By Rachel Parker 

In this post, surface pattern designer Rachel Parker shows us how we can create seamless repeat patterns using a ‘square tile repeat’. This resource will get your students thinking about colours and shapes, and the relationship between these components to create an overall balanced pattern. This activity can be adapted for all age groups and gives a great insight into the creative process of a professional pattern designer.

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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.

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

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Pathway: Music and art

This is featured in the ‘Music and Art’ pathway

Pathway: Playful Making

This resource is features in the ‘Playful Making’ pathway

Manipulating Paper

Cardboard Sculptures

The Chair and Me

What We Like About This Resource….

“This activity walks through a number of different processes and taps into multiple skills.This provides a rich exploratory project for children to fully immerse themselves in. Cezanne was the focus artist for this project, but other contemporary still life painters could be used as starter inspiration. We actually advocate showing the work of more than one artist as this builds knowledge of how approaches to painting, drawing etc differ. This also helps children move towards a personal response rather than creating a ‘copy’ of one particular artist’s work” – Rachel, AccessArt

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Pathway: Exploring Still Life

This is featured in the ‘Explore Still Life’ pathway

talking points: Flemish and Dutch Still Life Painters

Talking Points: Paul Cezanne

talking points: Contemporary still life

What We Like About This Resource….

“It’s great to see a different approach to thinking about remembrance day. These peg soldiers are a refreshing alternative to artwork inspired by poppies. The processes involved encourage children to focus on fine motor skills: wrapping embroidery thread around the peg and creating small detailed clothes and helmets. These dolls look particularly effective when standing as a collection and would make a poignant alternative to a standard display board” – Rachel, AccessArt

See This Resource Used In Schools…

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An Exploration of Paul Nash

For Remembrance Day

World War l Mail Art

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

What We Like About This Resource….

“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

See This Resource Used in a Pathway…

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. 

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Transforming Cardboard with Andrea Butler

Artist Andrea Butler shows how to explore simple design and construction using cardboard and jewellery. Read More

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The Sketchbook Journey

Explore the AccessArt Sketchbook Journey to grow your understanding about what sketchbooks are and how they might be used.

The AccessArt Network

Join our network on facebook and continue the conversation, share and support.

What We Like About This Resource….

“This activity is a great example of how we can use paper as the focus of creativity. Often we use paper purely for drawing or painting on, but here, it is central to the activity itself. While these particular folded sculptures have their roots in Turkish culture, you could still deliver the activity if looking at things like Origami too, thus linking it across different cultures” – Rachel, AccessArt

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Puzzle Purses Part 1

Puzzle Purses Part 2

Paperback Figures

What We Like About This Resource….

“It’s really interesting to hear how the interest Liz has in the quality of light comes from a personal place and is something she has responded to since childhood. Seeing how her work has developed over the years is therefore a really positive re enforcement that individual creative journeys, where nurtured, are so central to a rich arts education. We also love hearing Liz is always on the ‘quest for knowledge’ – meaning she is open to her ideas constantly evolving and the process of gathering new information and inspiration never stops!” – Rachel, AccessArt

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Pathway: Brave Colour

This is featured in the ‘Brave colour’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Find out how pupils can respond to artists work in sketchbooks

Show me what you see

Enable close looking and drawing with this exercise

Lightbulb Art

Mini World Light Boxes

Visual Arts Planning: LIght and Dark

What We Like About This Resource….

“This project provides a real opportunity for children to engage with a range of different processes to produce truly individual final results. Jan Miller is an experienced teacher and connects her projects well with learning outcomes. In this case, children are encouraged to have a loose approach and to make their own creative decisions – which is such a valuable part of any child (or adults!) creative education”. – Rachel, AccessArt

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Painted Houses

One Line Street

Responding to Place

What We Like About This Resource….

“This project links poignant subject matter with meaningful art processes and local history. What we learn about the re purposing of materials, (in this case spent ammunition) re affirms how we can use what is around us as a starting point to making and creating. You could extend or adapt this project by looking at broken pottery, re purposing that into new sculptures that link with Roman or other local historical cultures” – Rachel, AccessArt

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Henry Moore’s Shelter Drawings

Remembrance Day Soldiers

For Remembrance Day