ART & PHOTOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT

“Creativity is contagious, pass it on” – Albert Einstein

Here at Eckington School we believe that all students can be creative in both their thinking and their making. The Art and Photography Department at Eckington School is a welcoming, supportive and vibrant area in school where students are encouraged to explore the visual world and expand their imagination and creativity. At Key Stage 3 pupils study a variety of different topics including African art, Natural forms, pop art and Expressive portraits. They are taught to draw from observation and imagination and explore a wide range of media including: pen, pencil, oil pastel, chalk pastel, charcoal, paint, watercolour, crayon and print.

At Key Stage 4 and 5 the department offers both Art and Design and Photography at GCSE and A2 level. These are both extremely popular subjects and the successful department has a fantastic team of art teachers who are approachable and knowledgeable in their subject specialisms. Follow the links to the right of the page to find out more about these courses.

GCSE Art & Design & GCSE Photography

At GCSE pupils follow the Edexcel  course and are offered options in either Art & Design or Photography.

The GCSE Fine Art course allows pupils to develop their personal ideas and express them using a range of media. It also teaches pupils to understand the world of art, craft and design and apply those ideas to their own work. For more information see the link here.

The GCSE Photography course allows pupils to develop their photographic and visual skills along with personal ideas and express them using a range of photographic and Photo-manipulation techniques and processes. It also teaches pupils to understand the visual world and apply those ideas and experiences to their own personal work. For more information see the link here.

A level

At GCE level, pupils can choose to study A2 level Art, Craft & Design or A2 level Photography and follow the Edexcel course.

A level Art, Craft & Design

Pupils study can choose to study a range of artists; past, modern and contemporary. They are encouraged to develop their own creative journey and explore arrange of personal outcomes. Pupils complete a combination of coursework and controlled tests in addition to a short written study in Year 13 which acts as a catalysed to explore personal outcomes inspired by artists. See the Edexcel Exam Board specifications for more information.

A level Photography

Pupils study can choose to study a range of Photographers & artists; past, modern and contemporary. They are encouraged to develop their own creative journey and explore arrange of personal outcomes. Pupils complete a combination of coursework and controlled tests in addition to a short written study in year 13 which acts as a catalysed to explore personal outcomes inspired by artists. See the Edexcel Exam Board specifications for more information.

GCSE Year 9 Fine Art

The year 9 students will begin the year with an introductory project. This unit develops students understanding of the expectations required for GCSE art. This unit further develops their primary observation skills and experimental skills in a range of traditional media. They have the opportunity to explore past, modern and contemporary approaches to art. All elements of the design process are documented and allow the student to fully understand the necessity to develop and refine ideas and outcomes.

Year 9 will then study The Pop Art movement and  key artists. This is done through immersing students in popular culture imagery that surrounds their everyday lives where they are hopefully able to find a familiar and interesting starting point for the development of their own ideas. This project helps to develop students understanding of graphic design, composition and lettering and explores mixed-media in collage, paint and oil pastel. The unit further develops their colour relationships understanding and gives them a firm grounding in composition and design.

GCSE Art Year 10-11

Students in year 10 and 11 studying art are now given the opportunity to develop sustained pieces of work over a long period of time and build up a body of work for a portfolio. The first project in year 10 explores the theme ordinary and extraordinary. The project begins with a still life starting point which allows students to further develop their visual language through concentrated observational drawing tasks from first hand sources. Students are introduced to a range of artists working in very different ways. They are encouraged to visually and in writing analyse the artists work in order to understand their intentions and explore their skilful use of media. Students are then encouraged to develop their own ideas and intentions in response to the work of artists and find a personal direction for the development of their project.

Students will then explore a range of two-dimensional media in order to communicate their intentions. Outcomes typically produced include canvas paintings, oil pastel studies, mixed-media and relief works and prints. The second project is started in the summer term and is based on the theme of expressive portraits.

Students further develop their skills in a range of two-dimensional media but within the subject of portraiture. They are introduced to both traditional and contemporary portrait artists and are encouraged to develop a personal direction in their project. Alongside more traditional media students explore photography and the editing processes used in Photoshop. Finally students will choose to develop one of the later projects and create sustained pieces of work which showcase their potential in a chosen media.

Art and Design: Fine Art

Exam Board: Edexcel
Specification: For more information see the link here

A level  Art & Design : Art , Craft & Design – Edexcel Advanced GCE

Entrance requirements: Grade 6 in GCSE Art & Design.  (Students with a lower grade may be considered but will need to work complete a 2 week induction programme to assess their suitability to start of the course.)

