Understanding the Course Requirements

The Visual Arts course is geared towards allowing students to develop their own creative ‘voice’. You will be given the opportunity to work in the media of your choice, using a variety of artistic techniques, to explore personal interests and themes. The second year of the course is totally self-directed (with teacher guidance); for this reason, you must be highly self-motivated and be able to work independently to meet your own deadlines. There are no exams for Visual Arts. 

Differences between High Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL)

There is no difference in the quality of work produced, but rather the quantity: HL students will produce more artworks and process slides than SL students:

Standard Level: For the final exhibition it is a requirement that you have 4-6 artworks. Your Process Portfolio will have 9-18 slides.  

High Level: For the final exhibition it is a requirement that you show 7-10 artworks. Your Process Portfolio will have 13-25 slides.  Your Comparative Study will include an extra section about how the artworks have influenced your own artmaking practice. 

Aims 

• Make artwork that is influenced by personal and cultural contexts 

• Become an informed and critical observer and maker of visual culture and media 

• Develop skills, techniques and processes in order to communicate concepts and ideas. 

Skills to be Developed

The visual arts course at both SL and HL requires no previous experience. The course is designed to allow you to experience art on a personal level and achievement is based on how you demonstrate the knowledge you’ve gained as well as the skills and attitudes:

• Knowledge and understanding of specified content 

• Application and analysis of knowledge and understanding 

• Synthesis and evaluation 

• Selection, use and application of a variety of appropriate skills and techniques. 

Assessment

Part 1 - Comparative Study 20% (externally assessed by an IB examiner): A written study that analyses, compares and contrasts the work of different artists and relates them to your own work. 

Part 2 - Process Portfolio 40% (externally assessed by an IB examiner): A selection of work from journals, sketchbooks, folios etc. that shows your experimentation, exploration, manipulation and refinement of a variety of visual arts activities during the two-year course. 

Part 3 - Exhibition of Finished Artworks 40% (internally assessed by me, and checked by IB): Drawings, paintings, prints, ceramics, sculptures, collages, design work, digital artwork, photography, textiles, mixed media…