Student experiences and your body of work
Learning from other students
There are several reasons why learning from your peers is effective. You share a similar language and perspective. Seeing what other students have done to achieve success can support your understanding.
In this lesson students will respond to the ideas and experiences of successful HSC Visual Arts students.
'There were just stages where what I was painting and oil painting just didn't work and things were just getting frustrating. So I didn't know how to work it because I was still in a learning stage of it... So talking to my teacher really helped overcome those challenges because he knows so much.'
Belle Leonard , Collection of works, Maitland Grossmann High School interview about their body of work.
Alexis Potts, Photomedia, Mosman High School, detail from photograph.
Belle Leonard, Collection of works, Maitland Grossmann High School, detail from body of work.
Jane Asher, Documented Forms, Fairvale High School, detail from film.
Sebastian Clarke, Drawing, Dubbo School of Distance Education, detail from drawing.
Activity 1 - Examples of successful practice.
In a series of interviews, seven year 12 students discuss the development of their body of work - including their use of a visual arts process diary, their concept and use of materials and techniques. Each student reflects on their journey towards the successful completion of their body of work and also on their inclusion in ARTEXPRESS 2019.
On a new page in your art diary or in a new digital document create a mind map to summarise a successful student's practice, using the example below as a guide. You might use an online program such as a tool in the digital learning selector on the NSW Department of Education website.
Select and view two interviews from the seven options available to watch here.
Summarise the experiences of the two students in mind map format. Make notes on your mind map as you watch the video (you will need two maps in total). Stop the video so that you can jot down ideas. Add more branches to your mind map where appropriate.
Share and discuss your summary in pairs or in a small group. Consider: What were some of the strongest messages that came out of the interviews? What new information did you learn about the process of making a body of work? What was already familiar and reinforced through the interviews?
This 10 week Google digital learning log (above) and the Microsoft Sway Student Portfolio template (below) are both accessible here and can be modified. They are examples of several resources on the NSW Department of Education Digital Learning Selector.
Activity 2 - Putting good advice into practice
There are many tools students can use to organise their time and ideas and to document their experiences as they develop a body of work. Activities shared here can be printed and should form part of the Visual Arts Process Diary (VAPD).
A) Complete a mind map that reflects the development of your own body of work. Use the mind map you have completed above as a scaffold for your own reflection.
Identify two strengths of your body of work (so far) and one area that you feel needs improvement.
Date your concept map and put it in your VAPD for reflection and feedback from your teacher.
B) Plan how you can effectively use your weekly timetable to make progress on your body of work. In discussion with your teacher, map out when you have artmaking lessons and when you have art critical/historical lessons. Then set challenging learning goals for each week to keep you on track. Nominate the specific success criteria that will provide evidence that you have achieved your weekly (or lesson) goal. Consider options for working outside of class time on your body of work, either in a study period of after school.
The SMART goals are outlined below.
Specific – the goal clearly sets out what is expected.
Measurable and manageable–A goal needs to be measurable to ensure you stay on track and ultimately reach your goal.
Achievable, appropriate and agreed – the goal is realistic and attainable, you may need to learn new skills to achieve the goal but you have the support you need to do this.
Relevant, realistic and recorded – the goal is important for your progress and documented in your VAPD.
Time related – the goal can be achieved within the time frame you have agreed on with your teacher.
Sharing your week or lesson goal with your teacher and/ or a peer is a way to stay on track, successfully manage your time and make progress. Seek out specific feedback about your goals and progress.
'One challenge in making my body of work was trying to figure out how to make certain textures like bark, feathers, and everything to make it look more realistic, and also having to cut everything individually. So I had to ask a couple of people, like my art teacher, how to make the bark, like ripping pieces together or cutting it up, seeing which one worked better.'
Jamie Wong, sculpture, Beverly Hills Girls High School student interview about their body of work.
'My VAPD was crucial in recording, developing, and executing ideas surrounding my body of work. I had photographs of many Australian artists' artworks that I felt were inspiring, and could look back on them and try and use them to better my own work. It was a tool that allowed me to test materials and techniques before trying to implement them onto my body of work. So I didn't have to make too many mistakes in that part.'
Sebastian Clarke, drawing, Dubbo School of Distance Education student interview about their body of work.
Activity 3 - Frame your work
Now that you have a solid understanding of some of the expectations for a successful body of work, use the frames scaffold to write an analysis of your own plans and progress. Make sure you date this reflection activity.
Divide a page of your VAPD into four sections or use a digital document. Look critically at the work you have completed at this stage and make notes using bullet points.
Be as descriptive as possible and justify your claims with evidence from your own work. For example: 'My work explores my cultural background' might be improved by saying 'The drawings of dragons, waves, fish and clouds reference my cultural background by referring to...'
When your frames analysis is complete, share it with a peer and discuss your responses. Consider these questions: Are there areas where it is challenging to back up your claims with evidence from your body of work? What might this suggest? Are there areas when you were able to write convincingly? Which frame was provided a perspective that seemed most suited to your body of work? Why might this be?
Speaking of framing your work... did you know that you are not marked on any BoW frame? Generally you do not need one. If you must use one think about a simple cardboard mount. Talk about your options for presenting your work with your art teacher, they are the expert and will give you the best advice. Remember though - no glass! Often simple is best.
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