Art and Design is offered at Intermediate (and specialist), Higher and Advanced Higher level at Dumfries Academy.
In the Art and Design department we believe that ALL pupils are creative. Art and Design encourages you to develop ideas and to show these ideas in your artwork. You will have the opportunity to invent, design and make artwork which shows us aspects of your ability and your personality.
In Dumfries Academy second year pupils will be following Intermediate courses. You will find that all of the work in Intermediate 1 and 2 allows you to build on the experience gained in first year. This is important since it means that you will be working on tasks which are familiar. This also helps to make the move from S1 to S2 as smooth and straightforward as possible. We want you to enjoy your work and to try all the different techniques with confidence.
You will find that all of the work for the Intermediate courses is based on themes which are relevant to you and your environment. This should help you add a personal touch to your work. To help improve standards further you will continue to be given drawing homework every two weeks. Many of these drawings will become part of the class projects.
By the end of S3 you will have completed 2 Expressive Units, 2 Design Units and 2 studies. You will be familiar with all of these types of work from first and second year. These three headings cover the full range of Art & Design activities and are also directly related to the Higher course. They give you the opportunity to build on your strengths in practical work and learn more about the work of artists and designers.
All pupils are expected to work to the best of their ability and enjoy themselves. You are encouraged to be confident and aim for the highest standards that you are capable of. Remember: You can always do better than you think you can!
INTERMEDIATE 1 &2
Why study Intermediate Art and Design?
You are unique, an individual, a one-off. Art and Design celebrates this and encourages you to be creative in your abilities to communicate and problem solve. It allows you to develop these abilities by producing artwork which requires thought, imagination and your particular skills. The course is designed to give you the opportunity to express yourself and work creatively with a variety of materials in a satisfying and enjoyable way.
Entry Requirements
To do the Intermediate course you do not need previous qualifications. However, you should be enthusiastic and want to do your best. We want you to enjoy yourself.
Course Outline
There are three units of work in this course, each of which you will be familiar with.
Assessment
Every piece of work you produce counts toward your overall assessment. The Expressive and Design Units are sent to SQA for marking. A piece of artwork, produced during a three hour exam, is also sent with them. The short Art and Design Studies Unit is assessed in school. All of this gives you the opportunity to build on the things you do best and the grade you achieve is not down to just drawing skills.
Homework
Every two weeks you will be given a drawing task or a research task. The drawing task is the same as was given in all art classes since first year: you produce an observed, tonal drawing on A4 paper. The themes depend on what you have chosen to do for your Units. The research tasks can include using the internet to find out about an artist or designer or collecting images from magazines to be used as inspiration for your artwork. In addition, pupils often take their artwork home to improve it or add to it. This is up to you.
Core Skills
Intermediate 1 Problem Solving (Critical Thinking, Planning and Organising, Reviewing and Evaluating). Art and Design allows you to be imaginative in finding creative ways of presenting your ideas and finding out about aspects of the work you are doing in class.
Progression
If you complete the course successfully you can opt to do Intermediate 2 or go on to Higher
INTERMEDIATE 2 SPCECIALIST
Why study this course?
This course is designed for pupils entering 4th, 5th and 6th year and who may wish to continue with Art and Design for one or more of the following reasons:
Entry Requirements
This course is open to all pupils who have succeeded in their Intermediate 2 course at level A, B or C.
Course Outline
To augment the broaden skills already developed in 2nd and 3rd year, in collaboration with the teacher, pupils will be able to select units from each of the following:
Design:
Expressive
Success in each Unit will be accredited by the SQA and there will be option of sitting the exam again for those who wish to upgrade. Built in to the course will be opportunities to develop skills and prepare much of the ground work for the Higher giving the opportunity to produce work of greater quality and finish to ensure a strong Higher Grade.
Assessment
Every piece of work you produce counts toward your overall assessment. You will produce a Portfolio of work undertaken in class. The procedure for re-sitting the whole course will be as it was for Intermediate 2. Otherwise the Expressive and Design Units will be internally marked and may form the bases of a school exhibition. The opportunity to work on National Art and Design competitions and initiatives will be greater in this course.
All of this gives you the opportunity to build on the activities that you enjoy and do best.
