Blog Posts

  Finding contemporary textile artists who give students something meaningful to investigate can be harder than it sounds. The most useful artist references don't simply provide an image to copy – they introduce new materials, processes, ideas and ways of thinking.Contemporary textile art is particularly rich territory for GCSE Art ...

There’s something magical about making a print when you can’t quite predict how it will turn out. A leaf, a feather or a few carefully scratched lines can leave the most beautiful marks on paper, and no two prints are ever exactly the same.Recently, Specialist Crafts invited art teachers to join us at Ironbridge Fine Art for a hands-on ...

There’s something quite satisfying about lifting a screen to reveal a print for the very first time, especially when you have no idea exactly how it’s going to turn out.Last week, Specialist Crafts invited a group of art teachers to join us at Nottingham Contemporary for a day of screen printing with Berkshire Printmakers, exploring ...

  Looking for contemporary monoprint artists to inspire your students? From expressive portraiture and atmospheric landscapes to abstraction, identity and storytelling, contemporary artists are using monotype and monoprinting in remarkably different ways.For secondary art teachers, these artists offer much more than examples to add to a ...

  Finding contemporary artists that genuinely engage secondary students can be surprisingly difficult. Many artist lists rely on the same historical names, but introducing practising contemporary painters helps students see that painting is still evolving and remains relevant today.Whether you're teaching portraiture, abstraction, landscape ...

By Buddy Penfold, Associate Professor, School of Design Innovation, De Montfort University  In a world increasingly driven by innovation, self-expression, and sustainability, careers in fashion, textiles, and creative subjects are more relevant than ever. These industries blend making skills with technology, tradition with modernity, and ...

  Canvas is more than just a surface for paint, it’s the foundation for creativity, expression and artistic exploration. From early wooden panels to modern cotton duck canvases, the story of canvas reflects centuries of innovation, craftsmanship and experimentation that continues to inspire artists today.    From History to ...

By Charlie Burley, The Teachers Health CoachI STOOD THERE, IN THE MIDDLE OF MY CLASSROOM, COMPLETELY FROZEN IN FEAR…  It’s almost six years to the day since a panic attack in front of my class that would completely change my life; and lead me to help thousands of teachers and school staff to do the same.It was in early May 2019 ...

Recently, we hosted a mixed media concertina sketchbook workshop with artist and former art teacher Karen Stamper at the inspiring Kettle's Yard in Cambridge, bringing together art teachers for a day of experimentation, creativity and practical classroom inspiration. The workshop focused on building expressive sketchbook pages using layers, ...

  Bold, radiant and full of contradictions, yellow has always been more than just a bright colour. It’s the hue of sunlight and warning signs, joy and jealousy, faith and betrayal. Few colours have carried so many meanings across cultures and centuries.  The Many Faces of Yellow   Origins of LightOver 30,000 years ago, ...