1st Year Mock Exam Theme and Guidance

Timepiece Mechanism

As with any set of visual work the quality of the source imagery you gather for the Mock Exam Unit is vital. If you have ambitious plans for photography these might be easiest to carry out over half term, but you will need some imagery in the interim. Just about everyone carries a cameraphone on a daily basis, so use your imagination regarding the theme and get some photos over the next couple of days. Use the bullet points in the theme introduction below and search sites like Pinterest for inspiration.

Link to A Level Art area of Moodle and Mock Exam Paper

Introduction to the theme from the Exam Paper:

The theme is: STRUCTURE 

Many organic, and some inorganic structures, rely on complex skeletons to support and give shape to their unique forms. Usually the aesthetic qualities of organic skeletons can only be appreciated after the organism’s death, unless the creature has an exoskeleton, such as lobsters, crabs and spiders. Conversely man-made structures, such as buildings, display their supporting structures as they are built. The skeletonised leaves often found underneath holly bushes display the intricacy and delicacy of natural structures. The composition of any artwork is fundamental to the strength and impact of the finished piece. It has been known for many centuries that the application of certain mathematical rules can assist and enhance the aesthetic qualities of the work. The Golden Ratio or Golden Section has been used since the age of the Pharaohs to establish order in art and architecture. More recently, the architecture of the Eden Project was designed to embrace these rules, which were formulated by the 13th century mathematician Fibonacci. The concept driving this design was to link the actual fabric of the buildings to the natural order of the plant collections they house. Product designers frequently encounter the dilemma of form versus function. If the aesthetic qualities of a design render the item unsuitable for purpose, a compromise has to be established. Many designers have discovered that a natural visual beauty manifests itself when form is purely driven by function, as in the shape of the classic Chinese export teapots of the 18th century. It is interesting to compare these with the whimsical semifunctional novelty teapots of James Sadler. Latest technology is allowing artists and architects to create objects that seem to defy gravity and achieve enormous scale and impact. Buildings such as The Shard in London and Burj Khalifa in Dubai soar to incredible heights and embrace the latest in safety features to withstand weather and earth tremors. Similarly, sculptors such as Damien Hirst, Ron Mueck and Antony Gormley can create gigantic pieces using resins and the latest technology in casting. Here are some other suggestions that may stimulate your imagination: 

• Pine cones, pineapples, grapevines, hops, ivy, bindweed 

• Scrapyards, building sites, cranes, restoration yards, derelict ruins 

• Crystals, molecules, geology, fossils, footprints, tracks 

• Stadiums, orchestras, rock concerts, floodlights, staircases 

• Motorways, railways, runways, dockyards 

• Flowers, plants, trees, fungi, algae, feathers, scales, shells 

• Nests of weaver birds, wasps and bees, termite mounds, baskets 

• Circuit boards, pipework, telephone poles, towers, pylons, skyscrapers 

• Shop displays, escalators, bars, libraries, theatres and cinemas 

• Gardens, parks, playgrounds, swimming pools, beaches 

• Dolls, mannequins, puppets, cuddly toys, Lego

A2 Exam Theme 2017 and initial guidance

Night Club Environment

As with any set of visual work the quality of the source imagery you gather for the Exam Unit is vital. Remember this unit is worth 50% of your overall grade, so it is essential to get going straight away. If you have ambitious plans for photography these might be easiest to carry out over half term, but you will need some imagery in the interim. Just about everyone carries a cameraphone on a daily basis, so use your imagination regarding the theme and get some photos over the next couple of days. Use the bullet points in the theme introduction below and search sites like Pinterest for inspiration.

Link to A Level Moodle Area and full exam paper

Introduction to the theme from the Exam Paper:
The theme is: ENVIRONMENT
Probably one of the most significant factors affecting the work of artists, designers and craftspeople is their environment. It may influence their work through the actual physical luxuries or hardships they experience, in terms of their access to materials and working conditions. Alternatively and perhaps more noticeable, is the effect it has on their psyche and political bias. Avigdor Arikha’s, Käthe Kollwitz’s, Lovis Corinth’s and Picasso’s experiences of the hardship and horror of war obviously had a major impact on aspects
of their work.
Michelangelo’s tempestuous relationship with the Catholic Church played a major part in the development of his frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. Similarly the work of artists connected to major art movements is often strongly influenced by the creative communities they belong to. All artists will be consciously or subconsciously affected by the world they inhabit, although for some, such as Edward Burtynsky, Banksy and Ai Weiwei, it becomes the driving force behind their work.
Artists associated with Impressionism and English Romanticism actively sought out interesting and challenging environments in the knowledge that it would influence their work. They often placed themselves in extreme atmospheric locations such as major polluted industrial centres or deserted coastlines. Other artists have sought out unique natural light, such as the Newlyn School in Cornwall. Contemporary artists such as John Virtue and David Prentice follow a similar path, orientating towards evocative landscapes.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Robert Smithson and Kenneth Josephson choose to create work directly in and with the environment, the chosen site being an integral part of the work. Other artists such as Anya Gallaccio create environments made from natural objects that deteriorate over time.
The cultural identity of certain regions can give unique visual qualities to artefacts. This is seen in the contrast between The Dreaming paintings of indigenous Australians made in the 19th century and European art from the same period. This is also evident in the carved sculptures of the Polynesian Islands when compared with Italian Neoclassical sculpture.
Installation art often involves immersing the spectator in an environment, making them an integral part of the work itself. This is described by Ilya Kabakov as ‘Total Installation’. On the 6th July 2009, the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square was used for a living installation created by Antony Gormley. Called One and Other, it engaged a different member of the public to occupy the plinth every hour, 24 hours a day, for 100 consecutive days.
Here are some other suggestions that may stimulate your imagination:

• Quarries, football fields, dunes, beaches, hillsides, building sites
• Caves, theatres, cinemas, concerts, cellars, darkrooms
• Stagnant water drops, hair, plant and animal cells, aquariums
• Charity shops, supermarkets, car boot sales, superstores
• Skips, scrapyards, recycling centres, antique reclamation yards
• Classrooms, gymnasiums, halls, cathedrals, churches, crypts
• Houses, bedrooms, kitchens, yards, sheds, gardens
• Attics, towers, skyscrapers, bridges, Ferris wheels, funfairs
• Planes, buses, trains, boats, cars, lifts
• Holidays, tents, hotels, caravans, beach huts, changing rooms
• Drawers, suitcases, jars, test tubes, treasure chests, jewellery boxes