The student’s level of achievement in Units 1 and 2 is a matter for school decision. Assessments of levels of achievement for these units will not be reported to the VCAA. Schools may choose to report levels of achievement using grades, descriptive statements or other indicators.
In each VCE study at Units 1 and 2, teachers determine the assessment tasks to be used for each outcome in accordance with the study design.
Teachers should select a variety of assessment tasks for their program to reflect the key knowledge and key skills being assessed and to provide for different learning styles. Tasks do not have to be lengthy to make a decision about student demonstration of achievement of an outcome.
A number of options are provided in each study design to encourage the use of a broad range of assessment activities. Teachers can exercise great flexibility when devising assessment tasks at this level, within the parameters of the study design.
Note that more than one assessment task can be used to assess the satisfactory completion of each outcome in the units.
There is no requirement to teach the areas of study in the order in which they appear in the units in the study design.
Unit 1: Explore, expand and investigate
Sample assessment task
Unit 1, Area of Study 1
Investigate the historical development of the art forms
Research a range of art forms and record findings in the Visual Arts journal. Investigate the history of the materials used within the art forms.
Discuss and consider the following questions:
- Where are the earliest examples of the art forms across varying contexts?
- How have the characteristics and / or the properties changed within these contexts? Has the influence of technology altered the material?
Unit 1, Area of Study 2
Present and reflect on a final artwork
In the Visual Arts journal, write a reflective evaluation on the art making experience:
- Write a short artist’s statement to accompany the presented artwork. This statement provides context and insight in relation to the final artwork and the approach taken to the set theme.
- Consider how the materials and techniques connect to the ideas and meaning. How is visual language representing individual ideas on the theme?
- Refer to the researched terminology from Area of Study 1 to include into your evaluation of the making and presentation of the final artwork.
Unit 1, Area of Study 3
Information for an exhibition
In preparing for this outcome locate a selection of relevant artworks in at least one exhibition / art collection to visit during Unit 1. The selected exhibition / art collection must include artworks by at least three Australian artists, including at least one Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artist.
(Use the Art Almanac and VCAA VCE Art Making and Exhibiting exhibitions list for further information.)
Visit the selected exhibition / art collection to view and investigate a selection of at least three artworks by three Australian artists, including at least one Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artist. After viewing the artworks, explore and research:
- how each of the three artists has applied materials, techniques, and processes to make their artworks
- how each of the three artists has expressed ideas and meanings within their artworks
- how cultural, historical, and social contexts have influenced each of the artists and their artworks
- how each of the three artworks is displayed and the reason(s) why this kind of approach is appropriate with respect to the art form and meaning of the artwork
- examples of texts, publications, programs and promotions produced for audiences in association with the exhibition / collection.
Choose an appropriate format to present information for this task. For example:
- a guided introduction to the works in a brochure or catalogue or on a website
- a guided tour of the exhibition
- a series of postcards discussing each artwork
- a review of an exhibition visited or viewed.
- an illustrated introduction to the selected artworks for an exhibition catalogue or website
- a series of extended wall labels or exhibition room sheet for the three selected artworks
- a media release promoting the selected artists and their artworks
- a recorded audio or video guide introducing the three selected artworks.
Unit 2: Understand, develop and resolve
Sample assessment task
Unit 2, Area of Study 1
In preparing for this outcome, locate and select a thematic exhibition on display in a gallery, museum, collection, online gallery, other exhibition space or site-specific space to visit during Unit 2.
(Use the Art Almanac and VCAA VCE Art Making and Exhibiting exhibitions list for further information.)
Visit the exhibition and investigate how the artworks on display are presented and how ideas, meanings and the intention of artists are communicated throughout the exhibition. Students also find out about how the artworks in the exhibition are related to one another through the theme of the exhibition.
When viewing the exhibition students explore and document information about the exhibition in the Visual Arts journal:
- The theme of the exhibition and why various artworks on display have been selected in relation to that theme
- Examples of relationships between artworks within the exhibition (spatial, conceptual, aesthetic)
- Background information about the exhibiting artists and artworks on display
- The context(s) in which the artworks on display were made and how this influences the way they present ideas and communicates meaning
- The ways various artworks have been presented with respect to the intention(s) of the artist(s) and in relation to the time and culture in which artworks were made.
