Art Program

The Art facilities at Eltham North PS are spacious and light filled. It is in this beautiful
environment students’ growth as artists begins. Art teachers, Teresa Sciola and Wendy Hayes
ensure the children are engaged in stimulating activities where they can explore with
guidance, a wide range of media and equipment. Throughout the year, all students will
explore the artistic areas of drawing, painting, collage, printing, modelling, construction,
threads & textiles. Within these areas an emerging knowledge of skills, techniques and
processes are formed. All children come to Art sessions with a wide range of abilities and
these are fostered in a caring, positive, creative and interesting learning environment.

Eltham North Primary School has a wonderful and enduring relationship with local artists and
artistically talented people. Students enjoy the opportunity to work with Artists in Residence
programs and they have completed beautiful pottery, metal, fabric and painting works that are
on display around the school.

Rationale

Visual Arts includes the fields of art, craft and design. Students create visual art works that
communicate, challenge and express their own and others’ ideas. They develop perceptual
and conceptual understanding, critical reasoning and practical skills through exploring and
expanding their understanding of their world and other worlds.

Learning

Learning in Visual Arts involves students making and responding to artworks, drawing on the
world as a source of ideas. Students engage with and develop knowledge of visual arts, skills,
techniques and processes, and use materials as they explore a range of forms, styles and
contexts.

Sequence of Learning

Foundation

Foundation students are involved in making artworks that express and communicate
experiences, observations, ideas and feelings about themselves and their world. Initially, the
Preps become familiar with Art room routines, while experimenting with and exploring new
media. The students develop a beginning understanding of the Art elements line, colour,
pattern and shape. Students are encouraged to use these terms as they share and reflect on
their artistic creations.
Level One and Two

In Level 1 and 2 ‘Creating and Making’ encapsulates the program. Students are required to
make and share art works emerging from a range of stimuli and starting points. The creative
process in Level One and Two involves the use of imagination, experimentation, planning,
Art elements, media and equipment. Reflection and discussions about artwork enables
students to self-evaluate and refine their work.

Level 3 and 4

‘Creating and Making’ and ‘Exploring and Responding’ provide the framework for the Level
3 and 4 program. Students use a range of skills, techniques, processes, media, and equipment
to create artwork. Students explore and respond to art by identifying key art elements,
techniques and processes used. Students are required to discuss feelings and purposes of
artwork.

Level 5 and 6

Students independently experiment with and apply a range of skills, techniques and processes
using a variety of materials and equipment to plan, develop, refine, make and present art
works. In their art work, they communicate ideas and understandings about themselves and
others, incorporating influences from their own and other cultures and times. Students discuss
traditional and contemporary art works using appropriate language. They interpret and
compare key features of art works. They identify and describe influences on their own work
and the purpose for which various art pieces are created.

Printing
Students have been studying famous artist Andy Warhol and "Pop Art". They created their
own stencil for printing with a pop culture theme.Then they printed using their stencil,
fluorescent paint, rollers and a repeated pattern theme that Andy Warhol was famous for.

ENPS students re-create the Andy Warhol pop art style.

Student putting together a craft display.

Montsalvat: As part of a 'Light and Seeing' Unit, Level 2 and 3 students experienced an
exciting art excursion to magical Montsalvat, touring its art galleries and grounds with Jenni
Mitchell and Dale Cox, both very respected and talented Eltham artists.

On the sloping, lushly green grounds at Montsalvat, Jenni and Dale conducted a plein air
workshop. With the opportunity to avail of Jenni and Dale’s expertise, our very inspired
students were encouraged to depict their environment by observing light, colour and form.
Yet again, our students, always serious about their artwork, gave us great reason for pride.
The day provided another opportunity for our many blossoming and talented artists at Eltham
North to really shine.
Student Reflections of their visit :

 It was brilliant cause I liked looking around where the artists lived in . It felt magical.
 We learnt a lot about all kinds of art. It felt like it was in the olden days.
 I liked the peacock. Some paintings were funny and some were really detailed .
 It was awesome because we did paintings and we explored the place.
 I enjoyed doing the painting of the pond and all the shading. I liked the studio.
 I thought it was really nice the way they set it out. I learnt how the artists painted.
 I liked the picture Jenni drew of the sun coming down on the water.
 It felt magical because of all the colours around you. I learnt about new techniques.
 I liked the abstract paintings. I enjoyed looking at all the amazing paintings.
 Most of the paintings looked real. The person who drew the cartoon pictures was
really talented.
 I liked the painting of Antarctica. I found it interesting the way they had initials in the
doorways.
 I like the black and white painting where you could imagine everything.
 I thought most of the paintings were photos because they were so detailed.
 I liked how the pictures were designed and there were carvings in the beams.
 I liked how when you half shut your eyes the paintings looked more realistic.
 I liked the painting of the sunset . It looked real.
 I thought it was fun doing the paintings at the lake. The paintings were very
interesting.
 I liked the buildings because they were made out of lots of different materials.
 I liked the gothic sort of church. It felt spooky down under the great hall.
 I liked the lead light glass - the patterns.
 The buildings had swirly patterns in the windows and lots of detail.
 The stained glass were really interesting- they had pictures in them and the glass was
curved.
 I especially liked the painting of the glass - when Jenni explained how to see a glass.
 The clay models looked real - in your imagination you could see them moving.

Working with the visiting artists our year 1 - 4 students produced some amazing water colour
drawings. Bringing their own bottled water and clipboards to draw upon, students used water
soluble pencils for their art work at Montsalvat. Lessons at school, which included Dale Cox's
"light and shading" workshop, had already provided our students with plenty of experience
with using this art media. Building up colours with the control of a pencil, students brush over
their finished work with a wet brush for a water colour effect.
Drawing: As part of our Unit of work in Drawing, a Cartoon Drawing Workshop was
organised for all Grades 3 to 6. The student were highly motivated, engaged and achieving
fantastic results!

A real highlight of their Art lessons so far this term. The workshop was taken by a
professional cartoonist Brett Cardwell, who is well known for many beautiful murals he has
created in the Northern area. Watch out for his up coming mural in our school !!!!