Advanced Higher Art & Design
Course Outline:
This course consists of 32 SCQF credit points (320 hours), which includes time for preparation for course assessment. The notional length of time for candidates to complete the course is 160 hours of teacher contact time.
Portfolio – 100 marks:
The Portfolio consists of a Practical folio worth 64 marks, a written study, the Contextual Analysis worth 30 marks and an Evaluation worth 6 marks
Practical Folio:
Candidates are required to complete a substantial portfolio in either Design or Expressive for external assessment, worth 64% of the overall grade. This will develop from personal investigations and experiments inspired by and linked to relevant artists and designers. A high level of visual coherence is required throughout the folio which demonstrates thorough research, development and refinement of ideas and practical skills leading to a final outcome(s).
Contextual Analysis:
The critical analysis should complement the practical folio and focus on closely related design work(s) for Design or artwork (s) for Expressive. This study is limited to 2000 words and is worth 30% of the overall grade.
Evaluation:
Candidates complete their reflective evaluations using the SQA template. The evaluation is worth 6%
Expressive
The aims of the Course are to enable learners to:
experience an independent, self-directed study of expressive art and art practice
develop personal autonomy, creativity, independent thinking and evaluative skills when responding to stimuli and creating their own expressive art work
develop individual self-expression and creativity through their considered exploration and use of art materials, equipment, techniques and/or technology
develop the higher-order thinking skills required to analyse, synthesise, and critically respond to and understand the impact of expressive art work
develop advanced critical thinking skills, reaching substantiated informed judgements when refining and presenting lines of visual enquiry and development
Design
The aims of the Course are to enable learners to:
· experience an independent, self-directed study of design and design practice
develop personal autonomy, creativity, independent thinking and evaluative skills when resolving design problems and responding to design area requirements and constraints
develop individual creativity and technical skills through the considered exploration and creative use of design materials, equipment, techniques and/or technology
develop higher-order thinking skills by analysing, synthesising and responding to designers’ work and the external factors which influence the design area
develop advanced critical thinking and design-based problem- solving skills
reach substantiated and informed judgements when refining and presenting lines of design enquiry and development
The Aims of the Course:
The aims of the Course are to enable learners to:
Experience an independent, self-directed study of expressive art/art practice or design/design practice
Develop personal autonomy, creativity, independent thinking and evaluative skills when responding to stimuli and creating their own expressive art or design work
Develop individual self-expression and creativity through their considered exploration and use of art or design materials, equipment, techniques and/or technology
Develop the higher-order thinking skills required to analyse, synthesise, and critically respond to and understand the impact of expressive art or design work
Develop advanced critical thinking skills, reaching substantiated informed judgements when refining and presenting lines of visual enquiry and development
Rationale:
Art and Design provides opportunities to develop aesthetic understanding, creativity and visual awareness, knowledge and appreciation. It encourages candidates to use a range of media and technology to understand, appreciate and respond to their world. The course promotes creative thinking and encourages independent thought, initiative, innovation, problem-solving and the development of personal opinions.
The Advanced Higher Course is intended to promote greater autonomy and candidates are expected to be highly self-motivated. Practical work commences in June and pupils should use this time to select either Expressive or Design and consider at least two inspirational artists or designers. The choice of theme is crucial to success as this will ultimately provide the impetus and development of the portfolio.
The Advanced Higher Course suits candidates aspiring to a career in the visual arts yet is also open to enthusiastic pupils wishing to simply gain another qualification. For those applying to fine art or design courses, the Advanced Higher course can provide the basis for portfolio applications.
A high level of commitment and very good attendance are prerequisites for success in this course. It is important to remember that personal study, both at home and in school, is an important element of Advanced Higher, and that learners must make every effort to attend extra-curricular after-school support classes.