AS/A2 Art & Design

What does studying Art & Design involve?

Art and design stimulates creativity and imagination. It provides visual, tactile and sensory experiences and a unique way of understanding and responding to the world. The course enables you to use and understand art, craft and design as a form of visual communication, to have confidence in reading and evaluating visual images and artefacts. You will also develop your ability to experiment and explore a range of media to realise your intentions.

We teach from a fine art perspective – you will be expected to draw, paint, print, photograph and sculpt your observations of the world around you, developing these through sustained experimentation and by making connections with a wide range of other artists’ work. The main element of the course is practical art making in the studio, although you will also be introduced to key conceptual and analytical theories and be expected to undertake written analysis. You will need to be able to research independently and to have your own ideas about issues and your immediate environment - the world in which you live.

How will I know if I would be successful at it?

You will need to have a good visual awareness, and to have studied a creative subject at GCSE depth such as Art & Design, Textiles, Graphics or Resistant materials. Art & Design is ideal for students who like to solve problems creatively, experiment with ways of approaching different materials and see things in a different way. Good competent drawing skills will help you establish more fluent marks as the course progresses. It would also be helpful if you have some knowledge of digital photography, and access to a ‘space’ in which to work in your own time – even if it is your own bedroom!

Modules that you will cover and assessment

Both AS and A2 consist of one coursework module and one taught exam module. This will be broken down into smaller workshop based units, looking at skills ranging from printmaking, painting, sculpture, photography, to critical theory and presentation. You will get the responsibility to select your won starting points as inspiration for your projects. Work is marked internally according to four basic assessment objectives, the same as at GCSE. In the AS year, workshops consist of practical taught sessions, followed by independent studio sessions where you can apply what you have learnt to your own interests. In the A2 year, you gain increasing independence and set your own themes / work to your own ideas, with support from your teachers.

Exam board:

Edexcel. See http://www.edexcel.com/quals/gce/gce08/art/Pages/default.aspx  for more details.

What skills will I develop and where could studying this subject lead?

Aside from the obvious essential practical skills, studying Art & design develops your creative and visual awareness; the ability to undertake independent research, and to analyse and interpret images. You gain an ability to construct a personal point of view, and discuss this with others. As the subject allows you to express and realise your own ideas, you gain confidence and have the opportunity to exhibit and present your work at the successful summer exhibitions.

Art & Design is an excellent creative A level that enhances research and presentation skills, strengthens understanding of other subjects. It is the pathway into a host of practical and theoretical creative subjects at university level. Most students go on to study an Art Foundation course at university, which is a one-year course with degree style teaching and facilities, enabling you to specialise your career in the arts, and produce a professional portfolio for entrance onto a degree course. There are over 5,000 different practical creative courses on offer at degree level, from Computer Games Design to Fashion Design and Fine Art. For more information on options, visit:

http://www.arts.ac.uk/student/careers/students.htm

Entry requirements:

We require you to have at least a grade C in a creative subject. These might include: Art & Design, Photography, Textiles, Resistant Materials, Graphics, or even Media Studies.

Which other subjects does it combine well with?

Most students studying Art & Design are visually creative, and therefore combine this subject with other creative options such as Graphics, Photography or Textiles. Choosing one or more creative subjects extends your ability to create a visually impressive portfolio to proceed onto degree level. It also requires good personal organisation to cope with the pressures of heavily coursework-laden subjects.

Similarities between the subject at GCSE and A Level:

Students sit the EDEXCEL GCSE at Coombe in Year 11, and will find many similarities between their Year 11 and 12 works. The assessment procedures are the same, although the course is more focussed over just one year instead of two. Studying five lessons a week, with the same time required for homework is a big step up, and we expect more rigorous in depth investigation and research.

The expectations for the students are also different. We want you to become independent learners, arriving to lessons equipped to learn, with ideas and insights that come from your own perspective. This means that you will need to bring some resources to lessons, such as objects / images / research that you have conducted on your own.

