The Design Studio

pop up project for kids

Pop-Up card project 5+ years – this one is for garden habitats – use my version to learn how pop up cards can work – then try & make your own – decorate the front of the card using ideas found in your own garden

This term students at Smannel Field School in Andover have been creating an external installation made up from rubbish & single use plastic.

We used, hose pipes, tarpaulins, supermarket bags, yoghurt pots, tomato boxes, fruit bags, netting, insulation mats, pipe lagging -it all inspired creativity & resourcefulness.

What a lovely surprise & rubbish journey we’ve been on.

delivering creative mixed media projects

from initial brief to project fulfilment……

Passionate about the role art activities have in an increasingly ‘tec’ world, I enjoy working alongside school children encouraging their inner artist to develop further.

I’ve successfullyrun an art, after school activity club, for key stage 1 & 2 (5 to 7 year olds), for the past 7 years at Sarisbury Infants School. Organising & delivering weekly art sessions.

I organise the termly programme to include seasonal, fun & engaging activities, and the club is a very popular part of the extra curricular clubs on offer at the school.

This club has then developed into me visiting schools within Hampshire to deliver creative programmes according to age abilities & set budgets. Initially liaising with key staff members to deliver a comprehensive proposal through to project fulfilment – never exceeding budget constraints.

Projects have included external art projects like the one seen below – delivered at Padnell Infants School – Waterlooville..

Year 2 children on this school project really enjoyed colour mixing the paint & applying it with sponges, brushes and mops (to out of reach areas)!

The brief was to decorate a wooden shed with a vibrant & fun ‘fairy tale’ scene.

The shed being a quiet spot in their school playground where stories are read by the teachers.

As a trained graphic designer with an ability to illustrate clients ideas, once designs were approved, I then transferred outlines onto the wood in readiness for the children to paint.

The children were split into set groups, and each group had 20 minutes allocated time to create their magic. These timings ensured the whole year group were able to take part over a period of days, and leave a visual legacy behind before they moved onto their new school.

The children really take ownership of their painted projects and are keen to show parents and friends which areas they themselves have added.

For added fun I try to incorporate extra surprises within the design, that are not immediately obvious until the children have started to paint ie the children thought they were painting a hill until we added an eye for the dragon.



Would you like to have your own school  characters & creatures designed to work in conjunction with your school’s theme & mission statement?

Designing unique characters for you to use as teaching aids

I can create the unique artwork to give your school it’s own ‘visual identity’ using your classroom names & groups.

Set packages to create, certificates, code of conduct posters  & flash cards, all following a set visual theme help reinforce your school’s ethos.

Artwork will be provided in digital format for you to use as and when you wish.

Black & white cartoons are created first & are available as separate files/artwork. Colours versions are then provided & designed into exciting vibrant teaching aids, certificates, flash cards & posters.

Trained to deliver bronze & silver Arts Award programmes via The Hampshire Cultural Trust, I assist students to create fantastic & bright mixed media installations, both internal & external.