This workshop for pupils in KS1 & 2 considers heraldic devices and symbols used in the Tudor and Stuart era.
The session will start with a visit to the Portland Collection Museum to see our exhibition, ‘Unseen Treasures’. Students will learn to look for meanings in our Tudor and Stuart portraits and interpret the stories behind the symbols. Identifying the coats of arms of members of the nobility, they will be introduced to the idea of a heraldic device, or personal symbol. The gallery session will conclude with a drawing activity to help pupils look even more closely at the artwork.
After this, students will take part in a practical workshop in our purpose-built education studio. Pupils will design their own heraldic devices and coats of arms, paying attention to the symbolic meanings behind their choices.
Pupils will create their own stamps featuring their heraldic designs, and will use these to print onto fabric, creating their own standards and flags. If you choose the full day option, pupils will also paint the full coat of arms that they designed onto their fabric.
By participating in this workshop, pupils will:
- Develop awareness of heraldic symbolism in the Tudor/Stuart period and think about how this was used to communicate certain ideas.
- Learn about significant historical events and people, including how several aspects of national history are reflected in the locality. (History Curriculum for KS1 & KS2).
- Understand historical and cultural development of art. (Art & Design Curriculum for KS1 & KS2).
- Produce creative work and explore their ideas (Art & Design Curriculum for KS1 & KS2).
- Use a range of materials creatively and develop a range of art and design techniques (Art & Design Curriculum for KS1 & KS2).
