2nd Year A Level Coursework Part II - Progress Checklist

A Level Coursework Part II.
AO 1	Research
What you should complete: Research into at least 6 Artists associated with the approach you are taking including analysis of individual images in terms of technique, scale, media, composition, use of colour etc. Links to your own studio work should be explained. Present your research over at least 12 sketchbook pages; consider layout and how to include text carefully. Get several good quality reproductions of each Artist’s work and make visual responses in appropriate media. A 3000 word personal study researching an area associated with your practical work (see previous blog post for additional guidance on this).
By Monday 12th December: Complete research into at least 3 Artists over 6 sketchbook pages. Make a start to your Personal Study, identify Artists and imagery that you want to discuss, finalise your title and write your introduction.
AO 2	Develop & Experiment
What you should complete: At least 16 pages of experimentation and development of your imagery. Establish a theme and produce a series of related studies …use and combine a range of media (e.g. photomontage, paint, printmaking, collage, PhotoShop).  Your developmental work should show progress from your initial imagery towards your outcome. Use this work to explore technique, colour and composition. Annotation explaining your choice of media and the progression of your ideas. Several larger studies (full page or a more substantial pieces in addition to the sketchbook) that clearly relate to the final piece in terms of technique and composition. Sketchbook development
By Monday 12th December: Begin experiments with the media you intend to use in your final piece and make some developments from your initial imagery across a minimum of 6 sketchbook pages.
AO 3	Visual Recording
What you should complete: A wide range of your own photographic source imagery carefully presented in your sketchbook (contact sheets and larger prints of plenty of images). At least 4 high quality pencil drawings based on your photographs (these should each represent at least 3 hours worth of focussed work). Additional drawings exploring more expressive technique and other media (such as fineliner or biro). At least 3 prints developed from your photographic imagery (monoprints and/or gold card).
By Monday 12th December: All the above should be complete.
AO 4	Outcome
What you should complete: A substantial and fully resolved final outcome to your set of work (this piece should represent at least 15 hours worth of work). A final word processed evaluative statement of around 500 words in which you assess the strengths and weaknesses of your body of work. Discuss your how you obtained source imagery, how you developed this imagery, what techniques and materials you employed and most importantly explain how your work was informed and influenced by the Artists you researched.
To be produced after Christmas

1st Year A Level City Project Requirements

A Level Coursework Project: City.
AO 1	Research
What you should complete: Research into at least 6 Artists associated with the approach you are taking including analysis of individual images in terms of technique, scale, media, composition, use of colour etc. Links to your own studio work should be explained. Present your research over at least 12 sketchbook pages; consider layout and how to include text carefully. Get several good quality reproductions of each Artist’s work and make visual responses in appropriate media. Research Pages
By Monday 12th December: Complete research into at least 3 Artists over 6 sketchbook pages.
AO 2	Develop & Experiment
What you should complete: At least 12 pages of experimentation and development of your imagery. Establish a theme and produce a series of related studies …use and combine a range of media (e.g. photomontage, paint, printmaking, collage, PhotoShop).  Your developmental work should show progress from your initial imagery towards your outcome. Use this work to explore technique, colour and composition. Annotation explaining your choice of media and the progression of your ideas. Several larger studies (full page or a more substantial pieces in addition to the sketchbook) that clearly relate to the final piece in terms of technique and composition. Series of developmental sketchbook pages
By Monday 12th December: Begin experiments with the media you intend to use in your final piece and make some developments from your initial imagery across a minimum of 4 sketchbook pages.
AO 3	Visual Recording
What you should complete: A wide range of your own photographic source imagery carefully presented in your sketchbook (contact sheets and larger prints of plenty of images). At least 4 high quality pencil drawings based on your photographs (these should each represent at least 3 hours worth of focussed work). Additional drawings exploring more expressive technique and other media (such as fineliner or biro). At least 3 prints developed from your photographic imagery (monoprints and/or gold card).
By Monday 12th December: All the above should be complete.
AO 4	Outcome
What you should complete: A substantial and fully resolved final outcome to your set of work (this piece should represent at least 15 hours worth of work). A final word processed evaluative statement of around 500 words in which you assess the strengths and weaknesses of your body of work. Discuss your how you obtained source imagery, how you developed this imagery, what techniques and materials you employed and most importantly explain how your work was informed and influenced by the Artists you researched.
To be produced after Christmas

