Subject Department: ART: FINE ART

Examination Board: OCR

AS Code: 3801 A2 Code: 7801

Specification Summary
At Advanced Subsidiary candidates follow a specialised endorsed, Fine Art programme. This continues into the A2 part of the Advanced GCE, but with greater emphasis on depth and focus.

Aims of the Course
The aims of the specification are to:

	develop intellectual, imaginative and creative powers;
	develop investigative, analytical, experimental, technical and expressive skills, aesthetic understanding and critical judgement;
	develop knowledge and understanding of achievements of artists, craftspeople and designers in the past and in contemporary society;
	develop an understanding of the relationships between, and the connections across, the disciplines of art craft and design.

Prior Level of Attainment

The 60% coursework content means that love of the subject and commitment are the most important requirements for this course. Ideally candidates should have obtained a grade A or B at GCSE Art and Design. Those who have not studied Art and Design at GCSE are at a disadvantage.

Course Content Summary - Advanced Subsidiary (AS)

Unit 1, 2901 Research Projects: Fine Art
Two projects, with at least one supporting planning sheet (A1 or equivalent) per project or an ongoing sketchbook. A project can range from one self-contained assignment to a clearly defined series or set of work.

Unit 2, 2911 Personal Investigation: Fine Art
Candidates are required to try new ways of describing and interpreting artists’ work through making and reading as an integrated activity. The presentation will be essentially a practical exploration of materials, processes and techniques used by chosen artists. The subject of the study must be agreed with staff. Primary and secondary sources must be acknowledged.

Unit 3, 2921 Controlled Assignment: Fine Art
This unit is designed to allow candidates to demonstrate independently their ability to realise their ideas and intentions in response to a set of questions, by emphasising the research element, together with recording, investigating and selecting relevant mediums and processes.
Candidates are required to work from direct observation from primary sources; document via sketches, photographs and notes from secondary sources; produce their own explanatory sheet or equivalent showing relationship of observations to ideas, materials and processes; and develop and relate this preparation into a coherently planned idea by producing a clearly articulated piece of research in five hours.

Course Content Summary - A2 level

Unit 4, 2931 Specialist Project: Fine Art
The intention of this unit is to provide candidates with a structured route through a range of art experiences, in which they can produce a variety of solutions before developing a considered, personal response.
Candidates must submit one major project and at least two planning sheets (A1 or equivalent) or a sketchbook. A "piece of work" can range from a self-contained assignment to a clearly defined series or set of work.

Unit 5, 2941 Personal Study: Fine Art
The personal study enables candidates to demonstrate an understanding of the inter-relationship between an area of practical art and the theoretical knowledge that informs such work. The main subject of study must be viewed first hand. All sources, primary and secondary must be clearly acknowledged. Written content is a maximum of 3000 words.

Unit 6, 2951 Controlled Test: Fine Art
This unit is designed to allow candidates to demonstrate their ability to prepare, plan, relate and resolve their response to a set of stimuli. Candidates must work from direct observation from primary sources; document and record via sketches, photographs and notes from secondary source material; produce their own explanatory preparation sheets or equivalent, using a range of alternative materials and processes; develop and relate studies into a composition through the most appropriate medium, process or technique.
The final piece is intended to allow candidates to demonstrate their ability to relate and resolve their work in a set time period of fifteen hours.

Assessment Units	1	2	3	4	5	6
AS/A2 weighting	50%
Unit weighting %	30%	30%	40%	30%	30%	40%
Full A Level %	15%	15%	20%	15%	15%	20%

Detailed Course Content Summary - Advanced Subsidiary (AS)

AS UNIT 1, 2901

Research Projects (30% 0f AS, 15% 0f GCE)

Two units of work, "research projects", must be produced.
It is possible to develop two projects from the same research – eg a figure painting and an abstract painting. It is more usual to develop two different research projects - eg a still-life painting and a print relating to study of figure painting and drawing.

These projects particularly test:
your ability to record observations, ideas, information and insights in visual and other forms; your development of ideas, ability to sustain investigations and to select appropriate materials, processes and resources; and how you begin to analyse methods and outcomes, identifying links and relationships.

Assessment:
Weighting reflects the importance of Visual Recording and Practical Research.
Objective 1, Visual Recording: max 30
Objective 2, Critical Thinking: max 20
Objective 3, Practical Research: max 30
Objective 4, Personal Development: max 20

AS UNIT 2, 2911

Personal Investigation (30% of AS, 15% of GCE)

This unit encourages you to get involved with the work of artists by actively investigating their works. You are required to find new ways of describing and interpreting images and works, by making and reading as a linked activity;eg exploring a painting through detailed visual analysis of a selected section, and using appropriate media to understand the technique employed. Imaginative use of computer to scan images or animate paintings is possible. You will be expected to explore, in some depth, the context of an artist’s work.

The investigation should be primarily practical and may be presented in any one of a range of approaches: sketchbook, mounted boards, computer generated or hand written information. Novel approaches do require a transcript for ease of reading content at assessment.

