Year 3 have been travelling back in time to explore the fascinating world of prehistoric art. They have discovered how people in the Stone Age created artwork using only the materials available to them, and how these early creations helped to tell stories about their lives. Through studying cave paintings and ancient markings, the children have learned how art has played an important role in helping us understand the past.
As part of their learning, pupils focused on drawing animals, using native species as inspiration. They developed their observational drawing skills by first concentrating on getting the overall shape correct before adding details such as tone and texture to create more realistic images.
The children then experimented with charcoal, exploring the different ways it can be used to create lines, shading and texture. They applied these techniques to their animal drawings, producing some striking and expressive pieces of work.
To deepen their understanding of how prehistoric people made art, pupils investigated how paint was created in the Stone Age. They explored natural materials that could be used as pigments and experimented with grinding colourful items to create their own paints. Using these handmade materials, they created their own painted artwork, gaining a real appreciation for the creativity and resourcefulness of early humans.
Next, Year 3 will build on these skills by creating their own realistic cave paintings, bringing together everything they have learned in this engaging and hands-on topic.
