Beginner’s Guide to Drawing Materials

Providing pupils with access to a wide range of drawing materials is a vital part of teaching drawing.

In terms of progression, we would advise introducing the following materials over the course of a term or a year, but always remember to continually revisit the whole range of materials. As creative artists, we rarely “move” from one material to another because we have become “skilled” at one or the other – rather artists use the most appropriate medium with which to express themselves. For this reason it is vital that schools don’t see materials as a tool for progression. The youngest child and the oldest pupil should have equal access to these materials.

This resource provides a comprehensive list of appropriate drawing materials for primary and secondary school, together with links to suggested drawing activities.

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Drawing Inspired by Elements: Making Structure

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Nests: With Dry and Wet Material

A nest drawing using ink and oil pastel

Building Nests

Nest

Developing a Drawing Through Exploration of Drawing Media

Charcoal pencil


Drawing Inspired by Elements: Drawing Moving Water

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drawing pouring water

Drawing Pouring Water Inspired by Leonard Da Vinci

Our River – a Communal Drawing

Final touches to the river drawing

Painting a storm

Painting the Weather


Drawing Inspired by Elements: Hands Moving Charcoal Dust

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Introduction to Charcoal

Willow Charcoal Using the Side by Lancelot Richardson

charcoal cave

Rachel T charcoal cave adding scale figure

Expressive Charcoal Collage: Coal Mines

Ripped Charcoal Collage by Laura McKendry


Heavy/Light Mobile – Drawing and Making

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Pathway: Explore Sculpture Through Making a Mobile

IMG_4127 copy

Kinetic Mobile Sculpture Workshop with Laura Kohler

Kinetic Mobile

Coat-hanger Shells

A shell inspired sculpture.


Making a Blind Contour Drawing


Drawing Water!


Drawings of Inventions Inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci

See This Resource Used In Schools…

Std 6s at Thornhill Primary School, Gaborone, Botswana
Std 6s at Thornhill Primary School, Gaborone, Botswana
Std 6s at Thornhill Primary School, Gaborone, Botswana
Std 6s at Thornhill Primary School, Gaborone, Botswana
Art Stars Studio! in Delmar, NY
Art Stars Studio! in Delmar, NY
Art Stars Studio! in Delmar, NY

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Pathway: Exploring the world though mono print

This is featured in the 'Exploring The World Through Mono print' pathway

This is featured in the ‘Exploring The World Through Mono print’ pathway

Drawing Water!

Drawing Pouring Water Inspired by Leonard Da Vinci


Ink Drawings: Making Drawing Tools and Mark Making


Gestural Mark Making with Acrylic Paint

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Pathway: Expressive Painting

This is featured in the 'Expressive Painting' pathway

This is featured in the ‘Expressive Painting’ pathway

talking points: Charlie French

Charlie French

Talking Points: Marela Zacarías

Marela Zacarías

Talking Points: Brush Work of Van Gogh & Cezanne

Wheat Field with Cypresses (1889) by Vincent Van Gogh. Original from the MET Museum.


Drawings with Mass: Potatoes, Playmobil and Henry Moore

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Pathway: Exploring Form Through Drawing

This is featured in the 'Exploring Form Through Drawing' pathway

This is featured in the ‘Exploring Form Through Drawing’ pathway

Water Soluble Felt-Tips With Complementary Colours

Continuous Line Drawing Of A Shell By Zoe Coughlan

Watercolour Washes Inspired by the Tapestries of Henry Moore

Curly kale watercolour study, by Kelly aged 7


Drawing with Wire like Calder, and Backwards Forwards Sketching


Drawing Toys Inspired by Gwen John’s Cats!

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Visual Arts Planning Collections: Toys, puppets, dolls

Puppet showing the hands

Drawing Soft Toys Inspired by “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak

Drawing feathers

Prop Making for Toys

Suitcase for a toy by Tobi Meuwissen


Drawing Minibeasts – using a continuous line, graphite and oil pastel

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Pathway: Flora and Fauna

This is featured in the 'Flora and Fauna' pathway

This is featured in the ‘Flora and Fauna’ pathway

Talking Points: Eric Carle

Eric Carles Very Hungry Caterpillar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0INNN6jh74&t=395s

Drawing source material: Insects

Butterfly https://vimeo.com/44587050

Talking Points: Artists inspired by flora and fauna

image-from-rawpixel-id-561725-jpeg


Making Drawings Move

See This Resource Used In Schools…

Kate Anderson, Year 3 Redesdale Primary School.
Kate Anderson, Year 3 Redesdale Primary School.
Kate Anderson, Year 3 Redesdale Primary School.
Kate Anderson, Year 3 Redesdale Primary School.
Kate Anderson, Year 3 Redesdale Primary School.
Kate Anderson, Year 3 Redesdale Primary School.
Kate Anderson, Year 3 Redesdale Primary School.

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Pathway: Making Animated Drawings

This is featured in the 'Making Animated Drawings' pathway

This is featured in the ‘Making Animated Drawings’ pathway

Talking points: Making drawings move

Firekites - AUTUMN STORY - chalk animation by Lucinda Schreiber

Talking Points: paper cut puppets

Paper Puppet Showreel by Holly Summerson https://vimeo.com/689215908

Talking Points: Lauren child

Lauren Child video

Talking Points: Lotte reiniger

Lotte Reiniger - The unsung heroine of early animation BBC Ideas by Infocandy


Drawing Feathers: Perfect for Mark Making

See This Resources Used In Schools…

Year 1, Histon and Impington Brook Primary School
Year 1, Histon and Impington Brook Primary School
Year 1, Histon and Impington Brook Primary School
Year 1, Histon and Impington Brook Primary School
Year 1, Histon and Impington Brook Primary School
Year 1, Histon and Impington Brook Primary School
Year 1, Penny Kemp
Year 1, Penny Kemp
Year 1, Penny Kemp
Year 1, Rode Heath Primary School
Year 1, Rode Heath Primary School
Year 1, Rode Heath Primary School
Sarah Mackenzie, Year 1, St Hilary's School
Sarah Mackenzie, Year 1, St Hilary's School
Sarah Mackenzie, Year 1, St Hilary's School
Sarah Mackenzie, Year 1, St Hilary's School
Sarah Mackenzie, Year 1, St Hilary's School
Sarah Mackenzie, Year 1, St Hilary's School

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Pathway: Making Birds

Featured in the 'Making Birds Pathway'

Featured in the ‘Making Birds Pathway’

Talking Points: Inspired by Birds

Fulmar Petrel from Birds of America (1827) by John James Audubon


Drawing Storyboards with Children

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Visual Arts Planning Collections: Literacy

Units Painted on Paper by Yu-Ching Chiu

3 panel drawing challenge

Drawing feathers

creating a dummy book

Final pages of concertina dummy book - Emma Malfroy


Making a Shy Drawing – Drawing Exercises for Beginners


Drawing Speed


Introduction to Composition in Drawing