The Arts 

Group 6: Arts (or a second subject from Groups 1–5)

Group 6 – Visual Arts

Content and Methodology

The Diploma Programme visual arts course enables students to engage in both practical exploration and artistic production, and in independent contextual, visual and critical investigation. This involves drawing, painting, printing, ceramics and digital photography. The course is designed to enable students to study visual arts in higher education and also welcomes those students who seek life enrichment through visual arts. In this manner, the course is not an elective but for students with a genuine interest in Art.

The process involved in the study and production of visual arts is central to developing capable, inquiring and knowledgeable young people, and encourages students to locate their ideas within international contexts. Supporting the principles of the IBO mission statement (that is, to foster students’ appreciation of diverse world cultures and traditions), the course encourages an active exploration of visual arts within the students’ own and other cultural

contexts. The study of visual arts and the journey within it encourages respect for cultural and aesthetic differences and promotes creative thinking and problem solving.

Distinction between SL and HL

The course content for HL and SL may be the same. However, due to the different amount of time available for each, students at HL have the opportunity to develop ideas and skills, to produce a larger body of work and work of greater depth. In order to reflect this, the assessment criteria are differentiated according to option and level. There need be no direct relationship between the number of works produced, the time spent on each, and the quality achieved: a high level of performance at either HL or SL can be achieved in both a large and small body of work.

Assessment

Part 1 SL/HL (20%): Comparative study

Part 2 SL/HL (40%): Process portfolio

Part 3 SL/HL (40%): Exhibition (Internal Assessment)

Prior knowledge

It is possible to take the visual arts course without previous experience, however, having some knowledge in the subject of art is definitely an asset.