A collection of imagery and sources designed to introduce children to the designers behind the Olympic games.
Please note that this page contains links to external websites and has videos from external websites embedded. At the time of creating, AccessArt checked all links to ensure content is appropriate for teachers to access. However, external websites and videos are updated and that is beyond our control.
Please let us know if you find a 404 link, or if you feel content is no longer appropriate.
We strongly recommend as part of good teaching practice that teachers watch all videos and visit all websites before sharing with a class. On occasion there may be elements of a video you would prefer not to show to your class and it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure content is appropriate. Many thanks.
*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*
This resource is free to access and is not a part of AccessArt membership.
What does designing the Olympics and Paralympics entail?
Questions to Ask Children
What do designers need to create for the Olympics?
Why is it important to have a design that unites the Olympic games across the city?
How might designers present the culture of their city through design?
If you were designing an Olympics in your local area, what might you take inspiration from?
London 2012
See how design can generate discussion.
Questions to Ask Children
Do you think the design for London 2012 represented the UK? Why?
Do you like the design? Why?
Do you think that discussions about whether the logo was suitable is a good thing or a bad thing? Why?
Munich 1972
See how design was used to rebrand post WWII Germany for the 1972 Olympic games.
Questions to Ask Children
Describe the colours and shapes that you saw in the designs for the 1972 Olympics.
What do you like/dislike about the design? Why?
How does the design make you feel?
Do you think the design was successful in rebranding a post war Germany? Why?
Los Angeles 1984
Find out how the design of the Olympics was spread throughout the city with bright and colourful installations.
Questions to Ask Children
Describe the colours and shapes that you saw in the designs for the 1984 Olympics.
How does the design of the 1984 Olympics make you feel?
Do you like the design from the 1984 Olympics? Why?
Explore the project below to help pupils consider how they might design an Olympic and Paralympic Medal based on either Athletics, History or Olympic Values.
Medal Design
Aim: To introduce pupils to the Olympic and Paralympic Medals. Pupils will get the opportunity to design and make their own medals through drawing and sculpture.
Step 1: Introduce in Sketchbooks
Consider asking pupils to make an Olympic project sketchbook using one of the “Making Sketchbooks” resources.
Begin by introducing pupils to medals designed for the Olympics and Paralympics with”Talking Points: Olympic and Paralympic Medals“. Invite pupils to create “Visual Notes” in their sketchbooks inspired by the information they see.
Step 2: Drawing and Sketchbooks
Use the medals from the previous session as inspiration for “Making Money! Drawing and Making“. Adapt the resource slightly, inviting pupils to design a medal for their own Olympics/Paralympics. You may like to focus the design process by making links to your local area or individual values/personalities.
Step 3: Making
Make connections between 2D and 3D by transforming the drawn medal designs in clay.
Adapt the “Clay Portrait Miniatures” resource to accommodate the focus of the project. Pupils might like to create medals to celebrate their favourite sport or hobby.
Invite children to display the work in a clear space on tables or on the wall. Recap with them about the exploration – where they started, what they discovered and what they enjoyed.
If you have class cameras or tablets, invite the children to document their work, working in pairs or teams.
You may like to include a historical context, for example Ancient Greece. Use the “Clay Art Medals” resource and create profiles on the medals inspired by Ancient Greek coins.
If you would like to explore the Values of the Olympics you might like to look at War Medals to see how medals can be designed to represent a specific Value.
Explore the project below to help pupils consider how they might design an Olympic and Paralympic Mascot based on either Olympic Ceremony or Olympic Values.
Mascot Design
Aim: To introduce children to mascot design and explore how they can make characters that represent either an Olympic Value or your local area through drawing, animation and the use of sketchbooks.
Step 1: Introduce Mascots in Sketchbooks
Begin the session by asking pupils to make an Olympic project sketchbook using one of the “Making Sketchbooks” resources.
Next, explore “Talking Points: Olympic and Paralympic Mascots”. As pupils watch the videos encourage them to create some “Visual Notes” in their sketchbooks, considering the different values of the Olympics and the country designing them, and how this might reflect in the mascots.
In sketchbooks, either follow on by adapting the resource “A School Full of Characters“. Invite children to choose one of the Olympic Values and think about how they might incorporate the value into their character.
Or you may like to adapt the “Modelling Monsters” resource as inspiration for creating characters inspired by animals.
Step 3: Animating
If you have time, consider introducing pupils to some animation with the resource “Animating a walk cycle” and make their characters come to life.
Invite children to display the work in a clear space on tables or on the wall. Recap with them about the exploration – where they started, what they discovered and what they enjoyed.
