ART AND DESIGN A LEVEL (FINE ART) OCR

What do I need to Know before taking this course?
The best foundation for success at ‘AS’ and ‘A2’ Level Art is a good grade at GCSE. If you have an aptitude for the subject, are creative, imaginative enthusiastic and above all, have ideas to communicate you will be just fine. I think it goes without saying that general drawing ability and a basic knowledge and understanding of art media are essential skills you will need to have in order to succeed.
AS/A2 level Art is an incredibly rewarding course for motivated students, however you should be prepared to work hard at developing your skills.

What will I learn on the AS/A2 Art course?
The main purpose of any Art course is to develop your ability to appreciate the visual world and to respond to it in a personal and creative way. The skills you will gain will be varied. Among them you will develop a working knowledge of materials, practices and techniques within Art. You will develop methods to interpret and convey your ideas and feelings and will be given opportunities to build on existing creative and imaginative skills. You will also develop a specialist vocabulary, knowledge and understanding of Art and its place in history and contemporary society.

art work

Course Content

Advanced Subsidiary (AS)
You will be required to submit one unit of work (the Portfolio Unit) undertaken during the first two terms. Within this unit students submit a portfolio of work derived from an initial starting point. Students will be encouraged to experiment with ideas and media and develop critical/ contextual awareness. The unit is worth 60% of the AS mark and 40% of the total A level marks. Unit 2 is an Externally-Set Assignment. Students work from one of approximately 20 broad starting points, developing their ideas over a 5 week period. At the end of this there will be five hours of supervised time in which students will aim to realise their ideas into an outcome. Candidates can produce finished work for this unit or submit work of a developmental nature. This unit is worth 40% of the AS mark and 20% of the total A level mark. Both Unit 1 and Unit 2 must show sufficient work to satisfy the specific assessment objectives.
Advanced Level 2 (A2)
You do not necessarily have to take the full ‘A’ level qualification. You can get a certificate just for the AS and your teacher will help you to decide what is the best action for you. If you continue with the second half of the course you will be required to submit a further unit of study. Within this unit (unit 3), students will develop a personal investigation project based on an idea, issue or concept, supported by a written element (a related personal study) of between 1000-3000 words. This unit is worth 30% of the overall mark. There will also be a further externally set assignment (unit4), to be produced during a set exam time of 15 hours. As with Unit 2, students choose one starting point from the 20 set questions and develop their ideas over a 5 week period. This unit is worth 20% of the marks.

Areas of Study
You will be required to work in one or more of the following areas:

Painting, drawing and mixed media including collage and assemblage.
Sculpture, including ceramic sculpture.
Land art, installation and construction,
Printmaking

What kind of student is this course suitable for and what could I do at the end of it?
Primarily this is a recognised course for students who have an interest and aptitude for Art. You may wish to do Art AS or A2 Level Art for its own sake, perhaps to form the basis of a future interest or as part of a range of other subjects. For those who do intend to take the subject beyond AS or A Level there are a number of opportunities. Further study in art and design (Foundation Courses) at Art College is the normal route taken before being accepted onto a specialised Art Degree Course at University, however exceptional students can get direct entry straight from school. Students who are looking to take up a career for which an art background is required might consider fine art, advertising, publishing, illustration, fashion, animation, architecture, theatre, film, design, photography, art gallery work or even education. The list and range of jobs really is endless. The study of Art can also help you to develop transferable skills that you can take into any job or career. Success in AS/A2 requires determination and dedication but above all, self-motivation, organisation and a love of Art. Good luck for the future.