In Year 9 Art & Design, how we choose materials is heavily influenced by texture and color. These aspects are not just for looks; they help express ideas and feelings in our artwork. Let’s take a closer look.

Texture

1. What is Texture?
   Texture is how a surface feels or looks. It can be rough, smooth, soft, hard, shiny, or dull. In art, texture makes things more interesting and can make people want to touch the artwork.

2. How Texture Affects What We Use:

   • Feelings: Texture can bring out emotions. For example, rough textures might make someone feel wild or messy, while smooth ones can feel calm and sleek.
   • Adding Depth: Texture can also give a flat piece dimension. If I mix smooth paper with rough fabric in a collage, it creates an exciting look that draws people in. It changes how people see a flat canvas.
   • Practical Use: Sometimes, texture is about how something works. If I’m making a sculpture, I might pick clay because I can shape it into different textures to show my idea.

Color

1. Basics of Color Theory:
   Color can change the mood of a piece a lot. Knowing about color theory helps us make smart choices. The color wheel shows us different kinds of colors that can create various effects.

2. How Color Affects What We Use:

   • Setting the Mood: Warm colors like red and orange can feel urgent, while cool colors like blue and green can feel calming. Depending on what I want to say, I might pick bright acrylics or soft pastels.
   • Meanings: Different colors can mean different things in different cultures. For instance, red can mean danger or love. When choosing colors, I think about the message I want people to get and how my materials can help that.
   • Mixing and Transparency: Some materials change how colors look. Using see-through watercolors on textured paper allows the colors to mix, creating new shades and adding depth to my artwork.

Design Concepts

1. How Texture and Color Connect to Concepts:
   Each design idea, whether about identity, nature, or social issues, ties closely with texture and color. For example, when I made a project about city life, I used gritty textures to show urban chaos and darker colors to express sadness.

2. Learning by Trying:
   I learn best about texture and color by trying new things. In Year 9, I collected different materials and colors and experimented with how they worked together. Sometimes, unexpected combos, like bright yellow against a rough dark background, looked amazing.

Conclusion

Using texture and color in our Year 9 Art & Design projects is really important. These elements aren’t just pretty; they help show our ideas and emotions better. As I worked on my designs, I learned how crucial it is to let texture and color influence my choices. This way, I can create artwork that really means something. By paying attention to how they shape our designs, we improve our skills and understand that art is a way to communicate.