Students will develop integrated knowledge, skills and understanding of the following, through an introduction project and an in depth individual personal project:

• Fine art requires engagement with aesthetic and intellectual concepts through the use of traditional and/or digital media, materials, techniques and processes for the purpose of self-expression, free of external constraints.
• Fine art may be created to communicate ideas and messages about the observed world, the qualities of materials, perceptions, or preconceptions.
• It can also be used to explore personal and cultural identity, society and how we live, visual language, and technology.
• Fine Art allows us to consider and reflect on our place in the world, both as individuals and collectively.

60% coursework- personal portfolio & written component

40% exam- including exam preparation

The examination process consists of one 15 hour exam over 3 days at the end of the course. There is a preparation period of between 12-14 weeks leading up to the exam.

A level Art & Design is a much sought-after qualification for entry to a variety of full-time courses in higher education. It will also gain you access to a wider choice of courses after Sixth Form.

Students can progress from this qualification to:

• further education courses such as the BTEC Level 3

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design (QCF)

• higher education courses such as BTEC Higher National

Diplomas in art and design subjects, or direct to a BA

Honours degree with an art and design focus

• apprenticeships or other training
• employment in a related sector.

Degrees for which it is strongly recommended include: Fine Art, Graphics, Architecture, Product design & Fashion Design.

See the Edexcel Exam Board specifications more information – link here.

A level Art & Design : Photography & lens based media Edexcel Advanced GCE Photography: 9PY0

Entry requirements: Grade 6 in GCSE Photography.  (Students with lower GCSE Art & Design grade may be considered but will need to complete a 2 week induction programme to assess their suitability to start of the course.)

Students will develop integrated knowledge, skills and understanding of the following, through an introduction project and an in depth individual personal project:

• the principles of digital photography, including digital processing
• viewpoint, white balance, composition, focus, aperture, shutter speed, exposure, shooting modes
• the use and qualities of image acquisition hardware and software, image manipulation and analogies between digital and other forms of photography
• the relationships between colour and tone for screen and print-based media, screen calibration & file formats
• the use of a range of source material, software and hardware in the generation and development of ideas.

Students will follow the Edexcel course.

60% coursework- practical personal portfolio and a written study

40% exam- including exam preparation

The examination process consists of one 15 hour exam over 3 days at the end of the course. There is a preparation period of between 12-14 weeks leading up to the exam.

A level Photography is a popular and much sought-after qualification for entry to a number of full-time courses in higher education. It will also gain you access to a wider choice of courses after Sixth Form.

Students can progress from this qualification to:

• further education courses such as the BTEC Level 3

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design (QCF)

• higher education courses such as BTEC Higher National

Diplomas in art and design subjects, or direct to a BA

Honours degree with an art and design focus

• apprenticeships or other training
• employment in a related sector.

For more information see the link here.

ART AT KS3

Year 7 Art

Year 7 students will have the opportunity to explore visual language through a series of experimental activities with a focus on developing understanding of form, colour, pattern, tone and texture.

Students will then study African culture and art through mask design and develop a 3 dimensional response to the theme of death, marriage or birth allowing them to develop their visual language skills.

Year 7 students will then go on to study the traditional genre of portraiture where they will be introduced to further artists, both classical and contemporary as they are asked to develop their primary observation skills and to focus on areas such as composition and proportion through learnt activities which develop their critical eye.

Year 8 Art

Year 8 students will begin the year studying natural form. This unit develops their primary observation skills the unit culminates in a clay vessel which is completely designed by the student based on nature. All elements of the design process are documented and allow the student to fully understand the necessity to develop and refine ideas and outcomes.

Year 8 will then study myth and legend through our fantasy creature unit of work which supports the understanding of developing proportion through secondary observation skills as well as development of creating form, tone and texture within a range of media to include pencil, pen, oil pastel and water colour paints. Students will develop their own fantasy creature which will eventually become a water colour painting.

Year 8 students will then study urban art and graffiti in particular. We will debate the pros and cons graffiti with an emphasis on art or vandalism. Students will be taught various modes of graffiti style ranging from blockbuster to their own graffiti tag and will eventually develop a large scale mural design to incorporate both image and text to get across a political message, thus promoting the wider World and the importance of being able to get intentions across through art.