Art Program Outline

Arts and Craft

 

This syllabus, aims to develop the expressive, communicative and functional modes of art, craft and design in the individual within the art class with drawing as the central activity.

 

This syllabus is assessed at two levels, Ordinary and Higher. The quantity and quality of work produced determine the differences between the two levels.

Objective To develop the student's ability to:  

• give a personal response to an idea, experience or other stimulus
• work from imagination, memory and direct observation
• use drawing for observation, recording and analysis, as a means of thinking and for communication and expression
• use the core two-dimensional process in making, manipulating and developing images, using lettering and combining lettering with image, in expressive and communicative modes
• use the three-dimensional processes of additive, subtractive and constructional form-making in expressive and functional modes
• use and understand the art and design elements
• use a variety of materials, media, tools and equipment 
• use an appropriate working vocabulary  
• understand relative scientific, mathematical and technological aspects of art, craft and design
• sustain projects from conception to realization
• appraise and evaluate his/her own work in progress and on completion
• develop an awareness of the historical, social and economic role and value of art, craft and design and aspects of contemporary culture and mass-media

Drawing and Support Studies as relevant: Animation, Film-making, Screen printing, Art metalwork, Graphic design, Soft sculpture, Jewelry making, Strip cartooning, Block printmaking, Leatherwork, Tapestry, Bookmaking, Mixed media, sculpture, Theatre design, Calligraphy, Model making, Toy making, Computer graphics, Packaging, Embroidery, Photography, basketry, Fabric print, Pottery ceramics, Videomaking, Fashion design, Puppetry and Weaving.

In teaching any option, the appropriate design process, including drawing and visual research, and the relevant Support Studies must be part of the learning situation.

Portfolios, homework drawing books, Support Studies notes, as well as evidence of three-dimensional work, should be kept as a record of work done.

Art & Design elements

The elements of art and design listed below will be introduced, not in isolation, but as an integral part of Art, Craft and Design learning experiences. However, it maybe necessary, on occasion, to highlight elements through specific lessons.

Art, Craft and Design processes and concepts have a particular vocabulary, and the accurate use of relevant words is crucial to the student's developing grasp of the subject area.

Dot, Color, Pattern, Unity, Line, Form, Volume, Harmony, Shape Light Balance Contrast,Tone Space, Scale, Symmetry, Texture, Structure, Rhythm and Proportion. 

Starting points

Direct experience, real or imagined, of the natural, human and man-made environment should be the starting point for Art, Craft and Design work. The experiences will be organised/selected by the instructor so as to provide strong, visually orientated motivation.

Support Studies

History of Art, Craft and Design will be introduced in relation to the learning experience, with examples from past and present, worldwide as well as local work, so as to acquaint with art, craft and design from many cultures. Critical appraisal and evaluation skills should be developed, so as to lead to an understanding and appreciation, as well as enjoyment, of their own work and that of others.

There are certain scientific/mathematical/technological elements in Art, Craft and Design, and these will be an integral part of each learning experience, as necessary and as they arise.

For each material there are specific tools and equipment, which must be used safely and correctly.

Design

Design should not be regarded as mere decoration or embellishment of finished products.

Students should be taught how to analyse design problems, to plan and research, to use design processes appropriate to the task in hand, to clarify ideas through the use of working drawings, to carry work to completion and to evaluate the finished work. 

Presentation and display 

The student should be able to select work, frame and/or mount and place work on display as well as make appropriate presentation of notebooks, sketchbooks, and three-dimensional work.

Drawing

The student is expected to develop: observational drawing, drawing from memory/imagination, drawing for two-dimensional and three-dimensional Art, Craft and Design

The student should be able to observe closely, to analyse, to record and to communicate clearly, using a variety of approaches and drawing media, embodying the art and design elements.

The starting points, or subject matter, for observational drawing, can come from anything in the natural, social or man-made environment. The art room itself will have a regularly changing display of objects of visual interest, organic and inorganic, collection and studies of the human form will be form part of the course. The development of observation, concentration and drawing ability is greatly helped by drawing outside the  room, locally, and by homework drawing. 

Media and tools

The basic media  will be introduced, each according to its expressive character, include various grades and points of pencil and eraser, charcoal, pen, brush drawing, ink and wash, and, for color studies, chalks, crayons, colored pencils and felt-tip pens.

 

The student should learn to select and compose the image, and should be able to draw forms in contour, cross-contour, gesture drawing, and with tone, texture, and colour, using basic linear perspective, and choice of viewpoint.

The student should learn to: Use a Camera phone (optional), Send and receive emails,
T-square, set-square, drawing-board, compass and measure accurately with a ruler, implify/abstract, trace, reverse, and enlarge.

Support Studies: The student should understand the difference between, and various purposes of, sketchbooks (as sources of ideas and images as well as record), working drawings, and finished drawings. The student should be able to identify the medium used in drawings by others, to analyse and discuss the content of a drawing, and to form a judgement as to how well the purpose has been achieved. The student should become familiar with drawings from different times and places, for example: cave drawings, early Christian illumination, drawings by Durer, Japanese brush drawings, and ink drawings.

2D Art, Craft and Design

This involves image-making, image manipulation and development (for example: enlargement, cropping, reversing, abstraction, changes in colour and treatment) and sequential imagery, lettering, and lettering combined with image.  These are to be studied through the core syllabus in painting, basic photography, graphic design and display.