This week, Year 3 have been fully immersed in Art Week—an exciting celebration of creativity, imagination, and hands‑on making. Our focus for the week was the dramatic and mysterious painting Surprised! by French artist Henri Rousseau. The children were instantly captivated by the swirling jungle, the bold colours, and of course, the striking tiger creeping through the foliage!

Discovering the Artwork

We began the week in Mrs King’s assembly, where she introduced the children to Rousseau’s famous jungle scene. Together, we explored our first impressions:

  • What do you think is happening in this painting?
  • How does it make you feel?
  • What do you notice first?

The children shared thoughtful, imaginative ideas from stories about the tiger to questions about the stormy sky and we collected their responses to help us reflect throughout the week. Later on, we will create a short KPNS-style video inspired by examples such as this one:
https://youtu.be/2LYmldBJxC4 featuring children talking about the artwork in their own words. They can’t wait to be filmmakers!

 

Our Art Week Journey in Year 3

Throughout the week, Year 3 took part in a series of structured art sessions that built towards their own Rousseau-inspired creations.

 

Session 1: Learning About the Artist

The children began by diving into the life and style of Henri Rousseau. We discovered:

  • He was a self‑taught artist
  • He loved painting jungle scenes even though he never visited a real jungle
  • His style is bold, imaginative, and rich in patterned foliage

The children loved learning that Rousseau painted many scenes from his imagination just like young artists often do.

 

Session 2: Practising Weaving Techniques

To prepare for our final artwork, we explored weaving as a technique. Using wooden boards, the children practised weaving wool, experimenting with textures and rhythm. This hands-on activity helped them understand how layered lines, colours, and repeated patterns can create depth much like Rousseau’s overlapping leaves and plants.

There was a wonderful calmness in the classroom as everyone focused on their boards, and it was fantastic to see the children’s confidence grow with each row of weaving.

 

Session 3: Planning our design

Next came the planning stage. We studied the painting again, identifying key colours and features:

  • Lush green foliage
  • Pops of orange and black from the tiger
  • Deep blues and stormy tones in the sky

The children selected coloured wools that echoed these details. They sketched ideas for how the colours and textures could represent parts of the painting whether tiger stripes, leafy layers, or stormy atmosphere.

It was brilliant to see such thoughtful decision‑making as they matched materials to mood and meaning.

 

Final Session: Creating Our Rousseau‑Inspired Art

With their plans ready, Year 3 moved on to creating their final woven pieces. This was the highlight of the week! Each artwork used colour, texture, and pattern to capture the spirit of Surprised! while showcasing the individuality of each young artist.

Some pieces focused on the tiger’s dramatic stripes, while others recreated the dense overlapping leaves or the dark shapes of the jungle. The pride on the children’s faces said everything.

🌟 A Wonderful Week of Creativity

Art Week has been a huge success. The children loved exploring Rousseau’s world, experimenting with weaving, and expressing themselves through their final artworks. Their enthusiasm, teamwork, and imagination have been inspiring to see.

We can’t wait to share the finished video featuring some of their observations and ideas. Keep an eye out—it’s going to be fantastic!