Art
Art
We want our students to have an open mind and appreciation of art from all walks of life, cultures and time periods. We want our students to be skilled, confident thinkers who grasp concepts with authority to build their own voice. Throughout their study, students will develop their resilience to embrace new ideas, artists and processes to broaden their knowledge, see meaningful connections and unleash their creativity.
YEAR 7
Year 7 begin their journey with a comprehensive understanding of the formal elements to fully grasp the ingredients which create a work of art. Students will unpick and explore the work of Yayoi Kusama, which will introduce students to the contexts that surround how art is formed and exercise core drawing skills through their application of the formal elements. Students will be introduced to the genre of still life and appreciate its importance throughout history and relevance in modern art.
Students will continue to build their mastery of skills by handling paint with the support and vision of Nicolas Party. Students will then look to the past and how the post-impressionists adopted a new approach to record their observations; how self-expression can bring life to the mundane. The still life work of Cezanne will be explored and understood in the context of giving rise to modern art. At this stage we introduce oil pastels and push students to apply their prior knowledge of mark making and colour theory to add to their arsenal of skills.
Now a foundation of skills has been laid, we look to how objects can be symbolic and provide deeper meanings and/ or trigger nostalgia of the everyday. Students deepen their understanding of composition as well as developing analytical skills in their interpretation of artworks. We then progress from the realistic to the abstract through Cubism and the opportunity to use collage. Students are encouraged to be experimental as we move towards the end of the year by learning how to ‘break the rules’ and take risks. This evolves into Abstract Art, where students apply their knowledge of the formal elements and processes in intuitive and imaginative ways to create dynamic outcomes.
YEAR 8
Year 8 begin by learning about how geometric shapes form the building blocks of all structures, even including their classroom. They will record key geometric shapes with drawing and discover how planes create depth and perspective. One-point perspective will be practically explored, and students will build a firm grasp of key terminology required for the first term. Students will move towards drawing interior spaces using one-point perspective and showcasing refined drawing techniques.
Students will now have the necessary knowledge to fully understand and appreciate the work of Patrick Caulfield. Caulfield’s interior spaces present students with vivid lines, colours and shapes, which will allow them to unpick how his practice playfully presents the real and unreal whilst sticking with the rules of perspective. Student’s will then work from interior photography of the school to skilfully implement the techniques of Caulfield.
Students will move from the interior to the exterior and the works of David Hockney. Hockney’s landscapes retain the vivid and playful use of colour seen in Caulfield’s work but introduce mark-making techniques that enable students to gradually build a language of suggestion. Retaining the laws of one-point perspective, students will study Hockney’s landscapes and once again deploy their understanding to create Hockney inspired outcomes from photography of the local area.
Students will again change how they experience space and move to a bird’s eye view with the vision of contemporary artist, Derek Lerner. Students will develop personal ideas by using Lerner’s technique to transform maps of the local area and incorporate their prior knowledge of the formal elements. At this stage, students are beginning to take risks, and this will inform the next step of their journey. They will construct landscapes by experimenting with a range of materials, some of which relate to the everyday. Consequently, students will thoughtfully combine ideas into meaningful outcomes.
YEAR 9
In Year 9 Students are introduced to the genre of portraiture and its significance throughout art history by making comparisons between traditional and contemporary works. Students will build upon and hone their observational drawing skills to ascertain the details of the face through primary and secondary observation, as well as the application of the formal elements tone, line, texture and form.
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With this foundation of skills, students are prepared to investigate experimental approaches to drawing and using photography by creating a sense of emotion and mood in their work. Students will explore the theme of Chiaroscuro supported by Caravaggio, to understand how to enhance portraiture by using light and shadow. Students will now investigate the work of Giacometti and his use of line and distortion, which develops into the study of Expressionism and Edvard Munch. Through critical analysis and contextual understanding, students explore the power of art to convey the human condition.
From here we look at the practice of Josh Bryan and how he transforms contemporary icons using geometric shapes. Students are challenged to incorporate new techniques to develop a personalised outcome that has clear connections with Bryan. These techniques will help underpin how students can use planes and vectors to paint a self-portrait. Finally, students will amalgamate all prior knowledge to create an acrylic self-portrait that thoughtfully weaves together the techniques, processes and use of media from the artists who have supported their journey.
KS4
At KS4 we build on the foundation skills developed at KS3 yet embark on a more in-depth approach to produce sustained and refined outcomes. Under the project theme of ‘Natural Forms’ we broaden students’ skill sets through workshops in more specialist disciplines such as printmaking, photography and digital manipulation. Students are introduced to a variety of traditional and contemporary artists that deepen their understanding of art history, conceptual art and meaning.
Once students have a solid grasp on how to use a range of processes, media and techniques, we introduce them to a personal project. The personal project will allow students to expand their skills in research and analysis to produce meaningful and sustained artist studies and personal responses. We teach students how to unpick ideas to generate exciting concepts, which leads to a more personal and independent direction throughout their work. Students refine their techniques and take ownership over their creative endeavours to resolve their ideas by making connections across their investigation and produce meaningful and imaginative outcomes.
