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Westfield Secondary School

Art and Design (Fine Art)

Overview

Introduction

GCSE Art and Design is a two-year course which is designed to engage, inspire and challenge. You will work on your own personal art projects where you will develop the skills and knowledge to be experimental and inventive, to be able to create your own works of art.

Qualification

GCSE

Awarding body

AQA

Course Code

8202/C 8202/X

Course leader

Miss R Blackburn

Assessment

  • Examination
    • Component 2: Externally set assignment (AO4) | 10 hours | 10%
  • Non-examined assessment
    • Component 1: Portfolio (AO1, AO2, AO3, AO4) | 60%
    • Component 2: Externally set assignment (AO1, AO2, AO3) | 30%

Curriculum

Course content

Projects are graded through four assessment objectives: AO1 artist links, AO2 development of ideas, AO3 observations and AO4 final response. All projects start with AO1 artist links where you will study the work of existing artists through written analysis and visual means. This will inform the style of work you produce, as well as supporting you to be able to think critically and develop a deeper understanding of art and design. Next, you will move onto objective AO3 where you will produce a variety of observational studies, developing skills with a range of media, such as drawing, painting, ceramics and photography to name a few. The observational studies will be informed and inspired by the themes and styles of the artist studied in AO1. These two stages are then combined to produce development work, AO2. Here you will create your own designs through experimentation, taking inspiration from the artist whilst working within the project theme. Through these experimental studies you will then refine your ideas to produce one final personal response to the project (AO4).

Skills and requirements

Skills required

We will continue to build on the skills you will have developed in key stage 3, however it is essential that you have a love and enthusiasm for the subject. Skills covered in key stage 4 art and design include: observational drawing, painting skills, 3D design, ceramics, collage, photography and photograph manipulation, mixed media work, creative ideas, annotation skills, written analysis of an artist’s work or styles.

Beyond the classroom

Future pathways

You can continue to study art and design as a vocational course or at AS and A-level. Art and Design GCSE will also support you to study other creative courses in further education. Art and design could open the door to many exciting careers such as illustration, hair and make-up artist, fashion designer, animator, graphic designer, theatre designer, architect, product designer, games designer, photographer, artist, ceramic artist, teaching, plus many more!

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