Visual Arts

Visual Arts

HOD: Mr Deon van Dorp

Compulsory: No

Required for further studying: No

Useful for: In the 4th Industrial Revolution, the Arts are helpful in most careers as they open up the doors to creative thinking within all realms of study and work. More specifically: fine arts, design, interior design, fashion design, advertising, web design, etc.

Does it count for APS: Yes, full points awarded

Practical component: Yes. Visual Arts includes a Practical Assessment Task (PAT) which requires additional time outside of classroom time.

Special requirements/recommendations: Many hours of constant practice, drawing and painting. Although the school provides much of the materials needed to complete art works, the learner may wish to purchase his own mediums and resources.

Taking Visual Arts as a subject, does not mean that a learner will necessarily become an artist or go into an arts related field. This seems to be the general belief that many parents/guardians have and subsequently they discourage their son/ward from taking Art. Visual Arts can be an immensely rewarding experience at Jeppe High School for Boys. The subject empowers students to cope in our ever-changing world as it develops critical thinking, creativity and the ability to adapt in the conceptual age in which we live.

Contrary to popular belief, the Visual Arts student need not necessarily have a facility or talent for the subject. He will through time, practice and hard work be able to learn the disciplines of Art in the same way that he would learn the necessary skills to excel in a subject like Mathematics. The only requirements that a student needs for this subject is passion and the willingness to learn.

For university study, a distinction in Visual Art will garner the learner seven points towards entrance into the degree course of his choice. These points can be used to study in any field and need not necessarily be used towards study in the Humanities.

The Visual Arts department consistently produces an average mark 25-30% higher than the GDE average. In 2014 three of our matriculants achieved 100% averages. However, to achieve this, boys need to be disciplined, hardworking, ambitious, self-motivated, creative and imaginative. Visual Art comprises both a theory and a practical component. This in effect means that the learner is selecting the equivalent of two subjects. Practical will require an extra investment of homework time.

"Which learners will be successful? Those who know the value of effort. Those who keep on trying – and, in doing so, become better than they were before". From Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Lee Duckworth.

NOTE: In 2023, Visual Arts will be timetabled with Accounting. These two subjects may not be taken together.