VISUAL ARTS
Course of study
The nature of the IB Visual Arts Programme is student-centred focusing on the creative development of the individual.
Aims:
- Students should look for every opportunity to develop their aesthetic, imaginative and creative faculties.
- Learning to see. Stimulating and training students' visual awareness.
- Discover, develop and enjoy the means of creative expression in the studio and elsewhere, which are suited to student's temperaments and capabilities. Build upon their strengths, strengthen their weaknesses.
- Pursue quality through questioning, asking for assistance, individual experimentation and persistent endeavour.
- Adopt a lively, enthusiastic and informed attitude towards Art in all its forms, both historically and today.
Higher Level and Standard Level
Both Higher and Standard Level students must follow a core programme including practice in the use of various media, the acquisition of techniques and the ability to relate art to its historical and social context. Art history and criticism are integrated into the practical course and are not dealt with in isolation. Students are encouraged to marry independence, initiative and instinct with exploration, experimentation and examination in the pursuit of excellence.
Assessment
Higher Level (both parts are compulsory)
Part A: Studio (Practical work) 70%
Part B: Research Workbooks 30%
Standard Level
At Standard Level, the candidate will choose:
Either Option A: Studio (Practical work) 70% Research Workbooks 30%
Or Option A: Studio (Practical work) 30% Research Workbooks 70%
Course Requirements: previous experience in Art is an advantage but is not a pre-requisite for entry to the course, which is designed to build upon existing strengths and strengthen perceived areas of weaknesses.
Course Commitment: The IB course requires a high level of sustained commitment in order to achieve high grades. The first year in particular introduces students to a wide range of production processes and consequently demands consistent attendance combined with persistent endeavour.
Research Workbooks: The purpose of the Research Workbooks is to encourage adventurous and critical research. During the course, workbooks will contain both visual and verbal information and will have the appearance of working journals. Equal space should be given to illustrating the thought of creative processes and to the research conclusions. Students should determine their own area of study, taking into consideration the relationships between practice and theory. All students will be encouraged to utilise the RWBs in recognition of its vital role in developing knowledge and understanding.
Research must have some relationship to and should naturally complement the candidate's studio work. The teacher/examiner will expect to see evidence of a consistent and close relationship.
The Exhibition of Studio Work
At the end of the course, each candidate will prepare an exhibition (and if necessary a demonstration) of work undertaken during the course. Normally, the candidate's exhibition is viewed by and discussed with a visiting examiner appointed by the IBO. The presentation and selection of work should reflect the candidate's views.
The display should include both works, which have been developed to their complete and final form and research work made during this development (e.g., sketches, notes and preliminary studies). A rough sketch may well have considerable importance and indicate great potential when explained by the candidate.