We have been creating lots of exciting art this term at St Peter’s. Here are some example of the children’s creativity.

Reception

Year One

Our Year 1 pupils have been exploring the wonderful world of animals through a creative art unit called Animal Magic. Throughout this exciting project, the children learned how artists use shape, line, colour, pattern and space to create lively and imaginative animal artwork.

The children began the unit by learning how artists use simple shapes to draw animals. By carefully following a step-by-step drawing process, pupils created colourful toucans, using crayons to add bold colours and details.

Next, they explored how artists use line and repetition to create patterns. The children drew Horses to celebrate Chinese New Year, with 2026 being the year of the horse, and decorated their red yellow and gold backgrounds using repeating lines and shapes. Using ballpoint pens allowed them to practise careful drawing and develop confidence in their mark-making.

One of the highlights of the unit was creating a fun photobombing llama. First, the pupils drew the mountains of Machu Picchu, using oil pastels to blend light and dark greens and give the mountains a 3D effect.

They learned about foreground and background, understanding how overlapping shapes can help create a sense of depth in a picture.

On a separate piece of paper, the children drew a friendly llama and added colourful patterns to its scarf. The llamas were then cut out and placed on the mountain background so that it looked like the llama had jumped into the photo!

Year Two

Our Year 2 pupils have our vibrant and creative art unit called “Seascapes Around the World.” Throughout this project, the children explored different coastlines and famous harbours while developing their artistic skills using a variety of materials and techniques.

The children began by creating beautiful Caribbean beach sunsets. They looked closely at photographs of tropical beaches and discussed the colours they could see in the sky and sea. Using watercolour paints, pupils experimented with blending colours to create soft sunsets and shimmering seas. They practised controlling the amount of water on their brush and learned how artists use gentle brush strokes to create smooth washes of colour. During this activity the children also explored line, using different types of lines to represent the horizon, waves and movement in the sea.

Year Three

Paddington in Peru

Our Year 3 pupils are enjoying this art unit inspired by the adventures of Paddington Bear, exploring the theme “Paddington in Peru.” This project combines art, storytelling and geography as pupils discovered the culture and landscapes of Peru while developing their artistic skills.

We began by exploring the work of R. W. Alley, one of the illustrators of the Paddington books. The children practised sketching Paddington in their sketchbooks, focusing on:

• simple shapes
• facial expressions
• details such as his famous hat and coat.

This helped them understand how illustrators build characters through drawing.

Paddington is famous for his love of marmalade sandwiches, so the children looked carefully at the features of real jam and marmalade jar labels. Each pupil designed their own marmalade label, thinking carefully about the colours and images they wanted to include. Their final labels were bright, creative and full of personality!

Year Four

Our Year 4 pupils are exploring the beauty of nature through their exciting art unit “Wondrous Woodland.” During this project, the children study woodland animals and discover how artists use pattern, line, shape and colour to create striking artwork. The class began by looking at the work of David Hales, whose bold illustrations often feature animals filled with intricate patterns. Pupils discovered that he originally worked as a tattoo artist before becoming a well-known illustrator. The children discussed how artists use emphasis to draw attention to a focal point in a piece of artwork. They noticed how patterns, shapes and colours can help certain areas stand out. Using Sharpie pens, the pupils drew a variety of woodland animals such as foxes, owls and hedgehogs. They then carefully filled their drawings with repeating patterns using lines and shapes. This activity helped pupils understand how artists can use repetition and pattern to create texture and interest in their artwork.

Year Five

Year 5 pupils are travelling on a creative journey through space in their exciting art unit “Lost in Space.” This project encourages pupils to experiment with colour, pattern and abstract art while learning about different artistic techniques. The children began by studying the colourful abstract artwork of Julie Perrot. They discussed how artists can use colour, shape and pattern to create imaginative images that do not always represent real objects. Pupils used their sketchbooks to record ideas, comment on the artwork and practise using chalk pastels and watercolour paints. One of the most exciting parts of the projects is learning about marbling, a type of printing technique. The class will explore the work of Lucy McGrath, whose artwork often features striking patterns created through marbling techniques. The children will discovered how ink sits on shaving foam and can be manipulated to create beautiful swirling patterns. Each pupil experimented with colour combinations before carefully placing paper onto the surface of the shaving foam to capture their unique design.

Pupils experimented with oil pastels, wax crayons and watercolour washes, discovering how wax resists watercolour paint to create interesting patterns

Using all their papers, including chalk pastels, paint and marbled papers, pupils developed their own imaginative space-themed artwork. They combined drawing, collage and printing techniques to create colourful cosmic scenes. As you can imagine, splattering the paint on their backgrounds proved an ‘out of this world experience’!

Year Six