Subject Leader: Miss T Sarton – tsarton@knoleacademy.org
Subject Teachers: Miss J Lane and Miss T Sarton
Exam Board: International Baccalaureate
Entry Requirements
Minimum of 5 9-5 grades in GCSE examinations including English and Maths.
Intent
The IB Diploma Programme visual arts course encourages students to challenge their own creative and cultural expectations and boundaries. Students develop analytical skills in problem-solving and divergent thinking, while working towards technical proficiency and confidence as art-makers.
Implementation
In addition to exploring and comparing visual arts from different perspectives and in different contexts, students are expected to engage in, experiment with and critically reflect upon a wide range of contemporary practices and media.
Impact
The IB Visual Arts course is designed for students who want to broaden their contextual understanding of Art and design in the wider world. It is well suited to students who want to go on to study visual arts in higher education as well as for those who are seeking lifelong enrichment through visual arts.
Course Outline
Visual Arts In Context
Students analyse and compare different artworks by different artists. This independent critical and contextual investigation explores artworks, objects and artifacts from differing cultural contexts.
Visual Arts Methods
Students submit carefully selected materials which evidence their experimentation, exploration, manipulation and refinement of a variety of visual arts activities during the two-year course.
Communicating Visual Arts
Students submit for assessment a selection of resolved artworks from their exhibition. The selected pieces should show evidence of their technical accomplishment during the visual arts course and an understanding of the use of materials, ideas and practices appropriate to visual communication.
Examination Information
Exam Board: International Baccalaureate
Qualification: Visual Arts Diploma
- Two external assessment tasks
- One internal assessment task
Task 1: Comparative Study (20%)
- Students analyse and compare different artworks by different artists. This independent critical and contextual investigation explores artworks, objects and artifacts from differing cultural contexts.
- Compare at least 3 different artworks, by at least 2 different artists, with commentary over 10–15 pages (Standard level only)
- As SL plus a reflection on the extent to which their work and practices have been influenced by any of the art/artists examined (3–5 pages) (Higher level only)
Task 2: Process Portfolio (40%)
- Students submit carefully selected materials which evidence their experimentation, exploration, manipulation and refinement of a variety of visual arts activities during the two-year course.
- 9–18 pages. The submitted work should be in at least two different art-making forms (Standard level only)
- 13–25 pages. The submitted work should be in at least three different art-making forms (Higher level only)
Task 3: Exhibition (40%)
- Students submit a selection of resolved artworks from their exhibition for assessment. The selected pieces should show evidence of their technical accomplishment during the visual arts course and an understanding of the use of materials, ideas and practices appropriate to visual communication.
- 4–7 pieces with exhibition text for each. A curatorial rationale (400 words maximum)(Standard level only)
- 8–11 pieces with exhibition text for each. A curatorial rationale (700 words maximum) (Higher level only)
Future Courses and Possible Careers
Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, BA (Hons) Fine Art, BA (Hons) History of Art, BA (Hons) Illustration
Art-based Apprenticeship, Fine Artist, Art Therapist, Art Teacher, Concept Artist