Visual Art is a powerful and pervasive means of communication. It is the means of personal expression by which students make visible ideas, thoughts, feelings and observations of their world through display and exhibition of made images and objects.

In making artworks, students define and solve visual problems by using visual language and contexts. Making processes involve selecting, exploring, manipulating and exploiting materials, techniques and processes in particular media areas to communicate meanings.

Students resolve ideas by actively constructing meanings in imaginative, analytical and reflective ways, thus providing spiritual, intuitive, emotional and intellectual responses. These responses reflect students' personal and cultural identities.

In appraising artworks, students constantly appraise images and objects through synthesising information, evaluating meanings and justifying positions. This enhances students'understanding of the purpose and intent of visual artworks in various cultures and societies. It develops students' capacity to critically reflect on and challenge representations of cultural values, beliefs and customs and to make informed judgements when ascribing aesthetic value to visual artworks.

In a world of proliferating communication technologies and of increasing published, internet-transmitted, and digitised visual information, a knowledge and understanding of how meanings are constructed and 'read' is essential in becoming a critical consumer and/or producer of images and objects, whether for leisure or work.

The Course of Study

This 2-year course is comprised of 8 units of work.

In Year 11 students will investigate the concepts - mark making, layering media and images, communication through visual dialogue and belief systems, exploring media and the construction of art works.

Tasks will be initially teacher directed with focuses nominated for each unit. This should allow studetns to be lead through a diverse range of media and processes and approaches to visual art making.

In Year 12, students are encouraged to specialise within the nominated concepts - place, human from, and culture. They will interpret their own focuses in responses to the concepts, developing ideas and media approaches experienced in previous units of work. While Unit 5 requires students to work in 2D media, they may work in 2 or 3 dimensions in Units 6 - 8. In Unit 8, students may extend an idea encountered when addressing a previous concept or media approach from a previous concept or media approach from a previous unit. Media choices in 2D - painting, collage, printmaking,, drawing, digital imaging. Media choices in 3D - relief sculpture, modelling, carving, assemblege and construction.

THe course of study over the two years is designed to allow students to develop ideas employing a diverse range of media in Year 11 to a more specialised approach in Year 12. They should be making more independent choices when selecting focuses and media from Year 11 to Year 12.

Visual Literacy entails communicating meanings through:

Application entails communicating meanings through applying knowledge and understanding when selecting, exploring and
manipulating materials, techniques and processes through researching, developing and resolving.

Appraising entails determining and communicating meanings through:

Students are required to submit one major work or folio of works and one written response each term, except Term 4 in Year 12 when no written response is required.

Written responses will be either extended (800 - 1000 words) or short (400 - 600 words).

All major practical work must be accompanied by the student's visual journal where developmental work is documented.

Each criterion will be assessed once per term.

VHA Standard A in any 2 criteria and nothing less than a B in the remaining criterion.
HA Standard B in any 2 criteria and nothing less than a C in the remaining criterion.
SA Standard C in any 2 criteria and nothing less than a D in the remaining criterion.
LA Standard D in any 2 crteria.
VLA Does not meet the requirements of an LA.

There are NO recommendations for studying Visual Art other than dedication and a commitment to completing all assessment tasks. A SA in English would be an advantage.