Art (Graphic Illustration) (AS/A level)

Specific Entry Criteria

Grade C in English Language and grade C in Art or a suitable portfolio of work showing potential to work at AS standard.

About the Subject

The Graphic Illustration course aims to develop students’ ability to communicate, provoke thought and elicit reaction from an audience. Students will explore a broad range of media and techniques, and illustrative approaches such as those for advertising, music promotion and fashion marketing. Contemporary and traditional artists’ and designers’ work are used as a source of inspiration for student’s own work and engage students in critical thinking. Students who enter onto AS/A level Graphic Illustration will recognise and re-visit features of courses they have enjoyed at GCSE.

Course Content

Year 1

Unit 1 - Portfolio

For this unit students will provide a portfolio of work demonstrating a range of technical skills and techniques in a variety of media. Students will initially be encouraged to explore media/techniques such as inks, collage, observational and expressive drawing and digital manipulation in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Initial practical explorations will lead on to more focused work where students will work on a given theme and topic. Students will also practically explore the work of other designers, to use as inspiration for their own work as well as developing critical thinking skills.

Written work is limited to annotated notes which record student’s evaluation of work, and personal responses to the designers’ work.

Unit 2 – Externally-Set Assignment

Students will practically respond to a set exam question, with 5 hours of the early developmental work being supervised in exam conditions. Work completed will build on the individual strengths of the student, with more focused, practical skills and knowledge being extended from their previous portfolio work.

Year 2

Unit 3 – Personal Investigation

This is a practical unit with written elements in which students are expected to develop a personal investigation based on an idea, issue, concept or theme. The work should be linked to the work of other Graphic Designers/Illustrators and students generate their own work from a detailed, in depth study of a selected range of designers. This is linked to a 1000-3000 word written response to the work and ideas of the designers that the student has used for inspiration.

The topic or theme for this unit is of personal choice and is based on strengths and interests experienced at AS level.

Unit 4 – Externally Set Assignment

Students will practically respond to a set exam question to develop a range of work which concludes to an in depth final piece. Exploratory work in preparation for the production of a final piece will be approximately 8 weeks, with 15 hours of this work supervised under exam conditions.

After the examination period, when all work has been finally assessed, students display work within an exhibition space. After external moderation the exhibition is opened to all parents where success is celebrated through a private view evening with prize giving.

Assessment

Students are assessed continually throughout the course, where feedback provides the opportunity for students to improve work and subsequent grades. Final assessment is in May.