The research explored the potential of AI to do two things.
As with all the AI generated curriculum models of this website, these ideas are understood to be useful for teachers to draw from and think about, not simply to apply.
The results of the prompts used and the AI responses from Gemini are given below. The response generates examples of short drawing experiences that might be scattered or woven through the more conventional curriculum. It provides ideas about a sequence of drawing activities sitting alongside, and slightly apart, from the traditional pursuit of an ‘outcome’. These short units of work could be used to enhance confidence and curiosity and help sustain the experience of drawing as an intrinsic and regular aspect of art and design education – which it should be.
The object of this research, is NOT to get the best answer, or to generate the best unit of work about drawing. But to use AI to generate a variety of models which are directly informed by teachers’ own circumstances, and which contribute to their debate and decision-making. We take view that the best teaching almost always emanates from a curriculum that the teacher fully owns.
The prompt and responses by ChatGPT is given in full below. (In total, twelve short units of work and 48 individual lessons were generated. These provide ideas to sprinkle through the curriculum and to ensure drawing and curiosity (drawing like artists) is a key experience in art and design education)
As part of this research a literature review was developed. This looked back at 20 major papers about drawing in UK school art ducation over the last 20 years. This is a Google Doc called ‘Drawing like an Artist.’
Prompt
ROLE:
You are an experienced artist and also teach in a leading English Art School. You have also been an art teacher in a successful secondary school in England.
CONTEXT:
I am the curriculum leader for art and design in a medium-sized urban school in central England, which has been judged to be good by OFSTED Our current curriculum follows a typical fine art format. We achieve good GCSE and A-level results by following the AQA syllabus.
There are three teachers in the art and design department. We are experienced teachers and have different specialisms. Two have trained as designers, and I have a craft background. However, none of us has a fine art background. There are three, typical and well-equipped studios in the department.
REASON:
My colleagues and I wish to rebalance our curriculum so that our students learn to develop the habit of drawing regularly for different reasons. We believe that Eileen Adams’ definition of the purposes of drawing should underpin this work. Eileen Adams defines the purposes of drawing as:
Perception: Drawing that assists the ordering of sensations, feelings, ideas and thoughts.
Communication: Drawing that assists the process of making ideas, thoughts and feelings available to others.
Invention; Drawing that assists the creative manipulation and development of thought.
Action: Drawing that helps to put ideas into action.
Currently, in our school, drawing tends to be a simple exercise in using skills to achieve a realistic, observed image. We think this is a minimal view of drawing, which we wish to change. We hope to change this by:
- Encouraging our students to learn to behave as artists, particularly to learn from artists who use drawing as a fundamental and regular part of their creative practice.
- Amending our curriculum by developing a series of two or three lesson drawing sequences that can be inserted into the curriculum at different times of the year. These drawing sequences will be independent of the students’ ongoing project-based curriculum and outcomes. Each drawing sequence will be informed by the work of a particular artist or designer taken from a quote by that artist or designer.
REASON: BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
We have researched and discussed what we believe to be the characteristics and behaviours of artist’s drawing that we wish our students to learn. In this drawing sequence, we wish to focus on the work of Anthony Gormley. His quote is below.
[“For me, drawing is a form of thinking that requires tuning in to the behaviour of substances as much as the behaviour of the unconscious, like reading images in tea leaves, trying to make a map of a path of feeling, a trajectory of thought. Drawings have immediacy. In a good session, drawing can be like going for a rugged, physical adventure on a blustery day with changing conditions of light and rain. A day passed without drawing is a day lost.”]
TASK:
We would like you to help us encourage our students to develop the habit of drawing regularly by generating two examples of a two-lesson, drawing sequence. One of these examples should be for students in year 8. The other one of these examples should be for students in year 11. These examples will help our discussion and inform our decisions. These two lesson units of work should aligned with the age and experience of the students. Please indicate how these drawing sequences align with one or more of the four purposes of drawing (Perception, Communication, Invention, Action.)
Each drawing sequence should have the name of the artist as the title of the sequence and the text of the quote should be given after the title.
Lessons should have clear subheadings which include a clear description of activities using sentences, learning objectives, differentiation strategies, and resources required. Use sentences and do not use columns or a table to present lesson plans.
Include typical art and design subject assessment practices that evaluate both art behaviours, processes and outcomes.
Incorporate appropriate artist references (images or text) to illuminate the artists practices being explored.
The units of work should also include a homework assignment. Each lesson lasts one hour. Each studio is well equipped with typical materials.
STATEMENT:
Add this statement to the bottom of this response in red type.
[Remember that AI is not sentient. These responses are the result of an algorithm and may be wrong or subject to bias. You must always use your judgment about the appropriate use of these AI generated responses.]
Response – ChatGPT
Excellent — this is a rich and well-considered brief, and the framework you’ve chosen (Eileen Adams’ four purposes of drawing) is an intelligent and robust foundation for developing a deeper culture of drawing in your department.
