Art and Design

Course summary

The aim of the course is to develop an understanding of the nature of visual thinking and its appropriate language and its potential in 21st century creativity. As such, Art and Design is widely recognised as valuable preparation if you are considering a career in the creative industries (e.g. Fine Art, Architecture, Textile Design, or Game Art Design). It will also enrich your appreciation of the world around you. The course includes painting, sculpture, photography and textiles but you will also have the opportunity to explore new media processes such as video, digital photography and sound manipulation using industry standard software. In Year 12 you will explore a variety of materials in two and three dimensions with three specialist teachers. These include oil, acrylic and watercolour painting, various printmaking techniques, textile mixed media, digital and darkroom photography, sculpture in various materials and scales, and ceramic construction, firing and glazing. In Year 13 you will build upon the skills that you have learned in Year 12 to research, plan and develop a unit of coursework which will be assessed at the end of the academic year. In this time you will produce final pieces in at least two of the specialisms explored in Year 12. This is generally a 2D and a 3D piece. You will also produce a Personal Study which is an academic essay of between 1000 and 3000 words based upon your chosen area of study.