy washes.

• Skill: Coordination and overcoming the fear of the "perfect" drawing.

 

Weeks 3–4: Dean Crouser (Colour & Energy)

• Focus: High-saturation "splatter" and loose wildlife movement.

• Outcome: A vibrant animal or bird study focusing on "controlled mess."

• Skill: Pigment-to-water ratios and maintaining color vibrancy.

 

Weeks 5–6: Jean Haines (Atmosphere & The Meditative Wash)

• Focus: The "Finding the Light" technique and working wet-on-wet.

• Outcome: A glowing, soft-focus atmospheric landscape or animal study.

• Skill: Tonal value and learning to "let the water do the work."

 

[HALF TERM BREAK]

Second Half: Mastery, Detail & Bold Portraits

 

Weeks 7–8: Historical Master: John Singer Sargent (Light & Efficiency)

• Focus: Study of Sargent’s "economy of means"—how he created complex scenes with very few, confident brushstrokes.

• Outcome: A master copy study focusing on architectural shadows or water reflections.

• Skill: "Decisive painting"—learning when to stop and how to paint light.

 

Weeks 9–10: Modern Form & Pattern (Coquillette & James)

• Focus: Week 9 (Cat Coquillette) for structured 3D layering; Week 10 (Yellena James) for organic, repetitive rhythms.

• Outcome: A sophisticated illustrative piece combining depth with graphic pattern.

• Skill: Glazing (layering dry-on-wet) and fine motor control.

 

Weeks 11–12: David Lobenberg (The California Vibe)

• Focus: Gutsy, non-traditional colour palettes and "splat-and-dab" portraiture.

• Outcome: A high-impact, expressive portrait as the final project.

• Skill: Fearless execution and merging atmospheric, historical, and modern techniques.

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