Art and Design (Graphics)

Course summary

Everything you see around you has been designed, from a ball-point pen to a building, from a cup you drink out of, to the menu you read at a restaurant. To be a designer allows you to create products and produce work, which addresses the problems of a design brief. WHY SHOULD I STUDY DESIGN? If you enjoy designing and making, then this course gives you the opportunity to express yourself using a variety of different materials and methods. You will have the chance to discover yourself as a designer and work out whether you prefer graphic communication or 3D methods. This will therefore see you experiment with a broad range of different design disciplines including illustration, architecture, advertising, textiles, fashion, product design, ceramics and interior design amongst many others. Design is a very ‘hands-on’ practical course and can be extremely rewarding. You may even decide that a career in design is for you. USEFUL SKILLS & INTERESTS You should have a keen interest in design generally and enjoy making and designing products. You will be introduced to both traditional ways of working, as well as challenging experimental approaches. You should enjoy visiting art and design galleries, to look at both historical as well as contemporary design work. COURSE STRUCTURE & CONTENT In the first year of the A Level course, you will creatively explore a range of design disciplines. In the first instance, you will be introduced to the design process and you will produce work through small exercises and design briefs. You will have the opportunity to explore graphic communication as well as 3-dimensional design processes before specializing in your chosen area of design. On the course you will study design and designers from the contemporary as well as historical periods. You will have access to our modern well-resourced Applegarth studios and traditional design workshop, and you will also have access to computer-aided design programs. In the second year you will develop your skills further by producing more in-depth and ambitious work. Throughout the course, you will be challenged with design problems and learn how to address these to produce sophisticated design solutions.