Below are two two-lesson drawing sequences, one for Year 8 and one for Year 11, both inspired by Anthony Gormley’s quote. Each aligns clearly with Adams’ purposes of drawing and with age-appropriate learning behaviours and expectations.
Drawing Sequence 1: Anthony Gormley — Year 8
Quote:
“For me, drawing is a form of thinking that requires tuning in to the behaviour of substances as much as the behaviour of the unconscious, like reading images in tea leaves, trying to make a map of a path of feeling, a trajectory of thought. Drawings have immediacy. In a good session, drawing can be like going for a rugged, physical adventure on a blustery day with changing conditions of light and rain. A day passed without drawing is a day lost.”
Overview
Students explore drawing as an adventure of perception and material, focusing on the act of drawing as a physical and sensory experience rather than a task of representation.
Purpose(s) of Drawing: Perception and Invention.
Lesson 1: Drawing as a Physical Adventure
Learning Objectives:
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To experience drawing as a physical, time-based and exploratory act.
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To develop sensitivity to materials and mark-making as expressive tools.
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To respond intuitively to changing sensations and thoughts during drawing.
Activities:
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Introduction (10 mins):
Show a selection of Anthony Gormley’s drawings — for example, Body and Light Drawings, Blood Drawings, and States and Conditions. Discuss how Gormley uses unconventional materials (e.g. blood, pigment, rust, graphite) and how his marks convey sensation and physical presence rather than description.
Prompt discussion: What might he mean by “a map of a path of feeling”?
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Main Activity (40 mins):
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Students work on A2 paper laid flat on tables or the floor.
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Provide a range of drawing materials (graphite sticks, charcoal, ink, brushes, water, sandpaper, erasers).
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Begin with eyes closed for 1 minute, drawing with one continuous line that follows their breathing.
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Open eyes and respond to the marks — layering, smudging, adding new lines or tones that reflect how the drawing feels, not what it looks like.
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Change tool or position every 5–10 minutes to simulate “changing conditions of light and rain”.
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Plenary (10 mins):
Students discuss what the experience felt like — was it freeing, frustrating, or surprising? Introduce the idea that drawing can be an act of listening to materials.
Differentiation:
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Less confident students may work on smaller paper to build confidence and focus on one material.
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More confident students can layer materials, experiment with physical movement (e.g., standing drawing, using both hands).
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Teacher modelling of exploratory mark-making will help normalise risk-taking.
Resources:
A2 cartridge paper, charcoal, graphite sticks, ink, water pots, rags, masking tape, brushes, sandpaper.
Assessment:
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Process: Observing student engagement, willingness to take risks, and experimentation with materials.
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Outcome: Quality and variety of marks, sense of energy and layering.
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Reflection: Ability to articulate how the drawing connects to sensation or feeling.
Homework:
Students write a short journal reflection (150 words) on how drawing felt like a physical adventure. They may also take a photo of a texture or surface from their environment that they feel could inspire a future drawing.
Lesson 2: Mapping Feelings and Thoughts
Learning Objectives:
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To develop a drawing that maps emotion, memory, or thought rather than a visible object.
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To understand how drawing can externalise the inner world.
Activities:
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Warm-up (10 mins):
Look again at Gormley’s drawings and compare them with expressive drawings by Cy Twombly and Julie Mehretu. Discuss how marks can act as traces of energy, memory, or motion.
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Main Task (40 mins):
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Students select one emotion or recent experience (e.g., excitement, anxiety, boredom, hope).
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Using mixed media, they create a large-scale “map of feeling” using line, rhythm, pressure and repetition.
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Encourage changes in pace — fast/slow, heavy/light — to build a sense of time and journey.
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Midway, pause to view work from a distance and respond with new marks to rebalance composition.
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Plenary (10 mins):
Peer discussion: How does your drawing express a path of feeling or thought?
Introduce the idea that drawing can communicate without depicting — linking back to Adams’ Communication purpose.
Differentiation:
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Scaffold abstract thinking with verbal prompts for some students (e.g., “If your emotion were weather, what would it be?”).
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Higher ability students experiment with layering and erasure to create complexity.
Resources:
A2/A1 paper, graphite, ink, wax resist, white pastel, water spray bottles.
Assessment:
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Behaviour/Process: Independence, experimentation, emotional engagement.
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Outcome: Evidence of energy, rhythm and personal expression in drawing.
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Reflection: Ability to interpret and discuss expressive qualities in their work.
Homework:
Students photograph part of their drawing and digitally manipulate it (e.g., crop, invert, layer colours) using a free app to discover new visual meanings. Bring printout next week.
