Sixth Form: Art and Design

Subject Overview

AS and A level Art and Design will encourage you to develop your creative, imaginative and intellectual powers. You will expand your knowledge and understanding of art, craft and design in contemporary society and in different times and cultures. Additionally, you will be given the opportunity to explore personal ideas through sustained investigations using a wide range of materials and techniques. Exciting projects will be created using ceramics, digital imaging, drawing and painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture and textiles. Visits to local and national galleries and museums are a feature of the course and you will be encouraged to experience actual artwork in its many forms.

We are proud of our success rate in Art and Design and many of our students who wish to continue studying Art are accepted for Foundation courses. Foundation students will then progress to a specialist Art Degree course. A level Art and Design will help to open up many lucrative and personally rewarding career paths but above all, the completion of our course will open your mind and will make you a more confident and culturally aware individual.

Course outline

The scheme of assessment is modular and comprises four compulsory assessment units (2 for AS and 2 for A2).

AS

• Unit 1: Coursework Portfolio
• Unit 2: Controlled Assignment

A2

• Unit 3: Personal Investigation
• Unit 4: Controlled Assignment

The coursework is centre assessed and moderated by OCR. The A2 coursework units will all be exhibited for moderation purposes and this dynamic art show is one of the highlights of the year.

Entry

Entry requirements for Art and Design are five GCSEs at grade C or above including Art. Strong drawing skills are crucial to success and you should be confident about your drawing ability.  The ability and willingness to engage in thorough independent preparation and research will greatly help your chances of success.

Activities and Trips

Students will be expected to visit local and national art galleries and exhibitions as part of their coursework research.  The Art department will also organise at least one visit to a major gallery and students will be asked to make a voluntary contribution to the cost of the trip.

Expected Costs

The Art department will endeavour to provide as much as possible, however students will need to purchase extra art materials as the course progresses.

Subject Resources

Useful Art sites for A Level students

• OCR Website Art and Design qualifications: Contains information about course content, mark schemes etc.
• Accessart Art: A good all-round site that should prove very helpful
• ArtNet: The website of Artnet magazine featuring pictures from up to 16,000 artists, lots of back dated articles, gallery reviews and even an online version of their current magazine
• ArtChive: Very useful for finding out about artists/photographers/designers etc. Huge Image library
• ArtCyclopedia: A really useful site with information and images from thousands of artists. Search by name, movement or work
• Aesthetica: The Art & Culture Magazine. Good for contemporary art sources of inspiration.  See Art department for log in password.
• A Level Art Forum: A Level discussions on The Student Room’s Performance Arts and Media forum.

Books

• Art and Design for A Level: Students Book [Paperback]
• Art and Design Activebook: Building the Best Portfolio by Maggie Edwards and John Davies
• 200 Projects to Get You into Art School by Valerie Colston

For More information email, Mr J McLarnon, Faculty Leader: Visual and Performing Arts