Title: Under The Sea
School: New Town Primary School
Artist: Darius Poy
Age: 11
Year: 2020
Medium: Oil Pastels, Watercolour, Salt
Dimension: 29.7 x 42 cm
Artist Statement:
I have always been intrigued by sea creatures in the underwater world. For this project, I had fun exploring the effects of salt on watercolour to create textures. In terms of layout, I decided to make the octopus the biggest element so that it becomes the focus of my artwork.
The mystical unknown of the underwater world could not be represented better by the monstrousity of the octopus, which Darius has cleverly chosen to be focal point of his piece. The bold black outlines, vibrant colours and experimentation of salt to create rippling water effect really captures the attention of viewers. - Mrs Michelle Goh
👁️🗨️ Elements of Art & Principles of Design
line, shape, value, colour, space, texture
emphasis, balance, unity, movement
💡 Artist Reference
Image credit: shorturl.at/oqtEV
Antoni Gaudi is one of the most well-known architects in the world and a symbol of Catalan modernism. His works are mostly influenced by nature - in particularly the geometric patterns he had observed around him, and religion.
His most famous contribution to art was the trencadis mosaic style. It is a technique that consists of joining together broken pieces of tiles.
The Dragon in Park Guell by Antoni Gaudi
This dragon is a symbolic of Gaudi's work. It is made using broken pieces of tiles.
Watch this YouTube! (Left)
Learn more about Antoni Gaudi's life with Mati and Dada.
💬 Let's Talk About Art
Compare this two pieces of work by Antoni Gaudi and Henri Matisse with Darius' Under the Sea using the guiding questions below.
Antoni Gaudi
Image of a particular detail of his mosaic work in Park Guell
Henri Matisse, The Parakeet and the Mermaid,1952
Gouache on paper, cut and pasted, and charcoal on white paper
337 x 768.5 cm
COMPARE & CONTRAST
Are there any similarities between these artworks? How are they similar?
Are there any differences between these artworks? How are they different?
Adapted from: Hamblen’s Art Criticism Questioning Strategy
I USED TO THINK...
BUT NOW I THINK...
Is there something you used to
think about the artwork that has
changed now? What is it? What
made you change your mind?
Adapted from:
Harvard Project Zero’s Thinking Routines
🎨 Suggested Activities
Taking inspiration from Darius' artworks, let's learn more about how we can use watercolour to create an artwork.
Watch this YouTube! (Left)
3 Fun and Easy Watercolour Technique
Learn 3 new watercolour painting techniques
wet on wet
using plastic wrap
adding salt (Similar technique that Darius did in his artwork)
If you have dry modelling clay within your reach, why not we recreate some of Gaudi's works?
Begin by discussing Antoni Gaudi and what he is famous for. Look at examples of his work together (see Gaudi’s works online).
Choose a piece of Gaudi’s work that you would like to recreate in clay, such as ‘El Drac’ in Parc Güell or one of the chimneys on La Pedrera. Have a look at several pictures of the structure you have chosen and discuss the shapes included in that structure.
Then, using the clay, try to recreate Gaudi’s work. Mould and shape the clay with tools and your hands until you are happy with it, and then leave to dry.
You can use household items like pencil, plastic cutlery, or the hard end of a paint brush to help you shape and mould your clay.
Don't forget to create textures too.
Once the work is dry, use paint to recreate the colours and patterns of Gaudi’s masterpieces.
Observe the different colours and geometrical patterns.
What material or tool do you need to recreate the patterns?
With your remaining modelling clay, create another creature that can also be in Darius' Under the Sea, and apply Gaudi's colours and patterns.
Activity adapted and inspired by Twinkl Resources