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Visual Arts incorporates all three fields of art, craft and design. Students create visual representations that communicate, challenge and express their own and others’ ideas as artists and audience members. They develop perceptual and conceptual understanding, critical reasoning and practical skills through exploring and expanding their knowledge of their world and other worlds.

Visual Arts engages students in a journey of discovery, experimentation and problem-solving relevant to visual perception and visual language. Students undertake this journey by utilising visual techniques, technologies, practices and processes. Visual Arts supports students’ ability to recognise and develop a cultural appreciation of visual arts in the past and contemporary contexts through exploring and responding to artists and their artworks. (SCSA 2017)

Visual Arts knowledge and skills ensure that, individually and collaboratively, students:

  • demonstrate confidence, curiosity, imagination and enjoyment when engaged in the visual arts, making
  • apply visual arts techniques, materials, processes and technologies to create artwork through the design and inquiry process
  • apply visual language and critical, creative thinking skills when creating and responding to artwork
  • develop an aesthetic, artistic and cultural appreciation of visual arts in past and contemporary contexts, both as artists and art critics.

Years 7-10 Visual Arts

Years 7 and 8 All students in Years 7 & 8 undertake Visual Arts for one term as a taster and runs for two periods a week.

As mandated by the Schools Curriculum and Standards Authority, the Western Australian Curriculum is based on the requirement that all students study at least two of the five Arts subjects from Pre-primary to Year 8. It is a requirement that students study a performance subject and a visual subject.

Year 7

In Year 7, students have opportunities to use and apply visual art language and artistic conventions in their design and production process. They create 2D and/or 3D artwork through projects encouraging personal response and an understanding of compositional structure. Students are made aware of the need for safe visual art practices and present their artwork for display.

Students are introduced to an awareness of cultural, social and historical contexts embodied in artwork/art style, allowing them to link their production to a given context. They consider how to present artwork to enhance audience interpretation. Students are introduced to a critical analysis framework to analyse artwork and use visual art terminology when responding. Teachers must address knowledge and skills in Visual Arts through one art form and style below. Other art forms and art styles may be used in addition to teaching knowledge and skills in Visual Arts.

Art forms:
2D (drawing, painting, printmaking, textiles, illustration)
3D (ceramics, sculpture, installations)

Art styles: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, contemporary Australian and international art.

Year 8

In Year 8, students have opportunities to use and apply visual art language and artistic conventions of more complexity in their design and production process. They create 2D and/or 3D artwork with an awareness of producing a personal response to given stimuli through exposure to various techniques. Students are made aware of the need for safe visual arts practices when using tools and media and how to present their artwork for display.

Students become familiar with how and why artists, craftspeople or designers realise their ideas. They have opportunities to evaluate the contexts of culture, time and place within the artwork. Students apply knowledge of techniques used by other artists and consider audience interpretation in the production of their artwork. Students are provided with critical analysis frameworks to analyse artwork and use visual art terminology when responding. Teachers must address knowledge and skills in Visual Arts through one art form and style below. Other art forms and art styles may be used in addition to teaching knowledge and skills in Visual Arts.

Art forms:
2D (painting, printmaking, drawing, still photo, digital media, graphics, collage)
3D (ceramics, sculpture, installations)

Art styles: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, Asian art, contemporary Australian/international artists, craftspeople and photographers.

Year 9 | Visual Arts is an elective in Year 9 and is run two periods a week for the whole year.

In Year 9, students use visual art language and artistic conventions of greater complexity during their design and production process. They document their ideas by applying an understanding of compositional structure to create a unique personal response while representing a theme/concept or subject matter. Students experience, adapt and manipulate materials, techniques, and art styles/processes when producing 2D and/or 3D artwork which communicates artistic intention. Resolved artwork is displayed and appraised, considering personal expression and audience. Students extend their knowledge and use of safe visual arts practice.

Students experience a growing awareness of how and why artists, craftspeople and/or designers are influenced by other artists, their environment and the contexts of culture, time and place. They continue to apply knowledge of other artists’ techniques in producing their work. Students must critically analyse traditional and contemporary artwork using various analysis frameworks, incorporating appropriate visual art language, terminology and conventions. Teachers must address knowledge and skills in Visual Arts through one art form and style below. Other art forms and art styles may be used in addition to teaching knowledge and skills in Visual Arts.

Art forms:
2D (painting, printmaking, drawing, photo and digital media, graphics, collage)
3D (ceramics, sculpture, installations, textiles and jewellery)

Art styles: Ancient art, Modernism (Impressionism, Expressionism, Cubism, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Op Art, Pop Art), Australian art, contemporary craftspeople, designers and photographers, and urban art.

