Course Description

If you just can’t stop yourself drawing, making and designing; if you like to work with your hands and your brain; if you are happy getting messy and like a hands-on approach to learning, this is the course for you!

This is a two year course which will give you the opportunity to work with a wide range of artistic elements across a variety of disciplines, including; Drawing and Painting, Graphic Design, Photography, Textiles, Mixed-media, Ceramics and Three-Dimensional design.

Throughout the course we focus on developing practical skills and an understanding of the course structure and assessment requirements whilst building an extensive coursework portfolio. Portfolios provide evidence of students’ ability to independent research and analyse the work of artists/designers/styles, develop their ideas and designs with thought and purpose and their     refinement towards the production of a final outcome.

In January of Year 11, students are given a controlled assessment question. They have at least 8 weeks to complete research, experiments and refine design work for their chosen  question and have 10 hours under exam conditions to complete a final outcome.

Throughout the course, students are encouraged to develop individual skills and personal interests. The approaches to study will vary between projects, but will cover the following:

· Observational study; work which is based on direct observation and analysis.

· Materials-based study; skills development and exploration of the qualities and characteristics of materials.

· Thematic study; producing artwork in response to a chosen theme or topic.

· Critical and Historical study; researching and analysing the work of other artists and then applying that knowledge to enrich your own work.

· Problem-solving study; producing and presenting a range of creative solutions to a design brief.

Assessment structure

Unit 1: Coursework Portfolio selected from work produced in Years 10 and 11 will be worth 60% of total mark.

Unit 2: Final examination in Year 11 will be worth 40% of total mark.

Special Features

There will be opportunities to attend several organised trips to major art galleries and museums to engage with artworks and conduct research for the coursework portfolio, as  well as a variety of practical workshops with various working artists to develop skills.

Students will be asked for a contribution towards their sketchbooks and A2 portfolio which will be used for the duration of the course. They are also encouraged to invest in basic art materials as further independent experimentation and development of work at home is an absolute necessity.