The Gallery Workshop

Aim –
The aim of the workshop is to create an atmosphere and environment in the gallery space that will entice children into art by simple methods of drawing and composing their own gallery. It will introduce the children to simple methods of drawing based on some of the current and ongoing exhibits at the Whitworth Art Gallery; these drawings will then be produced by the workshop leader into a gallery folder, which the school can then take with them as a concise document of the day. Then the images that the children have produced and scanned in can be put onto a computer-generated gallery and shown online or on CD ROM.

Links to the curriculum –
The workshop can be tailored to suit any subject and higher key stages if needed (with some prior notification). The drawing aspect of the workshop will concentrate on more traditional means of art (pencil & paper), whilst the gallery aspect of the workshop will concentrate on more modern means of art (mac/pc/photoshop).
Each workshop can also be tailored to specific events & teaching that is happening in each individual school, so that there is preparation and continuation time outside of the workshop.

Links to the collection –
The workshop will have continuous links to the workshop by providing the school with 5 subjects currently on show at the Whitworth Art Gallery then the school can choose which subject fits in with their lesson plans for the curriculum.
This subject can then be researched prior to the workshop and then after the workshop with each school individually tailored lesson plans.

Preparation ideas –
Research into Whitworth Art Gallery, current Whitworth Art Gallery exhibits and tailored school lessons created by the individual teachers & schools.
Making their own sketchbooks prior to the workshop.

Development ideas –
The development could concentrate on the choices that each school made when they initially booked the workshop.
Taking the experience and knowledge from the workshop and using it their own lessons and in their own time.

Workshop Outline

Prior to the workshop –
When schools book the workshop they should be given 5 elements or exhibits of Whitworth Art Gallery.

2 weeks before the workshop schools should contact Whitworth Art Gallery their choice and say what they want from the workshop (i.e. They wish to concentrate on ‘ The Land Between Us’ exhibit as they are concentrating their teaching on nature and science in a few weeks time).

1 week before the schools should research their chosen element and also make their own sketchbooks. ALL RESEARCH AND SKETCHBOOKS SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE WHITWORTH ART GALLERY FOR THE WORKSHOP.

Workshop (2 hours) –

0-30 minutes:
An outline of the workshop by the coordinator.
Discussion on the topic/theme/exhibit that the school has picked, a look at the artists involved in the exhibition, a look at simple drawing techniques. Chat about the simple Photoshop techniques that will be used to create the electronic gallery.

30-60 minutes:
Drawing in sketchbooks in the exhibitions, looking at the art works, scanning in drawings, creating gallery with workshop leader.

60-75 minutes:
Toilet break

75-120 minutes:
Drawing in sketchbooks in the exhibitions, looking at the art works, scanning in drawings, creating gallery with workshop leader.
Finishing off gallery images, printing them off and creating the schools own Whitworth Gallery Folder.
121 minutes: FIN