Drawing Sequence 2: Anthony Gormley — Year 11
Quote:
“Drawing is a form of thinking that requires tuning in to the behaviour of substances as much as the behaviour of the unconscious…”
Overview
Students use drawing to interrogate their inner and outer experience — linking material behaviour to conceptual thought. Drawing becomes both an invention (developing thought through visual process) and action (testing and making visible thinking in progress).
Purpose(s) of Drawing: Invention and Action.
Lesson 1: Drawing as a Thinking Practice
Learning Objectives:
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To use drawing to externalise and test ideas.
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To explore the behaviour of materials as metaphors for thought.
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To reflect on drawing as a habit that sustains creative practice.
Activities:
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Introduction (10 mins):
Present examples of Gormley’s sketchbooks and the Feeling Material drawings, alongside selected extracts from artists such as Tacita Dean and Richard Serra (his “Verb List”). Discuss how these artists use drawing to explore thinking rather than record appearance.
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Main Task (45 mins):
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Students choose one “thinking verb” (e.g. folding, leaking, stretching, resisting, dissolving).
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Create a series of four small A4 drawings exploring that verb purely through mark, texture, and tone.
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Work rapidly (5–7 minutes each), responding to how materials behave (e.g., water spreading ink, graphite resisting wash).
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After each drawing, annotate or title it with a reflection: “This drawing folds because…”
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Plenary (5 mins):
Students share a mini-series and discuss which drawing feels most alive or “thinking”.
Differentiation:
Resources:
A3/A4 cartridge paper, ink, graphite, charcoal, brushes, water, sponges, masking tape.
Assessment:
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Behaviour/Process: Engagement with experimentation, responsiveness to material qualities.
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Outcome: Evidence of coherent visual exploration of an idea through marks.
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Reflection: Written notes demonstrating insight into material–thought relationships.
Homework:
Students photograph their drawings and arrange them as a visual “sequence of thought” in their sketchbook, adding brief captions describing transitions between each drawing.
Lesson 2: Drawing as Action — The Studio as Thinking Space
Learning Objectives:
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To use large-scale drawing to develop and test a conceptual idea.
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To experience drawing as a performative, time-based act.
Activities:
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Introduction (5 mins):
Discuss Gormley’s “Drawing as daily discipline” — show a short video clip if available (e.g., from Being Human, Royal Academy).
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Main Task (45 mins):
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Working on A1 paper on the wall, students begin a one-hour continuous drawing exploring a personal idea (e.g., isolation, movement, containment).
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They must keep the drawing “alive” through continuous response — adding, erasing, overlaying, smudging.
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Midway, introduce a disruption (e.g., swap tools, limit palette, rotate drawing) to provoke rethinking.
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Encourage physicality — step back, approach, gesture.
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Plenary (10 mins):
Group critique focused on action: How did drawing change your idea? What did the materials make you realise or resist?
Differentiation:
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Scaffold conceptual choices through pre-discussion for those unsure of theme.
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Challenge confident students to introduce chance — e.g., dripping ink, layering collage.
Resources:
A1 paper, graphite, charcoal, ink, rags, water, spray bottles, tape, boards/walls.
Assessment:
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Behaviour/Process: Independence, sustained engagement, openness to change.
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Outcome: Drawing that shows process and revision over time.
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Reflection: Verbal or written account of how drawing functioned as thinking-in-action.
Homework:
Students write a reflective paragraph titled “A Day Lost?” responding to Gormley’s quote. They should evaluate whether daily drawing could become part of their practice and identify one personal strategy for sustaining it.
Pedagogical Notes
Both sequences:
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Encourage habitual, reflective drawing aligned with Adams’ four purposes.
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Shift perception from drawing as skill → drawing as thinking, sensing and acting.
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Model artist behaviours — risk-taking, responsiveness, and commitment to process.
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Encourage independent, self-aware artists capable of sustaining their own practice beyond school.
Would you like me to follow up with a third sequence (for Year 10 or KS5) to complete a coherent set across key stages, showing progression in the use of Adams’ framework and artist-inspired practice?
Yes
Excellent — here is a third two-lesson drawing sequence, designed for KS5 (Year 12–13) students.
It continues your department’s intention to nurture drawing as a habitual, self-directed practice rooted in Eileen Adams’ four purposes, and builds on the conceptual and reflective habits established in KS3 and KS4.
At this level, students begin to treat drawing as a medium of research, reflection, and philosophical enquiry — rather than a preparatory or observational task.
Drawing Sequence 3: Anthony Gormley — KS5 (Year 12–13)
Quote:
“For me, drawing is a form of thinking that requires tuning in to the behaviour of substances as much as the behaviour of the unconscious, like reading images in tea leaves, trying to make a map of a path of feeling, a trajectory of thought. Drawings have immediacy. In a good session, drawing can be like going for a rugged, physical adventure on a blustery day with changing conditions of light and rain. A day passed without drawing is a day lost.”
