Spotlight on the Curriculum: Visual Art

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Well prepared and resourced programs of work have been something like a feast for hungry students over these recent start up days.

I have been impressed to see the information devoured and the enthusiasm and energy the students have displayed as they have got stuck into what is on offer. Descriptions and discussions about the processes involved with the achievement standards at Level 3 Photography as well as expectations and viewing exemplars have started off our senior students. Last years classes of Level 3 students were great role models for senior photography, 80% of them passed the external folio submission with a healthy spread of Excellence, Merit and Achieved grades.

The current Level 3 students are away on leadership camp as I write this but I have no doubt that some if not all of them will be taking the opportunity to produce work for their first assignment based on “Still life”.

Similarly, the Level 2 Photography students have put in a dedicated effort over this past week and are presently submitting the first of eight assignments for their first achievement standard based on picture making conventions. This week’s work has focussed on tonal composition and I have included examples of a couple of the students work with this report.

The Level 2 Painters have also made a great start and are well into their first portrait studies of a character from popular culture.

Year 11, level 1 students have been honing their skills with pencil drawing for the past week and have nearly completed the first of ten workbook pages for one of their external standards.

These senior students are very engaged and motivated groups and have hit the ground running, they are keen to constantly improve the standard of their work and I have already seen some remarkable results.

 

Glen Clark is teaching the year 10 class this year and the following is from Glen.

Year 10 Art have started a unit called 'Architecture of Dreams' where we will be using Surrealist artists Giorgio De Chirico and Alberto Giacometti to learn about symbolism and how objects and images convey meaning  whilst placed within architectural environments. They will be learning about using space and perspective, painting and sculpting techniques and about art history and context. 

Over the first week back they have been introduced to symbolic subject matter and have started to design their own crest/heraldry with symbols that represent themselves as well as analysing and interpreting Pablo Picasso's 'Guernica' to see how subject matter and artist's choices can carry meaning and message.

 

And finally a few comments from Rob Milne who is teaching year 9, 8 and 7 art classes this year.

 

The Junior Art rooms have been buzzing with a renewed burst of creativity as our Year 7–9 students dive into an exciting term of making and experimenting.

 

Year 7 have launched into the bold, brilliant world of Pop Art. Inspired by the playful oversized sculptures of Claes Oldenburg, students are exploring pop culture, everyday objects and eye-catching colour. Over the coming weeks, they’ll be building skills in drawing and painting before bringing their ideas to life in a major sculpture project that promises to be fun, bright and full of personality.

Year 8 are expanding their brains and skills as they investigate optical illusions and technical drawing. Through careful observation and precision, students are learning the fundamentals of linear perspective while taking inspiration from the mind-boggling works of M.C. Escher. This will lead into some amazing 3D drawings along with a taste of architectural design to finish.

 

Year 9 are taking a more personal approach, exploring themes of identity through thoughtful sketchbook practices and developing confident drawing skills. Alongside this, they are strengthening their foundational painting techniques in preparation for an upcoming collaborative sculpture project inspired by the narrative-rich and imaginative work of Grayson Perry.

 

With hands busy and imaginations switched firmly on, the weeks ahead are shaping up to be a vibrant celebration of ideas, skills and self-expression in Junior Art.

 

Thank you,

Bryn Jones - H.O.D. Visual Art