Year 1 and 2 classes worked together to create the Wood/Metal/Water banner.

This project was designed to enable the children to explore the colour, texture, pattern and form of areas of wood, metal and water by the side of the river. The overall design was loosely conceived by the artists before the children began working on the project then details were developed from their observations.

Both classes started the project with trips to the river side where they made observational drawings of areas of wood, metal and water. They sketched details of the effects of water and general weathering on the wooden structures and metal fixtures by the river and took wax crayon rubbings of them on paper and directly onto two screens.

They also observed patterns and reflections on the water surface where the water met the wooden supports of the pier and drew the shapes they saw.

Both classes took their drawings and rubbings back to the classroom and drew up a selection of details that were enlarged, simplified and cut out as paper shapes.

Drawings of the pier uprights were enlarged and combined to create the templates used for the overall design of the banner.

The children then screen printed separate areas of wood and metal on the pier uprights using their cut out shapes and overprinting blends of colour taken from their observations at the river side.

The screens that the children had made rubbings on were then used to print the top surface of the pier, first as a light underprint then as a darker background print using the cut out shapes taken from the metal drawings to block the screen on the second print.

Large screens were used to hand paint and print the water area in combination with the cut out paper shapes developed from their water drawings. The sky area was then screen printed in a blend of three colours.

The finished Wood/Metal/Water Banner.

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