Compendium Primary Art and Design Resources
Art and design resources for primary schools
The National Gallery
The Teachers' notes series is a selection of downloadable PDF's that primary teachers can access to help them to provide their pupils with background information about paintings from the main collection and other works in the with suggestions on how to use the paintings in the classroom.
Art UK
Art UK is the online home for every public art collection in the UK. Through their work, they make art available for everyone – for enjoyment, learning and research and they have a whole host of free resources you can use.
Art Bytes
Art Bytes is a national EdTech programme that utilises a bespoke, immersive, virtual gallery incorporating augmented reality elements, to give young participants the opportunity to see their art exhibited online.
Use their free virtual-curator tool
Cabinet of Curiosity Studio
Cabinet of Curiosity Studio's ‘Grand Constructions’ paper toy-making templates will introduce your class to architecture and heritage. A papercraft series of downloadable templates comes with a series of videos to help children and families make models of regional landmarks.
Create your own landmarks art activity
Tate Gallery
There is a wide range of art-based activities for primary school pupils to try here with fun how-to guides to follow.
Robin Webb
Robin is a freelance animator and filmmaker who works mostly within schools and the community. He has worked with many organisations across the North East and has produced two videos that teachers can use with primary school pupils to create a character that they can use in a stop motion film and also a clay character. Click on the links below to find out more.
Making a character for stop motion
Access Art
Designed to help schools deliver an inspiring and appropriate curriculum for pupils working at home or school, AccessArt DrawAble connects drawing, narrative and visual literacy to provide pupils with a creative bridge to help them navigate from lockdown towards the new normal.
Shipley Art Gallery
The Shipley Art Gallery has teamed up with local artist Elizabeth Kane who explains how to create a winter water-colour using water-colour pencils.
An activity using water-colour pencils
Théâtre Sans Frontières
The golden conch shell is an animated shadow puppetry film, that sees Siblings Serena and Billy try to find their voice in the contemporary world.
Watch the video on how to make a shadow puppet
Royal Academy
Inspired by the RA’s world-class exhibitions, leading artists and architects and collection, they have created a range of art-based activities that include making a stop-frame animation, how to create a portrait and even how to make your own paintbrush.
How to make a stop-frame animation
Artis Foundation
‘What is art?’. To help children answer this philosophical question, Artis worked with Korean visual artist Do Ho Suh to develop resources and activities for teachers to explore with their children.
There are also a range of primary school teaching resources below:
Draw with Rob Biddulph
Famous author and illustrator Rob Biddulph has created a series of draw-along videos that parents or teachers can watch with children and, hopefully, create some brilliant artwork.
MIMA - Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art
MIMAMAKING
MIMA has partnered with Illustrator Katie Chappell to launch a new weekly YouTube show. Each show is filled with lots of brilliant 'making and doing' ideas for children of all ages to do at home or in the classroom.
Little Inventors
If you are looking for a creative activity Little Inventors has everything you need to embrace the spirit of imagination and support your students in coming up with marvellous, ingenious and bonkers invention ideas!
Little Inventors main resources
Little Inventors daily challenges
Tees Valley Creative Learning Partnership
Tees Valley Creative Learning Partnership has created a resource with a range of activities based around a specific theme. The current theme centres around Spring, but more activities will be added over the year.
Bowes Museum
In honour of the magnificent painting by Dieric Bouts that depicts St Luke drawing the Virgin and Child, Bowes Museum has created a video series called #InspiredByBouts along with running workshops in June 2020. Find out more by clicking the links below:
Inspired by Bouts video series
Portraits through objects PDF download
Laing Art Gallery
From a tour of the museum to art activities to try at home there are a range of primary art resources available to you. Simply click the relevant links below.
Printable colouring-in worksheets
Cast of Thousands
Cast of Thousands, hand-pick books that your class will really enjoy exploring from home or school. Their website includes recommendations in their Meet the Books section with exciting ideas for putting those books at the heart of creative cross-curricular learning. Check out the resources below:
Build a Fischer Mk2 Aquatic Exploration Pod
Help children learn as they play by sharing a story and building this exploration pod designed by graphic artist Daniel Weatheritt
