The course encompasses a wide range of activities designed to encourage students to explore and discover new possibilities in the visual arts. Students develop ideas and themes for their studio work and refine their skills in their process portfolio (sketchbook). New art processes and concepts, the use of media, and learning research techniques that yield many possibilities for studio works are the driving force for work in the process portfolio. Gallery visits, drawings, experiments with materials and approaches, and historical and critical analysis are included. Divergent and convergent strategies are employed.

In the art studio, students develop an exciting and highly personal portfolio of work in preparation for their exhibition. Both process work and final artworks can also be used for their university admissions portfolio for those who choose to apply to further education in the visual arts.

For Visual Arts syllabus, please click here.

• visual literacy and observation skills

  • visual research and in-depth investigation

  • the ability to experiment with a range of visual solutions for communicating their intentions

  • critical analysis of artwork

  • to consider the social, historical, geographical and cultural influences on art

The IBDP Visual Arts course is underpinned by three assessment items. These items include: a) the Art-making Inquiries Portfolio; b) the Connections Study (SL) or Artist Project (HL); and c) the Resolved Artworks. Both the Art-Making Inquiries Portfolio and Connections Study/Artist Project are externally assessed, while the Resolved Artworks are internally assessed and externally moderated. Further details on each assessment item can be found in the following LINK.

The course is useful for those wishing to pursue tertiary education in the following fields: fine art, art history, animation, architecture, interior design, theatre design, graphic design, photography, fashion, textiles and jewellery design, ceramics and industrial design, arts administration and television production. However, the course is also suitable for those who may not wish to pursue an art-related career, but would like to gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of the subject as well as the ability to discover multiple solutions for any given problem and develop their creativity further.