Wayne Chalmers’ class at Standens Barn has been using the app Be Funky to manipulate their artwork.

For World Book Day our school really focuses on book inspiration. We use a text to create great writing, drama and artwork. This year we used a text called FaRther by Grahame Baker-Smith. Following some whole school drama and writing, we embarked on our artwork. I was determined to move into the realms of digital art following a visit to the Inspire website and because I know that using ICT motivates and engages boys in my school. I find that art is an area that has often been an issue with boys and so the use of ICT was the hook I wanted to draw them in.

The process was very simple. I selected five pictures from the book and gave the children free reign to use their own ideas to create the art. I gave them a selection of materials to use with the reminder that we would manipulate them with the tablets we were to use. Children used oil pastels, water colours, charcoal and tissue paper in the main to create their pictures. The children then used a tablet to photograph their own pictures and manipulated them using the Be Funky app. Some of the results were stunning! As an adding feature, we used laptops to log n to the Be Funky web app. They then selected each others pictures to create a collage of a range of pictures. This really ensured that they were not only able to appreciate their own art but other children’s.

Since the World Book Day children have been using the app in their own time and using images they have found on the internet too. This really was a simple but very effective process and was definitely worth it!