First we answered ‘What is the difference between Art and DT?’ We decided Art is creative whereas Design Technology is making something practical and involves problem solving.
Then we started learning about a new focus artist called Edward Tingatinga. He lived in Tanzania in East Africa. Edward Tingatinga taught himself how to paint and did not attend art school. He came from a poor family and his parents worked on a farm.
Edward Tingatinga painted pictures of African wildlife in a simple style. He used bicycle paint and painted on old, square ceiling tiles. This is because he didn’t have a lot of money for proper painting materials. The children really admired Edward’s resilience and adaptability!
Tingatinga art continues to be very popular. A children’s television series based on African folk tales used its style and even took its name!
In our sketchbooks we have had a go at copying some of the patterns and shapes from Edward Tingatinga’s work.
We have explored printing techniques using different materials. Here are pictures of us experimenting!
We have designed an African inspired tile and carved our ideas onto foam tiles.
How You Can Help At Home:
Visit an art exhibition of your choice! The children can explore art through various activities like looking at different art forms, imagining themselves in the artwork and creating their own sketches inspired by what they see. They can also talk to gallery staff, choose songs inspired by art and find art they love or dislike, explaining why.