Visual Arts 2019 HSC exam pack

Students should:

• create a title that effectively communicates the student’s intentions
• develop a concept beyond an obvious interpretation or a representation of subject matter
• show an understanding of their practice when selecting the expressive form
• reference syllabus documents, Additional Advice and Assessment and Reporting in Visual Arts Stage 6, for limitations on size, materials and duration of Body of Works.

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate cohesion of the body of work through the curatorial choice
• synthesise conceptual and material practice to present unique and sustained bodies of work.

Areas for students to improve include:

• reiterating rather than just repeating through investigation of techniques, ideas and concepts
• curating works with sensitivity and restraint, understanding the importance of selection and refinement within a Body of Work to enhance meaning and intention.

Students should:

• show an extensive knowledge of ceramic processes and building techniques
• apply a wide range of surface treatments to enhance the concept of the work
• demonstrate understanding of traditional and contemporary ceramic practices synthesising the use of materials and conceptual intention.

Trends include:

• a dominance of sculptural forms referencing vessels combining a range of building techniques
• a revival in the application of ornate and heavily decorated surfaces
• subject matter included environmental concerns, marine environments animal welfare, narratives about cultural values and explorations of identity.

In better Body of Works, students were able to:

• apply a wide range of surface treatments using a variety of mark-making tools as well as the use of glazes, stains, underglazes, slips, oxide washes and acrylic paint to further elaborate the concept
• employ strong curatorial strategies through the grouping of vessels in specific arrangements to provide layered meanings for an audience.

Areas for students to improve include:

• ensuring the control of rims and bases when constructing the work
• demonstrating an understanding of the technical aspects of drying, joining and firing processes
• refining the use of gloss glazes, stains, slips, oxides and non-traditional ceramic surface treatments.

Students should:

• ensure conceptual intent is revealed through provision of layouts or numbering systems.

Trends include:

• large numbers of pieces submitted in the series including 2D, 3D and time based forms
• an exploration of collage and layered surfaces inclusive of laser cutting/etching, stitching, printmaking and cyanotype
• issues that included the environment, religion, family, culture, animals, political issues social media, ‘the self’ and mental health
• scientific and forensic references, intention of museology, shadowboxes, specimen drawers,  vitrines and frames to indicate museum practices and curation
• AV components including audio files and time based forms.

In better Body of Works, students were able to:

• investigate and make clear references to the artworld agencies
• demonstrate an awareness of artists’ practice from a range of different contexts
• develop a level of sophistication and technical resolution across all expressive forms within the submission.

Areas for students to improve include:

• the way each piece within the Collection of Works builds on and acknowledges material practice and develops the conceptual narrative.

Students should:

• consider how designed objects demonstrate an understanding of the broader artworld in their conceptual intent and/or material practices.

Trends include:

• a continued increase in the number of constructed environments and architectural investigations
• applications of digital technologies such as laser cutting/etching, 3D printing and CAD drawing systems to realise and produce components as a whole or in part
• LED lights and light boxes combining graphic design elements as a strategy to layer concept
• direct reference to the art world with a focus on modernity, particularly architecture
• multimodal forms of representation within a submission to extend concepts.

In better Body of Works, students were able to:

• synthesise technologies as a means to realise products or interpret issues relating to a contemporary world.

Areas for students to improve include:

• developing their material and conceptual practice rather than relying on a statement to communicate artistic intentions.

Students should:

• reveal an understanding of the Documented Form
• consider the choice of sites when documenting their form
• understand the impact and relevance of sound in the AV component
• refine camera craft and post production skills (still or time based) when documenting works.

Trends include:

• the inclusion of sculptural forms including freestanding, frontal and relief works, assemblages, hanging works and installations
• multi-modes of documentation within submissions, through photography, time-based forms, books and found objects
• connections to the environment as a source of inspiration and documentation
• references to social and political issues/culture/the self and the environment
• documentation of performance and references to the ephemeral.

