Art

The Art Department hosted a very successful 2 day workshop with the “high end“ product designer Liam Hopkins. Liam is a very successful designer who produces bespoke products such as furniture, jewellery and ornaments; his clientele include Marriot Hotel, Bloomsbury and Habitat. The students designed and produced a lampshade based on simple geometric principles. The work was displayed in Hamsterley Village Hall alongside the work of Liam Hopkins and a number of other professional practitioners. The students work received very favourable reviews from the Artist and visitors who attended the exhibition.

Three-Dimensional Art and Design

Students will be introduced to a variety of experiences exploring a range of three-dimensional materials, techniques and processes, such as Clay, Glass, Wood, Card or Found Objects. The students will gain inspiration from investigating relevant images, artefacts and resources relating to Art, Craft and Design from contemporary and historical sources.

The students will document their ideas through various 2D media and record their developments in sketchbooks or worksheets. These ideas will be taken forward into three-dimensional outcomes such as Ceramics, Sculpture, Jewellery/Body Adornment, Textiles, Garments or Installations.

The course is weighted 60% Controlled Assessment and 40% Externally Set Task. There is no formal written examination.

Fine Art (Painting and Drawing)

Students will develop both imaginative and technical skills in a wide range of 2 and 3 dimensional media over a two year period.

Unit 1 will include first and second hand observation of natural and human-made forms and their environment. Students must keep a sketch book to log and develop their ideas and should be prepared to work at home independently. This research must be an on-going process, at least 1 hour per week. Every student will have to produce notes and relevant drawings based on their research of a particular artist or theme that relates to a piece of their work. The students will be expected to select their best work and produce a portfolio including work from more than one project. This will be assessed at the end of the course and counts for 60% of the final grade.

Unit 2: A practical exam, the Externally Set Task, will be issued by the examining board at the beginning of January in the final year. Students will be expected to produce a portfolio of work culminating in a ten hour practical exam towards the end of the Spring Term. The work produced during this time must be the students own and unaided and will count for the remaining 40% of the overall mark.

GCSE Applied Art and Design

The Applied GCSE Art and Design will allow students to investigate artistic processes, methods and ideas that would be explored within a work related environment.
Students will work to specific assignment briefs that will require them to research professional disciplines of Art and Design such as Fashion and Textiles, Concept Art for Computer Game Design, Graphic Design, Commercial Art, Interior Design and Architecture.
This course will suit students who are excited by the idea of producing Art and Design for a market or client. The course will develop students awareness of the creative industries, deepen analysis skills, foster design and making skills that will enable students to produce creative high end outcomes in the afore mentioned disciplines of Fashion, Interior design etc.

Photography

Photography is a distinct subject area within the Art department. Students learn to use professional digital cameras and lighting equipment alongside Adobe Photoshop. The art of looking, selecting, making and creating will be essential skills. Photography will stimulate imagination and encourage individual expression.

Genres Covered:

• Fashion/Beauty
• Landscape
• Documentary
• Portrait
• Still Life
• Abstract
• Macro
• Architectural
  

Sixth Form Courses:

• BTEC Subsidiary Diploma Art
• Fine Art
• Photography