Based on their visit to the exhibition, students select three artworks they have viewed for inclusion in an exhibition proposal for a thematic exhibition that they will curate. They conduct further research into the theme of the exhibition and select three additional artworks from other sources to include in their project. (Students are encouraged to access catalogues, artworks in exhibition spaces and online databases that provide high-quality reproductions / documentation of artworks, captions and detailed information about the dimensions and materials the work is made from.)
Students then summarise and present their research about the six selected artworks in their Visual Arts journal including:
- Information about each of the selected artworks and artists
- Justification of the selection of each artwork in relation to the theme
- An explanation of the connections between the artworks
- An annotated plan of the exhibition space showing the placement of artworks and explaining the ways each artwork will be presented.
Unit 2, Area of Study 2
Art elements and principles, aesthetic qualities and style
The detailed example in Learning and Teaching for Unit 2 Outcome 2 can be used to support the development of this assessment task.
In your Visual Arts journal, reflect on artists and their artworks investigated in Area of Study 1. Write a visual analysis of different artworks by these artists that inspire your art making. The visual analysis includes:
- The artists’ use of art elements and art principles to create aesthetic qualities in the artworks
- The characteristics of the materials used to make the artworks
- The techniques and processes used to make the artworks
- The subject matter of the artworks
- The style of the artworks
What are some of the commonalities amongst the artworks? Consider the questions to link them.
Write a series of words describing the style of the artworks that could become a theme.
Using the analysis as a basis brainstorm a theme that you will use as a basis for your own artmaking. Look at the subject matter of the artworks and the ideas that the artists were expressing and find some other examples of artworks or sources of inspiration on a similar theme. Use the words you wrote as inspiration.
From your research create three experimental artworks based on the theme you have developed from the inspiration. Select a particular art form to work in and focus on experimenting with different materials and processes. Document the experiments in your Visual Journal by focusing on:
- your use of art elements and principles
- how you have used materials and techniques to create aesthetic qualities
- the relationship of the subject matter of the artwork to your selected theme
Take a photo of the artworks and write a short evaluation of how you developed the experimental artworks.
Unit 2, Area of Study 3
The detailed Teaching and learning example for Unit 2 Outcome 3 can be used to support the development of this task.
Development of finished artworks
In your Visual Arts journal, use a double page to create a mind map as a strategy to consolidate your art making. Use the evaluative statements from the experimental artworks created in Outcome 2 to annotate the following and how you will develop these ideas further:
- The most successful use of materials and techniques in an artform
- The specific style that was most successful
- The key art elements and principles that created aesthetic qualities.
Consider how you will develop the work further based on your selected theme by creating a plan of how you will make your finished artwork. You can make more than one finished artwork. Document why you selected a particular art form, the materials and techniques that you will use, the use of art elements and principles and the style of the artwork.
Use annotated photographs to document the process of making the finished artwork and how you are developing your visual language.
Once you have made the artwork write an evaluative statement about the theme of the artwork, its relationship to the artworks you used as inspiration and your experimental artworks. Discuss how you have successfully communicated the theme of the work using visual language and how you have developed an individual style.
Each of the six assessment tasks must be completed over Units 3 and 4. When designing an assessment plan, teachers should consider the assessment task and the possible combination of assessment task types for assessing an outcome. The specific assessment requirements of each unit are detailed in the VCE Art Making and Exhibiting Study Design.
Assessment must be a part of the regular teaching and learning program and should be completed mainly in class and within a limited timeframe.
The areas of study, including the key knowledge and key skills listed for the outcomes, should be used for course design and the development of learning activities. The support materials include a range of example classroom activities and teaching ideas. These ideas are designed to support the development of the key skills and knowledge for each area of study. The assessment tasks for Units 3 and 4 are listed on pages 41 and 42 of the study design.
The following examples can be used in conjunction with the Administrative Advice for School-based assessment published by the VCAA annually on the VCE Art Making and Exhibiting Study Design page.
