The Course

Do you enjoy working with different media and materials or have you always wanted to? Do you want to experiment with colour, texture and drawing and painting techniques? Do you want to make work that surprises you? Then this course is for you. You will gain knowledge, skills, and enjoyment from learning the basic elements that artists and designers use such as line, tone, colour and texture. You’ll also improve your skills in observation, drawing, painting, printing, image manipulation and digital photography. Finally, you’ll learn how to develop your work from initial ideas through to final outcomes, including how to professionally mount your work.

The course places a strong emphasis on learning how other artists create images.

A1 Units:

• How to develop your work and ideas through the use of new materials and processes. How to work with a given theme to create a personal body of work influenced by the chosen artist.
• Practical exam externally set by AQA. This involves working from a chosen theme to develop a body of research, experimental developments and outcomes. these should demonstrate your media experiments and the influence different artists had in your work. It also includes a 5-hour practical supervised control piece.

A2 Units:

• How to work with a given theme to create a personal body of work, influenced by your chosen artist.
• How to experiment with such methods as: paint techniques, collage, collograph, computer image manipulation and photography. How to mount your work to create a professional body of work.
• Practical exam externally set by AQA including a 15-hour practical supervised final outcome.

What else can you do on the course?
You will have the opportunity to travel to see exhibitions in London, Liverpool and Madrid and will have the opportunity to exhibit your work in the End of Year Exhibition. You’ll also have the chance to be taught by practising artists.