OVERVIEW
The course is composed six compulsory units:
Unit 1: Visual Analysis and Interpretation
Unit 2: Themes and Styles
Unit 3: Movements
Unit 4: Comparative Studies
Unit 5: Arts Criticism
Unit 6: Major Study.
COURSE DETAILS
Unit 1: Visual Analysis and Interpretation
This unit requires knowledge and understanding of formal characteristics and terminology. Learners develop visual skills in order to analyse and interpret the formal visual features, stylistic elements and devices used by artists, designers and architects.
Learners will use their knowledge of these concepts to deconstruct and appraise the qualities of art, design or architectural works in terms of:
- materials, techniques and processes
- the ways in which art, design or architectural works are produced, and the materials and techniques used
- how materials, techniques and processes help to determine the appearance and subsequent interpretation of art, design or architectural works
- elements, principles and devices
- the formal features of art, design or architecture and how these contribute to interpretation and meaning
- how artists, designers and architects manipulate and combine formal features to achieve a desired effect.
These formal characteristics include:
- visual narrative
- the ‘reading’ of an artwork; the context and purpose of art, design or architectural works
- visual language
- the elements and principles of art, design or architectural works
- visual synthesis
- structural devices used in art, design or architectural works; the synergy created by fusing two or more ideas/images or manipulating one idea/image into another form or state.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
Visual Narrative |
Visual Language |
Visual Synthesis |
Subject
Title
Meaning
Narrative
Context
Function
Purpose
Style
Genre
Movement |
Colour
Shape
Line
Tone
Texture
Form
Space
Volume
Surface
Light
Pattern
Balance
Composition
Structure
Materials
Technique
Process |
Symbol/Motif
Analogy/Metaphor
Multimodality
Synergy
Stylisation
Abstraction
Harmony
Dissonance
Dislocation
Appropriation
Contrast
Irony/Parody
Juxtaposition
Metamorphosis
Transformation
Transposition
Hybridity
Magnification/Minimisation |
Unit 2: Themes and Styles
This unit introduces learners to the significant themes and styles of art, design or architecture.
Significant themes and styles are studied in relation to art, design or architectural works. Learners will respond to art, design or architectural works and describe:
- form and function
- the relationship between the purpose and appearance of art, design or architectural works
- the different forms of art, design or architectural works in relation to their aesthetic and functional roles
- intention and purpose
- the meaning that an artist, designer or architect wishes to convey
- the reason for which art, design or architectural work exists or is created or used.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
Themes |
Styles |
Spirituality
Power and Politics
Everyday Life
Imagination and Fantasy
Landscape
Popular Culture
Feminism
The Body
Love, Life and Death
Biography and Autobiography |
Expressionism
Formalism
Realism
Surrealism
Narrative
Abstraction
Minimalism
Classicism
Environmentalism
Genre Painting |
Unit 3: Movements
In this unit, learners will be exposed to at least 6 significant art, design or architectural movements (2 from each category in the table below). They identify key features of selected movements including:
- key practitioners
- precursors and antecedents
- social, environmental, political, technological, historical, religious and cultural influences.
Learners will identify distinctive features of art, design and architecture movements including:
- subjects and genres
- the subjects represented in art, design or architecture and the ways in which different artists/designers have interpreted them
- the genres of art, design or architecture and how and why they have been represented in particular ways
- historical, social and cultural contexts
- the historical, social and cultural contexts and their influence on the creation of art, design or architectural works
- how historical, social and cultural contexts contribute to the interpretation and meaning of art, design or architectural works.
Learners will acquire research skills including an understanding of primary and secondary sources and appropriate citation.
Myth to Reformation |
Early Modern to Revolution |
Enlightenment to Contemporary |
Prehistoric
Ancient Worlds
Classical,
Greek, Roman and Byzantine
Greater Asia, the East;
China, Japan, South East Asia
Religious: Christian, Islamic, Hindu
Indian, African
Australian, Torres Strait Islander, Indigenous |
Realism
Sculptural Form
Neo Classical
Baroque
Rococo,
Romanesque
Renaissance
High Renaissance
Industrial Revolution
Romanticism,
Sublime,
Picturesque,
Realism
Pre - Raphaelites
Impressionism
Post Impressionism
Expressionism
Cubism |
Futurism, Suprematism
Dada, Surrealism
Bauhaus, Art Nouveau
Constructivism, Art Deco
Abstract Expressionism
Pop Art, Minimalism
Field
Post-Modern Deconstructivism
Outsider/Naïve/Art Brut
Contemporary Indigenous
Contemporary Indigenous, Islander
Political/Mural
Installation, Temporal, Kinetic, Performance
Video
Land/Environmental
Digital/Electronic
Virtual
Mass/Popular
Neo Popism
Appropriation
Body Art
Stuckism, Conceptual
BritArt
Art and Text
Radical Post Modernism |
Unit 4: Comparative Studies
In this unit learners will explore representations of theme or concept through a comparison of art, design and architectural works. They explore the ways two distinct art and design works represent a concept through differing or related ideas, values, attitudes, and perspectives. This enables learners to further develop their knowledge and analysis of purpose and style. Learners develop an understanding of the choices available to artists/designers/architects in shaping representations of the concept in terms of art, design and architectural elements, principles, conventions and styles.
Learners will use their discrimination and judgement to:
- compare and contrast
- identify and explain similarities between practitioners, their work and their viewpoints, movements and styles
- identify and explain key differences between practitioners, their work and their viewpoints, movements and styles
- evaluate and synthesise
- construct a position or viewpoint from evidence based research
- combine ideas, research and viewpoints to form a coherent argument or rationale.
Examples may include such topics as:
- ancient and contemporary
- eastern and western
- indigenous and global
- analogue and digital
- discipline specific and hybrid arts
- high art and art brut
- 2D and 3D representations
- works on paper and works on canvas
- continental and islander
- architectural and sculptural.
Unit 5: Arts Criticism
Learners will research a range of texts to gain an understanding of the language, structure, style and conventions of arts criticism.
Learners will demonstrate their understanding of:
- the role of the audience and the critic
- the process of positioning an audience through the construction of a persuasive argument, standpoint or hypothesis
- skills of critical appraisal, providing a sound evidential basis for their viewpoint
- skills of incorporating personal experience and personal voice in formal writing
- the role of curator
- the process of grouping art, architecture and design works into a coherent and thematic sequence
- evaluating curatorial statements for style, meaning, commentary and interpretation.
Examples may include, but are not limited to:
- magazine or journal articles
- books
- blogs
- critiques and reviews
- exhibition catalogues
- curatorial essays.
Unit 6: Major Study
In this unit, learners will use their research and knowledge, informed by previous units, to develop a Major Study of 4000 – 6000 words which allows them to examine in detail a question or theme of interest concerning an aspect of art, architecture and design, undertaken through a visual arts lens.
After creative and systematic research, learners will critically analyse and synthesise source material and express their findings in writing.
The learner negotiates with a supervisor on a suitable topic, preferably posed as a question, and supported by their previous study.
When selecting the Major Study topic, learners are encouraged to:
- select a topic that enables learners to improve their capabilities as discerning inquirers
- seek to expand their knowledge of visual art in addition to that acquired through their other assignments
- make use of real world engagement with the art world and to see local, national or global significance in the experience
- consider the availability of both primary and secondary sources during their research
- recognise issues, and consider the relevance to content and concepts in contemporary visual art.
Knowledge and skills acquired during the production of Minor Assignments are enlisted in the production of the Major Study. No more than 10% of verbatim material from any Minor Assignment may appear in the Major Study.
Drafts of the Major Study must be retained and identified within the learner’s Support Material.