Unit 3 Outcome 1: Sample approach for developing the School-assessed Task
Outcome 1 is comprised of 3 components:
- Exploration of at least three artists in a specific artform
- Development of subject matter and visual language from sources of inspiration
- Documentation in the Visual Journal
The Teaching and learning activities and the detailed example for Unit 3 Outcome 1 can be used to support the development of this task.
Finding Inspiration
Identify three artists and two significant (widely recognised) artworks by each artist. Research the artist’s process. Try to find reproductions of the artworks that show the artworks presented in a gallery space to understand the artwork’s scale and relationship to the environment. Make detailed notes in the Visual Arts journal about the artworks, paying specific attention to the use of materials and techniques. Research information about the artworks that can be directly attributed to the artist. Research the artist’s intention – what motivated them to make the artwork? Then, consider and answer the following questions:
- What does the artwork show or reveal about the artist?
- Where do these revelations (biographical, cultural, political, economic, social) stem from?
- Do the artworks convey similar revelations about the artist?
- What is a consistent feature in the artist’s art-making process and how is this reflected in their artworks?
Developing subject matter and visual language
Using the artists selected for research the students should start to explore other artworks and sources of inspiration. Students could select other artworks in the same art form or similar ideas by other artists. They document possible subject matter and ideas they will pursue further and ideas about how their selected artform will express those ideas.
Students could then begin to plan some experiments based on their sources of inspiration and artworks
Experimentation with selected artforms
Using their research, students begin to experiment using a range of selected artforms. They may use the artworks they have researched as inspiration and explore how the artist used materials and techniques to communicate their subject matter. They consider how they will use visual language to communicate their ideas in their experimentations.
Documentation
Students document their art making process and the relationships between their experimental artworks and the artists they have used as inspiration. For each experiment they evaluate:
- The relationship and connections between the experiments and the artworks and sources of inspiration
- The characteristics of the and properties of the selected art form used in the experimentations
- The use of materials, techniques and processes in each art form
- The use of visual language to communicate ideas
The documentation will assist the students in planning their artworks for Outcome 2.
Unit 3 Outcome 2: Sample approach for developing the School-assessed Task
Outcome 2 is comprised of three components:
- Making at least two artworks in specific art forms
- Preparing and presenting a critique
- Reflecting on feedback
The Teaching and learning activities and the detailed example for Unit 3 Outcome 2 can be used to support the development of this task.
Making two artworks
Plan and make two artworks in specific art forms inspired by sources of inspiration, ideas, techniques and styles that have been refined from exploratory and developmental work in the Visual Arts journal.
- Review exploratory and developmental work in the Visual Arts journal.
- Identify a range of successful experiments that could be further developed into at least two artworks. Choose a minimum of two experiments to refine and resolve the application of materials, techniques and processes.
- Focus on considering how the experiments can be improved in terms of technical skills, selection of subject matter, choice of materials, scale, surfaces and supports, communication of ideas and meaning. Use pages (no more than 10) from the Visual Arts journal as evidence to support the presentation.
- Prepare a timeline where students can meet to discuss their progress and present work for authentication and review. The timeline might include the final due date for the two artworks, meeting times and authentication submission dates.
Preparing the critique
- At the start of the unit / year, make students aware that they will need to prepare a presentation to share with the class as a critique. Ultimately, a critique should seek to renew each student’s enthusiasm, energy, confidence and sense of accomplishment. Hallmarks of a critique that will benefit VCE Art Making and Exhibiting students include:
- establishing a safe, supportive and non-threatening environment
- listening to each other and engaging in conversation about art making
- collecting multiple and diverse perspectives about the interpretation of their artwork and its meanings
- how ideas and meanings are communicated to an audience through the visual language of their artwork
- identifying strengths and opportunities for improvement in each artwork.
- Share examples of critiques with the students so they become familiar with the idea of what they need to do in a critique. There are videos that students can review on platforms such as YouTube (search for ‘art critique’). To help students become familiar with the idea, it might be helpful to set up lower-stake tasks during Unit 3 where they present experiments and trials to the class (or in small groups) for feedback and discussion.
- Provide students with an overview of the requirements of the critique and what they need to present to the class. A set of helpful prompts could include:
- Outline the intention of your artworks.
