Ms Luci Saunders�BA, MA, PGCE��Art teacher
AS Level Art and Design��Guidance for
Unit 1: Personal Creative Investigation
Phase 1: Initial project ideas
Phase 3: Try out informed art work ideas
Make a range of development pieces
Phase 4: Refine and plan
Practise anything that didn’t go so well in your developments.
Make any adaptations, try other options for things,
try a different version- bigger/smaller, different layout?
Take new photos if you need to? Try photoshopping changes?
Make boards/sketchbook pages on these experiments/adaptations.
Phase 2: Specific research
Final outcome
Video 1: Getting Started; theme selection and project planning.
�Video 2: Contextual references and artist studies
�Video 3: Photography and observational artwork��Video 4: Development to Final Piece.��
Video 1: Getting Started; theme selection and project planning.
�Video 2: Contextual references and artist studies.
�Video 3: Photography and observational artwork.��Video 4: Development to Final Piece.��
Outcomes:��> What is a contextual reference? �> How to include artists into your art project�
What sources have you looked at? Where have you visited?
What is your project about?
How will you communicate this to your teacher/examiner?
1. Write down all subjects, themes, places, things, activities or issues that are personally relevant and that matter to you (even random, unexpected things, such as an old palette with dried old paint all over it, or an interesting clock on your kitchen wall). The purpose of any artwork is to share a message: to comment or scream or sing about the world in which we live in. If there is no feeling behind the work, it is difficult to create personal and meaningful artwork Write down the things that you care about; that move you.�
2. Include topics that are unusual, challenging, controversial, gritty or inspiring: those that fill you with passion. Students who select substantial, heartfelt issues that they really care about are way more likely to achieve great results and enjoy their work.
3. Eliminate those which you don’t feel are meaningful/interesting/exciting enough insincere. Be careful of overly “pretty” project ideas or those lacking in substance (i.e. bunches of roses). This doesn’t mean that a traditionally ‘beautiful’ subject cannot be successful but think carefully before proceeding with such a topic.
4. Eliminate those subjects which you are unable to explore first-hand. In order to create artworks, you will need access to high quality imagery. For example, if you are exploring the way in which humans kill animals in order to consume their meat, access to the inside of a butchery or abattoir/freezing works is likely to be essential. Reliance on photographs taken by others is rarely a good idea. No matter how great a theme appears, if you are unable to explore any aspect of it first hand, it is very unlikely that you will be able to do the topic justice. Remember that you will likely need to return to your source imagery several times during your high school course, so a submission based upon a particular plant that only blooms for a couple of weeks out of the year or a view of your village during a rare winter snow storm is risky. The ideal A-Level subject is one that you can physically return to, whenever you need – to draw, photograph or experience first-hand.
‘And everyday we shall have less. And then none.’� A.S. Byatt� Possession
Artist who had alzheimers disease and created art of his own face as his memory fades.
Examples of projects or artwork that represent the passing of time….
Decaying flowers�
Anya Gallaccio
Salvador Dali
Capturing a moment in time in one image
Adam Lupton
My own response so far to this theme…
Photos of me (making sure they are suitable for drawing)
Zadie Smith
Emma-Leone Palmer
Zadie Smith
Emma-Leone Palmer
Specialising proposal
Artist 1 name:
What will you learn from them?
Artist 2 name:
What will you learn from them?
Artist 4? name:
What will you learn from them?
Artist 3 name:
What will you learn from them?
4. What could you take photographs of? (Which you will use or work from in your own artwork)
2. The 3 or 4 artists that I would like to learn from and be influenced by are…
1. The idea/theme I have decided to base my project on is…
3. The medium(s) I would like to focus on is/are…��
Drawing and painting surfaces: coloured and textured papers of varying weights, such as tissue paper, watercolour paper, newsprint, or cartridge; cardboard; transparent sheets, plastic overlays, or tracing paper; discarded wallpaper, patterned paper, or printed sheets; photographic paper or other specialized printing papers; painted or prepared grounds; masking tape or other adhesive surfaces; collaged materials; dried textures created with acrylic pastes or compounds; canvas, hessian, or other fabrics; other appropriated items. (See more examples of drawing and painting surfaces in our four-part Creative Use of Media series for high school art students.)�
Drawing and painting media: graphite pencil; coloured pencil; ballpoint pen; ink pen; calligraphy pen; marker pen; chalk; charcoal; crayon; pastel; drawing ink; printing ink; natural or manmade dye, such as from commercial pigments, walnut skins, coffee stains, or food dye; gouache; watercolour; acrylic paint; oil paint; spray paint; house paint; shellac/varnish; fixative; wax; painting mediums, such as thinners, gel/gloss, glazes, drying retarders, textural pastes, or modelling compounds.
www.studentartguide.com
www.studentartguide.com
Threads and textiles: natural fibres, such as cotton, silk, flax, or raffia; wool and other animal hair, furs, or leather; synthetic threads, such as nylon, acrylic, or polyester; textiles of different weights, weaves, patterns, prints, or colours; upcycled fabric, including from non-traditional sources such as repurposed woven plastic bags; elastic; sewing threads; embroidery threads; string; rope; beads.
�Sculptural materials: glues or adhesives; papier-mâché; salt dough; modelling clays or ceramics; feathers, bone, or other animal materials; food; seeds, leaves, cane, balsa, or other woods; sand, earth, pumice, rocks, or stone; wax; plaster; latex; Styrofoam; plastics; resin; concrete; fiberglass; wire, foil, or other metals; ice; light; other organic and manmade found materials.
Tools and technology: brushes; airbrushes; sponges; paint rollers; palette knives; craft knives; scissors; stencils; engravers; sandpaper; chisels, pliers, or other woodworking tools; metalworking tools; paper trimmers; pottery wheels; crochet hooks, needles, sewing machines, or overlockers; looms; traditional or digital cameras; darkroom equipment; kilns; printing presses; photocopiers; scanners; computer-aided design (CAD) software such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, or SketchUp Pro; computer-aided manufacture (CAM) equipment such as 3D printers and laser cutters.
Next steps…�
Experiment with a range of media/surfaces/techniques with your theme in mind!��Make notes, take photographs and document your progress as you go – what works? What doesn’t?