Art

Year Level Description

Students begin to develop and apply skills and knowledge to communicate feelings of themselves and others through their artwork. They practice and experiment in order to gain knowledge of skills in manipulation, art materials, tools, techniques and processes. They use their knowledge to explore a range of art forms through a variety of sources for inspiration. Students draw upon experiences, direct observation and imagination while developing art ideas. Within each art form they develop further understanding of the art elements — line, shape, tone, space, texture, colour and form. They make and create two- and three-dimensional artworks combining and manipulating art elements and principles.

Students also study artworks from their own and other cultures. A particular emphasis is on developing further the concepts of personal styles and styles of work from different cultures. They discuss artworks in terms of materials, techniques, processes, use of elements and principles. They gain new understandings, noting quality and expressive effects. They begin to identify social and historical features of artworks in order to broaden their awareness of the role of art through history. All students actively participate in collaborative projects both within their year level and across the campus. 

Two-dimensional Art Practice

Drawing — students are encouraged to use their understanding to explore both real and abstract images and to relate to the lines and textures around them. They use their image making to fulfil their own needs of individual expression and are exposed to as many different stimuli as possible to artistically express themselves. They have the opportunity to make their own choices regarding the means of expression and the medium to be used. Drawing software programs form a real part of both their design and drawing possibilities.

Printmaking — students practise through the use of relief and resist work with an emphasis on the elements of line, pattern and shape in a graphic form. They explore the elements of harmony, balance and contrast in their work.

Three-dimensional Art Practice

Ceramics — students design and create a three-dimensional work that uses a range of methods. They make decisions about which techniques will best suit the construction of the work, how they might use an armature to support the piece when building, how they will utilise strong joining techniques and consider the drying processes required to keep the work strong yet workable at each stage. Students extend their knowledge of decorative techniques and the variety of different clays available, their properties and firing requirements. They have the opportunity to explore the use of under glazes and carving and scribing techniques that both expose the clay body and allow for intricate detail in the design.

Achievement Standard

By the end of the year students are expected to:

• understand that tone, and controlled line and shading, within a two-dimensional shape can create the illusion of a three-dimensional form;
• create the illusion of visual mass/form through tonal rendering;
• use value to describe a light source;
• identify, create and use cast shadows against geometric forms;
• understand that line and shapes can be used for symbols, codes;
• understand further, how colour can be used to express mood, emotion and or atmosphere;
• understand that colour can be symbolic and this is historically and culturally determined;
• use texture in three-dimensional art for surface decoration;
• understand how to create an armature for a sculpture using wire and plaster gauze;
• discuss aesthetic qualities and sculpting process choices in their own and other students’ work;
• critique artwork works using appropriate visual art terminology;
• develop interpersonal skills through teamwork and collaboration when creating an artwork.