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Step by Step Lesson Plan: Drawing Textures with Mixed Media, Soft Toy Study
Introduction
This lesson effectively builds observational and mark-making skills through a hands on, engaging process that combines photography, coffee staining, and drawing. By working from a personal object, students are naturally motivated, and the structured stages support success while allowing for creativity. It’s a strong lesson for teaching texture, tone, and mixed media technique in a memorable way.
Materials:
Aims:
• To develop drawing skills through making a mixed media ballpoint pen drawing.
Teaching texture is highly effective here because students are encouraged to study and replicate a familiar, tactile object in detail. Soft toys, with their variety of fabrics, fur, and stitched features, provide rich visual information and allow students to practise observational skills. Using a personal object adds motivation and emotional connection, while the structured process of photographing, cutting, and assembling the image reduces pressure and helps students focus on rendering just one half of the toy with accuracy. This gives them time to refine mark-making techniques, especially the controlled line work needed to create realistic fur effects with a ballpoint pen.
The addition of coffee staining introduces a mixed media element that enhances depth and contrast, encouraging experimentation with tone and composition. Clear demonstrations and time limits prevent over reliance on pencil, building confidence with pen work and pushing technical development. Combining personal engagement, technical challenge, and creative experimentation makes this a strong approach for teaching both texture and mixed media while producing visually striking results.
BUILD OBSERVATIONAL DRAWING SKILLS AND TEXTURE TECHNIQUES THROUGH A PERSONAL, MIXED MEDIA STUDY OF A SOFT TOY.
Step by step - Let's Create
1. Show students the good example of a soft toy drawing on the opposite page. Ask them to bring in their favourite soft toys from home. Explain that a furry soft toy works well. Bring in some spare soft toys for those who might forget.
2. Set up stations where students can photograph their soft toys. Discuss the importance of having a plain background, good lighting and focused photographs. Instruct students to take a range of photographs and present them in their sketchbooks.
3. Students photograph their soft toys, aiming to create a range of well-composed photographs that are well-lit and in focus. Each student shares their best photograph, which you will print for them.
4. Show students how to coffee-stain their paper, leaving a white border around the edge. Use the good example and your demonstration to show students that they can create an expressive/messy edge and allow the coffee to pool and create different tones.
5. Students coffee-stain their paper.
6. Ask students to cut out the picture of their soft toy and then cut it in half vertically. One half should be stuck to the coffee-stained background, the other named and kept safely. Demonstrate how to glue right up to the edge of the paper so that the soft toy image is stuck down without the edges flapping up.
7. Students cut out and halve their soft toy picture, sticking one half to their coffee stained paper.
8. Show students how they can use the loose half of their soft toy photograph to create an outline of the half they will draw. This will help students get things in place. Show students how to lightly sketch the main features of a soft toy in place. Give a time limit for how long they will work with a pencil, perhaps 5-7 minutes, as most of the drawing should be completed in pen. Ask students how the fur has been created in the good example drawing. Show students how to create a fur effect with ballpoint pen, building up lots of lines that go in the same direction.
9. Students draw the main shapes in pencil and then start drawing with ballpoint pen, aiming for accurate shapes, lots of detail and a fur effect if appropriate.
Plenary
Display work on a wall or lay it out on a table. Ask students which drawings they think are successful and why. Who has created effective fur? How would they improve their own work?
Extension Task
Students can draw from their other soft toy photographs using media such as pencil, coloured pencils or charcoal.
Further Learning
Ask students to research the illustrator Jane Hissey, who has drawn lots of soft toys and has very effectively drawn fur. Alternatively, ask students to create a narrative sequence/short story by photographing
Overall, this lesson offers a balanced mix of structure and creativity that helps students develop technical skill while maintaining engagement. By combining personal subject matter with experimental mixed media techniques, it reinforces the importance of observation, texture, and confident markmaking. The result is not only a valuable learning experience but also a display-worthy outcome that builds pride and motivation for future drawing projects.
Written by Sarah Crowther, The Arty Teacher
Sarah the Arty Teacher is an artist and educator known for her colourful, accessible approach to creative learning. She shares practical art techniques, project ideas and classroom-friendly inspiration that help teachers and students build confidence and enjoy the making process.
For more information visit: www.theartyteacher.com
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