- Identify and discuss how one artist has influenced the development of your art making.
- Explain the relationship between your choice of materials and techniques and the ideas that you wanted to represent in the artworks.
- Discuss how you have used art elements and art principles to create aesthetic qualities in the artworks.
- Explain how you would characterise the style of your artworks.
- Discuss how you have developed your visual language.
- Discuss the ideas and issues reflected in the artworks.
- Explain what you think you might do differently next time and ideas for art making in Unit 4.
- Provide students with a timeline and running list with the date and time of their presentation.
- Prepare a set of questions for the class to use as a starting point for discussion and asking questions during the critique. The questions could include:
- What do the artworks remind you of?
- What ideas do the artworks represent?
- What are the strongest art elements and art principles in the artworks? Why and where are they?
- What surprised you when you were looking at the artworks?
- How do the artworks connect to ideas and issues in the world around you?
- What do you think can be improved? How would you improve the artworks?
- What recommendations would you share with the artist?
- How would you explain the artist’s visual language?
- What aesthetic qualities did the artworks evoke? How was the mood or feeling of the artworks conveyed to you?
- After the critique, ask all students to organise and document the feedback they received in their Visual Arts journal. A copy of the presentation prepared by the student should be printed and placed in the Visual Arts journal.
- Ask students to individually reflect on the feedback they received and make comments in the Visual Arts journal using the following questions:
- What went well during the critique?
- What would you do differently in the Unit 4 critique?
- During the critique, what did you notice about your artworks that you haven’t noticed before?
- What did you learn from listening to other students talk about their artworks?
- How will you respond to the advice you received about your artworks?
Presenting the critique
- The method of the critiques delivery will depend on the teacher and cohort.
- During the critique the teacher will make observations and notes for authentication and assessment.
- Set a time limit. Depending on the size of the class, the presentation could be five minutes (three-minute presentation, two minutes for questions and discussion).
- There are numerous ways that a critique can be delivered. Sitting in a circle where students can see each other might help facilitate a more collaborative discussion. The student presenting their art making practice to the class will need access to a display screen or a space where the artworks can be viewed by the class.
- Depending on the cohort, some ways of presenting the critique could include:
- The student delivers a presentation and then asks for feedback or questions.
- The artworks are collected together and exhibited in the classroom or gallery space. The students view each other’s artworks in one session and then participate in a critique in the following session.
- The critique is recorded and shared with the class (prior to or during the class). The student then facilitates a discussion about their artworks.
- A larger class may need to structure a critique in two parts: the first part requires each student to present a short discussion about their art making practice and then in the second part, the class splits into smaller groups for further discussion and feedback. The groups could be aligned with the specific art form they are using in art making.
- Multiple classes in the same school can present to each other.
- The student could print their artworks for students to make comments on and then collect their feedback at the end of the critique.
- Each student in the class could be responsible for providing feedback about a specific area of art making.
- Students could formulate questions prior to the critique to ask their peers.
Unit 4 Outcome 1: Sample approaches to developing an assessment task
Outcome 1 is comprised of two components:
- Making at least one finished artwork in a specified art form
- Documentation in the Visual Journal that reflects on the refinement and resolution of at least one finished artwork.
The Teaching and learning activities and the detailed example for Unit 4 Outcome 1 can be used to support the development of this task.
Refining and resolving a finished artwork
The artwork(s) that is resolved in Unit 4 must demonstrate the extension and resolution of ideas and subject matter from Unit 3. Using the critique conducted in Unit 3 students should be able to decide the most successful artwork that communicated their ideas and develop them further in the work in Unit 4. The artwork(s) should be in a similar artform so the student can refine their technical skill and visual language as they understand the characteristics and properties of their selected artform and can demonstrate an increased understanding of the use of materials and techniques.
Students should ensure that they document their art making in their Visual Journal to assist them with their reflective evaluation for the outcome. The questions in the reflective evaluation below could be used as ideas for annotations of the art making process.
Reflective evaluation
Students can write a reflective evaluation that addresses the inquiry question ‘How do students refine and resolve artworks?’
