Visual Arts provides learning opportunities designed to develop students’ confidence in artmaking and value the different ways that artworks can be made and interpreted. Visual Arts places great value on the development of students’ intellectual and practical autonomy, reflective thinking, critical judgment, and understanding of art through artmaking and critical and historical studies. Visual Arts offers a wide range of opportunities for students to develop their own interests, to be self-motivated and active learners who can take responsibility for and continue their own learning in school and post-school settings. Visual Arts fosters interest and enjoyment in the doing, production, and consumption of art. Visual Arts builds an understanding of the role of art, in all forms of media, in contemporary and historical cultures and visual worlds.

In contemporary societies, many types of knowledge are increasingly managed through imagery and visual codes and much of students’ knowledge is acquired in this way. Visual Arts empowers students to engage in visual forms of communication. The subject of Visual Arts serves to facilitate an interpretation and organization of such information. A genuine interest and degree of competency in artmaking (both traditional and/or contemporary forms) and a willingness to involve themselves in an analytical approach to the study of artworks and artists (both traditional and contemporary) is essential to success in this subject.

The course is made up of:

• Three areas of Practice (Making Artworks, Critical Study, Historical Study),

• The Conceptual Framework (Artwork, Artist, Audience, and World)

• The four Frames (Subjective, Structural, Cultural and Post Modern)

Artworks are developed within at least two of the broad areas of 2D, 3D, and 4D forms. Students are also provided with opportunities to make artworks in a sustained way and work toward the development of a body of work over the course.

2D Forms

• Drawing

• Painting

• Printmaking

• Photo and Digital Media Graphics Collage, Frottage and Montage

• Other 2D forms may also be included

3D Forms

• Ceramics Sculpture Installations

• Textiles Designed images, objects and environments

• Other 3D forms may also be included

4D Forms/time-based works

• Performance works

• Time-based installation works

• Video Digital animation

• Other 4D forms may also be included

In Critical and Historical Study, students examine artworks from a range of cultures, including Australia, and a variety of different forms in order to better understand the role of art and artists in their world, and to help inform and support students in their own artmaking.

Where possible, students will be given the opportunity to view artworks in local regional galleries and at the Queensland Art Gallery in Brisbane. Every effort is made to allow students to view major touring exhibitions.