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Why should I choose Art & Design?
This course is designed for pupils that are creative, imaginative and have a keen interest and flair in Art & Design. Whether a budding ceramicist or a keen fashion designer this course allows students to explore their chosen area of interest further and gain a GCSE grade.
Throughout the two year course, students will have the freedom to explore many art and design processes and will learn how to use a variety of media and technologies. They will be encouraged to develop their creative ideas through experimentation and will develop as effective and independent learners.
Students will develop their knowledge, understanding and skills through their own exploratory work and the research of others’ work. This specification places an emphasis on drawing as well as on understanding and applying the design process. It encourages students to engage with the creative and cultural industries, and offers a broad and flexible content, allowing students to pursue a range of creative pathways.
How will I be assessed in this subject?
This course is made up of two components and is entirely controlled assessment based.
Component 1 is worth 60% of the overall marks for the course and has two parts (A and B).
Part A: Exploratory Portfolio is worth 25% and aims to introduce students to a wide range of new disciplines and processes. Students will learn new skills through looking at various art and design practitioners as well as experimenting with lots of different media and techniques. Students will create a body of work that shows exploration and experimentation and present a portfolio of work showing their learning and progression.
Part B: Investigating the Creative and Cultural industries is worth 35% and aims to build on the knowledge, skills and confidence gained in Part A. Students will be required to demonstrate an understanding of the different roles and opportunities in the creative and cultural industries. Students will explore the work and practices of others, explore and experiment with relevant media and processes and produce a final outcome in response to a brief set by the teacher.
Component 2: Externally Set Assignment is worth 40 % of the overall marks for this course. CCEA will release a stimulus paper in the second year of the course which will contain a set theme. Students will be required to produce a portfolio of work in response to this theme. They will then be required to produce and complete a final outcome based on their preparatory work within a set period of 10 hours.
What will I study?
COMPONENT 1:
COMPONENT 1:
Part A: 25%
Part A: 25%
In this unit you will experiment and explore a range of different disciplines, for example, drawing and painting, printmaking, fashion & textiles, ceramics and graphic design.
You will have the opportunity to select your own areas of study and develop your skills further.
You will take part in various workshops to enhance your understanding and skills.
You will explore the processes and work of various art & design practitioners.
You will learn how to use and talk about the formal visual elements of art and design, including: line, tone, pattern, texture, shape, form and colour.
COMPONENT 1:
COMPONENT 1:
Part B: 35%
Part B: 35%
In this unit you will build upon the knowledge and skills gained in Part A and complete a practical task set by your teacher.
You will learn about the different work practices used in the production of artwork and investigate the design processes used by artists and designers when creating work.
You will take part in workshops, gallery visits and lectures.
You will have the opportunity to work with others on collaborative projects.
You will create a body of work that documents your research and ideas. Drawing will be used to support the development of your ideas.
You will produce a final outcome in a discipline of your choice.
COMPONENT 2:
COMPONENT 2:
Externally Set Assignment 40%
Externally Set Assignment 40%
You will complete a project based on a theme given to you by CCEA.
You will complete a project based on a theme given to you by CCEA.
You will produce a portfolio of work showcasing your skills and ideas before creating a final outcome in a media of your choice. It must be based on your preparatory work.
What career pathways are available to me if I study this subject?
Art & Design helps students develop many key employability skills that are desirable to future employers. These include, critical thinking, independence, self-expression, artistic and social awareness, confidence and problem solving.
It is also a great course suited to further study.
GCSE Art and design can start students on the path to a host of post 16 courses such as A-level Art & Design or Photography which in turn can be used to access a degree course of your choice.
It can also lead to a career in the creative industries such as film production, costume design, special effects make-up, fashion, illustration, journalism, museum and gallery work, architecture, photography, interior design and product design to name a few.
Extra curricular activities
If you choose Art, you may have the opportunity to take part in the following activities;
National competitions such as Texaco Children’s Art and True Colours
Gallery and Museum Visits
Life Drawing Classes in Castlewellan Forest Park
Artist of the month
True Colours Exhibition
Junk Couture Competition
Live Design Briefs
Visiting Artist workshops including Photography, Special Effects Make-Up, Textile Techniques, Printmaking and Graphic Design
Set Design for School Production
Student Testimonials
I had no hesitation in choosing GCSE and A level Art as it was always something I loved. The Art Department has such a fun atmosphere, and has access to a wide range of mediums available to use such as clay, oil pastels, epoxy resin and much more which I really enjoyed experimenting with.
After achieving my grades, I am now a student at Ulster University studying art and product design and hoping to continue my future in the design industry and possibly developing my own business.
Laura, Past Pupil
As a past pupil who completed Art at GCSE level, I could not recommend this course enough to any Year 10 student who has an interest in art. The course was full of experimentation and trying out new things. It is obviously much more advanced than what you all have done from Year 8 to Year 10 but you also get to try out a lot of different areas that you haven’t done before.
From my own experience, I discovered that not only was I able to experiment with different aspects of Art, but I was also in charge of the majority of the work I completed. There was no set rule on the exact work I had to complete meaning I could mainly focus on whatever area I wanted to.
At the start of Year 11, I remember completing most of my experimental work which was suggested and put forward by my teachers. This was mainly because we were new to the subject. I enjoyed Year 12 much more as I noticed the standard of my art had developed majorly. I now was familiar with the course and therefore I found it less challenging than Year 11. I chose my topic at the start of the year which was the cruelty that animals endure for entertainment. I found that this was when my drawing and painting skills advanced.
Throughout the course, I visited two True Colours exhibitions. This is where all the high graded GCSE and A-level artwork was placed for pupils like me to get inspired. The art that was displayed at these exhibitions were phenomenal! I also visited the Botanic Gardens and did life drawing in the Forest Park as well as taking part in a number of experimental workshops in school.
Even people who do not have a talent in art would have enjoyed this. I found that Art GCSE could be time consuming, but what subject isn’t? Art was my favourite subject that I studied at GCSE. I loved it that much that I decided to choose it for A-level which I am currently completing. If you are considering taking Art as a subject for GCSE, I hope this helped you to make the right decision.
Ellie-Jo, Year 13
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