AS and A Level Art and Design (Fine Art)

AS and A Level Art and Design (Fine Art)
This course is designed to enable you to explore and develop your own visual language in a range of two and three-dimensional work using a variety of approaches and media.

What does the course consist of?
In Year 1 you will study units 1 and 2 for an AS Level. In Year 2 you will take units 3 and 4 to complete the full Advanced Level.
Unit 1: Practical Coursework

In this unit you will be encouraged to investigate the expressive nature of the formal elements of art and design. These include colour, form, line, pattern, shape, texture and tone. Any method of responding to these expressive elements may be used from collage to paint to printing and construction and photography. You will demonstrate experimentation with practical and visually exciting materials in order to develop a personal visual response to a starting point that may be a theme set for you or of your own choosing with advice from your teacher. You will be expected to investigate the work of other artists/designers who have worked either thematically or expressively in their stylistic language and make connections between your own work and theirs wherever possible.
You will be assessed by coursework

Unit 2: Externally set assignment

You will be given a series of titles/themes from which you will make a choice. The starting points are open-ended and can be developed in a personal way. There will be a preparatory period in advance of an eight hour examination. During this period you will research and make studies in your work journals and elsewhere.
You will be assessed by preparatory work and an externally set timed exam

Unit 3: Practical work linked to a personal study

You will be required to research, evaluate and analyse your own work in relation to that of other artists and designers. It will involve visiting exhibitions and galleries and extensive research of theories of Art and Design. You will identify creative practical work, undertake investigative research, and develop a range of possible practical solutions that illustrate the development of your own visual language, showing sensitive use of materials and processes. Your work will include a personal written illustrated study of 1000-3000 words which is relevantly linked to your practical work.
You will be assessed by coursework

Unit 4: Externally set assignment

This is the culmination of the course. You will be given a theme to investigate during a preparatory period in advance of a controlled test of 12 hours. This will give you the opportunity to show to what extent you now understand the formal elements of the processes and practices that you have used.
You will be assessed by preparatory work and an externally set timed exam

What else do I need to know? Ideally, you will bring a portfolio of work to discuss with a member of the art staff to check whether the course is suitable for you. A small charge is made for specialised materials required by individual students for their work.
You will be encouraged to express in visual forms, your own individual thoughts, feelings, observations and ideas. You will mainly work through the media of drawing and painting and may produce work in any other appropriate media.
The course is taught in practical studio-based sessions with an emphasis on individual tuition within a group structure. You must develop the capacity for independent learning in your own time as an extension to the course.
You will need good observational drawing and a willingness to experiment with a wide range of materials. Enthusiasm and commitment for independent practical artwork and an open mind to explore visual ideas, together with a genuine interest in the work of other artists and designers is very important.
There are specialist art studios arranged in an open plan fashion as well as an Art History seminar library with computer access.
Most subjects combine well with Art & Design. Popular combinations include: Critical and Contextual Studies in Art, Textiles, Photography, Drama and Theatre Studies, English, Media Studies, History, Design courses and Languages. Avoid three AS Level Design options in one year.
Careers in Art and Design via further and higher education include: fashion & textile design, film, TV, video, animation, teaching, advertising, art therapy, costume and props design, architecture and an ever expanding area of design. Combined courses at BA level are numerous.
You are expected to purchase sketchbooks throughout the course. You will need a selection of individual drawing and painting materials for your independent work at home.