the visual appearance, structure or constitution of an object, referring to three dimensional objects

built elements such as buildings, streets, roads, parks, and bridges

the relative size or proportion of an object or artwork to its surroundings or itself

Nature and architecture

Art and design

In this unit, pupils will explore art, artefacts, and architecture from around the world. Through hands-on activities, they will experiment with different techniques and materials to create artworks. Pupils will gain a wider context of how art shapes and reflects our global history overtime.

The importance of nature in art

to understand patterns, shapes, textures, and forms found in nature

Why do artists and architects observe natural structures?

observing the form carefully and noting its details

What is the first step in recording a natural form?

Select the different ways you can experiment with composition and structure when drawing.

Include human figures or objects for comparison.

What is the best way to show the scale of a building in a design?

Which natural structure inspires strong, efficient designs in architecture?

observing surface qualities and materials from nature

understanding how nature evolves over time

scientific and digital tools help analyse nature in detail

How can design be inspired by nature? Match the descriptions.

The three-dimensional quality of an object.

human-made structures like buildings, roads, and bridges used in art

arrangement of how the different elements fit together in an artwork

when the composition of an artwork is imbalanced and not symmetrical

when both sides of an artwork are identical or mirror each other

Match the description to the correct answer.

Nature’s shapes and structures are often strong, efficient, and beautiful.

Nature’s shapes are only used for decoration.

Nature’s shapes are only useful for garden design.

Why do architects look to nature for inspiration in building design?

the size of one object compared to others

What does scale show in relation to other objects in art?

by making objects look closer or further away

by adding more objects to the composition

How does scale help create depth in a piece of art?

colourful underwater structures that provide shelter for marine life

a neat, waxy home with a shape made of tiny hexagons

where branches and leaves form a “roof”

a delicate, sticky web spun by a small creature to catch food

a series of tall, rocky formations that stretch over large areas

mineral formations that hang down from cave ceilings, growing slowly

Match the description to the correct natural structure.

Starter Quiz