Progression between AS Art & Design and A2:

Students begin their Year 13 A2 work at the end of the summer term, when they are still in Year 12 and return from study leave. This begins the Unit 3 coursework unit for their Advanced level. We introduce the concept of the ‘Personal Study’, and essay based research assignment, which is designed for students to conduct an in-depth piece of research into an aspect of Art & Design that inspires them. We also begin more focussed sketchbook work, and introduce Life Drawing sessions. All students anticipating continuing the course will be set a summer project, based on their initial ideas for the Personal Study. This entails completing their sketchbook, visiting galleries and museums, and recoding observations from primary sources [drawing from looking at real things/spaces in their sketchbooks].

AS Level Art Exhibition 2009-2010

AS Level Art Gallery Photos - 2009-2010

A2 Level Art Gallery Photos - 2009-2010

Other useful information:

Edexcel provide a student guide and copies of the specification and assessment criteria: http://www.edexcel.com/quals/gce/gce08/art/Pages/default.aspx

Information about careers in the visual Arts:

http://www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u/index.cfm?pid=20

Further education opportunities at our most popular leavers’ destinations:

University of the Arts London:

http://www.arts.ac.uk/

Kingston University:

http://www.kingston.ac.uk/design/

Wimbledon College of Art:

http://www.wimbledon.arts.ac.uk/

Central St Martins College of Art & Design:

http://www.csm.arts.ac.uk/index.htm

Chelsea College of Art & Design:

http://www.chelsea.arts.ac.uk/index.htm

London College of Fashion:

http://www.fashion.arts.ac.uk/

London College of Communication:

http://www.lcc.arts.ac.uk/index.htm

University College for the Creative Arts/Epsom:

http://www.ucreative.ac.uk/index.cfm?articleid=8808

Photography

What does studying Photography involve?

Photography enables you to frame your view of the world in which you live. It teaches you a unique way of understanding and responding your environment, and asks questions about how others present their views of life. The course enables you to use and understand Photography as a form of visual communication, to have confidence in reading and evaluating visual images and image making. You will also develop your ability to experiment and explore a range of photographic media to realise your intentions.

We teach from Photography from an Art & Design perspective – you will be expected to keep a detailed sketchbook in which you photograph, collage, write, draw and print your observations. These visual notes will then be developed through sustained experimentation and by making connections with a wide range of other Photographers’ work. The main element of the course is traditional black & white Photography in the darkroom, although you will also be introduced to key digital techniques and some film work. You will learn analytical theories and be expected to undertake written analysis. You will need to be able to research independently and to have your own ideas about issues and your immediate environment - the world in which you live.

How will I know if I would be good at it?

You will need to have a good visual awareness, and to have studied a creative subject at GCSE such as Art & Design, Textiles, Graphics or Media Studies. Photography is ideal for students who like to solve problems creatively, experiment with ways of approaching ideas and see things in a different way. It would also be helpful if you have some knowledge of digital photography, and access to a camera.

Modules that you will cover and assessment

This consists of one coursework module and one taught exam module. This will be broken down into smaller workshop based units, looking at skills ranging from 35mm darkroom techniques, studio lighting, digital manipulation, film, to critical theory and presentation. Work is marked internally according to four basic assessment objectives, and moderated externally.

Exam board: See www.edexcel.org.uk/quals/gce/art for more details.

What skills will I develop and where could studying this subject lead?

Aside from the obvious essential practical skills, studying Photography develops your creative and visual awareness; the ability to undertake independent research, and to analyse and interpret images. As the subject allows you to express and realise your own ideas, you gain confidence and have the opportunity to exhibit and present your work at the successful summer exhibitions. Photography is an excellent creative A level that enhances research and presentation skills, strengthens understanding of other subjects. It is the pathway into a host of practical and theoretical creative subjects at university level.

A Level Photography 2009-2010

Online Book List

Visit Amazon to buy our recommended text books. If you choose to order books via Amazon please read their terms and conditions.

Art of the 20th Century

The 20th Century Art Book Mini Format

The Art Book - Midi Format

500 Self-Portraits Paperback Taschen artists Monograph series http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/books/art/all/index/1.htm