If you have class cameras or tablets, invite the children to document their work, working in pairs or teams.
Materials:
Sketchbooks
Drawing materials
Scissors
Cards
Wooden Skewer
Plasticine (Optional)
Tablet (Optional)
Adaptations:
This pathway supports both the ‘Values‘ and ‘Ceremony‘ topics. Ensure you change the focus of Mascot Design according to the topic you choose.
Think about resources within the local area that you could visit, you may find inspiring artefacts at local museums or galleries nearby.
If you would like to give pupils the opportunity to try animating on Tablets, you might like to see the resource “Explore Digital Animation“.
Instead of animating your mascot, take it into stitch and adapt “Make a Stitched Drawing” to create colourful textiles.
Explore the project below to help pupils consider how they might create an Olympic Poster inspired by the Olympic Values.
An Olympic Poster
Aim: To introduce pupils to the ethos of the Olympics and create a body of work in response. Pupils will get the opportunity to practise collaging skills to create a poster based on an Olympic value.
Step 1: Introduce in Sketchbooks
Consider asking pupils to make an Olympic project sketchbook using one of the “Making Sketchbooks” resources.
Begin by introducing pupils to the Olympic and Paralympic ethos and the 3 values Friendship, Respect and Excellence with “Talking Points: The Olympic Ethos“.
Follow on by introducing pupils to the idea that each Olympic and Paralympic games has an Olympic Design team who captures the essence of the host city through design. Explore “Talking Points: Olympic Design” and invite pupils to create “Visual Notes“.
Step 2:
Invite pupils to create posters adapting the “Drawing With Scissors” resource. Depending on the abilty of your pupils you can either focus on creating collages and colour mixing, or you can follow the project through to screen printing.
Invite children to display the work in a clear space on tables or on the wall. Recap with them about the exploration – where they started, what they discovered and what they enjoyed.
If you have class cameras or tablets, invite the children to document their work, working in pairs or teams.
Materials:
Sketchbooks
Drawing materials
A3 Cartridge paper
A3 Coloured/Sugar paper
Scrap paper (old painted paper)
Acrylic Paint
Scissors
PVA glue
Print screen mesh (optional)
Squeegees (optional)
Printing medium thickener (optional)
Adaptations:
If you would like to screenprint but don’t have the equipment, you can use this simple screenprint hack.
You can focus on historical photographs from the Olympics, encouraging pupils to mix in grey hues or to use their imaginations to make up the colours.
A collection of imagery and sources designed to introduce children to the Olympic ethos.
Please note that this page contains links to external websites and has videos from external websites embedded. At the time of creating, AccessArt checked all links to ensure content is appropriate for teachers to access. However, external websites and videos are updated and that is beyond our control.
Please let us know if you find a 404 link, or if you feel content is no longer appropriate.
We strongly recommend as part of good teaching practice that teachers watch all videos and visit all websites before sharing with a class. On occasion there may be elements of a video you would prefer not to show to your class and it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure content is appropriate. Many thanks.
*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*
This resource is free to access and is not a part of AccessArt membership.
Olympic Values
“The three values of Olympism are excellence, respect and friendship. They constitute the foundation on which the olympic movement builds its activities to promote sport, culture and education with a view to building a better world.
The original values of Olympism as expressed in the Olympic Charter were to “encourage effort”, “preserve human dignity” and “develop harmony”.
Over time, they have evolved and are now expressed in more contemporary terms as:
Striving for excellence and encouraging people to be the best they can be.
Demonstrating respect in many different manners: respect towards yourself, the rules, your opponents, the environment, the public, etc.
Celebrating friendship, which is quite unique to the Olympic Games – an event that brings people together every few years.
This is the idea of setting your rivalries aside. There is more that unites us than divides us.
Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind. Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles.
The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.” – IOC
Download a pdf about Olympisim and the Olympic values.
Questions to Ask Children
How can you bring the values of the Olympics into your everyday life?
Which Olympic value is your favourite and why?
If you could make up your own Olympic value, what would it be and why?
The Olympic Rings
Questions to Ask Children
What do you think the 5 rings represent?
Being an Olympian
Questions to Ask Children
What do you see in these videos?
Can you spot any Olympic Values in action? Where?
How do the videos make you feel? Why?
The Olympian Refugee Team
Questions to Ask Children
Why is it important that there is an Olympic team for refugee communities? What is the purpose and how does it align with the Olympic ethos?
Explore the project below to help pupils consider how they might create a collaborative sculpture inspired by the Olympic Values or Ceremony.
