a2 sketchbooks

A level Assessment

AO1: DevelopRelevant artists throughout project.Careful transcriptions.Analysis that covers context, intentions and technique.Clear, practical developments from looking at artists. This might be technique, subject matter, style, presentation or theme.Wide range of ideas explored initially.A sense of order in the development of your ideas.Imaginative leaps as and when appropriate.

TIP: The work that you develop from your artist must NOT merely be a pastiche or a poor interpretation. Allow time to move away from the type of work your artist produces.

AO2: Explore

Explore a breadth of ideas, media, techniques and sources.Review and refine work.Annotation discusses www and ebi in terms of subject matter, ideas, techniques and materials.Successes of earlier work feeds in to what comes next. Demonstrate an understanding of appropriateness for purpose. Exhaustive experimentation.

TIP: Complete the annotation as you go, DO NOT leave it until the end of the project.

AO3: Record

Relevant recordings from first and second hand imagery.Your own photographs to work from or manipulate.Skillful use of materials and control of the formal elements.In-depth subject knowledge.Independently analyse and interpret research to generate ideas.Meaningful recording that genuinely helps the development of your ideas. Research into the the location, issue, subject, object that is at the core of your project.

TIP: If observational drawing is not your thing, consider embracing gestural drawing, distortion, manipulation or semi-abstraction.

Small Studies still show skill and a breadth of media (AO3)

AO4: Present

Work has an element of risk taking in terms of scale, number, or complexity of materials and / or concept.Whole project shows sound judgments from conception to completion.Work is skillful, intuitive and original. Work does not look like any of the artists you have been looking at. Perceptive connections made with research.

TIP: Your final piece must be an accumulation of everything you have been working through not something completely separate.

But what about presentation?

An A Level Art sketchbook should be a genuine investigation of media and ideas so….

Do not distract from your practical work by using large lettering, decorative borders, or unnecessary framing or mounting. Producing quality art or design work is your number one goal.

Prioritise visual work above annotation. It doesn’t matter how intelligent, well informed or clever your annotation is – it cannot redeem rushed, poorly executed practical work.

Use text as a compositional element. Keep it neat and small in black or white pen: not ink that switches colour every sentence or is ‘enhanced’ by hearts on the ‘i’s.

Give every page of your sketchbook some love Use each page as an opportunity to remind the examiner that you are a hard-working, dedicated student who cares passionately about this subject.

Finally…a few myth busters

I have got two weeks to finish what I started in the mock exam

AS doesn’t matter- I am doing the linear course for two years

This January’s mocks were a ‘dry run’, a simulation of what will happen in the Summer

The grade boundaries are really low

I am probably the best in my class I am not far behind the best student in the classAt least I am not as bad as them!

Where can you get help?

Art dept website: http://fortismereartdepartment.weebly.comThis has links to resources for your projects and exam board exemplars.

www.studentartguide.com Follow them on pinterest / facebook etc

Other schools:http://st-peters.bournemouth.sch.uk/photo/

Magazines and art blogs: Aesthetica, Art2day and Colossal

Find an exhibition: Timeout London and www.newexhibitions.com