Here are some mixed media challenges for you to try in sketchbooks or on sheets of paper.

Each challenge suggests a combination of two or more materials to try, and a conceptual area of focus. Use your own subject matter – either draw directly from life (city or landscape – “plein air”), or if that is not possible draw from photographs (printed or digital). You could also try drawing from film – pausing the film to give you time to draw.

The aim here is to experiment and discover. Choose as many or as few challenges as you wish. Fill your sketchbook!

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AccessArt is a UK Charity and we believe everyone has the right to be creative. AccessArt provides inspiration to help us all reach our creative potential.

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Pathway: Mixed Media Land and city scapes

This is featured in the ‘Mixed Media Land and City Scapes’ pathway

Talking Points: Kittie Jones

Talking Points: Vanessa Gardiner

Talking Points: The Shoreditch Sketcher

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Pathway: Making Monotypes

This is featured in the ‘Making Monotypes’ pathway

Talking points: What is a monotype?

Talking Points: Kevork Mourad

What We Like About This Resource….

“The research phase of a creative project can be presented in many different ways, and can even be an art form in itself. Here, Tatyana demonstrates how her sketchbooks became a medium through which she expressed her thoughts, refined her ideas and explored materials. We believe sketchbooks to be a powerful tool for children to take ownership of their ideas and travel on their own creative journey, without necessarily knowing the destination. Take a look at our sketchbook journey for more sketchbook inspiration” – Rachel, AccessArt.

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Sketchbooks and Thinking Skills

Sketchbooks for Designers – an Introduction for Children

Using Sketchbooks to Take Ownership of Ideas

What We Love About This Resource…

So often, we hear talk of the distinction between science and art, and no more so when teenagers proceed through their education and they are encouraged to choose one route or another. In reality, creative thinking helps scientific understanding and a scientific approach can inform and inspire art.

It’s so refreshing to read and see Merlin’s experience and understand how she works between these two areas – in her words “mixing subjects, and seeing how they work and intersect is where inventions take place!“

We also love the way her work embraces the felt world of being human, as well as the known world. We’re sure many young people will find Merlin’s work of interest and reassuring when they are pressured to choose “art or science“.

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Drawing for Learning

Dr Fay Penrose, PhD, PGCert, SFHEA, BA(Hons) Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Anatomy and Head of First Year in Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, explores why visual and tactile literacy and manual dexterity skills are important in the STEM subjects in higher education.

Drawing as a Way of Understanding

Fay Penrose, Lecturer in Veterinary Biology at The Veterinary School at University of Liverpool, who shares her work in introducing drawing as a way of checking understanding of complex subjects. This methodology would be very transferable to a number of subject areas in schools.

Drawing as a Way of Understanding

Resource by Andrea Butler sharing her process of making drawings whilst walking. “I wanted to develop a way of drawing that captured my sensory and visual experiences as I moved through the landscape.”

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What We Like About This Resource…

“This is a great activity for really tuning into colour and shape. The process is ultimately quite a refined one (ie making a pattern balanced and repeated ‘correctly’) – but there’s plenty of scope for exploring pattern in a more experiential way prior to the refinement page. Try one of the recommended resources below to introduce pattern and begin with some open ended activities to build skill and confidence.” – Andrea, AccessArt

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Pathway: Exploring pattern

This is featured in the ‘Exploring Pattern’ pathway

Talking Points: Andy Gilmore

talking points: Louise Despont

Inspired by Rachel Parker

Teachers Explore Pattern, Shape and Texture

Block Printing Repeat Patterns

What We Like About This Resource….

Working collaboratively towards a shared aim provides an alternative experience to working on individual projects. Creating together encourages listening, peer feedback and creative problem solving – all of which are hugely valuable in all areas of education” – Rachel, AccessArt

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Animal Habitat Mural

Collaborative Public Mural

Mural and Workshop Project

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“The life of Madge Gill that Sophie Dutton recounts here gives us real insight into the challenges that Madge Gill experienced, and how these challenges would have been common among women at the time. When we study the work of Artists, it adds a rich context to our experience of their work to consider their personal history, and helps us ask questions like ‘why do you think the Artist painted in this way or was inspired by this subject matter?’ If you introduce your class to Madge Gill, begin with looking back over her younger life to try and better understand her motivations as an Artist” – Rachel, AccessArt

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I am AccessArt: Ann Rippin

Making Batik Textiles in the Classroom

How I Use Drawing and Sketchbooks

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Transforming Materials into Sculpture

This pathway shares how teachers might take inspiration from El Anatsui and encourage pupils to think how they might disassemble objects around them to transform them into sculptural pieces. Read More.