Visual ArtsQ&A by dot point

Compare and contrast two artworks, choosing points of comparison across the elements, principles, subject and context, analysing similarities and differences side by side, and reaching a reasoned judgement rather than describing each in turn

Describe and analyse an artwork, using precise visual vocabulary to observe the elements and principles, moving from description of what is seen to analysis of its effect, and structuring a clear written response

Interpret the meaning and context of an artwork, using visual evidence and symbolism to read possible meanings, and using the artist's time, place and purpose to deepen interpretation while staying grounded in the work

Discuss Singapore and Southeast Asian art, including the Nanyang School and its blending of Western and Asian traditions, the depiction of local subjects and identity, and the place of regional art alongside the Western canon

Outline major Western art movements, including the shift from Renaissance realism through Impressionism toward modern movements such as Cubism, Expressionism and abstraction, and recognise the key aims and visual features of each

Use acrylic and poster (opaque) paint, including flat opaque colour, layering light over dark, building from thin to thick, using texture and impasto, and exploiting the fast drying time and water-based handling

Apply colour theory in practice, using temperature, complementary and harmonious schemes, value and saturation to set mood, create depth and direct the eye, and choosing a deliberate colour scheme for a painting

Explore mark-making and brushwork, including the range of marks (smooth, broken, dry-brush, stippled, gestural), the effect of brush choice and pressure, the visible or hidden hand, and matching the quality of the mark to intention

Mix and match colour accurately, including mixing secondaries and tertiaries, lightening and darkening, neutralising with complementaries, mixing convincing greys and browns, and matching an observed colour by adjusting hue, value and saturation

Use watercolour techniques, including flat and graded washes, wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry, reserving the white of the paper for highlights, and working light to dark while controlling water and timing

Develop observational drawing from life, learning to look closely, to draw what is seen rather than what is known, and to use techniques such as gesture, contour and sighting to record real objects accurately

Create the illusion of depth and space, including one-point and two-point linear perspective, the horizon line and vanishing points, and the depth cues of overlap, size, position, detail and aerial perspective

Apply proportion and measuring in drawing, including comparative measuring with a held pencil, using a unit of measurement, checking angles and relationships, and the basic proportions of the human figure and face

Use a sketchbook to develop drawing and ideas, including quick studies, experiments and annotation, recording observation over time, and showing visible progress and the working out of ideas rather than only finished pieces

Apply tonal shading techniques in drawing, including hatching, cross-hatching, blending and stippling, building a tonal range with graphite, charcoal and pen, and rendering smooth gradation to model form

Understand colour basics and the colour wheel, including primary, secondary and tertiary colours, hue, tone and saturation, warm and cool temperature, and complementary and harmonious relationships

Explore line and shape, including types of line and their qualities, geometric and organic shape, positive and negative shape, and how line and shape lead the eye and structure a composition

Identify and describe the elements of art, including line, shape, form, tone, colour, texture and space, and use them as the shared vocabulary for making and analysing artworks

Understand the principles of design, including balance, contrast, emphasis, pattern and rhythm, movement, proportion and unity, and explain how they organise the elements into a coherent composition

Understand tone (value), including the tonal range from light to dark, how tone models three-dimensional form, the use of highlight, mid-tone, shadow and cast shadow, and the mood of high-key and low-key work

Develop a personal theme for coursework, narrowing a broad starting point into a focused line of inquiry, generating a personal response, gathering visual sources, and using artist research to feed your own ideas

Present the coursework and write the reflective journal, selecting and sequencing the work into a coherent whole, presenting it cleanly, and writing honest reflection that explains intentions, decisions and what was learned

Realise the final piece for coursework, drawing the development together into a resolved outcome, planning scale, media and composition, working it up carefully, and ensuring the final work answers the line of inquiry

Build the preparatory sketchbook for coursework, recording observation, experiments and media trials, exploring compositions, responding to research, and showing a clear line of development with honest annotation toward a resolved idea

Understand the coursework task and what it assesses, including the requirement for a sustained body of work with preparatory studies and a resolved outcome, and the assessment of ideas, investigation, skill and personal response, not just the final piece

Understand form, mass and space in three-dimensional work, including solid mass and negative space, open and closed form, the role of real light and shadow, and the experience of a viewer moving around the work

Develop three-dimensional work from maquette to final form, including small trial models, the role of the armature and structure, testing materials and scale, and resolving and finishing a final piece with reasoned decisions

Explore materials for three-dimensional work, including clay, plaster, wood, wire and card, and found and recycled materials, understanding how each behaves, the method it suits, and the associations and meaning it carries

Identify the methods of making three-dimensional work, including carving (subtractive), modelling, construction and assemblage (additive), and casting, and explain how each method shapes the surface, form and feel of the result

Distinguish relief from sculpture in the round, including low and high relief, the single frontal view of relief versus the many views of in-the-round work, and how each type is experienced and used

Use collage and mixed media in two-dimensional work, including selecting and combining papers, found images and textures, layering media, the meaning carried by chosen materials, and unifying mixed elements into a coherent image

Compose and lay out a two-dimensional design, using the rule of thirds and focal points, balance and visual hierarchy, the format and the use of space, to arrange elements so the design is ordered and the eye is guided

Create pattern and repetition, including the motif and the repeat unit, regular grids and half-drop and rotational repeats, the difference between regular pattern and varied rhythm, and the use of motifs from observation and culture

Follow the design process for a two-dimensional task, from understanding the brief, through research and idea generation, thumbnails and development, to a refined final design, showing reasoned decisions at each stage

Combine typography and image in design, including the expressive character of letterforms, legibility and hierarchy of text, the relationship between word and picture, and integrating type into a layout such as a poster or cover