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Knowledge and Skills

Knowledge and Skills

The Knowledge and Skills overviews show the specific art and design content students will learn in each unit of study throughout the year. These documents outline both the substantive knowledge (artistic movements, techniques, and contextual understanding) and the disciplinary skills (drawing, painting, sculpture, and critical evaluation) that students will develop. Each unit is broken down to clearly identify what students need to know and what they should be able to do upon completion. Through the systematic development of both knowledge and skills, students build artistic capability, creative problem-solving, and aesthetic appreciation appropriate to their stage of learning.

Portraiture
 

Unit Progress Criteria
Knowledge Skills
  • Understand the basic structure of the eye, including the iris, pupil, eyelids, and lashes.
  • Learn how to observe and draw the eye with correct proportions and attention to light reflection and shadow.
  • Gain knowledge of the nose’s shape and structure, including the bridge, nostrils, and tip.
  • Understand how light and shadow create form on the nose, and how to capture depth through shading.
  • Learn the anatomy of the mouth, including the lips, teeth, and corners.
  • Understand how different expressions affect the shape and appearance of the mouth.
  • Study how to create volume and texture using shading and line work.
  • Understand the complex structure of the ear, including the outer ear (pinna), ear canal, and lobes.
  • Learn how to accurately depict the folds and curves of the ear in relation to light and shadow.
  • Gain knowledge of various drawing techniques such as shading, blending, hatching, and cross-hatching.
  • Learn how different media (pencil, charcoal, ink, pastels) produce different textures and effects.
  • Understand the strengths and limitations of each medium when capturing fine details and shading.
  • Learn the correct proportions and placement of facial features to ensure a balanced and realistic portrait.
  • Understand how each individual feature (eyes, nose, mouth, ears) relates to the overall structure of the face.
  • Gain knowledge of how to combine individual features into a cohesive portrait.
  • Learn how to maintain consistency in style, shading, and proportion when integrating different parts of the face.
  • Understand the importance of facial expression and how it affects the overall impact of a portrait.
  • Develop the ability to closely observe and accurately draw eyes, focusing on shape, proportion, and detail.
  • Experiment with different media (e.g., pencil, charcoal, ink, pastels) to explore various techniques for shading, texture, and expression.
  • Enhance skills in drawing noses with attention to structure, form, and shading to create a sense of depth.
  • Practice using different media to explore how each technique affects the rendering of light, shadow, and surface texture.
  • Improve the ability to observe and capture the unique shapes and expressions of mouths.
  • Experiment with various techniques (e.g., blending, cross-hatching) in different media to effectively convey lips, teeth, and shading.
  • Develop skills in drawing the complex shapes and contours of ears with accurate proportions.
  • Explore different media to practice capturing texture and form, particularly the subtle curves and shadows of the ear.
  • Learn to combine individual features (eyes, nose, mouth, ears) into a cohesive and balanced portrait.
  • Practice proportion and alignment of facial features to ensure accuracy in the overall facial structure.

