The specification for junior cycle Visual Art focuses on the students’ practical and cognitive engagement with art. Students will be enabled to progressively improve their skills as an artist/craftsperson/designer in a space that is safe for them to explore ideas and diverse processes both creatively and imaginatively. This can be achieved through the interconnected strands of the disciplines of art, craft and design. A student will experience learning in each of these three strands as they progress through their junior cycle.
Content
Students will experience Visual Art through the interconnected strands of art, craft and design and five elements which include;
- critical and visual language
- drawing
- visual culture and appreciation
- art elements and design principles
- media
Students are encouraged to:
- Develop self-confidence, inquisitiveness, imagination and creativity
- Explore and develop their own ideas and to find personal expression through art, craft and design
- Use, research and experiment with a variety of traditional, contemporary, digital or new media
- Expand their knowledge and understanding of a range of Visual Art processes, skills and techniques
- Develop the visual literacy, critical skills and language necessary to engage with contemporary culture
- Look at, respond to and evaluate their own artwork and the artwork of others
- Engage with authentic, real-world problem solving scenarios
- Develop the knowledge, skills and understanding necessary to realise authentic artwork
Assessment
It is assessed at Common Level.
Students will complete two Class-Based Assessments (CBAs), one in 2nd year and the other in 3rd year, and creation of two artefacts for the State Examination Commission (SEC).