Year 12 art students at West Hatch High School visited the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery to research their AS-level projects.

Students studied a range of other artists' work and the different approaches and techniques they used.

Gerry Hanley, the school's Head of Art, said: "Looking at pictures in a book is no substitute for going and seeing the real thing.

"Living so close to London we are so lucky having all these facilities on our doorstep. We are able to look at the paintings of the best artists in the world and learn from their work.
"We were amazed when we were given permission to take photographs of these original works of art.

“We were fortunate to be at the Art Gallery at this exciting time because the rules on photography were only changed two weeks ago and students were allowed to take pictures of the artwork.

"Students had fun taking personal mementoes of themselves with their favourite masterpieces such as Van Gogh’s ‘Vase with twelve Sunflowers’  and Henri Rousseau’s ‘Surprised!’ showing a tiger crouching in an imaginary jungle.

"They learnt how artists used different styles and techniques to portray different feelings and meanings in their work and this helped with students’ analytical and critical understanding."