Holly Hall Academy – Art & Design Curriculum, September 2015 - 2016
Year 7 – Portraiture
Unit Question:
 What is art?
 What is portraiture?
 What is identity?
 Do artists have to present what a person looks like?
 Why do artists distort images?
 What is a balanced image?
Key Unit Focuses:
Students will look at how artists have developed concepts of portraiture and representation throughout art history. They will
focus on the work of Pablo Picasso, Francis Bacon and Julian Opie and will discover how each artist represents the human
form. They will then develop an understanding of how to draw a portrait using the 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 method and will learn how to
shade correctly. Students will apply Picasso’s Cubist principles to create a multiple viewpoint collage. Once complete these
images will be scanned into Photoshop where they will be distorted and developed. Finally students will learn basic 3D
construction techniques to create an African/Cubist mask.
Key Unit Concepts/Words:
Portraiture – Balance – Distortion – Cubism – Observation – Composition – Tone – Collage – Colour Palette
Creative Outcomes:
Students will be produce…
 A series of experimental portrait drawings using a range of techniques and materials
 A pencil shaded portrait of the person sitting next to them
 A cubist inspired collage
 A series of Photoshop distortions
 An African/Cubist mask
Assessment areas of focus
At the start of the project students will complete a ‘Getting to Know You’ exercise to identify possible G&T students and
students who may need extra support.
Students will be assessed on the following pieces of work in the listed areas.
Shaded portrait
 Drawing
 Shading/tone
 Observation
Cubist collage
 Composition
 Designing
 Drawing
African/Cubist mask
 3D making
 Designing
 Meaning
Key Unit Homeworks:
All students will complete 4 Unassisted Projects during the course of the 9 week project.
Useful Website:
www.gettingtodesign.org
www.creative-choices.co.uk
www.designmuseum.org
www.tate.org.uk
www.art2day.co.uk
Holly Hall Academy – Art & Design Curriculum, September 2015 - 2016
Year 8 – Organic Forms
Unit Question:
 What is the difference between looking and seeing?
 Why do artists use nature as a starting point to develop artwork?
 What is macro photography?
 What is hatching and cross hatching?
 How to use and work with clay.
Key Unit Focuses:
Students will begin by looking at the work of Ernst Haeckel, the Boyles family and Clint Fulkerson and will begin to understand
how nature is used to make and develop artwork. To begin students will then create a visual research design sheet from
studying a series of illustration, photographs and drawing of organic forms. The design sheet will comprise of a pencil
drawing, a pen drawing, a watercolour painting and a series of Photoshop experiments. Using their research sheets as
inspiration, students will create 4 alternatives and 1 final clay tile design. Once complete student will then create their tile
design in clay. Whist the clay is drying and being fired, students will then develop their own repeat pattern using a series of
printing techniques and processes. Finally when the tile has been fired student will then paint and decorate their design.
Key Unit Concepts/Words:
Mono-printing – Printing Block – Balance – Organic – Hatching/Cross Hatching – Shading – Symmetry – Layout – Macro
Creative Outcomes:
Students will be produce…
 A visual research sheet with drawings, Photoshop experiments and annotation
 A series of Photoshop experiments
 4 final tile designs and 1 final design
 A painted clay tile and vessel
 A hand printed pattern
 A Photoshop generated pattern
Assessment areas of focus
Students will be assessed on the following pieces of work in the listed areas.
Visual research sheet
 Drawing
 Photoshop
 Composition
Final design drawings
 Drawing
 Designing
 Evaluating
Painted clay tile
 3D making
 Painting
 Observation
Key Unit Homeworks:
All students will complete 4 Unassisted Projects during the course of the 9 week project.
Useful Website:
www.gettingtodesign.org
www.creative-choices.co.uk
www.designmuseum.org
www.tate.org.uk
www.art2day.co.uk
Holly Hall Academy – Art & Design Curriculum, September 2015 - 2016
Year 9 – Surrealism
Unit Question:
 What is Surrealism?
 What caused Surrealism to happen?
 What is juxtaposition?
 What is a photomontage?
 What strategies do artist use to make and develop new work?
Key Unit Focuses:
Students will firstly look at a series of Surrealist work and identify what is going on and why these artists work in this
particular style. They will then be give a series of unrelated objects and then asked to make new objects by combining any 2
of the original objects together; this will be done 4 times. All 4 drawings will be then used to create an A3 drawing where
their objects will form part of a surreal landscape. If desired, students can develop their drawings by introducing
photomontage and college into their designs. Finally colour will be added using either Photoshop or by hand. Next student
will then select a close up of their drawing to be enlarged into and A3 or A2 painting. Finally as a pre-exposure GCSE activity,
students will select and artist of their choosing and create an A3 research board using PowerPoint, from this they will then
develop their work in response.
Key Unit Concepts/Words:
Scale – Surreal – Juxtaposition – Collage – Mixed Media – Depth – Composition – Balance – Surrealism – Photomontage
Creative Outcomes:
Students will be produce…
 A series of 4 surrealist objects
 A black pen draw surrealist image.
 A coloured version by hand or by Photoshop
 A series of experimental distortions using Photoshop
 An enlarged A3/2 painting from a close up of the original drawing.
 A research board with images and annotation of an artist of their choice.
 A series of developmental work based upon either chosen artist or their painting.
Assessment areas of focus
Students will be assessed on the following pieces of work in the listed areas.
Surrealist Drawing
 Imagination
 Drawing
 Composition
Enlarged painting
 Composition
 Painting/shading
 Colour
Developmental work
 Development
 Independence
 Meaning
Key Unit Homeworks:
All students will complete 4 Unassisted Projects during the course of the 9 week project.
Useful Website:
www.gettingtodesign.org
www.creative-choices.co.uk
www.designmuseum.org
www.tate.org.uk
www.art2day.co.uk