Friendship Towers
Aim: To introduce pupils to the ethos of the Olympics and create a body of work in response. Pupils will get the opportunity to practise their making skills and will go on to create a collaborative sculptural piece based on the Olympic values.
Step 1: Introduce
Begin by introducing pupils to the Olympic and Paralympic ethos and the 3 values Friendship, Respect and Excellence with “Talking Points: The Olympic Ethos“. Watch the videos and invite pupils to create “Visual Notes” in their sketchbooks inspired by what they see and hear. Prompt discussion using the questions.
Step 2: Make
Using the “Prompt Cards for Making” as inspiration, devise your own challenges for the children such as…
“Make something which represents friendship.”
“Make a team of things.”
Step 3: Continue Making and Sketchbooks
Decide whether you would like the friendship tower to celebrate the values through an exploration of nationalities, athleticism or the opening ceremony performance.
Invite pupils to draw what they can see in their sketchbooks. See “Show Me What You See” to find out how to run the guided session.
Follow on by using the “Friendship Tower” resource, inspired by the work done so far.
Invite pupils to think about a position of their figures. Are the sculptures waving to the crowd? Performing a dance? Playing a sport together? Invite pupils to think about what the figures are wearing and how that reflects who they are and what they do.
Invite children to display the work in a clear space on tables or on the wall. Recap with them about the exploration – where they started, what they discovered and what they enjoyed.
If you have class cameras or tablets, invite the children to document their work, working in pairs or teams.
A collection of imagery and sources designed to introduce pupils to character design in animation.
Please note that this page contains links to external websites and has videos from external websites embedded. At the time of creating, AccessArt checked all links to ensure content is appropriate for teachers to access. However, external websites and videos are updated and that is beyond our control.
Please let us know if you find a 404 link, or if you feel content is no longer appropriate.
We strongly recommend as part of good teaching practice that teachers watch all videos and visit all websites before sharing with a class. On occasion there may be elements of a video you would prefer not to show to your class and it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure content is appropriate. Many thanks.
*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*
This resource is free to access and is not a part of AccessArt membership.
Pixar: Designing Inside Out Characters
Pixar Animation Studios’ character art director Albert Lozano joins Variety’s David Cohen to reveal the thinking behind the ingenious emotions of the hit “Inside Out.” – Variety
Questions to Ask Children
Can you think of some different shapes that you feel describe joy, sadness, anger, fear and disgust?
Which features have the animators used to express the character?
Which character is your favourite? Why?
Kung Fu Panda
Raymond Zibach, Production Designer gives insight into how characters were designed on Kung Fu Panda and the importance actors give to the intricate designs and expressions of their characters. –ACMI
Questions to Ask Children
What’s your favourite animal? What kind of personality might it have?
Which features have the animators used to express the character eg, facial features? nose? eyes? mouth? Or other features?
What Makes Good Character Design?
In this interview series with Disney Animation Studio Artists, animators talk about what is a good character design for each artist. – MoGraph Mentor
Questions to Ask Children
After watching this video what do you think is the most important feature of character design to you?
Disney Dream Job Series
Questions to Ask Children
What is your favourite animated character, why?
What would you like to see more of in animated characters? This might refer to appearance, values, temperament etc.
A collection of imagery and sources designed to introduce pupils to Olympic and Paralympic mascots.
Please note that this page contains links to external websites and has videos from external websites embedded. At the time of creating, AccessArt checked all links to ensure content is appropriate for teachers to access. However, external websites and videos are updated and that is beyond our control.
Please let us know if you find a 404 link, or if you feel content is no longer appropriate.
We strongly recommend as part of good teaching practice that teachers watch all videos and visit all websites before sharing with a class. On occasion there may be elements of a video you would prefer not to show to your class and it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure content is appropriate. Many thanks.
*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*
This resource is free to access and is not a part of AccessArt membership.
The Olympic mascots are fictional characters, usually an animal native to the area or human figures, who represent the cultural heritage of the place where the Olympic and Paralympic Games are taking place. Ever since the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the Olympic Games have always had a mascot. – Wiki
Find 3D models of Olympic and Paralympic mascots here.
Paris 2024: Olympic Phryge
The name of the Paris 2024 mascot is Olympic Phryge, based on the traditional small Phrygian hats that the mascots are shaped after. The name and design were chosen as symbols of freedom and to represent allegorical figures of the French republic.
The Olympic Phryge takes the shape and form of a Phrygian cap. As Paris 2024’s vision is to demonstrate that sport can change lives, the mascots will be playing a major role by leading a revolution through sport. The Olympic Phryge is decked out in blue, white and red – the colours of France’s famed tricolor flag – with the golden Paris 2024 logo emblazoned across its chest. – IOC
Questions to Ask Children
Why did the Paris Design Team choose a hat as their mascot?
