Big Paint

This gig was at short notice. A Primary School head had just taken over as head of art and was concerned that the only art her pupils were involved in fitted onto an A4 sheet of paper. She wanted them to have the experience of painting big.

Because of the short notice the design was mine. I looked at what they'd been studying and Rainforest, Natural forms and Bold colours informed what I came up with. We worked on cheap hardboard with readymix school paints and a bit of acrylic medium applied with hands, fingers, bits of sponge and only as a last resort brushes.

Technique With whole school Primary painting projects where the age and ability of the pupils is so disparate I arrange to work up the school. The tinies sponge in the background first (HANDY HINT if you want a large area covered speedily and effectively with sponged paint get a gang of 4 year olds onto it). I then white out the next stage and so on.... I find this works pretty well and although some work inevitably gets covered as we move from background to foreground everyone has 'had a go'