Answer the following questions to reflect on and evaluate at least one finished artwork in Unit 4. Present responses to the questions below alongside visual material in the Visual Arts journal.
- What was your artistic intention and how did you achieve it?
- How did you generate ideas for the artwork based on the artworks completed during Unit 3?
- What influenced you when selecting an art form to make the artwork? Is it the same art form as Unit 3? If not, why did you decide to change to another art form?
- Describe your process of making artworks. How has your process been influenced by an artist you have researched this year?
- What are the properties and characteristics of the materials used to make the artwork?
- How did you develop and enhance your skills in using materials, techniques and processes?
- What specific techniques did you need to practise in order to make the artwork?
- How did artistic influences help to develop ideas for your art making?
- How have other artists inspired or influenced your art making?
- What challenges did you encounter and how were these resolved?
- What ideas or suggestions did you get from critiques or other mentors and how was their feedback used to develop and resolve artworks?
- How would you explain your visual language?
- How has your visual language evolved since Unit 3?
- How did your manipulation and application of the art elements and art principles help you to achieve the aesthetic qualities in the artwork?
- How might viewers interpret the artwork?
Unit 4 Outcome 2: Sample approaches to developing an assessment task
This task comprises four parts and all documentation should be placed in the Visual Arts journal.
- Planning the display of one artwork (Visual Arts journal)
- The display of one artwork in a real or hypothetical space (images / photographs)
- The critique (presentation)
- The evaluation (written evaluation based on the feedback collected in the critique)
The Teaching and learning activities and the detailed example for Unit 4 Outcome 2 can be used to support the development of this task.
Planning the display of artworks
- Research and document the characteristics of specific exhibition spaces that will complement the ideas in the finished artwork.
- Research and document the display of artworks in exhibition spaces – what type of display is appropriate for the artwork?
- Create a plan for the display of the artwork and present this in the Visual Arts journal.
- Write a short overview statement about at least one finished artwork on display in this space. Include didactic information.
Presenting
Illustrate, explain and discuss the presentation of at least one finished artwork and include reference to any of the following considerations:
- artwork dimensions
- cases or cabinets
- framing
- floor treatment
- hanging height
- lighting
- plinths
- wall colour
- relationship to the exhibition space and other artworks
- vitrines.
Finding a hypothetical gallery space to display the artwork
- Collect images of empty gallery spaces from the internet.
- Use images that are higher in resolution and can be imported into an image-editing program such as Photoshop.
- Import selected images of the empty gallery space into the image-editing program and place photographs of at least one finished artwork into the selected spaces to demonstrate how the artwork should be presented in a gallery.
Display considerations – lighting
- Consider how lighting will affect the display of at least one finished artwork.
- What lighting improves the appearance of the artwork and what type of lighting will create distractions?
- How will the lighting temperature also affect the display of the artwork?
- Record and document the ideal type of lighting that will complement the display of at least one finished artwork in the Visual Arts journal.
The critique
- Prepare a presentation that will be delivered to the class as a critique. Include images from the Visual Arts journal that demonstrate the development of the artwork. Also, include a clearly labelled image of the finished artwork.
- The presentation needs to address the following along with the decisions you made during art making:
- The ideas developed in at least one finished artwork
- The use of visual language
- The materials techniques and processes used to make the artwork
- The resolution and refinement of the finished artwork.
- The class provides feedback to the student that will assist them in writing an evaluation.
Evaluation
- Collate the feedback collected during the critique.
- Consider the following questions and write a brief evaluation:
- How effectively did the artwork communicate ideas to the audience?
- Did the audience identify new information in the artwork?
- Did the audience make any recommendations?
- What did you learn about art making and your visual language?
- What would you do differently next time to improve your art making?
Suggested activity
Use the images of hypothetical exhibition space to make a maquette using foam-core or cardboard. Place the image of the finished artwork in the model to demonstrate how it will be displayed in space. Consider including images of artworks made during Unit 3 alongside images of artworks selected for study in Unit 3 Outcome 1 to create a model of an exhibition, alongside artworks that influenced the finished artworks. Document the maquette using photographs and place the images in the Visual Arts Journal.