Art and Design (Photography)

Course summary

This course is for students who want to continue studying Art and design after GCSE. You'll already be familiar with some of the skills and techniques, but the A level will give you the chance to study in more depth and develop your own particular artistic strengths and interests. It will suit you if you are creative and enjoy combining theory with lots of practical work. Even if you aren't aiming for a career in art and design, this course will give you a set of transferable skills including creativity, communication and the ability to work independently which can be useful in a range of careers. You'll have lots of time to experiment with traditional and new media, using a range of materials to develop your knowledge of art and design processes and techniques. You'll choose a theme within which you'll create personal and imaginative work, using the study of other artists, craftspeople and designers to inform your own creative ideas. You'll keep a sketchbook to record and document your move on to through media exploration, idea development, annotation and analysis, building a portfolio of your own work as you go along. You'll complete a written personal study of a minimum 1000 words demonstrating your critical understanding. You'll learn through practical hands on practice, classroom-based workshops, exercises, discussions, talks and presentations. There will be visits to museums and galleries, exhibitions and the opportunity to work alongside practicing artists and designers. You will be expected to complete independent study.