Course Title:
IB Diploma in Visual Arts
Course Overview:
Visual arts continually open up new possibilities and challenge traditional
boundaries. This is evident both in the way we make art and in the way we
understand what artists from around the world do.
The Diploma Programme visual arts course enables students to engage in both
practical exploration and artistic production, and in independent contextual, visual
and critical investigation. Students are encouraged to develop their skills through
independent work, and are able to pursue particular avenues of interest such as
digital photography, sculpture, print making, textiles and graphic design.
IB Visual arts is available to study at both Standard Level (SL), and Higher Level
(HL). The course content for HL and SL may be the same. However, due to the
different amount of time available for each, students at HL have the opportunity to
develop ideas and skills, and to produce a larger body of work, or work of greater
depth. In order to reflect this, the assessment criteria are differentiated according to
option and level. There need be no direct relationship between the number of works
produced, the time spent on each, and the quality achieved: a high level of
performance at either HL or SL can be achieved in both a large and small body of
work.
Course content
IB students undertake a thorough investigation of a topic of their choice.
Opportunities to explore specialist techniques and processes including digital
photography and image manipulation, creative textiles, mixed media work, and three
dimensional sculptures are encouraged throughout the course. Students undertaking
the IB in visual arts develop skills and pursue interests independently to their
lessons.
Assessment:
External assessment
Part 1: Comparative study – 20% of final grade
Students analyse and compare different artworks by different artists. This
independent critical and contextual investigation explores artworks, objects and
artifacts from differing cultural contexts.
Part 2: Process portfolio – 40% of final grade
Students at SL submit carefully selected materials which evidence their
experimentation, exploration, manipulation and refinement of a variety of visual
arts activities during the two-year course.
Internal assessment
This task is internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by the IB
at the end of the course.
Part 3: Exhibition – 40% of final grade
Students at SL submit for assessment a selection of resolved artworks from their
exhibition. The selected pieces should show evidence of their technical
accomplishment during the visual arts course and an understanding of the use of
materials, ideas and practices appropriate to visual communication.
Entry requirements
In order to study Visual arts at either standard or higher level, you must have
undertaken an art and design or creative arts subject at GCSE or BTEC level 2.
Future opportunities
Alumni from the IB Visual arts course at DYCA have progressed to university
courses and gone on to study Architecture, Interdisciplinary Art and Design and
Visual Arts.
The wide variety of specialisms available on the course allows for a honed portfolio
that meets specific needs of future university courses.
Useful Links:
witcombe.sbc.edu/ARTHLinks.html Covering every major period from prehistory to modern
www.artcyclopaedia.com/index.html An index of 6000 artists and related sites
www.artlex.com A comprehensive dictionary containing definitions of more than 3000 art terms,
along with illustrations, pronunciation notes and quotations
www.donarcher.com/moca Promoting computer art in its many forms, current exhibitions and
archiving the work of leading artists in the field
www.tate.org.uk In addition to a searchable database of their entire collection, there are also
online resources for teachers and students
www.wga.hu/ Comprehensive range of resources on painting and sculpture covering period 1100 –
1850
www.artguide.org/ Comprehensive Guide to Museums, Galleries and Exhibitions in the UK
Further information
For further information on IB Visual Arts at DYCA please contact the subject leader
for art and design: helen.penny-whitworth@leafacademytrust.org.uk