What kind of personality do you think this mascot might have?
What do you like or dislike about the mascot? Why?
Created by Iris Design agency. According to the story by Michael Morpurgo, Wenlock’s metallic look is explained by the fact that he was made from one of the last drops of steel used to build the Olympic Stadium in London.
The light on his head is based on those found on London’s famous black cabs. The shape of his forehead is identical to that of the Olympic Stadium roof. His eye is the lens of a camera, filming everything he sees. On his wrists, he wears five bracelets in the colours of the Olympic rings. And the three points on his head represent the three places on the podium for the medal winners. – IOC
Questions to Ask Children
What kind of personality do you think this mascot might have?
What do you like or dislike about the mascot? Why?
The mascot was designed to capture the spirit of London (vibrant, diverse, busy etc), how it could be adapted to reflect your local area?
Designed by Birdo Produções, Vinicius is a mix of different Brazilian animals. His design takes inspiration from pop culture, as well as video game and animation characters. Alongside his Paralympic Games colleague, Vinicius represents the diversity of the Brazilian people and culture, as well as its exuberant nature. – IOC
Questions to Ask Children
Describe the different features you can see in the mascots.
Why do you think Brazil chose to create an mascots based on nature?
What kind of personality do you think the mascot(s) might have?
What do you like or dislike about the mascot(s)? Why?
Brazil is home to the biggest rainforest and most famous carnival in the world. Do you think the mascots reflect Rio? Why?
A collection of imagery and sources designed to explore Olympic and Paralympic Medals.
Please note that this page contains links to external websites and has videos from external websites embedded. At the time of creating, AccessArt checked all links to ensure content is appropriate for teachers to access. However, external websites and videos are updated and that is beyond our control.
Please let us know if you find a 404 link, or if you feel content is no longer appropriate.
We strongly recommend as part of good teaching practice that teachers watch all videos and visit all websites before sharing with a class. On occasion there may be elements of a video you would prefer not to show to your class and it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure content is appropriate. Many thanks.
*If you are having issues viewing videos it may be due to your schools firewall or your cookie selection. Please check with your IT department.*
This resource is free to access and is not a part of AccessArt membership.
Olympic and Paralympic Medal Design
“The gold, silver and bronze medals awarded to competitors at the Olympics and Paralympics represent the highest levels of athletic achievement at the Games. The design of the medals is the responsibility of the host city’s organizing committee, and varies with each edition of the Games.” – Olympics.com
Explore the videos and resources below to focus a discussion about medal design.
See medals and other artefacts from past Paralympic games in 3D here.
Paris 2024
“On each medal, original iron from the Eiffel Tower was cut into a hexagon, the geometric shape that evokes France to the point of becoming its nickname. Placed in the centre and embossed with the emblem of the Paris 2024 Games, this piece of heritage fits elegantly among the gold, silver and bronze to give the medals a two-tone effect. ” Find out more at Olympics.com.
Questions to Ask Children
What can you see?
What does the medal represent?
Do you like the medal design? Why?
Is there a significant object in your life you might incorporate into a medal? Why?
Rio 2016 Paralympic Medals
The medals for the Paralympic games in 2016 had a distinct rattling noise so that visually impaired athletes could distinguish between the gold, silver and bronze medals.
Questions to Ask Children
How else might you make a medal accessible for those with visual impairments?
Vancouver 2010
Choose clips from this video to show as not all of it may be accessible for younger pupils.
Questions to Ask Children
Does this medal challenge your existing ideas of what a medal looks like? Why?
What can you identify on the medal?
Olympic and Paralympic Medals
Find images and information about past Olympic and Paralympic medals here.
Questions to Ask Children
Which is your favourite medal and why?
Can you find out how the images on the medals are designed to represent the country? eg. geographical landscape, historic moment etc
That art can help us focus on, and explore, big issues. By looking at the artwork of others, and by making our own artwork, we can feel empowered to explore topics which might otherwise be overwhelming to us.
That by working alongside others on a similar project we can feel a shared sense of purpose. We can feel supported and understood.
That we can bring many disciplines together (including drawing, painting and sculpture) into one artwork.
In this pathway children are enabled to begin to recognise that they are able to make an individual creative response which will be different to that of their peers, but one which comes from the same starting point and share a similar message. They learn that all artwork, however it is made and by whom, will be valued, and that each piece can contribute to a larger shared artwork.