Overview
This sequence explores drawing as a research practice — a way to access and visualise thought, emotion, and material behaviour. Students will use drawing to develop conceptual depth and to understand how process itself can generate meaning.
Purpose(s) of Drawing: Perception, Invention, and Action.
Lesson 1: Drawing as a Map of the Mind–Body
Learning Objectives:
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To explore the relationship between physical gesture, unconscious thought, and material behaviour in drawing.
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To experience drawing as a reflective and embodied process.
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To analyse how artists use drawing to reveal interior states or mental spaces.
Activities:
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Introduction (10 mins):
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Present a short slide show of Anthony Gormley’s drawings alongside Louise Bourgeois’ psychological drawings and Susan Hiller’s automatic or ritual drawings.
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Discuss: How do these artists visualise sensation, anxiety, or thought?
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Introduce the session aim: to “draw from the inside out”.
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Warm-Up (10 mins):
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Students stand, close eyes, and trace the shape of their body in the air using slow hand movements.
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On large paper (A1 on wall or floor), draw a single-line map of the energy of their body — not its outline, but the inner movement, rhythm, or pulse.
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Main Activity (35 mins):
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Provide charcoal, ink, graphite, erasers, and sponges.
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Students layer and rework their drawing, responding to marks as though following “paths of feeling”.
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Encourage alternating speed and stillness, pressure and release.
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Partway through, ask them to introduce a “foreign material” (e.g., thread, soil, pigment dust) — something that resists easy control — to explore Gormley’s “behaviour of substances”.
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Plenary (5 mins):
Differentiation:
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Some students may benefit from guided prompts (“Imagine you are mapping the memory of your walk to school”), while advanced students may explore personal or symbolic associations.
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Students with strong technical drawing habits may be challenged to “unlearn” control.
Resources:
A1 cartridge or brown wrapping paper, charcoal, ink, graphite, sponges, string/thread, pigment dust, tape.
Assessment:
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Behaviour/Process: Engagement with risk, openness to material behaviour.
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Outcome: Presence and vitality in mark-making; evidence of intuitive and reflective processes.
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Reflection: Verbal or brief written response articulating connections between gesture, thought, and material.
Homework:
Students record a brief reflection in their visual journal:
“What happens when I stop trying to control a drawing?”
They should include a photo detail of their work and annotate with observations about gesture, surface, or emotion.
Lesson 2: Drawing as a Field of Thought
Learning Objectives:
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To develop sustained, independent drawing practice that embodies reflective and conceptual thinking.
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To understand drawing as a field for testing visual, material, and philosophical ideas.
Activities:
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Introduction (10 mins):
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Share examples from Gormley’s sketchbooks (from Being Human catalogue) and Agnes Martin’s meditative grid drawings.
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Discussion: How can repetition, rhythm, and time create meaning? How might daily drawing become a form of thinking practice?
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Main Activity (45 mins):
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Students are invited to create a series of four drawings on the same theme or question (e.g., containment, memory, absence, resistance, equilibrium).
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Each drawing should explore a different approach — gesture, structure, material resistance, and erasure.
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They should be made continuously — one leading to the next — without self-editing.
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Teacher circulates, prompting reflection: “What is your drawing doing now?” “What might it be asking of you?”
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Plenary (5 mins):
Differentiation:
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Some students may need conceptual scaffolding (“Choose a theme linked to your coursework project”).
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Confident students can experiment with scale, collage, or mixed media integration.
Resources:
Four sheets of A2 paper, ink, graphite, charcoal, wax resist, erasers, collage materials (if desired).
Assessment:
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Behaviour/Process: Independence, sustained experimentation, willingness to pursue uncertainty.
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Outcome: Evidence of developing conceptual and formal relationships across drawings.
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Reflection: Ability to discuss the evolution of thought through process.
Homework:
Develop a short written reflection (200–250 words):
“A Day Lost?” Reflect on whether drawing daily could serve as a research habit.
Students are encouraged to set themselves a one-week “drawing discipline” — one drawing per day responding to their environment or thoughts — to test Gormley’s idea in practice.
Pedagogical Notes
At KS5, drawing becomes a research tool — a medium for discovery, not display.
Students learn that:
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Perception involves deep listening to materials and sensations.
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Invention emerges through process, not prior planning.
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Action occurs when drawing becomes a habit of thinking and doing.
These lessons establish a direct lineage between the physical immediacy of Year 8, the conceptual inquiry of Year 11, and the independent, philosophical practice of KS5.
Would you like me to create a teacher’s guide version next — summarising the three Gormley sequences with pedagogical intent, assessment focus, and quick-reference notes for departmental use?
It could serve as an internal planning document or a short inset resource for colleagues.
Remember that AI is not sentient. These responses are the result of an algorithm and may be wrong or subject to bias. You must always use your judgment about the appropriate use of these AI generated responses.
response ends
