National 5 Art & Design
The Purpose of the Course:
The National 5 Art & Design course aims to offer a comprehensive and hands-on experience of Art & Design. The course places a strong emphasis on nurturing creativity in its students. Candidates learn about different artists and designers and their work, which gives them a better understanding of Expressive and Design processes. They also learn and apply various related skills. The course provides a platform for candidates to explore their creative potential and push their limits through their work.
Course Overview:
The course consists of 24 SCQF credit points. The notional length of time for candidates to complete the course is 160 hours of teacher contact time and an additional expected self-study of 80 hours notional over the full academic session, this includes revision and examination preparation.
Expressive Portfolio:
40% of candidates overall grade
Candidates produce a portfolio of work based on a theme of their choice. For example, Still Life, Portraiture, and Landscape.
This part of the course helps candidates plan, research and develop creative expressive work in response to a theme/stimulus. Candidates develop knowledge and understanding of artists’ working practices and the social, cultural and other influences affecting their work and practice. They select a theme/stimulus and produce 2D/3D analytical drawings, studies and investigative research, and use this to produce a single line of development leading to a final piece. Candidates reflect on and evaluate their creative process and the visual qualities of their work.
This work is sent to the SQA at the end of the year
Design Portfolio:
40% of candidates overall grade.
Candidates produce a portfolio of work based around graphic design. This is also a theme or genre of their choice.
This part of the course helps candidates plan, research and develop creative design work in response to a design brief. Candidates develop knowledge and understanding of designers’ working practices and the social, cultural and other influences affecting their work and practice. They select a design brief and compile a variety of 2D/3D investigative material and market research, and use this to produce a single line of development leading to a design solution. Candidates reflect on and evaluate their creative process and the aesthetic and functional qualities of their work.
This work is sent to the SQA at the end of the year.
Question Paper - Critical Studies Exam:
20% of your overall grade
This is your exam. In your exam, you will answer the expressive and design section.
Expressive: In this section, you will have to answer Q1 and an unseen question. The first question is based on artists you have studied in class. The second question is based on an artwork you have never seen before.
Design: In this section, you will have to answer Q7 and an unseen question. The first question is based on designers you have studied in class. The second question is based on designs you have never seen before.