Grade 6 Art And Craft Picture Making – Painting:Imaginative Composition Notes
Art & Craft — Picture Making
Subtopic: Painting — Imaginative Composition
For learners aged 11 — Kenyan context
- Understand what an imaginative composition is.
- Plan and paint a simple picture from imagination using foreground, middle ground and background.
- Use colour, pattern and simple texture to show mood and place (e.g., savanna, village, market).
- Describe and talk about your picture using basic art words.
An imaginative composition is a picture you create from your ideas, not from a photo. You combine things you know — like animals, houses, trees, people and the sun — into one picture that tells a story. In Kenya you might imagine a bright market scene, Maasai dancers on a hill, children flying kites near the coast, or animals by a watering hole.
- Paper or cartridge sheet (A4 or bigger)
- Paints (poster/tempera or watercolour), brushes
- Pencil, rubber, ruler
- Crayons or coloured pencils for details
- Old newspaper to cover desks
- Use colours of tea fields (greens) or coastal blues.
- Include local animals (zebra, giraffe), farming scenes, or market stalls.
- Add patterns from kitenge cloth or simple Maasai bead designs for borders.
- Think and plan: Close your eyes and imagine a scene. What is happening? Who is there?
- Make small thumbnail sketches: Draw 2–3 tiny pictures (no more than 6 cm each) to try different ideas.
- Decide the composition: Place a strong centre of interest (focal point) — for example a market stall or a giraffe — and place other items around it.
- Divide space: Draw a light line to show foreground (near), middle ground, and background (far). This makes depth.
- Block in colours: Paint big shapes first — sky, land, big trees. Use light to dark or dark to light for contrast.
- Add details and texture: Use small brushes, dots or lines to show grass, thatch roofs or bead patterns.
- Finish and review: Stand back. Add final highlights (bright spots) or outlines to make things clearer.
- Focal point: The most important part should stand out (bigger or brighter).
- Balance: Put heavy shapes on both sides so the picture does not feel one-sided.
- Depth: Use size and overlap: nearer objects are larger and overlap smaller ones behind them.
- Colours: Warm colours (red, orange, yellow) come forward; cool colours (blue, green) go back.
- Leading lines: Use roads, fences or paths that guide the eye to your focal point.
Below is a very simple visual to show foreground, middle ground and background. Colours are soft — you will paint more details.
Tip: Try a small sketch like this first. Then use paint to add colour and texture.
- 5 min: Think of a story for your picture (who, where, what).
- 10 min: Draw two thumbnail sketches.
- 25–35 min: Paint your chosen composition.
- 5 min: Share your picture and explain one thing you chose and why.
- Has the pupil used foreground, middle and background?
- Is there a clear focal point or story?
- Are colours chosen to show space or mood (warm/cool)?
- Has the pupil tried patterns or simple textures?
Foreground — nearest part of the picture; Middle ground — middle area; Background — far away; Focal point — main subject; Texture — how something looks like it feels.
Final tips
- Keep your first painting simple — big shapes first, details last.
- Use local stories and places you know for interesting ideas.
- Talk about your picture with friends — it helps improve ideas.