In better Body of Works, students were able to:

• demonstrate a solid understanding of the agencies of the artworld
• display an engagement with contemporary practice and emerging technologies to document concepts
• explore and push the boundaries of what constitutes a Documented Form.

Areas for students to improve include:

• submitting time based forms with a soundscape that adds conceptual layering
• titles that allow the audience to interpret the works on a number of levels
• providing artist statements to support works that use materials in a unique way and/or are highly conceptual.

Students should:

• display discernment through a range of materials and mark making practices
• show selectivity in their approaches to drawing conventions to support conceptual intent
• demonstrate an awareness of how audiences interpret meaning.

Trends include:

• a range of subject matter foregrounding portraiture, animals and environments
• traditional and contemporary drawing practices, including hyper-realistic, photo-realistic, illustration and graphics using digital media
• coloured pencils, felt tip markers, biro and tradition charcoal and graphite
• references to physiological states and pathos
• concern for animal welfare and the environment
• explorations of relationships between people and the natural world.

In better Body of Works, students were able to:

• present a range of viewpoints when composing and/or cropping in artworks
• employ size and scale to enhance audience engagement and conceptual intent
• demonstrate knowledge of the artworld and the conventions of artistic representation.

Area for students to improve include:

• consistency of drawing practice including, selectivity of imagery to build layers of meaning
• exploration of the expressive potential of drawing materials and mark making.

Students should:

• acknowledge the expansive and diverse genres of graphic design, ranging from traditional book illustrations to contemporary manga design and utilitarian functions.

Trends include:

• innovative digital approaches to graphic illustration
• use of light boxes and light pads for aesthetic and functional intention
• digital compositing of sourced, drawn and/or photographic imagery within a submission
• tablet drawing, to explore themes of politics and propaganda, relationships, protest, nostalgia, fantasy worlds, social issues, mental health and critiques of social media
• multiple panel submissions or a single scroll.

In better Body of Works, students were able to:

• acknowledge the expansive and diverse genres of graphic design, ranging from traditional book illustrations to contemporary manga design and utilitarian functions
• synthesis of selected graphic genre, aesthetic conventions and paper stocks
• understand the conventions of illustration, typography and graphic design and restrained colour palettes
• refine graphic illustrations through sophisticated application of digital software programs.

Areas for students to improve include:

• selecting and integrating typography; placement, scale, font and consideration of aesthetic and conceptual intention
• considering file management and image resolution for scaled output, and post-production.

Students should:

• investigate painting techniques, including underpainting, blocking-in areas, building up texture, sgraffito, dry brushing, glazing and using mediums
• proficiently and intentionally integrate collaged elements into the surface of the painting
• consider scale in the presentation of artworks.

Trends include:

• investigations of colour that were subtle, atmospheric, expressive and ephemeral
• gouache and watercolour on paper
• submissions that were extended through the inclusion of objects represented within the paintings or accompanied by sound or film
• realistic and abstracted artworks presenting a subjective narrative.

In better Body of Works, students were able to:

• refine the colour palette to include the full tonal range as a means to extend the concept
• create cohesive compositions across multiple surfaces that maintained a sophisticated understanding of painting practice
• multi-layer concepts through a sustained material practice referencing historical and contemporary art references.

Areas for students to improve include:

• consideration of the integration and relationship of multiple stylistic approaches within the same work.

Students should:

• apply their understanding of contemporary photographic styles and traditional conventions to synthesise conceptual and material practice.

Trends include:

• reportage which is further extended through the use of online published books
• subject matter and themes including portraiture, post production to create new worlds, composited imagery of histories and family and dystopian environments, landscape, still-life referencing vanitas and momento-mori, identity, environmental issues, mental health and the social and cultural impact of technology
• subjective investigations and critiques dealing with the students immediate world
• increased knowledge and understanding of how contemporary photographic practice can be explored through a variety of analogue and digital approaches.

