Artwork by Year 4 students at King Edward’s Junior School in Bath are to go on display at the National Gallery this summer in the 21st annual Take One Picture exhibition.
This will be the fifth time, and the third year in a row, that work by pupils from KES will be showcased at the National Gallery.
Each year the National Gallery invites primary schools from across the country to use one of its paintings as the stimulus for learning right across the curriculum. For 2016, Thomas Gainsborough’s Mr and Mrs Andrews (circa 1750) was chosen as the inspiration.
Influenced by the large landscape in Mr and Mrs Andrews, Year 4 students decided to focus on the countryside for their paintings. The pupils also looked at the work of British painter Samuel Palmer for inspiration, and visited the Holburne Museum in Bath to look at the portraiture on display, including Gainsborough’s painting titled Byam Family.
The pupils then created their own sepia ink drawings to re-interpret Gainsborough’s Suffolk country scene. With the help of the school’s art teacher Mr Roberts-Wray, they learnt how to use a dip pen to create tone, texture, pattern and hatching in their drawings.
Year 4 will visit the National Gallery next week to see their work on show.
Commenting on the Take One Picture initiative, Gill Hart, head of education at the National Gallery, said: “Take One Picture demonstrates that the arts play a vital role in education by inspiring children’s imaginations, creativity and learning. A single painting can act as a catalyst for children to develop new skills, make connections with their local community and take the lead in their own learning.”
Asked about their artwork, Isla from Year 4 said: “I really liked adding the texture because you have to think up the different textures for different things.”
Fellow pupil Nell added: “I really enjoyed adding the tone because you could make it any shade you wanted.”
The Take One Picture exhibition opens this week at the National Gallery and runs until 20 September 2016.
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