Stage 1 Visual Arts

Stage 1 Visual Arts  - Length | Semester (10 credits) or Full Year (20 credits)

The broad area of Art encompasses both artistic and crafting methods and outcomes. The processes of creation in both art and craft include the initiation and development of ideas, research, analysis and exploration, experimentation with media and technique and resolution and production of practical work.

Visual Arts engages students in conceptual, practical, analytical and contextual aspects of creative human endeavour. It emphasises visual thinking, investigation and the ability to develop ideas and concepts, refine technical skills and produce imaginative solutions.

An integral part of Visual Arts is the documentation of visual thinking. Students learn to communicate personal ideas, beliefs, values, thoughts, feelings, concepts and opinions, provide observations of their lived or imagined experiences and represent these in visual form.

Content

Through the initiation and development of ideas, problem- solving, experimentation and investigation in a diversity of media, processes and techniques, students demonstrate a range of technical skills and aesthetic qualities.

By analysing other practitioners’ works of art or design, students gain knowledge and understanding of their styles, concepts, content, forms and conventions, and learn to respond to these works in informed ways. A range of approaches to the interpretation of works of art or design from different cultures and contexts is used to explore the messages and meanings that these works communicate.

Of particular interest in this subject are past and present influences that impact on the visual arts: local and global events, social and political values, different perspectives provided by the diversity of cultural groups, and the styles, aesthetic value, and philosophies of individuals and groups of practitioners of particular times and places.

Folio

The folio documents the student’s visual learning and supports their resolved visual artwork. Each student undertakes:

A series of introductory exercises to develop idea generation on a teacher selected topic. Experimentation and problem- solving is encourage

Research and analysis of paintings from THREE different painters to deconstruct these art works and study their aesthetic qualities

The student works towards a final resolved practical suite of Artwork by brainstorming ideas, drawing and experimenting with colour, technique and composition.

Twenty A3 sheets (or equivalent) of visual and written and/or oral evidence to support one practical work, a suite of paintings.

Practical

·  Resolved Art Work – A suite of Artworks.

·  Practitioner’s Statement – The student completes an accompanying comment on influences, methods of communicating and expression; included is   a focused and coherent evaluation of their work. The size and number of pieces is to be negotiated with the teacher.

A written Practitioner’s Statement of a maximum of 250 words for one resolved practical. 

Visual study

Each student undertakes a series of teacher directed exercises as an introduction to understanding the qualities and properties of a particular medium or practices.

They research and analyse the artwork of various artists representing different artistic movements and eras, cultures and contexts. In this task the student uses appropriate terminologies and language to respond to these artists and art works.

The student completes more experimentation based on ideas from the five artists studied.

10 to 12 A3 sheets of practical study. Supporting material to a maximum of 500 written words.

Assessment

Assessment Type 1: Folio                                        (50%)

Assessment Type 2:   Practical                                  (30%)

Assessment Type 3: Visual Study                             (20%)