Ceramics        

Students can elect this subject to study 2 periods a week for the school year. This functional unit is designed to introduce students to ceramics, from clay to fired products. Emphasis is placed on hand-building processes and the use of simple technology, such as the ceramic wheel, with attention given to the details of ceramic art. Students will gain knowledge in a range of techniques and decorative processes.

Year 10 | Visual Arts is an elective in Year 10 and runs two periods a week for the whole year.

In Year 10, students use visual art language and artistic conventions in both written and practical work. They further develop and refine their ideas and techniques to resolve artwork by documenting their artwork’s design, production and evaluation processes. Students will extend their knowledge of art practices, such as adaptation, manipulation, deconstruction and reinvention techniques, and use their understanding of various art styles in making their 2D, 3D and/or 4D artwork. Students extend their knowledge and practice of safe and sustainable visual arts practice. Resolved artwork is exhibited and appraised, with consideration to their artistic intentions, personal expression, and audience.

Students develop a greater understanding of how contexts of culture, time and place impact the development of ideas and production of art forms in the artistic process. They continue to explore artistic influences while being encouraged to express greater individualism in their application of concepts and materials. Students are given opportunities to reflect on traditional and contemporary artwork using a breadth of critical analysis frameworks, incorporating visual art language, terminology and conventions. Teachers must address knowledge and skills in Visual Arts through two art forms and one art style below. Other art forms and techniques may be used in addition to teaching knowledge and skills in Visual Arts.

Art forms:
2D (painting, printmaking, drawing, photo and digital media, graphics, textiles, collage)
3D (ceramics, sculpture, installations, textiles, jewellery)
4D (performance art, time-based video, digital animation)

Art styles: Realism, Modernism (Dadaism, Surrealism, Futurism), contemporary Australian art; Postmodernism, international art.

Senior School Visual Arts

YEAR 11

ATAR Visual Arts

In the Visual Arts ATAR course, students engage in traditional, modern and contemporary media and techniques within the broad areas of art forms. The course promotes the innovative practice. Students are encouraged to explore and represent their ideas and gain an awareness of artists’ and designers’ roles in reflecting, challenging and shaping societal values. The Visual Arts ATAR course allows students to develop aesthetic understandings and critical awareness to appreciate and make informed evaluations of art through their engagement in their art practice and the work of others.

The Visual Arts ATAR course encourages students to develop problem-solving skills and creative and analytical thinking. Innovation is encouraged through a process of inquiry, exploration and experimentation. Students transform and shape ideas to develop resolved artwork. They engage in
art-making processes in traditional and new media areas, which involve exploring, selecting and manipulating materials, techniques, processes, emerging technologies and responses to life. This course allows them to engage in traditional, modern and contemporary art forms, such as sculpture, painting, drawing, graphic design, printmaking, collage, ceramics, earth art, video art, installations, textiles, performance, photography, montage, multimedia, and time-based works and environments.

Students gain knowledge, understanding and appreciation of art and culture in Australian and international contexts. They analyse and evaluate their works and the works of others from a range of historical and cultural viewpoints and develop an appreciation of the role of art in the community and their daily lives. Through their art experiences, they understand broader questions about the values and attitudes held by individuals and societies and gain an awareness of the role that art plays in reflecting, challenging and shaping societal values.

The Visual Arts ATAR course aims to enable students to connect to relevant fields of study and to prepare them for creative thinking more generally and problem-solving in future work and life. It aims to contribute to a sense of enjoyment, engagement and fulfilment in their everyday lives and promote an appreciation for the environment and ecological sustainability.

Structure of the syllabus | The Year 11 syllabus is divided into two units of one-semester duration, typically delivered as a pair. The notional time for each unit is 55 class contact hours.

Unit 1 – Differences | The focus of this unit is differences. Students consider differences arising from cultural diversity, place, gender, class and historical period in their art-making and interpretation.

Unit 2 – Identities | The focus of this unit is identities. Students explore concepts or issues related to personal, social, cultural or gender identity in their art-making and interpretation.

The course content is divided into two content areas:

  1. Art making
  2. Art interpretation.

General Visual Arts

The Visual Arts General course encourages students to develop problem-solving skills and creative and analytical thinking. Innovation is encouraged through a process of inquiry, exploration and experimentation. Students transform and shape ideas to develop resolved artworks. They engage in art-making processes in traditional and new media areas, which involve exploring, selecting and manipulating materials, techniques, processes, emerging technologies and responses to life. This course allows them to engage in traditional, modern and contemporary art forms and conventions, such as sculpture, painting, drawing, graphic design, printmaking, collage, ceramics, earth art, video art, installations, textiles, performance, photography, montage, multimedia, and time-based works and environments.