In better Body of Works, students were able to:

• demonstrate competency with camera craft, studio and natural lighting, as well as, an awareness of the importance of post-production techniques and processes to refine images
• discern between different types of paper stock to enhance the conceptual intent of the submission
• reveal the rich diversity of photographic genres including contemporary photographic practice
• discriminate when curating final images.

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding typography and its integration within the submission particularly in a photobook
• selecting appropriate file management and image resolution for scaled output, and post-production.

Students should:

• select materials and processes that are empathetic and extend the main themes or concepts
• select appropriate paper stock, fabrics or affiliated grounds as a print surface
• ensure layouts or numbering systems are provided for submissions with multiple pieces and for narrative intent.

Trends include:

• investigating ecological themes, explorations of medical conditions both physical and mental, the urban architectural landscape, and historical events such as the anniversary of the moon landing
• merging multiple processes either within a submission or within a single piece
• printing on digitally constructed grounds or on sheer fabrics such as tarlatan
• cross-disciplinary investigations such as merging knowledge of photographic conventions in in cyanotypes and solar plate etching or reworking the blocks via photographic or sculptural processes
• investigations of a range of acid etching processes including aquatint, caustic etching and using safer processes such as copper sulphate on zinc plates.

In better Body of Works, students were able to:

• control printmaking conventions but manipulate these for expressive purposes: exploring free wipe, using the brayer in painterly ways, ghost and blind printing
• manage the registration process effectively when reduction or multiple plate printing
• show innovation, control and restraint in all aspects of the printmaking process, including the etching/carving and printing of the block/plate
• synthesise traditional and contemporary approaches, such as employing manual and digital technologies within a submission
• demonstrate a knowledge of traditional and contemporary printmaking practice through multi-layered references to artists, styles and historical movements.

Areas for students to improve include:

• an understanding of conventions and structural devices when constructing compositions, and in particular, in relation to the size, dimensions and format of the block/plate.

Students should:

• explore sculptural materials and processes through the use of traditional and non-traditional materials to communicate meaning
• demonstrate a knowledge of conventional and contemporary sculptural practice through multi layered references to artists and historical movements.

Trends include:

• approaches including freestanding, frontal, relief, hanging works, assemblages, cabinets for display and plinths or bases
• investigations of space through reductive and additive processes using collage, carving, casting, welding and 3D printed objects
• the repurposing of natural and recycled materials and the creation of highly contrived surfaces using rust paint or heavy patinas
• celebration of the natural and built environment, explorations of personal and cultural identity, comments about the environment and animal welfare.

In better Body of Works, students were able to:

• make informed references to the artworld agencies
• investigate and understand the importance of spatial relationships
• transform found and manufactured materials to communicate meaning.

Areas for students to improve include:

• provide clear, recommended instructions for the curation of the Body of Work
• showing refinement in the application of glue and collaged elements.

Students should:

• consider how the selection of textile and fibre materials and choice of technique affect meaning.

Trends include:

• making statements about current issues through the repurposing of contemporary materials including found objects and commercial products
• employing threads and fibres to render surface treatments and mark making techniques akin to painting and drawing
• challenging the conventions of stitching on a flat surface by creating sculptural forms
• applying craft, dressmaking and tailoring traditions to subvert the gender debate
• using technologies such as the digital transfer of images and laser etching/cutting, to develop symbolic codes and meaning on a variety of textile surfaces.

In better Body of Works, students were able to:

• confidently fashion thread and fibre into complex compositions and sculptural forms with richly embellished surfaces
• produce works that engage the audience through both macro and micro views.

Areas for students to improve:

• considering the appropriateness of framing devices such as embroidery hoops in relation to the composition.

Students should:

• demonstrate effective synchronicity of sound, vision and continuity in the body of work
• clearly label USB.

