The Art Department encourages the individual talents of all its pupils in drawing painting, printmaking, sculpture, pottery and 3D design.
Key Stage 3
During Key Stage 3 pupils explore all aspects of critical Art studies ranging from medieval to 20th century Art.
Exhibitions of Art and Design are always on display in the department, and around the school premises.
The department has a strong tradition of Arts liaison with its feeder schools and organises a Year 6 Arts Day in the summer term.
Key Stage 4
At Key Stage 4 the subject is optional but many of the students undertake very successful GCSE courses in Painting and Drawing and in Photography. There is a suite of rooms specifically designated to digital and black/white photography.
At all levels of Art and Design there are no formal extra-curricular activities but the department is open at all times for pupils to work
GCSE
During the two year course pupils will study the basic principles of composition, colour, texture, line and techniques in most media eg: clay sculpture, printmaking, graphic design, batik, fabric printing, drawing, painting, video and computers.
Assessment structure:
AQA Exam Board
Unit 1: Portfolio of work 60%
The portfolio of work is selected from work under taken during the course of study and must include more than one project. The portfolio will show research, development of ideas, processes and links with art and design movements, individual artists, designers and craftsperson’s. Homework is expected every two weeks throughout the course.
Externally Set Task 40%
Students respond to their chosen starting point to produce a personal response. Question papers can be issued to students from January in the year of the exam. Unlimited preparation time and 10 hour period of sustained focused study.
Routes for progression
The demand for artists who paint pictures, make sculptures or print limited editions of their work is small, but industry is always looking for creative designers in: Ceramics, Bookbinding, Furniture, Clothing, Footwear, Textiles, Toys, Electrical Equipment etc.
Other important careers for the creative artist are in Graphic Design, Advertising, Illustration, Printing, Photography, Film, Theatre, Television, Computers, Display, Interior Design, Typography and Lettering. Art is also directly linked to Teaching, Occupational Therapy, Hairdressing, Conservation Crafts, Dress-making, Archaeology and Cartography (map making).
Art and Design at GCSE level would be useful in Architecture, Industrial Design and Technology, Museum Work, Painting and Decorating.
The first step to take if you are interested in an art-related career is to inform your Art teachers. They have direct contact with the College of Art and the Sixth Form. It is obvious that any pupil seeking a career in Art must have a talent and dedication for the subject. Full details of courses are always on display in the Art Department and Careers Room.
Detail about the course itself
In the final term pupils will decide with their teachers which area of study should be examined. This is normally examination course No 4202 Fine Art, but some pupils opt for courses: Art (drawing and painting), No 4206 Art (photography), No 4205 Art (three dimensional studies).
AS and A2 Level
AQA 2200 Fine Art
Entry Requirements:
GCSE grade B Art. A grade C in English would be useful for the Personal Study unit where a written response is required.
Introduction
Students will be introduced to a variety of experiences and exploring a range of fine art media, techniques and processes. They will be made aware of both traditional and new technologies.
Students will explore relevant images, artefacts and resources relating to art and design from the past and from recent times, including European and non-European examples. This will be integral to the investigating and making PROCESS. Their responses to these examples must be shown through practical and critical activities which demonstrate the students understanding of different styles, genres and traditions.
Students will explore drawing using a variety of methods and media on a variety of scales. Students will use sketchbooks/workbooks/journals to underpin their work where appropriate.
Areas of Study
Students are required to work in one or more area(s) of Fine art, such as those listed below. They may explore overlapping areas and combinations of areas:
- painting and drawing
- mixed media, including collage and assemblage
- sculpture
- land art
- installation
- printmaking: relief, intaglio, screen processes and lithography
- film, television, animation, video, photography: lens-based and/or light-based media and new media.
Skills and Techniques
Students will be expected to demonstrate skills, as defined in Section 3.5 of this specification, in the context of their chosen area(s) of Fine Art. Students will be required to demonstrate skills in all of the following:
- Appreciation of different approaches to recording images, such as observation, analysis, expression and imagination
- Understanding of the conventions of figurative/representational and abstract/non-representational imagery or genres
- Appreciation of different ways of working, such as using underpainting, glazing, wash and impasto; modelling, carving, casting, construction, assembling and welding; etching, engraving, drypoint, mono printing, lino printing, screen printing, photo silkscreen and lithography
- Understanding of pictorial space, composition, rhythm, scale and structure
- Appreciation of colour, tone, texture, shape and form.
Knowledge and Understanding
Students must show knowledge and understanding of:
- How ideas, feelings and meaning can be conveyed and interpreted in images and artefacts in the chosen area(s) of study within Fine Art
- Historical and contemporary developments and different styles and genres
- How images and artefacts relate to social, environmental, cultural and/or ethical contexts, and to the time and place in which they were created
- Continuity and change in different styles, genres and traditions relevant to Fine Art
- The working vocabulary and specialist terminology which is relevant to their chosen area(s) of Fine Art.
Successful students have gone on to study Foundation courses and subsequently to institutions such as Goldsmiths and the London universities.
We advise you only take two subjects from Art & Design, and Design & Technology, which includes Art, Electronics, Fashion Design & Textiles, Graphic Design, Photography/Lens Based Design, Product Design.