Starting points may be, for example: thematic, gallery visits, or looking at expressive, communicative or formal elements of works. A comparison between two artists' use of colour may be the focus of study, for example.

Assessment:
Weighting reflects the importance of Critical Thinking and Personal Development.
Objective 1, Visual Recording: max 20
Objective 2, Critical Thinking: max 30
Objective 3, Practical Research: max 20
Objective 4, Personal Development: max 30

AS UNIT 3, 2921

Controlled Assignment (40% 0f AS 20% of GCE)

This is your opportunity to demonstrate independently your ability to realise ideas and intentions in response to a set of starting points or stimuli.
Emphasis is on the research and skills in recording, investigating and selecting relevant media and processes. There is a preliminary preparation period in which you are expected to explore and select the most appropriate process for extension in the five-hour examination period. This is defined as a "focused piece of work". It is designed to allow you to work independently to select and distil your exploration into a coherent piece of research.

Staff may guide you as to availability and choice of materials but you must work independently. Development from Unit 1 is advisable.

You will be expected to work from primary sources; to document and record via sketches, photographs and notes from secondary sources; to produce your own explanatory preparation sheet or equivalent, showing the relationship of observations to ideas, materials and processes; and to develop and relate into a coherently planned piece.

Preliminary work should consist of two A1 sheets or the equivalent.

Assessment:
Weighting reflects the importance of Visual Recording and Practical Research.
Objective 1, Visual Recording: max 30
Objective 2, Critical Thinking: max 20
Objective 3, Practical Research: max 30
Objective 4, Personal Development: max 20

Detailed Course Content Summary - A2 level

A2 UNIT 4, 2931

Specialist Project (30% A2, 15% GCE)

This unit provides you with an opportunity to explore a range of art experiences, producing a variety of solutions before developing a considered, personal response.

It allows for you to develop further ideas from AS and expects you to build on previous skills and knowledge, demonstrating your growing maturity and independence.

You will submit one major project, at least two planning sheets and or a sketchbook. Work must be your, own, individual response, and starting points, whether from AS or elsewhere, should be clearly identified in the planning sheets and or sketchbook. A "piece of work" may be either two- or three-dimensional, and can range from one self-contained assignment to a clearly defined series or set of work. There are no size restrictions but appropriate materials and processes should be selected. Planning work is an essential part of the visual process. All secondary sources must be acknowledged.

Assessment:
Weighting reflects the importance of Visual Recording and Personal Development.
Objective 1, Visual Recording: max 30
Objective 2, Critical Thinking: max 20
Objective 3, Practical Research: max 20
Objective 4, Personal Development: max 30

A2 UNIT 5, 2941

Personal Study (30% of A2, 15% of GCE)

In this unit you must demonstrate an understanding of the inter-relationship between practical art and the theoretical knowledge that informs such work. You should show skill in research, analysis, selection and judgement. You must see first hand the main subject of your study.

You are required to analyse closely a Fine Art topic, supporting your investigation with contextual information as to culture, history and economics. This may be a progression from your AS investigation, but this must be of greater depth and more focused in approach. You will be expected to show that you are able to transfer skills from the AS course and build on them. Alternatively the topic of study may relate to your Specialist Project. Extension of understanding through practical response is possible but must not form more than 20% of the whole study. The topic chosen may be unrelated to the other units all together.

The study may be presented in any appropriate format: a structured sequence of annotated drawings, paintings, photographs or three-dimensional objects; visual and written analysis of a maximum 3000 words; tape, video or multimedia presentation.

You are required to undertake primary research, viewing key works, and you must include reference to specific practitioners whose work may be studied first-hand. Local sources should be thoroughly investigated. A bibliography must be included.

Assessment:
Weighting reflects the importance of Critical Thinking and Personal Development.
Objective 1, Visual Recording: max 20
Objective 2, Critical Thinking: max 30
Objective 3, Practical Research: max 20
Objective 4, Personal Development: max 30

A2 UNIT 6, 2951

Controlled Test (40% of A2, 20% 0f GCE)

This unit is designed to allow you to demonstrate your ability to prepare, plan, relate and resolve your response to a set of questions or stimuli independently. Planning sheets, or the equivalent, should illustrate the "journey" you make from first exploration to final planning.

You must evidence a personal, informed response to your chosen stimuli and produce a resolved piece from this planning in the fifteen- hour examination period. Initial guidance on choices and availability of materials may be discussed with staff but you must work independently. You must: begin with work from direct observation from primary sources; document and record via sketches, photographs and notes from secondary source material; produce explanatory sheets or equivalent using a range of alternative materials and processes; and develop and relate studies into a composition through the most appropriate medium, process or technique. Preliminary work should be more than two A1 sheets but not more than four. Selecting of material for these is expected. All secondary sources must be acknowledged.

Assessment:
Weighting reflects the importance of Visual Recording and Personal Development.
Objective 1, Visual Recording: max 30
Objective 2, Critical Thinking: max 20
Objective 3, Practical Research: max 20
Objective 4, Personal Development: max 30

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