Senior School - Art and Design
Staff
Mrs Marlene Banks BA, PGCE
Miss Elaine Scott BA, PGCE
J1 - J6 Courses
Art lessons in the lower primary are provided by Junior school staff, supported by subject specialists. Activities broadly follow 5-14 guidelines offering integrated topics which foster basic motor skills, media handling, imaginative thinking and observational skills. From J4 pupils attend lessons within the department. Art work at this level focuses on an accumulation of progressive, creative and independent expressive and design skills. It is our aim to provide and opportunity for all children to develop artistic awareness and achieve targets, set on an individual basis, whilst working on class, group and personal objectives. At this stage core skills, technique, verbal and visual confidence and the basic understanding of Art and Design concepts are prioritised.
Core Topics include:
COLOUR USE
Colour wheel, hot and cold colour, colour mixing, painting skills, expressions of mood/atmosphere through colour, application techniques, monochromatic studies, colour in design.
PATTERN AND TEXTURE
Recognition and rendering of pattern and texture, natural vs. man-made sources, rubbings, repeat printing, collage and lino cutting, pattern distortion, mirror imaging, pattern and texture in design.
FORM SHAPE AND SCALE
2 and 3 dimensional studies, construction and modelling techniques, exaggerated use of shape and scale, abstraction, observational drawing skills.
DESIGN SKILLS
problem solving skills, personal and group thinking, co-operative studies, research skills, presentation and communication, the design process.
USE OF MATERIALS
Control/manipulation of media, analytical drawing, use of and experimentation with new and increasingly challenging materials and techniques, fine motor control, self expression, rendering of detail, personal expression.
RESPONSE TO ARTEFACTS
discussion and investigation skills, recognition and understanding of the work of relevant artists and designers, research skills, Art and design context; historical and contemporary, evaluation skills.
Transition–S3 Courses
Courses at this level are a continuation of skills taught in the Junior school and aim to enhance earlier work, building upon previously acquired skills and experiences. Pupils are introduced to increasingly ambitious or in-depth topics which are intended to develop knowledge and understanding of techniques, concepts and applications as well as offering hands on, practical experience. During S2 course work is intended to re-enforce these experiences whilst preparing potential candidates for Intermediate 2 which pupils may undertake as an elective subject in S3. At each stage pupils are introduced to more sophisticated concepts and encouraged to take a more personal interest and direction in their work and topics are often selected with specific input from the pupils themselves.
New concepts and topics might include:
ARCHITECTURE
looking at and recognising famous buildings, modern vs. classical architecture, facades, down our street and other landscape topics, design studies based on architectural reference points.
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Calligraphy and illuminated lettering, magazine cover design, presentation skills and advertising/logos.
FIGURE STUDIES
figures in interiors, group studies, realism vs. fantasy, and analysis of proportion, skin tones, simplification, expressionism and abstraction. Use of computer aided imagery.
Assessment is both formal and informal at this level and takes several approaches depending on the needs of the individual and its appropriateness to the nature of the work undertaken Formal exams are undertaken by S2 and S3 at the end of each year.
Intermediate 2 and Higher
Higher and Intermediate courses follow the same basic outline, with assessment set at different levels to differentiate attainment at each level.
Objectives are separated into three main areas:
Design
A practical folio of work exploring, developing and resolving design issues determined by the candidate.
Expressive
A practical folio of work exploring, developing and resolving a personally selected topic relating to the visual arts.
Art & Design Studies
The exploration and examination of the life and works of relevant artists and designers, periods of history, contemporary studies.
Advanced Higher
A few pupils elect to develop their skills by taking the Advanced Higher course as a coherent extension of the Higher course. They are encouraged to develop self-reliance and the development of an in-depth body of work identified by their own interests, ambitions and areas of expertise. Advanced Higher is viewed as an opportunity for personally motivated study. Themes and topics are identified by each candidate and can vary from year to year.
An Introduction to photography unit is also on offer to 6th year pupils keen to explore a new and more vocational subject within the visual arts and offers candidates the opportunity to use camera and dark room equipment to plan, take and process their own black and white images based on a theme of their own choice.
Art and design is an elective subject but pupils maintain links with the department throughout their schooling through the Expressive arts programme.
Newly revised, this course offers pupils the challenge of Producing and presenting their own performance and has been hugely successful. The art department is responsible for assisting pupils in the development and practical building and making of set and props for each show and this year’s production is to be “Carousel”.
Extra-Curricular Activities
- Gallery and Practical workshop visits
- Art and craft club
