Icons of Sydney by Winny Tsai, Year 8

 

Learning Framework

Middle Years Visual Arts

  Add to Favourites
Visual Arts is a course for students aimed at developing their interest and involvement in making and interpreting art, through the development of art-making skills, critical and reflective thinking. In Visual Arts, students work with a range of traditional and contemporary art forms including drawing, painting, sculpture, printing, digital photography and video production. Content in the Visual Arts course is defined as practice, conceptual framework and frames.

Years 7–8

In Years 7–8, students will investigate the subject through the following units of study:

Patterns in Nature

Students develop ideas related to communicating aspects of nature in their artworks. Students investigate natural forms such as leaves and seed pods, and translate designs suitable for block printing or painting.

Animals and Art

Students investigate the theme of Animals in Art as conceptual inspiration for their art-making, Critical and Historical studies. Students examine the ways in which animals are used within a range of historical and contemporary artworks. Students may take a 3D or 2D approach, with an emphasis on the expressive qualities of materials, visual qualities and symbols. Media areas include relief printing techniques, drawing and clay modelling.

Opulent Oceans

Students will investigate and discuss a range of artists and their artworks, who have responded to the ocean as a central theme, with an environmental focus. Investigations will centre on the practices of these various artists and their interpretation and representations of this theme.

Icons of Sydney

Students investigate the qualities of the Icons of the Sydney Harbour foreshore, through an excursion to Milsons Point to record photographically and through sketches, images of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House.

Year 9

In Year 9, students will investigate the subject through the following units of study:

Still Life

An investigation into traditional Still Life drawing and painting.

Spaces and Structures

An investigation into spaces and structures commencing with an excursion to Cockatoo Island.

The Temporal Landscape

An exploration of landscape and representation, with particular emphasis on the relationships between the nature of colour, light and time and the challenges presented to the artist.

Memory and Place

An investigation into identity and place.

Exhibitions

All students are involved in the annual Years 7–11 Visual Arts Exhibition and the Pop-Up Exhibitions. They are also encouraged to participate in a range of external exhibitions and competitions throughout the year.