1st Year A Level - Journey Project Checklist

In Thursday's lesson (after the London Trip) we want you all to hand in your Journey Projects for Assessment. At this point of the course it is important to get some feedback about how you are progressing.
The work you should have completed and presented in your sketchbook is:

• Contact Sheet with all your journey photos.
• A selection of the best photos (around 6) printed out larger (A5 or A4).
• Sustained drawing/s done in class (make sure these are fixed).
• Homework drawing of journey objects (again, fix it).
• Timed drawings done in class.
• Your Monoprint/s.
• Your gold card prints and the plate.
• Research homework into 2 drawing/printing Artists.
• Photos of the painting/s you completed on A3 card and/or the paintings themselves (tucked into book is fine).
• At least 2 mixed media Collage pieces.
• Research homework into 2 mixed media/collage Artists.

Sketchbooks should be annotated throughout, discuss the techniques and imagery you were dealing with and assess the strengths and weaknesses of your work.

Also for Thursday's Lesson you will need to print out a few of your London Photos to start drawing from for the new project.

1st Year A Level. New Project - "CITY"

A Level Project: “CITY”

In addressing any of the starting points outlined below the same things will be looked for by those assessing your work:

• A substantial body of visually interesting primary source material, typically this should include your own photographs taken specifically for this unit and a series of high quality observational drawings.
• A broad range of research sources, thoughtfully presented alongside your own analysis of specific images. Research should be complemented by visual responses to the Artists and Designers you have selected. It is important that your sources are relevant to your own work and the links between the two should be explained.
• Meaningful visual development of your ideas, this should explore elements such as materials/technique, composition, colour, tone and scale. Developmental studies should be annotated explaining decisions taken and progress made.
• A well realised final outcome produced early in the Spring Term.

Starting Points:

These starting points are designed to give your project an area of focus, you might concentrate on investigating one exclusively or combine elements from 2 or 3 of the suggestions.

1. City in Motion:

Modern living is a fast paced affair. Cities bring people together in close proximity, busy retail districts of London can become overwhelming tides of humanity, particularly in the run up to Christmas. This spectacle has the potential to lead to powerful visual work.

Capturing the pace and drama of human or mechanical activity fascinated the Italian Futurists in the early 20^th century, what would they have made of the motion, volume, light and colour of a modern city? Photographs of crowded pavements, traffic, neon signs and shop fronts will provide rich source material for a body of work that investigates motion.

Bill Jacklin

References: Bill Jacklin, Umberto Boccioni, Giacomo Balla, Michael Andrews.

2. Multi Cultural Hub:

The United Kingdom is a melting pot of cultures. Our colonial past has contributed to fostering connections with Africa, Asia, America and Australia, the expansion of the European Union has recently opened the doors for even greater cultural diversity. One of the strengths of our society is the freedom that allows different cultures to co-exist and retain their identities.

This diversity is particularly apparent in our major cities. Consider the imagery associated with the communities that come together in a city such as London: traditional British icons and landmarks (red phone boxes, London buses, black taxi cabs, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, the Millennium Eye) are seen alongside aspects of Japanese, African, Chinese, American, Italian and Indian cultures. This is particularly apparent in areas such as Chinatown, Brick Lane or Brixton.

Use your own photographs as the starting point for exploring how a range of cultures interact in the urban environment.

Tim Okamura

References: Jean-Michel Basquiat, Chris Ofili, Tim Okamura.

3. Centre of Rebellion:

Cities act as magnets for the young and new trends are usually first seen on the streets of our major urban centres. Historically successive generations have sought to shock their elders and establish their own identity and freedom by rebelling against the beliefs and breaking the taboos held by the older generation.

The hippy movement, mods and rockers, punk, rave and skate culture are all examples of this. Paradoxically people often seem to feel they are establishing a unique personal identity when in reality they are joining a mass youth movement and simply falling into line with a different set of expectations than those established by their parents.

Examine the imagery that is associated with youthful rebellion, both historically and in contemporary society. Take your own photographs that explore dress, attitudes and behaviour that might be considered rebellious as part of this investigative process. How people within social groups interact might be an interesting theme to explore.

David Hancock

References: David Hancock, Nan Goldin, Tim Marrs.

