This was my second visit to Rode Heath, returning to deliver a repeat of last year’s Digital Portrait Illustration Workshop with the current Year 6 class. It is always nice to revisit a school and see a new group of students respond to the same creative challenges. Once again the results were fantastic.
The workshop introduces pupils to the process of building a portrait through layers and making confident use of colour. By working step by step, the students quickly discover how simple techniques can come together to create striking and individual images. By the end of the session the iPad screens are usually full of colour, texture and a wide range of imaginative portraits.
One of the ideas we explore during the workshop is colour itself. We spend a little time looking at the colour wheel, thinking about complementary colours, limited palettes and how colour choices can change the mood or impact of an image. For many pupils this is an opportunity to experiment in ways they might not normally try.
Some students choose to work with more natural or conventional colours, which can be very effective, while others enjoy pushing things a little further by experimenting with unusual skin tones or unexpected colour combinations for clothing and backgrounds. This freedom to explore often leads to some really interesting and diverse outcomes, with every portrait developing its own personality.
As with last year, the pupils produced some brilliant work, full of bold colour, inventive textures and confident ideas. It is always rewarding to see how quickly young artists embrace the process and make it their own.
Rode Heath is a lovely school to work with, supported by a great team of staff and enthusiastic students. It is always a pleasure to spend time there and see the creativity that emerges during the workshop.
EMELBI (“,)
