New ways of expressing ideas help to make visual arts one of the most interesting and challenging areas of learning and experience. Engagement in the arts promotes a sense of identity and makes a unique contribution to the lifelong learning of each student.  The  visual arts program enables students to engage in both practical exploration and artistic production. 

The course is designed to enable students to study visual arts in higher education and also welcomes those students who seek life enrichment through visual arts.  The Diploma programme visual arts course is designed to offer students the opportunity to build on prior experience while encouraging them to develop and use new skills, techniques and ideas.  While it is possible to take the course without previous experience, this is helpful, particularly at HL option.

Aims

The aims of the visual arts course at HL and SL are to enable students to:

*investigate past, present and emerging forms of visual arts and engage in producing, appreciating and evaluating these

*develop an understanding of visual arts from a local, national and international perspective

*build confidence in responding visually and creatively to personal and cultural experiences

*develop skills in, and sensitivity to, the creation of works that reflect active and individual involvement

*take responsibility for the direction of their learning through the acquisition of effective working practices

Objectives

Having followed the visual arts course at HL or SL, students will be expected to:

1.       respond to and analyze critically and contextually the function, meaning and artistic qualities of past, present and emerging art, using the specialist vocabulary of visual arts

2.       develop and present independent ideas and practice, and explain the connections between these and the work of others

3.       explore and develop ideas and techniques for studio work through integrated contextual study and first-hand observations

4.       develop and maintain a close relationship between investigation and a purposeful, creative process in studio work

5.       produce personally relevant works of art that reveal evidence of exploration of ideas that reflect cultural and historical awareness

6.       develop and demonstrate technical competence and artistic qualities that challenge and extend personal boundaries

The Difference Between HL and SL

The aims and assessment objects are the same for visual arts students at both HL and SL.  All students are encouraged to develop their creative and critical abilities and to enhance their knowledge, appreciation and enjoyment of visual arts.

The course content may be the same; however, HL students will be required to dedicate longer amounts of time, therefore, produce a larger body of work and work of greater depth. 

        Higher Level   (240 Hours)

                Option A (HLA)               Studio work                            (60%)

                                                Investigation workbooks               (40%)

                Option B  (HLB)              Investigation workbooks       (60%)

                                                Studio work                                    (40%)

        Standard Level (150 Hours)

                Option A (SLA)               Studio work                            (60%)

                                                Investigation workbooks               (40%)

                Option B  (SLB)              Investigation workbooks       (60%)

                                                Studio work                                    (40%)

1.  Studio work- the artworks (both finished and unfinished) that the candidate creates at home and in the studio at PHUHS. 

2.  Investigation- the research, idea development, experiments, reflective writing and relevant preparation that the candidates complete to help support and improve the artwork

Junior Year: HL and SL

The first year of the 2-year IB Visual arts program follows the Advanced Placement visual arts curriculum.  All students complete an AP portfolio, consisting of 12 Breadth artworks and 12 Concentration artworks.  At the end of the junior year, students submit the portfolio to the Collegeboard for an AP score.  The artworks produced in the “concentration” section of the portfolio can be utilized for the senior year external assessment. 

Grading for the junior year:

studio work (quality of work, depth of thought, expression)= 75%

iwb (quality / quantity of visual and historical research)= 25%

Senior Year: HL and SL Assessment

Studio		60%
External assessment The student prepares a selection of his or her studio work in the form of an exhibition. This is externally assessed by a visiting examiner following an interview with the student about the work.
Investigation		40%
Internal assessment The student presents selected pages of his or her investigation workbooks that have been produced during the course. This selection is internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by the IBO at the end of the course.

Quantity of Work

HL    Selection of at least 12-18 major works following a theme

        25-30 representative pages from investigative workbook

SL    Selection of at least 8-12 major works following a theme

        15-20 representative pages from investigative workbook