Studio Arts units 3 & 4

The creative nature of visual art provides individuals with the opportunity for personal growth, the expression of ideas and a process for examining identity. The exhibition of visual art offers an insight into the diverse interpretations of life and its experience by artists. Engagement with visual art facilitates creative thinking and the development of new ideas, it also supports connection and exchange within communities and beyond.

VCE Studio Arts encourages and supports students to recognise their individual potential as art makers and presents a guided process to assist their understanding and development of artmaking. The study establishes effective art practices through the application of an individual design process to assist the student’s production of a folio of artworks.

The theoretical component of this study is an important basis for studio practice as it offers students a model for inquiry that can support their artmaking practices. Students’ research focuses on the visual analysis of artworks and investigates how artists have interpreted sources of inspiration and influences in their artmaking. Students examine how artists have used materials, techniques and processes to create aesthetic qualities. They study how artists have developed styles and explored their cultural identity in their artwork. Students use this knowledge to inform their own processes to support their artmaking.

The foundation for the individual design process is established in Units 1 and 2 where students develop an understanding of how to source artistic inspiration related to their individual interests. Through the study of artists from different cultures, students recognise the diversity of aesthetic qualities and examine a range of interpretations of ideas and themes. In practical application students identify elements of inspiration for the development of their own creative artworks and explore a wide variety of materials and techniques.

In Unit 3 the student uses an exploration proposal to define an area for the development of a visual design process that is based on their individual concepts and ideas. The exploration proposal underpins the student’s working process and is used as a reference for the development and reflection of the design process. This enables the student to establish an understanding about how to generate a range of potential directions for the production of possible future artworks.

In Unit 4 students develop a creative folio of finished artworks based on selected potential directions. Students evaluate the use of materials, techniques and aesthetics in relation to the successful communication of their ideas in their finished artworks.

Unit 3: Studio production and professional art practices

This unit focuses on the implementation of an individual design process leading to the production of a range of potential directions and solutions. Students develop and use an exploration proposal to define an area of creative exploration. They plan and apply a design process to explore and develop their individual ideas. Analysis of these explorations and the development of the potential directions is an intrinsic part of the design process to support the making of finished artworks in Unit 4.

For this study, the exploration proposal supports the student to identify a direction for their design process. The design process is individually determined by the student. It records trialling, experimenting, analysing and evaluating the extent to which their art practices successfully communicate their aims and ideas. From this process students can develop directions for the development of finished artworks in Unit 4.

The study of artists and their work practices and processes may provide inspiration for students’ own approaches to artmaking. Students investigate and analyse the response of artists to a wide range of stimuli, and examine their use of materials and techniques. They explore professional art practices of artists in relation to particular artworks and art form/s and identify the development of styles in artworks. Throughout their study of art processes, students also consider the issues that may arise from the use of other artists’ work in the making of new artworks. Students are expected to visit at least two different exhibition spaces in their current year of study.

Unit 4: Studio production and art industry contexts

This unit focuses on the production of a cohesive folio of finished artworks. To support the creation of the folio, students present visual and written documentation explaining how selected potential directions generated in Unit 3 were used to produce the cohesive folio of finished artworks. These artworks should reflect the skilful application of materials and techniques, and the resolution of ideas and aesthetic qualities.

This unit also investigates aspects of artists’ involvement in the art industry, focusing on a variety of exhibition spaces and the methods and considerations involved in the preparation, presentation and conservation of artworks. Students examine a range of environments for the presentation of artworks exhibited in contemporary settings. Students are expected to visit at least two different exhibition spaces in their current year of study.

Assessment

Units 3 and 4

The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority will supervise the assessment of all students undertaking Units 3 and 4. In the study of VCE Studio Arts students’ level of achievement will be determined by School-assessed Tasks and an end-of-year examination.

Percentage contributions to the study score in VCE Studio Arts are as follows:

• Unit 3 School-assessed Task: 33 per cent
• Unit 4 School-assessed Task: 33 per cent
• End-of-year examination: 34 per cent