Visual Arts

“Creativity takes courage.” Henri Matisse.

Our aim for the visual arts department is to develop your confidence, encourage you to be creative and advance your artistic skills to reach your full potential. We offer a broad and varied curriculum which explores and celebrates a diverse range of exciting historical and contemporary artists and designers. You will have the opportunity to experiment and discover your strengths within a lively, yet supportive teaching environment. We will equip you with the skills and techniques necessary to develop your own independent responses with an emphasis on the creative process and the development of quality outcomes.

Subject Leader: Mrs S Connell (sonya.connell@swale.at)

Key Stage 3 Visual Arts:

In Year 7 you will explore and develop your understanding of the visual and tactile elements; line, tone, colour, pattern, texture, shape, form and space including the opportunity to work in 2D and 3D media. We encourage you to develop your own personal responses to themes and techniques, improving and refining your work with growing independence.

In Year 8 you can continue to build on your artistic knowledge and develop your practical skills and creative ideas through a range of exciting and thought-provoking themes.

In Year 9 you can choose to study a more specialised course in either Art Textiles, Fine Art (including 3D) or Photography. You will develop an enthusiasm for the subject and gain confidence to approach the GCSE courses with creativity, resilience and aspiration.

“Art at TWS is a fabulously fun subject that involves skilled techniques and an imaginative mind.”

“Art expresses my feelings and I love art because of that. I hated art before I came to TWS.”

“It helps express your individuality using your imagination as your limit which is limitless.”

“Art is a way of expressing your feelings and emotions, art is unique to you and no one else can recreate it.”

“You can express yourself however you like and be the creative person you may have been hiding.”

“Art lessons allow me to express my crazy side through paint, pencil and chalk.”

Key Stage 4 Visual Arts:

You have the opportunity to select the GCSE AQA Visual Arts course most suited to your personal style and aptitude with guidance and support from your art teacher.

AQA GCSE Art Textiles:

“Art Textiles is really fun because we learn about so many different techniques and have so many opportunities to learn the necessary skills for the course. The subject is really well taught and it gives you a chance to express your creativity.”

“The Textiles course is amazing and it has helped me to learn new techniques and given me confidence in trying new things for the first time.”

The aim of the GCSE art textiles course is to encourage an open and personal approach to your chosen area of interest within either fashion textiles, interior textiles or art textiles contexts. You work on several project themes of your choice whilst learning and developing skills using a variety of textile media and techniques including batik, machine embroidery, block printing, silk painting and weaving. The work of inspirational artists and designers are explored in relation to the development of your own independent work.

AQA GCSE Fine Art:

“Art at TWS is very ‘hands on’ and intellectual. I like it because it helps me to express my inner thoughts through drawing and painting.”

“The reason why we enjoy art so much is because of the art teachers who help us when we need it and they give us great advice. The atmosphere in art is enjoyable and we feel ourselves during the lessons and love it.”

Fine art GCSE is the perfect choice for you if you are creative, practical, imaginative and enjoy art. The course is wide-ranging and encompasses a variety of areas to work within such as drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking and mixed media. You are encouraged to work in a way that suits you, from figurative representation to abstraction - expressing yourself imaginatively which will result in an individual and personal body of work.

AQA GCSE Photography:

“A creative subject that you can really express yourself in”

“Photography at TWS helps to release feelings that can’t always be described in words”

GCSE photography at TWS explores the ever changing world of lens-based media. Though some technical knowledge is necessary the primary focus is on ideas and how effectively and creatively we can transmit them. You will learn to look at the world differently and begin to notice the photographs that are waiting to be taken all around you.

Key Stage 5 Visual Arts:

AQA A Level Art Textiles:

“Through GCSE and A Level textiles, I have discovered a sense of creativity I never knew I had. This subject allows me to have the freedom others don’t - it sparks a million ideas that I want to create.”

“Art textiles is an immersive subject where your individuality is key to creating imaginative and accomplished pieces.”

The art textile course offers the opportunity to develop skills over a broad range of textile and fashion techniques and applications such as printing, weaving, knitting, mixed media, digital applications, surface design, embroidery and installation. Practical work is produced by researching and developing ideas supported by critical evaluation and an awareness of contemporary and historical influences. A Level art textiles is a practical course in which you learn by doing, so you will be able to create imaginative personal work. You will develop your creativity and independent thought, learn to express yourself visually and let your imagination flourish. At the end of the A Level course you will have the skills, knowledge and understanding needed for higher education.

AQA A Level Fine Art:

“A Level fine art at TWS allows us to be more independent with our artwork, by using multiple resources for inspiration and it gives us the opportunity to experiment and be free with our choices”.

“I love A Level fine art because the lessons are stress-free and I can be more expressive with my work which I am really enjoying”.

A Level fine art focuses on the disciplines of drawing, painting, sculpture, print making and mixed- media to a high level. You explore techniques and media at a more refined and more in depth level than you did at GCSE and your work will be independently led as preparation for further study at degree level. During A Level you think more deeply, purposefully and intellectually around your ideas, linking your work to artists and cultures and you are able to convey an idea or respond to a theme or an issue of personal experience. You can explore either social, historical, environmental, cultural, and ethical or issue based contexts. Overall, the course provides a creative, inspiring foundation to pursue further education such as a degree on their own individual creative journeys.

AQA A Level Photography

“Taking A Level photography has allowed me to show my imagination and creativeness through the lens”

The A Level photography course aims to embrace different styles and interests and as a result, no two pieces of coursework are ever the same. Pupils develop the confidence to communicate highly personal investigations with skill, drawing together visual and analytical understanding. There is freedom to explore images through a range of innovative techniques and processes, from Photoshop and moving image to mixed media disciplines.

Useful weblinks or books:

Textiles:

Fashion:

Photography:

The Whitstable
School

Learning, Ethos & Values