As children progress through the school, they are enabled to use and further develop the knowledge and skills learnt so far, and bring their personal likes, dislikes and experience to a project, working towards being confident creative decision makers.
By using a variety of media and techniques, all children are enabled to explore and succeed.
The projects featured centre around an exploration of global warming and ice worlds, but this pathway can easily be adapted to explore other global issues such as deforestation or weather patterns. Change your source material accordingly.
Try to make sure you leave time at the end of the project for a discussion over the global issue to emerge, based upon the artwork.
If you use this resource in your setting, please tag us on social media: #InspiredBy @accessart (facebook, twitter) @accessart.org.uk (instagram) and share the url. Thank you!
We suggest this pathway is used to replace a “Working in 3 Dimensions” (Blue) Pathway or a “Print, Colour, Collage” (Yellow) Pathway.
It works well in replacement of the Set Design (Year 5 & 6) or Activism (Year 5 & 6) Pathway.
Please note the Modroc Polar Bear activities in this pathway are best suited to more confident teachers who are happy with a higher level of interaction with the work, and more able or experienced pupils.
You may also like to use the activities in this pathway with a smaller group of children in an after school club or community context.
PSHE: Supports Responsibility to the planet, Collaboration, Peer Discussion. Look at foods from different religious ceremonies.
I Can…
I have explored the work of artists who use art as a way of drawing attention to global matters, and I can share my responses with the class.
I can use my sketchbook to record and reflect how the artist’s work makes me feel.
I can use my sketchbook to make drawings, working from still images, videos and from life, demonstrating close looking and drawing. I can use these drawings to inspire my sculpture.
I can make a sculpture of an animal, understanding that by working in 3d my sculpture will be seen from different viewpoints.
I can explore and experiment using “Design through Making”, and I can discover how I can transform and construct with different materials to make my sculpture.
I have seen how my own sculpture can form part of a larger artwork, and how we can all find inspiration in each others’ ideas.
I can explore painting and collaging using colour mixing and different surfaces and see how the materials respond to each other. I can create an environment for my sculpture.
I can present my work as part of a larger artwork, and I can share my response to my own work and also to the work of my peers.
Time
This pathway takes 6 weeks, with an hour per week. Shorten or lengthen the suggested pathway according to time and experience. Follow the stages in green for a shorter pathway or less complex journey.
Materials
Soft B pencils, Charcoal, Acrylic Paint
Construction Materials
For Ice Worlds
Fruit Crates, A variety of paper, Making Tape, PVA glue
The aim of this pathway is to give children the opportunity to understand that art can be used to enable an exploration of important issues which affect us all. Through drawing and making, and through looking at art made by other people, we can build our understanding of the issues involved, and make a creative response to share with others.
Week 1: Introduce
Look and Draw
Introduce pupils to a stop-motion campaign about the effects of melting ice with “Talking Points: A WWF Campaign“. Find out how ice was used to create the animation and discuss the impact of the campaign.
Choose between whether you would like to create sculptures of polar bears or if you would like to make 3d ice world landscapes. For less experienced teachers we would recommend following the Ice World resource.
Week 2/3/4/5
Option 1: Create an Ice World
Begin by introducing pupils to the work of artist Frances Hatch through “Talking Points: Drawn to Antarctica“. Use the questions to prompt discussion and feed into sketchbook and 3d work.
Explore colour, form and texture in a playful way. Working in small groups pupils will create a 3d interpretations of an “Ice Worlds“.
If you have time at the end of week 5, add some of the drawings made of Polar bears in week 1 to the ice worlds.
Once the forms are complete, invite children to cover them in modroc. See “How to Use Modroc” to find practical advice about how to use modroc, or refer to our our recorded Zoom CPD “Exploring Modroc“.
End the pathway by taking time to appreciate the developmental stages and the final outcomes in a clear space.
Depending upon the project option chosen, display the work appropriately including having open sketchbooks. Use the “Crit in the Classroom” resource to help you.
Encourage children to reflect upon all stages of the journey, and reference the artists studied.
If available, children can use tablets or cameras to take photographs of the work.
AccessArt is a truly digital organisation – we have no offices and all team members work remotely. It’s been SO long since we met up in person, and it was fantastic to meet up with the Trustees and the team members who could make it for two days in York.
We reach our 25th year with nearly 23,000 members and over 38,000 subscribers, and the conversation was far reaching, insightful, celebratory and ambitious. We’re excited for the years ahead. If you are already part of our journey thank you, and if not please find out more about how we are celebrating 25 years and join us!
Paula Briggs, Co-founder, CEO & Creative Director AccessArt 2024
Begin by introducing pupils to the work of artist Frances Hatch through “
