How-To Guides

This step-by-step project guides students through creating an expressive clay hand sculpture inspired by dramatic ceramic work seen in professional studio practice. The focus is on exploring gesture, structure, and texture to communicate emotion through three-dimensional form. Throughout the process, learners develop observational skills linked to ...

  Pottery has been an essential form of human expression for thousands of years, evolving from practical vessels to highly decorative and artistic creations. Techniques such as slip trailing, sgraffito, wax resist, pierced work, coiled building and slab or press-moulding allow artists to manipulate clay in creative and versatile ways. From ...

  This guide demonstrates how to create a risograph-style effect using screen printing. Risograph (or Riso) is a technique where each colour is printed separately in layers, often slightly off registration, creating a distinctive textured and handmade look. This approach works well in the classroom, encouraging experimentation with colour, ...

By Sarah Crowther (The Arty Teacher) IntroductionHow many times have your students described an artwork as “interesting”? Or “unique”? These vague words creep into art writing far too often and they tell us nothing.   In this lesson, students will learn to ditch empty adjectives and replace them with meaningful, ...

  Screen printing, a technique that dates back over a thousand years to ancient China and Japan, has evolved into one of the most versatile and widely used printmaking methods today. Using light-sensitive emulsions, you can now create intricate, reusable stencils for printing on fabric, paper and more. This guide walks you through each ...

  This tutorial demonstrates how to create a vibrant, multicoloured flower print from a single lino block using Specialist Crafts Easy Cut Lino. It highlights carving techniques, colour layering, and creative problem-solving that can be applied directly in the classroom. Students can explore precision, pattern design, and colour theory while ...

  Discover how to create a multicoloured lino print using a multi-block technique. By carving separate blocks for each colour, students can explore registration, layering, and colour blending, skills that are valuable in both art and design lessons.  Step by step - Let's CreateTransfer the Design- Use tracing paper and carbon paper to ...

By The Art Teacher IntroductionThese lessons are an introduction to using watercolour paints to start to show realism, aimed at Year 9 students or higher. It shows students the process for layering watercolour paints and engages them by using sweet / chocolate wrappers. Students use pencil to refine their work once the paint layers are dry. ...

Scraperboard - IntroductionThe desire to record thoughts and ideas extramurally has existed from earliest history to the present day - from hieroglyphics to the elaborate machine engraving of the twentieth century. Scraperboard fulfils the innate urge to decorate an otherwise plain surface - but without specialist tools, cumbersome materials or ...

  Before you can start printing, properly preparing your screen is essential. Tacking up your mesh ensures it’s taut, secure and ready for crisp, consistent results. Whether you’re working with 120 TPC, 90 TPC, or 43 TPC mesh, this guide will walk you through the steps to mount and tension your screen correctly, giving you a ...