2. Take a Close Look at The Gull Sculptures

These activities focus on the artworks.

Download this worksheet as a PDF: Worksheet 2: Exploring the Artwork

First: Slow Looking

Look closely at this work of art.




  • What do you notice first?
  • What shapes do you see?
  • What colours do you notice?
  • What do you think the sculptures are made of?  Do you recognise anything?
  • What do you think the surface is like? What might the texture feel like?
  • What do you think the sculpture is about?
  • What is unusual or surprising about the way this work is made?
  • Why might the artist have chosen these materials?
  • What feelings or memories do you have when you look at this artwork?
  • If you had to describe the artwork to someone who hadn’t seen it, what would you say?


Drawing Tasks

Drawing is all about looking closely.

Start with some warm-up tasks, then spend time on a longer drawing. 

  • Trace the outline of the sculptures with your finger in the air - this will help familiarise yourself with the shapes.
  • Time yourself. Draw for 30 seconds.  Then draw for 2 minutes. What differences do you notice? What extra details are in your second drawing?
  • DRAWING IS LOOKING.  Time yourself - 2 minutes.  Create a drawing looking only at the sculptures - no looking at your paper!
  • CONTINUOUS LINE.  Time yourself - 2 minutes.  Create a drawing with a single line -  no lifting your pencil off your paper!
  • OPPOSITE HAND. Time yourself - 2 minutes.  Switch your pencil to your non-dominant hand to create a drawing.
  • MEMORY.  Stare at the sculptures for 2 minutes. Turn away, and draw from memory.  What did you remember? 



Longer drawing

  • Consider your composition - how will you organise all of the parts on your page?  
  • Outline and shapes - sketch lightly to begin with.
  • Range of tones - look carefully at how the sculptures interact with light (casting shadows, reflecting light, darker areas inside the sculptures)
  • Textures - use different types of marks to show the different textures you can see
  • Add colour 
I would LOVE to see your drawings - please email me at gulljunkart@gmail.com, or tag me on Bluesky: gulljunkart.bsky.social, or instagram.com/sarahjaneling 

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