Art and Design N4

Vale of Leven Academy

The Course has an integrated approach to learning, and includes a mix of practical learning and knowledge and understanding of art and design practice. In the Course learners will draw upon their understanding of the main factors influencing artists and designers work and practice. They will experiment with and explore how to use art and design materials, techniques and/or technology to develop their art and design work. Learners will use problem solving skills and reflect on their creative choices and decisions when developing their creative ideas.

Art and Design: Expressive Activity (National 4) This Unit helps learners to develop an understanding of the factors that influence and inspire artists’ work. They will also consider how artists use art materials, techniques and/or technology in their work. Learners will research and develop their personal thoughts and ideas in 2D and/or 3D formats in response to given stimuli. They will produce observational drawings and studies and develop their expressive ideas and compositions by experimenting with and using art materials, techniques and/or technology in creative and expressive ways.

Art and Design: Design Activity (National 4) This Unit helps learners to plan, research and develop creative design ideas in response to a given brief. Learners will develop their creativity and problem-solving skills as they consider the design opportunities, issues and constraints of the brief. They will develop their understanding of designers’ working practices and the factors that inspire and influence their work. They will also experiment with and develop media handling skills when producing their design ideas in 2D and/or 3D formats.

Art and Design Practical Activity (National 4) This Unit adds value by introducing challenge and application. In the Art and Design Practical Activity, learners will draw on and extend their knowledge, and apply practical skills when producing art and design work. The practical activity will be sufficiently open and flexible to allow for personalisation and choice and will focus on both the process and products of learning. They will develop problem-solving and reflective practice skills in the context of their expressive and design work.

All Units are internally assessed against the requirements shown in the Unit Specification. They can be assessed on an individual Unit basis or by using other approaches which combine the assessment for more than one Unit. They will be assessed on a pass/fail basis within centres. SQA will provide rigorous external quality assurance, including external verification, to ensure assessment judgements are consistent and meet national standards. The assessment of the Units in this Course will be as follows.

Art and Design: Expressive Activity (National 4) For this Unit, evidence will be required to show that the learner can produce observational drawings, studies and expressive development work in 2D and/or 3D formats in response to given stimuli. Knowledge and understanding of expressive artists and art practice will also be assessed.

Art and Design: Design Activity (National 4) In this Unit, evidence will be required to show that the learner can produce creative ideas in response to a given design brief. Learners will produce investigative studies and market research and will use this to develop their design ideas. Knowledge and understanding of designers and design practice will also be assessed.

Added Value Unit: Art and Design Practical Activity (National 4) Courses from National 4 to Advanced Higher include assessment of added value1 . At National 4, added value will be assessed in an Added Value Unit. The Added Value Unit will address the key purposes and aims of the Course as defined in the Course Rationale. It will do this by addressing one or more of breadth, challenge and application. In the National 4 Art and Design Course, the Added Value Unit will focus on challenge and application. Learners will draw on, extend and apply the skills they have learned during the Course. This will be assessed through a practical activity2 , which involves producing one piece of expressive art and one piece of design work. The practical activity will be sufficiently open and flexible to allow for personalisation and choice and will focus on both the process and products of learning