Art

Facilities/Resources

Art Department
Head of Department: Mr GL Bennett

The dept is housed in a large, well lit Studio, which is divided into two areas - a multi-function area and a dedicated 3d/pottery area. There is also a separate room with dedicated printing facilities and. a computer suite with five terminals, internet access, colour printing and b/w photocopying equipment. A library area has a good selection of reference books.

General

The emphasis is on encouraging an investigative approach to set problems and in developing ways of analysing visual information, using a variety of media and processes. Observational drawing forms the basis of most investigation and is further encouraged in homework projects.
All students have a personal folder containing project sheets, notes, homework/coursework studies and critical studies reference material. All projects have links to examples of work by artists/designers from a variety of sources, historical and contemporary, and students are encouraged to research their own.

Curriculum

Year 7

Projects are aimed at encouraging ways of creating images with pencil, paint, pastel etc., developing further into printing and claywork, including:

Still life - pastel studies and compositional arrangement
Portraiture - painting in Cubist style
Perspective drawing - one, two and multi-point
Claywork - interlocking relief tiles

Year 8

Projects take the processes learnt in year seven and further refine techniques with the relevant media. There is more in-depth investigation with scope for imaginative development, including:

Portraiture - measuring/comparison method, leading to-

Painting based on Fauve/Expressionist/Cubist styles

Graphics /Packaging design - construction of a package presentation based upon research of contemporary and historical examples

Year 9

This year sees the introduction of thematic project work, in similar format to GCSE requirements in years 10 and 11. Students are encouraged to develop their own lines of enquiry around a given theme, and can work in any preferred medium. Process (investigation, development, realisation) is an important, assessable component of all project work, including:

The Man-made Environment - a development painting/collage/print or combination thereof.

Graphics Presentation - an illustration project based around a chosen artist or movement

Workshop Day - hosted by a visiting artist

Sculpture - based on theories of Cubism

Years 10 and 11 (GCSE - AQA Unendorsed Syllabus)

There are three major projects undertaken during the whole of year 10 and the first term of year 11, followed by the Terminal Test , which runs from February until Easter. The final Exhibitions are assembled for assessment after the break. Students are then on exam leave, having completed their Art course, and are free to pursue their other options/exams to the end of the year.