4. Urban Decay:

Cities are constantly regenerating themselves, old buildings are demolished to make way for the bright new face of the city. But regeneration would not exist without decay, look around any urban environment and you will find evidence of this: decomposing buildings, areas of wasteland, vandalism, garbage. These neglected corners of cities have their own powerful and melancholic atmosphere, capturing this will lead to strong visual work.

Investigate surface textures: corrugated iron, rust, rotten brickwork, torn posters, graffiti. A range of photographs will be a valuable resource in developing your ideas.

David Hepher

References: David Hepher, Antonio Tapies, Mimmo Rotella, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Robert Rauschenberg, Cy Twombly.

5. Modern Architecture:

London is full of inventive modern Architecture, this is particularly apparent in the main financial districts where iconic structures such as Richard Rogers’ Lloyds Building and Norman Foster’s “Gherkin” can be found.

Modern Architecture is characterised by the materials that it is constructed from: concrete, steel and glass create sleek and sculptural forms. Strong primary photographic material (look for unusual angles and zoom in on details) will help you to develop strong abstract or figurative outcomes in 2 or 3 dimensions.

Richard Galpin

References: Norman Foster, Richard Rogers, Carla Klein, Brendan Neiland, Richard Galpin, Ben Johnson.

6. Alone in the Crowd:

Despite their huge populations cities can be the loneliest places. In order to function in the hectic atmosphere people frequently seal themselves off in their own bubble. By doing this we become impervious to the problems and suffering of some of the people we pass in the street: the homeless, drug addicts, prostitutes, alcoholics and the mentally ill. Each person we pass has stories to tell, if only we stopped to listen.

Images of the people who live on the streets and of the environment they exist in could lead to powerful work. Sensitive use of colour and composition will help you express the underlying human tragedies that are a feature of urban life.

Peter Howson

References: Edward Hopper, Peter Howson, Edgar Degas.

7. Money Talks:

For generations people have headed to the city to make their fortune. The fragile nature of these dreams has been illustrated by the financial ups and downs of the last few years. Consider the positive and negative aspects of life in London’s financial district and use photographs, drawing and collage to develop your ideas.

Imagery associated with this theme might include suits and bowler hats, the Financial Times, Stock Exchange Listings, briefcases, umbrellas, lunch meetings, after work drinks, secretaries and office culture. You might also address issues such as excess, infidelity and stress. Incorporating current media coverage of the financial implications of Brexit could give your work a contemporary twist. Photography in London’s financial districts (around the bank of England and Canary Wharf) will be particularly valuable in developing your response to this starting point.

Rene Magritte

References: Rene Magritte, Edward Hopper, Bill Jacklin.

8. “Get the London Look”

Rimmel’s advertising slogan is evidence of London’s status as one of the most significant centres of Fashion on the planet. Gather imagery that explores London’s style …this could be from window displays in major shops or backstreet boutiques, or of course based on the Fashions you see on the streets around you. Explore the glamour and glitz of the Fashion World: the photographers, the catwalk shows, the models and designers. You could use your work to question some of the ideals of the Fashion Industry such as body shape and age.

Alex Katz

References: British Fashion Designers such as Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen and Paul Smith. Fashion Photographers such as Mario Testino and Corrine Day.

9. City on Paper:

How do you make sense of the huge urban sprawl that is our capital city? Cartographers attempt to do this in many forms, from the iconic tube map to the street plans found in an A-Z. London maps hold a multitude of information, but in addition to this they are visually fascinating in their own right.

Develop a graphic piece of work that explores maps/mapping in some way, perhaps integrating images of the streets and sites featured. Photography, collage and thoughtful use of text will help you to develop your imagery.

Jasper Johns

References: Piet Mondrian, Simon Patterson, Jasper Johns.

10. Cityscape:

Cities form a unique type of landscape and observational work based on the city has inspired a wide range of Artists across the generations. Look at how a range of Artists have tackled the built environment through their work to inform your own response to this theme.

You may choose to work in a controlled or expressive fashion as you develop your source imagery towards a final piece. The best work based on cities often succeeds in capturing the character and feel of a place along with a depiction of its physical appearance.

Photos that capture elements such as the London skyline may prove a valuable starting point.

John Virtue

References: John Virtue, Richard Estes, Frank Auerbach, Oscar Kokoschka.