Villiers High School - Art and Design

Art and Design

Overview

Art is one of the ways by which we understand the world. Through Art we can visually observe, explore, experiment and reflect on life. All of our Art students have the opportunity to develop their skills using a range media and materials including drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, collage and digital media. At Villiers we have well-established connections with several Art Galleries in London, including the V&A Museum, The Wallace Collection and The Royal College of Art, allowing us to offer art students a choice of unique art workshops, trips and experiences. We have recently been awarded the Prince’s Teaching Institute Mark of Excellence in Art for 2016 for our good academic results and our commitment to providing students with art enrichment opportunities. Studying Art empowers students not only with practical artist skills and knowledge, but also develops confidence of character, a chance to problem-solve, pay attention to detail and communicate your own ideas and opinions.

Key Stage 3

At Key stage 3 pupils are taught to develop the following skills: How to draw from observation, develop imaginative ideas, problem-solve, take risks and learn from mistakes in their art, research artists and use the learning to inform their own art-making, to develop personal style, to see and communicate about the world using visual techniques.

In Year 7 pupils study: Flaws and Flawless

Project 1

Overview: Series of abstract art inspired by Kandinksy and Joan Miró

Key Skills:

Developing ideas through investigations informed by selecting relevant sources - Kandinsky, Joan Miro and Modern/abstract Art
Refine ideas as work progresses through the use of media and techniques
Record ideas insights and judgement
Use of visual language such as media (Indian ink; watercolour; pens and colouring pencils)
Drawing and painting skills

Key Skills:

Developing ideas through investigations informed by selecting relevant sources - Kandinsky, Joan Miro and Modern/abstract Art
Refine ideas as work progresses through the use of media and techniques
Record ideas insights and judgement
Use of visual language such as media (Indian ink; watercolour; pens and colouring pencils)
Drawing and painting skills

Project 2

Collaboration panel that combines colour coordinated drawings of objects inspired by Michael Craig Martin.

Key Skills:

Developing ideas through investigations informed by selecting relevant sources - Michael Craig Martin and basics of Composition
Refine ideas as work progresses through the use of media and techniques – colouring pencils and fine liners
Record ideas insights and judgement
Use of visual language such as media (charcoal, drawing pencils; pastels, etc)
Drawing skills
Composition lines in art

Project 3 - Photography

The project is called “Lines and Angles”. Students learn Camera and exposure basics on ISO as well as composition techniques

Photography Basics
Composition – the rule of thirds
Vertical, Horizontal
Diagonal and Combination Lines.
Design Ideas
Final product outcome – Architectural photographs

In Year 8 pupils study: Human vs Wild

Project 1

Overview: Iain McArthur inspired animal masks – making and decorating

Key Skills:

Developing ideas through investigations informed by selecting relevant sources - Iain MacArthur and Digital Art
Refine ideas as work progresses through the use of media and techniques such as 3D modelling with modrock and motif designs with pens and paint ((linography/stamp printing; ink and acrylic paint/ink, pens, Indian ink)
Record ideas insights and judgement

Project 2 - Photography

Overview: The project is called “Tiny Big World”. Students learn Depth of Field through the use of Lens Aperture.

ISO and Aperture.
Series of photos of random tiny objects (e.g. a plush toy, a car toy; a key; a mascot…)
Gaining character in an unusual environment
Final product outcome
Exploring Adobe Photoshop

Key Skills:

Developing ideas through investigations informed by selecting relevant sources – David Gilliver.
Refine ideas as work progresses through the use of photographic composition and aperture settings.
Record ideas insights and judgement.
Final Outcome – A Photograph of an Imaginary world/scene.

Project 3

Overview: A series of architectural work by Hundertwasser will be researched and explored.

Key Skills:

Developing ideas through investigations informed by selecting relevant sources - Hundertwasser and Graffiti.
Refine ideas as work progresses through the use of media and techniques such as colouring pencils, aqua pencils and fine liners.
Record ideas insights and judgement
Use of visual language such perspective (single and two-point perspective)
Technical drawing skills.

In Year 9 pupils study: Ordinary vs Extraordinary

Project 1 – Photography

Overview: The project is called “Movement” and it is inspired by famous photographers Manuel Cafini and Darren Pearson. Students learn to use Shutter Speed Settings to capture movement in a single shot.

Key skills:

Shutter Speed as a medium for exposure.
Capturing dynamic landscape/portrait images. E.g. Car moving: light moving; Fabric dynamics; water falling/running…
Final product outcome – A photograph (abstract or realistic) that expresses movement.
Exploring Adobe Bridge software.
Exploring Contrast and Level adjustments on Photoshop.
Using the Lasso Tool on Photoshop.

