Art & Design

Course Overview

Learners choose their area of study: either Design or Expressive.

Course description summary (Design):

Practical Design Work

Learners will select a design area of personal interest eg fashion design, graphic design etc. Learners will research their chosen area and write a design brief to establish a personal focus to the enquiry. Learners wil pursue developmental lines of enquiry and creative design work in an independent and self-directed manner. They will experiment with using materials, techniques and technology to realise their deisgn ideas in 2D and/or 3D formats. Learners' own reflection and evaluation of their work and pratice forms part of the assessment.

Contextual Analysis

Learners will research and investigate a personally chosen area of design, with a clear link to their practical project. They will work in a self-directed manner to research and investigate the working practices, design approaches and influential factors of their chosen designers. 

Learners willl critically analyse selected pieces of designers' work, evaluating and reahing substantiated judgements about the work itself and the contexts which influenced the work.

Course Description Summary (Expressive)

Practical Expressive Artwork

Learners will select an area of expressive art and establish a personal focus to their project. They will use their understanding of art work and practice to inspire and influence their own creative approach and work. Learners will work independently in a self-directed manner to plan, develop and produce developmental lines of enquiry and creatice art works. Learners are encouraged to be very eperimental in their approach, and may work using a variety of materials, techniques and technology to realise their ideas in 2D or 3D formats. Learners' own reflection and evaluation of their own work and pratice forms part of the assessment.

Contextual Anaysis

Learners will research and investigate a personally chosen area of visual art, with a clear link to their pratical project. They will work in a self-directed manner to research and investigate the working practices, creative approaches and influential factors of their chosen artists. Learners will critically analyse selected pieces of artists' work, evaluating and reaching substantiated judgements about the work itself and the contexts which influenced the work.

Assessment Approaches

Course assessment at Advanced Higher: 

• Portfolio – 100 marks (100%)

The complete portfolio will be submitted to the SQA for external marking. The marks are allocated for practical design or expressive work (64), contextual analysis (30) and evaluation (6).