Creative Modelling

Through shared activity, children discover symmetry and pattern by manipulating geometric shapes to create artistic compositions of the world around them. Also develops co-operative and social skills.

Overview 

Creative Modelling develops creativity and allows children to work together with you to realise different ideas and to create artistic compositions by exploring materials, colours and textures. Through the use of felt shapes in Creative Modelling, we are able to help children learn how to create representations of aspects of the real world. As part of this process, we help them to develop mental models of, and emotional responses to, the realities they learn to represent.

Why are these skills important?

The materials developed for the module pare down the process of creating representational images to the most essential building blocks. Consequently, it is very easy for young children, and perhaps their less artistically inclined parents/teachers(!), to satisfy the desire to create credible representational images long before they have developed the fine motor control needed for the skilled manipulation of the tools of the artists’ trade. With the most difficult technical elements of the task well supported, young children are able to concentrate on mastering those elements of the task that are within their grasp. These elements include such basics as identifying shapes and colours, using lines and dots, using all the space and grasping symmetry and pattern. Crucially, they also include developing a personal response to the subject of the composition.

Through the activities, children learn to share ideas through talk. They learn to control their own behaviour and attention. They learn how to work together with the parent or another child, and enjoy the process of a shared creation.

How does this module work ?

These sessions are built on the use of geometric shapes, cut out of felt, in a variety of sizes and colours. What is more, the felt feels nice to the touch. Placing the pieces on the felt background provides a soothing tactile pleasure that encourages persistence and participation.

Working with a parent or teacher, young children are enabled to create compositions across some of the most important genres of representational art, urban and rural landscapes, still life, representations of functional and decorative objects, and of animals.

The additional benefits of this module

Creative Modelling does more than allow children to represent their environment and express a personal response to it. It also:

• Provides children with a chance to develop the social skills required for shared work.
• Allows children to learn from each other and from the facilitator.
• Helps children analyse and understand their environment, teaching a number of cognitive skills. These include learning how to identify features of geometric shapes (colour and size), how to use the shapes symbolically as substitutes for real objects or parts of real objects in representational images, and how to choose and organise substitutes to create representations (visual models) of ever more complex objects.
• Helps children extend their knowledge and understanding of the world as they use talk, role play, song, dance and the creation of representations to explore the various themes that run throughout the module.

Because the felt material is so easy to use, and because the tasks the children are asked to complete are so finely graded and achievable, the module supports very young artists in creating work that would otherwise remain beyond their capabilities.

Overview 

Creative Modelling develops creativity and allows children to work together with you to realise different ideas and to create artistic compositions by exploring materials, colours and textures. Through the use of felt shapes in Creative Modelling, we are able to help children learn how to create representations of aspects of the real world. As part of this process, we help them to develop mental models of, and emotional responses to, the realities they learn to represent.

Why are these skills important?

The materials developed for the module pare down the process of creating representational images to the most essential building blocks. Consequently, it is very easy for young children, and perhaps their less artistically inclined parents/teachers(!), to satisfy the desire to create credible representational images long before they have developed the fine motor control needed for the skilled manipulation of the tools of the artists’ trade. With the most difficult technical elements of the task well supported, young children are able to concentrate on mastering those elements of the task that are within their grasp. These elements include such basics as identifying shapes and colours, using lines and dots, using all the space and grasping symmetry and pattern. Crucially, they also include developing a personal response to the subject of the composition.

Through the activities, children learn to share ideas through talk. They learn to control their own behaviour and attention. They learn how to work together with the parent or another child, and enjoy the process of a shared creation.

How does this module work ?

These sessions are built on the use of geometric shapes, cut out of felt, in a variety of sizes and colours. What is more, the felt feels nice to the touch. Placing the pieces on the felt background provides a soothing tactile pleasure that encourages persistence and participation.

Working with a parent or teacher, young children are enabled to create compositions across some of the most important genres of representational art, urban and rural landscapes, still life, representations of functional and decorative objects, and of animals.

The additional benefits of this module

Creative Modelling does more than allow children to represent their environment and express a personal response to it. It also:

• Provides children with a chance to develop the social skills required for shared work.
• Allows children to learn from each other and from the facilitator.
• Helps children analyse and understand their environment, teaching a number of cognitive skills. These include learning how to identify features of geometric shapes (colour and size), how to use the shapes symbolically as substitutes for real objects or parts of real objects in representational images, and how to choose and organise substitutes to create representations (visual models) of ever more complex objects.
• Helps children extend their knowledge and understanding of the world as they use talk, role play, song, dance and the creation of representations to explore the various themes that run throughout the module.

Because the felt material is so easy to use, and because the tasks the children are asked to complete are so finely graded and achievable, the module supports very young artists in creating work that would otherwise remain beyond their capabilities.