Year 4 Art Resources and Lesson Plans
Explore creative Year 4 Art lesson plans, schemes of work and resources designed to support the KS2 Art and Design curriculum. Discover ready-to-teach Year 4 Art ideas and activities that develop children's skills in drawing, painting, sculpture, printing and other creative techniques, while encouraging them to use sketchbooks, refine their ideas and learn from a diverse range of artists, architects and designers.
Popular Year 4 Art Schemes of Work:
What should children learn in Year 4 Art?
Year 4 Art gives children opportunities to build on the skills and techniques developed earlier in KS2. They should work with increasing control and confidence, use sketchbooks to explore and refine ideas, experiment with a wider range of materials and processes, and deepen their understanding of how artists, architects and designers communicate ideas through their work.
Refine drawing and observation skills
Encourage children to develop greater accuracy, control and detail when drawing from observation and imagination, exploring line, shape, tone, texture, proportion and composition using a range of drawing media.
Develop painting and colour techniques
Give children opportunities to mix and apply colour with greater purpose, experiment with different painting techniques and explore how colour, tone, texture and composition can be used to create particular effects.
Develop ideas through sketchbooks
Encourage children to use sketchbooks to record observations, research artists, practise techniques, experiment with materials and revisit and refine ideas before developing more considered pieces of artwork.
Learn from artists and create independently
Explore the work of a diverse range of artists, architects and designers, helping children identify techniques and ideas they can adapt, combine and use to develop increasingly individual creative responses.
Explore our Year 4 Art Resources
Browse our complete collection of Year 4 Art lesson plans, schemes of work and resources. Discover creative Year 4 Art projects covering drawing, painting, sculpture, printing, colour, pattern, texture and a diverse range of artists, with ready-to-teach lessons and activities designed to develop children’s artistic skills, encourage independent creativity and support the KS2 Art and Design curriculum.
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Planning Year 4 Art
When planning Art in Year 4, give children opportunities to build on their existing skills and work with increasing control, confidence and independence. Drawing, painting, printing, collage, sculpture and other practical Year 4 Art activities can help children refine their use of colour, line, shape, pattern, texture, tone and form while experimenting with different materials, techniques and creative approaches.
Encourage children to use sketchbooks more purposefully to record observations, investigate techniques, develop ideas and refine their work over time. Explore a diverse range of artists, architects and designers, helping children consider how materials, techniques and artistic choices are used to communicate ideas. Revisiting and combining skills across different Year 4 Art projects gives children opportunities to evaluate their work, make increasingly thoughtful creative decisions and continue developing the knowledge and skills required by the KS2 Art and Design curriculum.
Planning Art for your whole school? Explore our Art Curriculum Packs →Frequently Asked Questions about Year 4 Art
What is taught in Year 4 Art?
Year 4 Art should give children opportunities to develop their skills in areas such as drawing, painting and sculpture, while exploring a range of other materials and techniques. Children should also use sketchbooks to record observations, review and revisit ideas, and learn about the work of artists, architects and designers.
What does the National Curriculum say about Art in Year 4?
Year 4 is part of Key Stage 2, so there are no separate National Curriculum requirements specifically for Year 4. Across KS2, children should improve their mastery of Art and Design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials. They should also use sketchbooks and learn about great artists, architects and designers in history.
What are some good Year 4 Art ideas?
Good Year 4 Art activities allow children to develop a technique over several lessons rather than simply producing a finished piece of artwork. Projects might explore drawing and shading, colour and painting techniques, sculpture and 3D work, printing, textiles, collage or mixed media. Studying an artist, artistic movement or culture can also provide inspiration for children's own work.
Which artists can children study in Year 4?
There is no prescribed list of artists for Year 4, so schools can choose artists that complement the skills and themes being taught. Aim to introduce children to a diverse range of artists, architects and designers from different periods, cultures and artistic traditions, giving them opportunities to discuss, compare and respond to their work.
How should sketchbooks be used in Year 4 Art?
Year 4 children can use sketchbooks to record observations, practise new techniques, experiment with materials, collect ideas and plan artwork. They can also revisit earlier work, annotate their ideas and make changes as a project develops. Sketchbooks are particularly useful for showing the creative process rather than focusing solely on a finished piece.
What Art skills should Year 4 children develop?
Year 4 children can develop greater control and confidence with line, shape, tone, colour, pattern, texture, form and composition. They should have opportunities to select and combine materials and techniques, make purposeful artistic choices and begin to evaluate and refine their work.
How is Year 4 Art different from Year 3 Art?
Because both year groups sit within the same KS2 programme of study, there is no statutory dividing line between Year 3 and Year 4 Art. However, Year 4 lessons can build on previous experience by expecting children to work with greater control and independence, make more considered choices about materials and techniques, and use their sketchbooks to develop and refine ideas more purposefully.
Where can I find Year 4 Art lesson plans and resources?
PlanBee's Year 4 Art resources include ready-to-teach lesson plans, schemes of work and creative activities covering a range of artistic skills, techniques and themes. They are designed to help teachers deliver engaging Art lessons while supporting progression through the KS2 Art and Design curriculum.
