Visual Arts (General)

Course Code: GEVAR/GTVAR
Domain: The Arts
Timetable: Semester 1 and 2
Length of Course: 2 Years

Unit Information

The Visual Arts (General) course encompasses the practice and theory of the broad areas of art, craft and
design. Students have opportunities to express their imagination and develop personal imagery, skills and
engage in the making and presentation of artworks. They develop aesthetic understandings and a critical
awareness that assists them to appreciate, and make, informed evaluations of art.

This course places value on divergence, uniqueness and individuality. It assists students to value and develop
confidence in their own creative abilities and to develop a greater understanding of their environment,
community and culture. The Visual Arts General course engages students in a process that helps them
develop motivation, self-esteem, discipline, collaborative practice and resilience, all of which are essential
life skills. Enterprise and initiative are recognised and encouraged.

Within contemporary society, there is increasing demand for visual literacy; the ability to perceive,
understand, interpret and evaluate visual information. The Visual Arts General course enables students to
develop their visual literacy and communication skills and become discriminating in their judgements.
Particular aspects of life are understood and shared through visual symbol systems that are non-verbal
modes of knowing.

The Visual Arts (General) course encourages students to develop problem-solving skills together with creative
and analytical ways of thinking. Innovation is encouraged through a process of inquiry, exploration and
experimentation. Students transform and shape ideas to develop resolved artworks. They engage in art
making processes in traditional and new media areas which involve exploring, selecting and manipulating
materials, techniques, processes, emerging technologies and responses to life. This course allows them to
engage in traditional, modern and contemporary art forms and conventions, such as sculpture, painting,
drawing, graphic design, printmaking, collage, ceramics, earth art, video art, installations, textiles,
performance, photography, montage, multimedia, and time-based works and environments.

Students gain knowledge, understanding and appreciation of art and culture, both in Australian and
international contexts. They analyse and evaluate their own works and the works of others from a range of
historical and cultural viewpoints and develop an appreciation of the role of art in the community and their
daily lives. Through their art experiences, they come to an understanding of broader questions about the
values and attitudes held by individuals and societies and gain an awareness of the role that art plays in
reflecting, challenging and shaping societal values.

The Visual Arts (General) course aims to enable students to make connections to relevant fields of study and
to more generally prepare them for creative thinking and problem-solving in future work and life. It aims to
contribute to a sense of enjoyment, engagement and fulfilment in their everyday lives, as well as to
promote an appreciation for the environment and ecological sustainability.

Year 11

Unit One

The focus for this unit is experiences. Students develop artworks based on their lives and personal
experiences, observations of the immediate environment, events and/or special occasions. They participate
in selected art experiences aimed at developing a sense of observation.

Students discover ways to compile and record their experiences through a range of art activities and projects
that promote a fundamental understanding of visual language. They use experiences to develop
appreciation of the visual arts in their everyday lives.

Students acquire various skills using processes of experimentation and discovery. Imaginative picture making
is primarily concerned with experiences of the self and of the immediate environment, including aspects of
family life, social activities, communal occasions and other shared activities. Ample scope for free,
imaginative interpretation and experimentation with materials is provided.

Unit Two

The focus for this unit is explorations. Students explore ways to generate and develop ideas using a variety
of stimulus materials and explorations from their local environment. They use a variety of inquiry
approaches, techniques and processes when creating original artworks.

When exploring ideas and approaches to art making, students investigate the work of other artists. They
learn to identify stylistic features of art forms from different times and places and explore ways to
manipulate art elements and principles to generate, develop and produce their own artwork.

In developing subject matter for artworks, students explore ways to express personal beliefs, opinions and
feelings. They manipulate a variety of media and materials in a range of art forms, recording and reflecting
on their artistic achievements.

Year 12

Unit Three

The focus for this unit is inspirations. Students become aware that artists gain inspiration and generate ideas
from diverse sources, including what is experienced, learned about, believed in, valued, imagined or
invented. The breadth of this focus allows choice of learning contexts that are related to students’ interests.

In this unit, students develop their knowledge and understanding of visual language and apply this to both
art making and art interpretation. Through exploration, investigation and experimentation, they develop
skills in inquiry, recording observations and manipulating media to create artworks in selected art forms.

Students, through research and/or first-hand experience of artworks and art making, actively engage in
perception, research, reflection and response and consider the ways in which artists, past and present, have
been inspired to develop artworks. They are given opportunities to present or exhibit their work, to describe
their source(s) of inspiration and to evaluate the process and success of their finished artworks.

Unit Four

The focus for this unit is investigations. Students explore and develop ideas through the investigation of
different artists, art forms, processes and technologies. Students investigate spontaneous and analytical
styles of drawing, experimenting with a range of media and techniques. They further develop their
knowledge and understanding of visual language and apply this to both art making and art interpretation.

In particular, students explore the expressive potential of media techniques and processes, considering their
inherent qualities in the development and presentation of their artworks. They investigate ways to
document their thinking and working practices, refining their reflection and decision-making skills.

In this unit, students investigate a variety of artworks and media to further develop their understanding of
the creative process and learn how to apply new analytical and production skills and techniques in the
communication of their own ideas.

Pathway Information

Tertiary

Workforce

Students undertaking this course may wish to consider tertiary studies in:

Fine Arts
Bachelor of Arts
Diploma of Visual Arts

This course suits direct workforce entry into the following:

Artist
Museum Officer
Merchandiser
Interior Decorator

Additional Information

Estimated Charges: $150 per year