National 4 Art & Design

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The National 4 Art and Design course is practical and experiential. The Course provides     opportunities for learners to be inspired and creatively challenged as they explore how to visually represent and communicate their personal thoughts, ideas and feelings through their work.  

Art and Design : Expressive Activity 

In this element, students will develop critical understanding of artists’ working practices and the social and cultural influences affecting their work. They will choose ideas and themes and produce analytical drawings and studies. Students will develop and refine their expressive   ideas and artwork, experimenting with and using a range of materials, techniques and/or  technology in 2D and/or 3D formats when responding to stimuli. 

Art and Design: Design Activity

In this element students will plan, research and develop creative design work in response to a design brief. They will develop their creativity, problem solving and critical thinking skills as they consider design opportunities, and work to resolve design issues and constraints.           Students will develop critical understanding of designers’ working practices and the main social and cultural influences affecting their work. They will experiment with, develop and   refine their design ideas, using a range of materials, techniques and/or technology in 2D and/or 3D formats.

Assessment

This course will be assessed through a completed Added Value Unit in addition to the        successful completion of both the expressive art  and the design units. The Added Value Unit  which must be completed,  involves producing a portfolio of pieces of expressive art and      pieces of design, which will be assessed by your teacher.

WHAT WILL MY HOME COMMITMENT BE FOR THIS COURSE?

A high level of self-motivation is required for the Art and Design courses. Students can expect to do at least 1 hour of homework per week. Over the course of the year this can involve

• Collecting and drawing an appropriate range of objects

• Researching and writing essays on the work of artists and designers

• Completing any unfinished practical tasks started in class time

Is ART & DESIGN for me? 

You will enjoy this subject if: 

· You enjoy being creative.

· You enjoy problem solving.

· You enjoy communicating your ideas visually.

· You want to express your own ideas and feelings.

· You would like to develop your practical skills using a wide variety of 2D and 3D materials.

· You are interested in how design can improve our daily lives.