Art and Design Subject Overview Key Stage 3

 

Art and Design develops students’ skills in a range of media, techniques and processes informed by use of a visual language. These are not just technical skills, but skills in seeing and expression from an aesthetic perspective. The subject also develops in students a historical and cultural perspective of a variety of visual art forms, including painting, print making, photography and sculpture. It explores ideas about what makes art aesthetically pleasing or satisfying, and it develops capacity for judging and explaining judgements, as well as being able to participate in broader philosophical conversations about, for example, what constitutes art. Art enables students to respond and create in a personal way.

 

Year 7 - all year 7 will be introduced to Art and Design through a series of foundation units following a thematic approach: research skills, ways of looking, observation skills, ways of working and using a visual language. Integral to the foundation units will be a core of learning skills particularly relevant to Art and Design, such as independent and group enquiry, experimenting with a range of media, techniques and processes and critical awareness. 2015/16 will focus on portraiture, encouraging the observation skills through drawing, sculpture and research skills. Students will explore ceramics and stone carving.

 

Year 8 Multicultural: building on previous skills year 8 will develop skills with a range of printmaking techniques including lino, collagraphs and mono printing as well as digitally manipulating imagery. They will learn how to extend and develop ideas through card relief, photography and digital image manipulation. Students will be shown how to develop individual lines of enquiry by extending their research both individually and through group work. Time will be given to techniques in manipulating the visual elements and students will undertake specific design tasks. At the end of year 8 students should be able to use colour contrasts and tone, know some techniques of visual manipulation, work to a design brief and use simple construction techniques.