Career Implications
Not everyone wants to, or is able to, have a career in Art and Design. However there are two main areas of employment which are directly relevant: careers which require production of art and design objects and those which require an employee to use creative and aesthetic judgement.
Graphic Designer, Animator, Product Design, Fashion Designer are just some of the many jobs which require artistic.
However thousands of other careers such as Art Editor, Primary Teacher, Fashion Buyer in retail, all require creative and aesthetic judgement.
Art and Design qualifications are approved for entrance to all general courses at University and College.
HIGHER
Why study Higher Art and Design?
You are unique, an individual, a one-off. Art and Design celebrates this and encourages you to be creative in your abilities to communicate and problem solve. Art and Design allows you to develop these abilities by producing artwork which requires thought, imagination and your particular skills. The course is designed to give you the opportunity to express yourself and work creatively with a variety of materials in a satisfying and enjoyable way. Higher Art and Design is also fully recognised as a Higher for most courses at University or College.
Entry Requirements
Art and Design Intermediate 2. If you did not do Intermediate 2 examples of your artwork must be submitted and entry will be at the discretion of the Art and Design and faculty heard.
Course Outline
There are three units of work in this course, each of which you will be familiar with.
Assessment
Every piece of work you produce counts toward your overall assessment. The Expressive and Design Units are sent to SQA for marking. The Art and Design Studies Unit is assessed in school and there is a 1 ½ hour written exam. Pupils who do well in Higher Art and Design are those who try to do their best, work to deadlines and, importantly, enjoy producing artwork.
Homework
This will be either a drawing task or a research task. The drawing task is the same as was given in all art classes since first year: you produce an observed, tonal drawing on A4 paper. The themes depend on what you have chosen to do for your Units. The research tasks can include using the internet to find out about an artist or designer or collecting images to be used as inspiration for your artwork. In addition, pupils often take their artwork home to improve it or add to it.
Core Skills
Higher Problem Solving (Critical Thinking, Planning and Organising, Reviewing and Evaluating). Art and Design allows you to be imaginative in finding creative ways of presenting your ideas.
Progression
If you complete the course successfully you can opt to do Advanced Higher. There are two Advanced Higher courses offered: Expressive Enquiry and Design Enquiry. There is no exam for Advanced Higher. At the end of the year all of your work is sent to SQA for Assessment.
ADVANCED HIGHER
Why study Advanced Higher Art and Design?
You are unique, an individual, a one-off. Art and Design celebrates this and encourages you to be creative in your abilities to communicate and problem solve. Art and Design allows you to develop these abilities by producing artwork which requires thought, imagination and your particular skills. The course is designed to give you the opportunity to express yourself and work creatively with a variety of materials in a satisfying and enjoyable way. Advanced Higher Art and Design allows you the opportunity to use a variety of materials and to work in a way which is more mature and more varied than you have done before.
Entry Requirements
You can do the course if you have passed Higher Art and Design. Because you work in a different way from Higher, it is also important that you are prepared to experiment and try new methods. The most successful Units at Advanced Higher are those which show enthusiasm, effort and individuality which is sustained throughout the year.
Course Outline
There are two units of work in this course, both of which you will be familiar with. One is to be the main Unit, the other is a shorter Unit. You decide which one will be Design and which will be Expressive. It is your ideas and imagination which makes the artwork personal and unique.
Assessment
There is no exam but every piece of work you produce counts toward your overall assessment. The Expressive and Design Units are sent to SQA for marking. They are looking for artwork which is mature, interesting and skilful. It should also show evidence of a sustained development of a theme through sketches, drawings, ideas and high quality finished artwork. No problem if you have passed Higher and enjoy being creative.
Homework
At this level homework is largely dependent on you individual needs and level of commitment. You are given deadlines to complete the various parts of each Unit. The themes depend on what you have chosen to do for your Units. In addition it is expected that you will often take your artwork home to improve it or add to it.
Core Skills
Higher Problem Solving (Critical Thinking, Planning and Organising, Reviewing and Evaluating). Art and Design allows you to be imaginative in finding creative ways of presenting your ideas.
Progression
If you complete the course successfully you would have a substantial body of work which would form a large part of a portfolio. You need a portfolio of artwork, together with the appropriate Standard Grades and Highers, to study Art and Design at college or Art School.