Wednesday 21 March 2018

Freedom and/or Limitations expectations and checklist.

There are now just 3 College weeks left of your Exam Preparation time, so important to focus on where you should be at in terms of your development by the time you return from the Easter break. Remember that when the exam concludes the course is complete, there is no further opportunity to revisit sketchbooks, so ensuring you maximise the potential of your work prior to the start of the exam period is essential.


A Level Externally Set Assignment: Freedom and/or Limitations.


AO 1


Research & Develop Ideas

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 alongside the development of your own visual work at relevant points; consider layout and how to include text carefully. Get several good quality reproductions of each Artist’s work. Visual responses should be based on your own imagery, not direct transciptions from the Artist's works.


By Monday 16th April:
  • There should be reference to at least 4 Artists in your sketchbook with analysis of imagery and connections to your work explained, visual relevance to the development of your own project should be apparent.


AO 2

Explore & Select Media


What you should complete:
  • At least 15 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 16th April:
  • Make a series of developments from your initial imagery in a range of media (printing, painting, collage, digital etc.) experiments with the media you intend to use in your final piece are essential across a minimum of 8 sketchbook pages.


AO 3

Visual Recording


What you should complete:
  • A wide range of your own primary photographic source imagery (taken specifically for this project). These should be 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 16th April:
  • All the above should be complete.


AO 4

Realise Intentions


What you should complete:
  • A substantial and fully resolved final outcome to your set of work - this piece will be completed in the 15 hour controlled test.


To be produced in the Exam period which runs from 
Monday 30th April - Monday 21st May.





Friday 9 March 2018

Some Recently Completed A Level Coursework Outcomes

Some exciting work has been completed in the last few weeks, here is a selection:
Bridget Lees 1st Year 
Rachel Thorne 1st Year

Emily Reilly 1st Year

Maisy Venn 2nd Year

Jamie Kirkwood 2nd Year

Hannah V Knight 1st Year

Matthew Price 2nd Year

Hannah Barbey 2nd Year

Charli Holland 2nd Year