A-level Art and Design (Fine Art)

Section 2: Areas of study

Disciplines within fine art

For the purposes of this qualification, fine art is sub-divided into the following four disciplines:

• painting and drawing
• printmaking
• sculpture
• lens-based image making

Students will be required to work in one or more of the disciplines to communicate their ideas. By working across disciplines, they will extend their understanding of the scope of fine art; by focusing on one discipline, they will gain a deeper understanding of specific processes within fine art.

Drawing and other materials processes

Drawing in fine art forms an essential part of the development process from initial idea to finished work; from rough sketches, to diagrams setting out compositions, to digital drawings used for installations or as part of three-dimensional work.

Students will use a variety of tools, materials and techniques, as appropriate, for recording their surroundings and source materials. Students will consider the application and implications of new and emerging technologies that can be used in conjunction with traditional and digital fine art materials.

Contextual understanding and professional practice

Contexts for fine art can be found in a wide range of sources; for example, from historical works in museums, contemporary art shows and fairs, an exhibition at a local gallery, films, architecture, music, literature and nature.

When undertaking work in fine art, students will also engage with:

• concepts such as figuration, representation and abstraction
• how the formal elements evoke responses in the viewer
• various forms or presentation in fine art and the ways that audiences may respond to or interact with them
• sustainable materials and production processes in the construction of work
• the potential of collaborative working methodologies in the creative process

Typical A-level subject combinations with Art and Design (Fine Art)

• Art and Design (Fine Art), Photography
• Art and Design (Fine Art), Graphic Design

Sample enrichment activities

Sample academic calendar (2023-2024)