Students gain knowledge, understanding and appreciation of art and culture in Australian and international contexts. They analyse and evaluate their works and the works of others from a range of historical and cultural viewpoints and develop an appreciation of the role of art in the community and their daily lives. Through their art experiences, they understand broader questions about the values and attitudes held by individuals and societies and gain an awareness of the role that art plays in reflecting, challenging and shaping societal values.

The Visual Arts General course aims to enable students to connect to relevant fields of study and to prepare them for creative thinking more generally and problem-solving in future work and life. It aims to contribute to a sense of enjoyment, engagement and fulfilment in their everyday lives and promote an appreciation for the environment and ecological sustainability.

Structure of the syllabus | The Year 11 syllabus is divided into two units of one-semester duration, typically delivered as a pair. The notional time for each unit is 55 class contact hours.

Unit 1 – Experiences | The focus for Unit 1 is experiences. Students base art making and interpretation on their lives and personal experiences, observations of the immediate environment, events and/or special occasions.

Unit 2 – Explorations | The focus for Unit 2 is explorations. Students explore ways to generate and develop ideas using various stimulus materials and explorations from their local environment in their art-making and interpretation.

The course content is divided into two content areas:

  1. Art making
  2. Art interpretation

YEAR 12

ATAR Visual Arts

The Visual Arts ATAR course encourages students to develop problem-solving skills and creative and analytical thinking. Innovation is encouraged through a process of inquiry, exploration and experimentation. Students transform and shape ideas to develop resolved artwork. They engage in art-making processes in traditional and new media areas, which involve exploring, selecting and manipulating materials, techniques, processes, emerging technologies and responses to life. This course allows them to engage in traditional, modern and contemporary art forms, such as sculpture, painting, drawing, graphic design, printmaking, collage, ceramics, earth art, video art, installations, textiles, performance, photography, montage, multimedia, and time-based works and environments.

Students gain knowledge, understanding and appreciation of art and culture in Australian and international contexts. They analyse and evaluate their works and the works of others from a range of historical and cultural viewpoints and develop an appreciation of the role of art in the community and their daily lives. Through their art experiences, they understand broader questions about the values and attitudes held by individuals and societies and gain an awareness of the role that art plays in reflecting, challenging and shaping societal values.

The Visual Arts ATAR course aims to enable students to connect to relevant fields of study and to prepare them for creative thinking more generally and problem-solving in future work and life. It aims to contribute to a sense of enjoyment, engagement and fulfilment in their everyday lives and promote an appreciation for the environment and ecological sustainability.

Structure of the syllabus: The Year 12 syllabus is divided into two units delivered as a pair. The notional time for the pair of units is 110 class contact hours.

Unit 3 – Commentaries | Students engage with the social and cultural purposes of art-making and interpretation in this unit. The focus is on commentaries.

Unit 4 – Points of view | Students identify and explore concepts or issues of personal significance in art-making and interpretation. The focus is on points of view.

The course content is divided into two content areas:

  1. Art making
  2. Art interpretation

General Visual Arts

The Visual Arts General course encourages students to develop problem-solving skills and creative and analytical thinking. Innovation is encouraged through a process of inquiry, exploration and experimentation. Students transform and shape ideas to develop resolved artworks. They engage in art-making processes in traditional and new media areas, which involve exploring, selecting and manipulating materials, techniques, processes, emerging technologies and responses to life. This course allows them to engage in traditional, modern and contemporary art forms and conventions, such as sculpture, painting, drawing, graphic design, printmaking, collage, ceramics, earth art, video art, installations, textiles, performance, photography, montage, multimedia, and time-based works and environments.

Students gain knowledge, understanding and appreciation of art and culture in Australian and international contexts. They analyse and evaluate their works and the works of others from a range of historical and cultural viewpoints and develop an appreciation of the role of art in the community and their daily lives. Through their art experiences, they understand broader questions about the values and attitudes held by individuals and societies and gain an awareness of the role that art plays in reflecting, challenging and shaping societal values.

The Visual Arts General course aims to enable students to connect to relevant fields of study and to prepare them for creative thinking more generally and problem-solving in future work and life. It aims to contribute to a sense of enjoyment, engagement and fulfilment in their everyday lives and promote an appreciation for the environment and ecological sustainability.

Structure of the syllabus: The Year 12 syllabus is divided into two units delivered as a pair. The notional time for the pair of units is 110 class contact hours.

Unit 3 – Inspirations | The focus of Unit 3 is inspirations. Students become aware that artists gain inspiration and generate ideas from diverse sources, including what is experienced, learned about, believed in, valued, imagined or invented.

Unit 4 – Investigations | The focus of Unit 4 is investigations. Students explore and develop ideas for art-making and interpretation by studying different artists, art forms, processes and technologies.

The course content is divided into two content areas:

  1. Art making
  2. Art interpretation