Project 2

Overview: Observational self-portrait inspired by Maurizio Anzeri and Tactile Art.

Key Skills:

Developing ideas through investigations informed by selecting relevant sources - Maurizio Anzeri, Portraiture and Tactile Art.
Refine ideas as work progresses through the use of media and techniques such as textile art; acrylic paint and charcoal blending.
Record ideas insights and judgement.

Project 3

Overview: Observational drawing/still life and stylised/simplified wire sculpture inspired by Barbara Licha, Dynamics and Mental Health.

Key Skills:

Developing ideas through investigations informed by selecting relevant sources - Barbara Licha.
Refine ideas as work progresses through the use of media and techniques such as contour drawing; continuous line drawing and wire manipulation.
Record ideas insights and judgement.
Use of visual language such as media (wire, paper and photography)

Key Stage 4

At Key Stage 4 we study:

Art and Design: Fine Art

A wide range of traditional and contemporary art practices including Drawing, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Mixed media and Sculpture. We provide students with opportunities to personalise their art portfolio according to their own unique tastes and the theme set by our exam board Edexcel. All art students enjoy building their skills in many practical techniques as well as researching the work of reputable artists to help inform their own process. Some of the disciplines students enjoy most are Figure studies, Realism, Street Art, Deconstructivism and Expressionism. We touch on both abstract and realistic art and we take inspiration from a variety of classic and modern artist that range from Caravaggio, to Georgia O’Keeffe to Sarah Graham.

We intend to include:

The work and approaches of artists, craftspeople or designers from contemporary and/or historical contexts, periods, societies and cultures
Contemporary and/or historical environments, situations or issues
Other relevant sources researched by the student in the chosen qualification title and area(s) of study
The ways in which meanings, ideas and intentions can be communicated through visual and tactile language, using formal elements, including colour, line, form, tone and texture
The characteristics, properties and effects of using different media, materials, techniques and processes, and the ways in which they can be used in relation to students’ own creative intentions and chosen area(s) of study
The different purposes, intentions and functions of art, craft and design in a variety of contexts.

In Art we are always delighted to expand the teaching and learning outside the classroom environment and often organise school trips. The most popular one is Wallace Collection’s Islamic Patterns.

At Key Stage 4 we can also study:

Art and Design: Photography

In Photography we study a wide range of traditional and contemporary art practices including:

The work and approaches of artists, craftspeople or designers from contemporary and/or historical contexts, periods, societies and cultures
Contemporary and/or historical environments, situations or issues
Other relevant sources researched by the student in the chosen qualification title and area(s) of study
The ways in which meanings, ideas and intentions can be communicated through visual and tactile language, using formal elements, including colour, line, form, tone and texture
The characteristics, properties and effects of using different media, materials, techniques and processes, and the ways in which they can be used in relation to students’ own creative intentions and chosen area(s) of study
The different purposes, intentions and functions of photography and fine art within photography design in a variety of contexts

We provide students with opportunities to personalise their Photography portfolio according to their own unique tastes and the theme set by our exam board Eduqas. All photography students enjoy building their skills in many practical techniques as well as researching the work of reputable artists to help inform their own process. Some of the disciplines students enjoy most are:

Documentary photography
Photo-journalism
Studio photography
Location photography
Experimental imagery
Installation
Moving image: film, video and animation.

Villiers students have been participating at the Wallace Collection’s Portraits in Spaces workshop and have had numerous pieces exhibited as this great museum in London.

Year 10

Portfolio 1 60% of GCSE – Internally set assignment including:
Critical understanding
Creative making
Reflective recording
Personal presentation

Year 11

Portfolio 2 40% of GCSE – Externally set assignment including:
Critical understanding
Creative making
Reflective recording
Personal presentation.

A Level

A level Art is divided into three areas of study theatre available for students to choose from.

These areas are:

Fine Art
Photography
Graphic Communication

The contents of the portfolio will be determined by the nature of the course of study.

The emphasis of this component will be on the development of understanding and skills using an appropriate range of materials such as oil paint; pastels; watercolours; various pens, collage and mix media processes and techniques. During the Personal Study time (year 12), students produce a collection of materials that exemplifies their response to a theme of their choice.

Each student must include in their portfolio:

a selection of thoughtfully presented work that demonstrates the breadth and depth of the course of study
One or more extended collection of work or project, based on an idea, concept, theme or issue.
Critical/contextual work, which could include written material such as journals, reviews, reflections and evaluations, annotations and historical background material. Evidence may be included from books, journals, moving images, photographs, digital presentations and the internet, as well as studies made during a residency, site, gallery or museum visit.
sketchbooks, workbooks, journals. Alternatively, students may wish to present a series of related images mounted on sheets.

All the work submitted for this component will be marked as a whole.

Year 12