Subject content

Students are required to develop knowledge, understanding and skills relevant to their chosen title through integrated practical, critical and contextual study that encourages direct engagement with original works and practice.

Students may work in any medium or combination of media. They can work entirely in digital media or entirely non-digital media, or in a mixture of both, provided the aims and assessment objectives are met.

Students must learn through practical experience and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of sources that inform their creative intentions. Intentions should be realised through purposeful engagement with visual language, visual concepts, media, materials and the application of appropriate techniques and working methods.

Students must develop and apply relevant subject-specific skills in order to use visual language to communicate personal ideas, meanings and responses.

Students must, over time, reflect critically upon their creative journey and its effectiveness in relation to the realisation of personal intentions.

The following definitions of art, craft and design highlight the distinguishing characteristics of each domain. These domains can be addressed separately or in an integrated way depending upon the intentions and purposes of work undertaken.

Art based study can be defined as practice that involves the development of personal work and lines of enquiry determined by the need to explore an idea, convey an experience or respond to a theme or issue.

Craft based study can be defined as practice that involves making activities that draw upon knowledge of tools, materials and processes, and associated intellectual, creative and practical skills.

Design based study can be defined as practice that involves developing a response to a specific need, brief or starting point, taking account of established requirements, constraints and/or parameters.