Year 3 Digital Art Pupil Activity Pack (Teacher notes)
Pupil Activity Code: DYT3 – What is it?
Progression of skills in this pack
Use various lines and fill tools plus copy/paste and rotation to create pattern effects. (Project 1)
Use shapes, fill, copy/paste, zoom and flip to create reflective symmetry effects. (Project 2)
Use stamps, copy/paste, layers and multiple frames to create animated GIF computer game graphics. (Project 3)
National Curriculum Content
Select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals.
4-6 hours
Prior Learning
Pupils should have completed the Year 2 Digital Art Activities before trying this pack.
What do teachers and pupils need?
Access to the free PixilArt website, which works on all devices but is also a free mobile app. Important: The PixilArt website includes a tutorials section (in the menu) – we would recommend not allowing pupils on there because it includes tutorials uploaded by users and can not always be appropriate. We would strongly suggest pupils follow the tutorials in the activities below only. PixilArt editor also includes pop-up adverts at the bottom of the screen every once in a while. The adverts are not inappropriate but should be automatically blocked b your school’s firewall. Pupils can select the x to close the adverts.
Introduction and Teacher Input
Below are 3 projects for building skills in creating digital artwork, using a free online editor. Each project has videos to help pupils work at their own pace using the pupil activity pack but you may want to watch the videos together for each skill. There is also an introduction video below to help pupils understand why we create art on a computer and introduce the digital tools.
Differentiation
If pupils have not already done so, they could try the activities from the Year 2 Digital Art Activity Pack which introduces the PixilArt website covered in this pack. Higher ability pupils should be encouraged, once they have demonstrated the skills, to extend their projects with the extension suggestions below each pupil activity below. There is also a PDF help sheet for PixilArt here.
Assessment
Pupils can save their project as a JPEG file, PNG or BitMap image and there is a screenshot at the end of the first project below demonstrating this. The third video of project 3 demonstrates how to save a project as GIF because it is an animation. If pupils want to continue their art work the next lesson then they will need to save as .PIXIL files (File and Save as .PIXIL) then open that file the next lesson (File and Open .PIXIL).
Pupil Activity Pack (teacher view)
Introduction to digital art
Watch this video to help you understand why we create art on a computer (digital art) and what digital tools we will be using in this activity pack.
Project 1 – Wrapping Paper
Use various lines and fill tools plus copy/paste and rotation to create wrapping paper effects.
Start a drawing and choose a canvas size 500×500 pixels.
1. Draw a Christmas tree
Watch the video to learn how to use lines, fill and circles to draw a Christmas tree. Use the zoom controls to zoom in on your canvas.
Tip: Use the undo tool if you make a mistake to go back a step.
2. Duplicate and Rotate
Watch the video above to learn how to duplicate your Christmas tree using select, copy and paste. Then use the transform tools to rotate the Christmas tree and flip it.
To save your project as an image, click on the FILE in the top left corner and then choose DOWNLOAD AS. PNG, GIF. On the next screen choose DOWNLOAD to save the image to your computer.
Could you try a snowman using two circles on top of each other and lines for stick arms?
Project 2 – Landscape Reflections
Use various tools to build a city landscape and then use reflective symmetry.
1. Night sky
Watch the video to learn how to choose the correct size canvas and then draw a night sky rectangle.
2. Buildings
Watch the video to learn how to draw buildings and fill them in black.
3. Lights
Watch the video to learn how to use the zoom tool to get in close to buildings and add yellow squares using the pencil tool. You could add a few rows then copy and paste more.
4. Reflect the picture
Watch the video to learn how to select the whole picture by dragging the cursor from top left across it so all items are selected. Then copy and paste. Move the new picture to the bottom then transform it by flipping it.
To save your project as an image, click on the FILE in the top left corner and then choose DOWNLOAD AS. PNG, GIF. On the next screen choose DOWNLOAD to save the image to your computer.
Could you think of other reflective images you could try, such as a butterfly?
Project 3 – Computer Game Graphic Design and Animation
Watch the videos below to learn how to design a level for a platform game using stamps and copy/paste to build up the different graphics, then add layers and animate it with multiple frames.
Once you have made one level you could save it and create another one.
Watch the video to learn how to create your game background using stamps and copy/paste. Do not add your player graphic yet (Mario).
Watch the video to learn how to add a new a new layer with a player graphic (Mario) then use GIF frames to animate it. This video also demonstrates how to save your project as a GIF.