Getting Started: 

Layout:

Layout and readability is very important in your IB exam. There is an entire criteria E. on each rubric that assesses this. Here are some resources to help you with readability/layout/organization in addition to other resources provided.

Citations

Criterion A: Skills, techniques, and processes

This criterion is about how well you show your art-making skills and techniques. It looks at how you experiment with different methods and materials, and how you refine your techniques over time.

To do well:

• Show that you’ve tried different materials, tools, and techniques.

• Experiment with new ways of creating art, even if they’re challenging.

• Demonstrate how your skills improved as you worked on your art.

Criterion B: Critical investigation

Here, you’re assessed on how well you research and investigate artists, art styles, or cultural influences, and how you apply what you learn to your own work.

To do well:

• Research artists, art movements, or cultural influences related to your work.

• Explain what you learned from your research and how it influenced your art-making.

• Make connections between your research and your own art.

Criterion C: Communication of ideas and intentions

This criterion focuses on how clearly you communicate your artistic ideas and intentions. It’s about how well you explain the meaning behind your work and the creative decisions you made.

To do well:

• Clearly express the ideas or messages you want to convey in your artwork.

• Explain why you made certain choices (materials, techniques, subject matter).

• Show how your ideas evolved over time through sketches, notes, or drafts.

Criterion D: Reviewing, refining, and reflecting

This criterion is about how you reflect on your work, make improvements, and refine your artistic process. It focuses on how you think critically about your own art and make changes to improve it.

To do well:

• Reflect on what worked well and what didn’t in your art-making process.

• Show how you made improvements to your work after reflecting on it.

• Keep a record of your thoughts, challenges, and changes you made throughout the process.

Criterion E: Presentation and subject-specific language

This criterion looks at how well you organize and present your portfolio and how effectively you use art-specific language.

To do well:

• Present your portfolio in a clear, organized, and professional way.

• Use correct art terms when describing your techniques, materials, and ideas.

• Make sure your writing and images are easy to follow and understand.