Portraiture Artists
 

Unit Progress Criteria
Knowledge Skills
  • Learn about Luke Dixon’s background as a contemporary artist, his minimalist line drawings, and his focus on portraiture and animals.
  • Understand the techniques Dixon uses, such as bold, clean lines and limited colour palettes to create expressive portraits.
  • Explore Dixon’s use of simplicity and abstraction to convey emotion and personality in his artworks.
  • Gain knowledge of Pablo Picasso’s life and artistic career, particularly his role in developing Cubism and his influence on modern art.
  • Understand Picasso’s use of distorted forms, fragmented perspectives, and bold colours in his portraiture.
  • Explore how Picasso’s portrait work evolved over time, from realistic depictions to abstract, experimental styles.
  • Learn how to analyse and annotate key features in Dixon’s minimalist line work, focusing on the use of lines, shapes, and negative space.
  • Understand how to annotate Picasso’s portraits, identifying his use of fragmented forms, multiple viewpoints, and vibrant colour choices.
  • Develop the ability to explain how each artist’s style conveys mood, character, or abstract ideas.
  • Gain an understanding of how to replicate Dixon’s minimalist line drawing techniques, focusing on precision and expressive line quality.
  • Learn how to recreate Picasso’s iconic portrait styles, using distorted forms and bold, contrasting colours to capture his abstract approach.
  • Develop the knowledge to apply Dixon’s minimalistic approach to portraits of famous people, focusing on capturing their essence with simple, clean lines.
  • Learn how to reinterpret famous faces using Picasso’s Cubist techniques, exploring how to fragment and abstract facial features while still maintaining recognizability.
  • Understand how to combine elements of each artist’s style with their own creativity to produce original works that are influenced by Dixon and Picasso.
  • Learn about Marcello Monreal’s background as a contemporary artist and designer known for his collage-style portraits.
  • Understand how Monreal uses fragmentation and cut-out techniques to deconstruct and reconstruct portraits, often incorporating floral and natural elements.
  • Explore the symbolism behind Monreal’s work, particularly how he merges human forms with nature to convey deeper meanings.
  • Gain knowledge of Brno Del Zou’s unique approach to portraiture, particularly his use of fragmentation and multi-layered photographic techniques.
  • Understand Del Zou’s concept of presenting multiple perspectives of a single face or figure in one image, creating a 3D or multi-faceted view of the subject.
  • Learn how Del Zou’s work challenges traditional ideas of portraiture by distorting and layering faces to explore identity and perception.
  • Learn about Loui Jover’s artistic background and his signature style of using ink and watercolor to create expressive, emotional portraits.
  • Understand Jover’s process of combining loose, flowing ink washes with precise line work to evoke strong feelings and capture human emotion.
  • Explore how Jover often integrates text and vintage paper backgrounds into his work, adding layers of meaning and texture to his portraits.
  • Develop the ability to analyze and annotate key features of Monreal’s collaged, deconstructed portraits, focusing on the use of cut-outs, layering, and nature.
  • Gain understanding of Del Zou’s fragmented portrait style and how it manipulates perspective, depth, and identity.
  • Learn how to annotate Jover’s expressive use of ink and watercolor, identifying his technique for creating emotional impact through brushstrokes and fluidity.
  • Gain knowledge of the technical aspects of Monreal’s collage-making process, including cutting, layering, and integrating symbolic imagery.
  • Learn the methods behind Del Zou’s multi-faceted, photographic portraits, including how to create the illusion of depth and multiple perspectives.
  • Understand the technique of working with ink and watercolor as used by Jover, particularly how to balance loose, spontaneous strokes with detailed line work.
  • Understand how to apply Monreal’s collage technique to portraits of famous people, focusing on the use of fragmentation and symbolic integration.
  • Learn how to use Del Zou’s multi-layered, fragmented approach to depict famous faces in a unique and unconventional way.
  • Gain knowledge of how to capture emotion and fluidity using Jover’s ink and watercolor techniques when recreating famous faces.
  • Develop research skills by gathering information on Luke Dixon and Pablo Picasso, including their artistic styles, techniques, and backgrounds.
  • Practice summarising key information and presenting it clearly in written form.
  • Improve the ability to critically analyse artworks, focusing on key elements such as line, colour, shape, and composition.
  • Learn to annotate Dixon’s work, identifying how he uses minimalist lines to create expressive portraits.
  • Practice annotating Picasso’s work, focusing on his use of abstraction, fragmented forms, and bold colours.
  • Develop the ability to explain how different artistic choices convey emotion, mood, or abstract ideas.
  • Develop drawing skills by replicating Dixon’s minimalist line technique, focusing on accuracy, simplicity, and expressiveness.
  • Practice controlling line thickness, direction, and precision to capture the essence of Dixon’s portraiture style.
  • Learn to replicate Picasso’s Cubist style, focusing on distorting forms, experimenting with perspective, and using bold colours.
  • Practice using geometric shapes and abstract techniques to recreate Picasso’s portraits in a visually dynamic way.
  • Enhance creative skills by applying Dixon’s minimalist approach to portraits of famous people, using clean lines to capture recognizable features.
  • Practice reinterpreting famous people’s faces in Picasso’s Cubist style, experimenting with abstract shapes, multiple perspectives, and fragmented forms.
  • Develop composition skills by combining features from different viewpoints into a cohesive portrait that reflects Picasso’s abstract vision.
  • Practice blending the styles of Dixon and Picasso with personal artistic expression to create original works.
  • Learn to balance artistic influence with creativity, adapting elements of each artist’s style in unique ways.
  • Develop skills in researching the backgrounds, styles, and artistic techniques of Marcello Monreal, Brno Del Zou, and Loui Jover.
  • Learn how to extract key information about each artist’s influences, themes, and approach to portraiture.
  • Practice organising and presenting research findings clearly and accurately.
  • Improve the ability to critically analyse the distinctive styles of Monreal, Del Zou, and Jover by focusing on their use of composition, texture, and abstraction.
  • Practice annotating Monreal’s collage-like cut-out portraits, identifying how he integrates nature and fragmentation into his designs.
  • Develop the skill of annotating Del Zou’s layered and fragmented portraits, understanding his use of 3D effects and multiple perspectives.
  • Analyse Jover’s ink and watercolor portraits, learning how he combines expressive lines and fluid ink washes to create emotional depth.
  • Learn to identify and describe how each artist's techniques affect the viewer’s perception of the subject.
  • Practice creating portraits using Monreal’s distinctive collage technique, cutting out and layering elements to reconstruct faces in a visually striking way.
  • Improve the ability to mix portraiture with abstract or symbolic elements, as seen in Monreal’s integration of natural objects into his work.
  • Develop the skill of recreating Del Zou’s fragmented and multi-layered portrait style, focusing on how to divide a face into separate parts while maintaining a sense of unity.
  • Practice creating depth and texture in portraiture by using techniques that give a 3D effect to the composition.
  • Learn to replicate Jover’s ink and watercolor techniques, focusing on using expressive brushstrokes and splashes of ink to convey emotion.
  • Practice creating portraits that balance detail and fluidity, experimenting with the use of line, ink drips, and shading.
  • Enhance creative skills by applying Monreal’s collage technique to portraits of famous people, experimenting with fragmentation and symbolic elements.
  • Practice recreating portraits of famous people in Del Zou’s fragmented, layered style, using multiple angles and perspectives.
  • Experiment with Jover’s ink-based portrait techniques, creating expressive and emotional depictions of famous people using ink and washes.
  • Learn how to blend personal artistic ideas with the unique styles of Monreal, Del Zou, and Jover to create original works.
  • Practice adapting each artist’s methods while incorporating personal creativity to produce distinctive and innovative portraits.