Unit 11 - Working to Visual Arts Briefs

Click here to download this Unit as a Word document

Introduction
This unit asks you to research, explore and develop ideas into a final visual art outcome. The project outcome could be in 2D, 3D, or both.

You'll carry out research from primary and secondary sources, experiment and create ideas from your research findings, plan and follow the stages of the design process, and communicate how your ideas were realised through the final work. You'll also evaluate the outcome and your working methods.

Carrying out your research
To get ideas for your product, you'll carry out research from both primary and secondary resources.

• Primary sources include anything that you respond directly to such as drawing, painting, photography, video that you see in museums and galleries and workshops.
• Secondary sources include drawings and paintings from pictures, photocopies, postcards, paper based and online publications, libraries and audio-visual sources.

From these sources, you can collect historical and contemporary information, to use as starting points. You can provide evidence of your research in the form of work journals, files, sketchbooks, mood boards, PowerPoint presentations, etc.

Try this

• What field are you planning to work in? Describe the format that your finished work will take – 2D, 3D or both.
• Research your chosen field using libraries, museums, galleries and the Internet. Differentiate between primary and secondary sources.

You may find some of the following books useful:

• Gair, A — Collins Artists Manual (Collins, 1999)
• Green, J D — Arteffects (Watson-Guptill Publications, 1993)
• Hamer, F and Hamer, J — Ceramics: The Potters Dictionary of Materials and Techniques (A&C Black, 1997)
• Kemnitzer, R B — Rendering with Markers (Watson-Guptill Publications, 1983)
• Sherrill, K — Creating with Paint (Martingale & Co, 2001)
• Smith, R — The Artist's Handbook (Dorling Kindersley, 1987)

Using materials, equipment and techniques
You will explore, experiment and learn how to use specialist materials, equipment and techniques for your project outcome. This will involve:

• selecting and using appropriate hand tools
• selecting and using appropriate techniques and processes
• working with a variety of media and materials.

Health and safety is a crucial part of workshop practice. You need to eliminate risk to yourself and others, work safely within a studio environment and follow the appropriate health and safety guidance on handling materials.

You should produce evidence that you've used a variety of 2D or 3D materials ranging from pencil/paints, non-resistant materials (e.g. card, paper, clay) to software programs and resistant materials (e.g. metal, plastics and wood). Depending on the area that you're investigating, you should collect evidence (in the form of photographs, drawings and notes) that you can use appropriate hand tools, techniques and processes.

Try this

• Discuss your initial ideas with fellow students or your tutor. Can they suggest new techniques, materials or processes that you could use to develop your work?
• Develop a written brief for your project. Describe exactly what you want to achieve and how you plan to achieve it.

Planning, developing and producing
You will need to plan and follow the stages of the design process and know how to use particular working methods and processes to produce a final outcome. This involves:

• analysing the brief and writing it up in your own words as a project proposal
• selecting research appropriate to the project
• applying research and experimentation with media and materials to generate alternative ideas
• producing plans or working drawings
• reviewing and developing your ideas (e.g. interpreting ideas in the form of 'mock ups' or maquettes)
• evaluating, refining the most appropriate ideas and producing a final outcome.

Your evidence could be in the form of drawings, photographs, diagrams, media experimentation, maquettes, 'mock ups', references to artists, designers and craftspeople, and could be presented in sketchbooks, files or worksheets. The evidence for your final outcome will depend on your chosen area of visual arts; it could be fine art, drawings, paintings, sculptures, installations, etc.

Try this

• Working with another student, develop and write up your project brief. Ask them for guidance and advice, then help them to complete their own brief.
• Draw up a schedule for the various stages listed above. This schedule should include target dates for completing each stage of the process, and lists of materials and tools that you'll need.
• As you complete each stage, collect your evidence in a portfolio – make sure that each piece is clearly labelled and its purpose explained.

Discussing your work
It's important to review and evaluate what you do at every stage of the process and to record your findings. A useful way to do this is to discuss aspects of your work with your tutor or other students. For example, you could comment on:

• the choice of primary and secondary sources
• planning and initial ideas
• the use of media, materials and techniques
• influences and bases for the work
• the use of hand tools and processes
• the use of 2D/3D formal elements (e.g. line, tone, space, volume, texture, proportion)
• the effects and ideas you have tried to achieve
• the elements of your work which were successful and why
• the elements of your work which were unsuccessful and why
• areas where work could improve or progress.

You can produce evidence that you've evaluated your work in the form of critiques, one to one discussions or presentations – you could tape or video these. Written evidence could be in the form of annotations alongside your work, reports, essays, etc.

Try this
Prepare a short presentation for the other students in your group to illustrate the way that you approached your work. Use PowerPoint or other forms of visual display to accompany your talk. Explain:

• the thinking behind your work
• the materials you used
• the techniques and processes you used
• the ways in which you would work differently if you were starting the piece again.
• Set up a review forum. Each piece of work should be reviewed by three other students who should compile a brief document that explains their reactions to the piece and any suggestions they have for modifying it.

Remember to make your comments as constructive as possible!

Top

 

General

Specific