This week at Artgrain is a very important week: the beginning of assessments! Teachers are practicing drawing with their students, preparing them for next week’s lesson where they will attempt a drawing of an assigned subject by themselves.
Our younger students are working on creating compositions with multiple vehicles or animals with them, while our older kids are practicing their still life drawing. Our secondary school students will be creating a piece that demands both technical skill and creative response.
Why do we believe that it is important to assess our students this way?
At Artgrain, we expose our students to a variety of techniques, mediums and artist references. Within a single module, they can complete works in many different styles! However, we still want to make sure that amid this explosion of color and inspiration, we are equipping them with the fundamental skills they need in order to continue growing as artists.
One of the most important skills among these is observational drawing: the ability to look at an object or image and translate that into a drawing on paper.
Having a standardised reference image to which we can compare each students’ work allows us to focus on specific aspects of their drawing. Some students may struggle with proportions, but have an eye for details; for others, the opposite may be true. Some may be able to make confident and accurate lines, but falter when it comes to shading. Whatever the case, looking at their assessment work allows us to identify the areas in which there is potential for them to improve.
Best wishes to all our student artists as they practice and refine their skills!
The Artistic Journey 