Art and Design (Fine Art)

Course summary

Component 1: Personal investigation In year 12 students will complete a Foundation stage working in different areas of fine art: drawing, painting, collage, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. This is supplemented with lessons in critical and contextual studies and trips to central London galleries. Students will develop personal responses to the theme Culture and Society. The development of ideas is documented in a sketchbook and the project culminates in an ambitious final piece. Component 2: Externally Set Assignment The title for the A-Level Fine Art exam project will be released in early February. Students have a period of 8-10 weeks (plus the spring half term and Easter holiday) to develop ideas through preparatory studies before spending two days in the department realising a final outcome as part of the 15 hours, controlled assessment. Year 12 Foundation – Culture and Society Exploring personal ideas independently through 4-week introductory workshops. Autumn: drawing sculpture painting Spring: printmaking film/photography collage Summer: gallery visits, artist talks prepare for A2 Personal Investigation. presentations Critical and contextual lessons to support understanding and written analysis of modern and contemporary art concepts. ‘Ways of Seeing’ John Berger. You will have six periods a week of taught lessons which are normally three double lessons. We expect you to arrive punctually, ready to work and equipped with materials you need to complete work. As an Advanced Level student, you must be independent and working ambitiously outside of your sketchbook, making artwork in response to your area of interest that stretches and challenges you. Sketchbooks are vital and are used mostly outside of lessons for you to push independent work forward. Research and writing is on-going throughout the course and most of this will be completed in your own time. Art trips are arranged throughout the year to central London galleries and students are encouraged to visit and document relevant exhibitions independently in their own time.