FINE ARTS

Learning Pathway

NCEA Education: https://ncea.education.govt.nz/arts/visual-arts?view=learning

At School

In the arts, students learn to work both independently and collaboratively to construct meanings, produce works, and respond to and value others’ contributions. They learn to use imagination to engage with unexpected outcomes and to explore multiple solutions. Studying arts subjects therefore helps to develop critical thinking and the ability to interpret the world around us. As students express and interpret ideas within creative, aesthetic, and technological frameworks, their confidence to take risks can increase. Visual Arts celebrates, fosters, and protects knowledge from the multitude of diverse cultures within Aotearoa New Zealand, including Māori and Pacific identities.

Working on long term art projects is an opportunity for students to hone their self-management skills, which prepares them for more independent work at Levels 2 and 3, as well as life beyond school. Visual Arts learning is relevant for students who are studying a wide range of other subjects where attention to detail, creating and interpreting images, and critical thinking are all important skills.

At Tertiary Level

Study in Visual Arts encourages students to pursue interests in art such as in painting, printmaking, drawing, photography, sculpture, installation, moving image, sound, performance, social practice, multimedia approaches, and new and emerging technologies. It also offers a stepping stone into arts education, and provides a pathway to teaching art within secondary and tertiary learning environments as a career opportunity.

Many tertiary courses require students to present their work collaboratively, creatively, and clearly, while communicating key messages and content effectively. Visual Arts skills are foundational to communicating ideas and information through a range of media such as infographics, visual presentations, or assignments.

Learning for Life

How do these skills transfer to the world of work? What kinds of occupations and jobs exist for those who study creative subjects at secondary school? Visual Arts learning is relevant to a wide range of occupations and there are exciting new art-related occupations being created all the time. The internet, offering new and diverse ways of communicating visually, has created increased demand for people with design and other visual art skills. People who can create interest and reach a wide audience via visual imagery are sought after in a range of work contexts. Visual Arts provides a lifelong skillset and is an exciting area of learning that is continually evolving.

Toi Māori

In studying Visual Arts, akōnga can draw from and develop their own culture, personal experiences, and skills. These may include traditional artmaking practice such as rāranga and whakairo, and may transfer into contemporary practice such as digital rendering or creating a zine. These skills can lead to exciting careers in:

• raranga weaving design

• art studio or exhibition space operation

• whakairo carving design

• tā moko

• kōwhaiwhai

• typography

• secondary school teaching

• kura kaupapa Māori teaching

• tertiary art and Māori art education

• Māori curation of public museums

• exhibitions and galleries

• Māori history

• Māori graphic design

• corporate of government commissioned marae wānanga workshops

• tourism

• production management of artistic work for Māori stage, theatre, performance, television, and advertising

• site-specific installation specialisation 

• producing large scale paint or print works

• digital content design or marketing

• 2, 3, or 4 dimensional art

• audio and visual recording.

Further possible jobs and occupations in the Arts industry include:

Digital and Multi-media

2D or 3D modeler or artist, game artist, animator, digital designer, marketing and social media designer, product designer, CAM designer, shader artist (game development), TV and film producer, special effects artist.

Education

Secondary art teacher, tertiary lecturer, tertiary tutor.

Fashion and Textiles

CAD or CAM operator, dressmaker, fashion designer, pattern maker and grader, production manager, studio assistant, stylist, marketing and social media, textile designer.

Fine Art

Graphic illustrator, commercial artist, draftsperson, special effects, painter.

Graphic Design

Advertising, branding and marketing advisor, digital conversion designer, graphic designer, packaging designer, signwriter, magazine layout, typographer.

Photography

Advertising, events, fashion, landscape, portraits, sports videographer and content creator.

Product Design

Ceramics, pottery, industrial designer or model designer, jeweler, toy designer, weaver.

Spatial Design

Architect, interior designer, landscape architect and design, traffic management planner, urban planner.

Writing and Analytical

Art historian, art critic, curriculum designer, graphic novelist, arts administrator.

Other

Art conservationist, art dealer, art therapist, artist agent, tattoo artist, UX (user experience) designer, marketing and brand specialist, social media adviser, broadcast editor.