Trends include:

• a variety of animations from hand-drawn illustration to computer graphics and stop motion to explore complex and compelling narratives, demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of cinematic techniques
• explorations of a range of approaches and techniques to inform time-based practice including narrative, thriller, conceptual, documentary, bio-doc, montage and music video genres
• parallel and non-linear narratives which provided conceptual complexity to many submissions
• themes exploring mental health, identity, family, the environment and the influence and impact of social media and technologies
• multi-layered soundtracks, sound effects and soundscapes to enhance visual imagery and pace the unfolding narrative.

In better Body of Works, students were able to:

• develop pre-production plans and scripts to optimise characterisation and extend the conceptual and technical approach of their submissions
• apply effective post-production techniques through sophisticated digital software programs to edit narratives and construct soundscapes
• engage in social media, current technology and contemporary issues to create critical narratives and montages.

Areas for students to improve include:

• stabilisation of camera for panning and tracking shots and selective focus utilising depth of field
• deliberate use of different shot types, camera viewpoints and cinematic tools to storyboard narratives
• more subtle use of filters and post-production techniques
• considered use of continuity and rhythmic editing to control logical coherence and film pace.

Students should:

• move beyond description to explain the significance of examples in relation to the question
• tailor case studies to the question and use the artworks to support a point of view
• develop a cohesive and sustained argument in response to the question, reflecting extensive knowledge of artists, artworks, critics and historians’ views and the syllabus
• present a wide-ranging investigation with supporting knowledge
• integrate diverse examples across time and place to demonstrate depth and breadth of understanding.

Question 1

In better responses, students were able to:

• make reference to the source material to articulate an understanding of artists’ practice
• examine concepts of integrating form and surface decoration.

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating understanding of the artist’s material and conceptual practice through a structural analysis of the artwork
• developing a response that progresses beyond a descriptive account of subject matter and visual qualities to a discussion of how the artist has integrated form and surface decoration.

Question 2

In better responses, students were able to:

• use the source material in a highly developed explanation of contemporary and traditional architectural practice as a response to the world
• explore perceptive explanations of characteristics of architecture that engage the audience and reflect the world
• develop an informed analysis of the architectural practice of the artist in a well-reasoned way.

Areas for students to improve include:

• developing a detailed explanation of aspects of contemporary and traditional architectural practice
• using all source material to selectively create links between the building and the world
• demonstrating an understanding of the agencies of the art world through explanation of the artists’ practice as a response to the world.

Question 3

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate how Boynes, Brack and Cook express meaning through concise explanations of their conceptual and material practice
• make reference to all source material to analyse how artmaking practice informs meaning
• explain the significance of artists’ material and conceptual practice in the context of modern and contemporary art
• provide an insightful and knowledgeable comparison of how meaning is expressed through a discussion of similarities and differences in their artmaking practice.

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating a thorough understanding of modern and contemporary artmaking practices through analysis of the artists’ material practice
• comprehensively explaining the source material to provide a deeper understanding of how artist practice informs meaning
• providing a sustained interpretation of all the source material.

Question 4

In better responses, students were able to:

• construct a comprehensive analysis of artist’s intentions through a sophisticated examination of the links between material and conceptual choices
• address the significance of artists’ materials and the different ways artists use them to communicate ideas and intentions in artworks
• integrate a sustained investigation of all aspects of artist’s practice through comprehensive analysis of examples.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing specific and detailed explanations of the reasons why artists use particular materials when planning and making their artworks
• presenting an integrated response explaining the significance of a range of artworks made by different artists showing how ideas and intentions are communicated
• using an informed visual arts vocabulary to explain the decisions artists make when creating artworks.

Question 5

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide a sophisticated investigation into the ways in which artists incorporate the role of the natural world in their artmaking practice
• comprehensively address the question and support their discussion of artmaking practice with in-depth analysis of artists and artworks
• identify and articulate the way the natural world becomes a source of ideas as well as providing the media for material transformation and site application.

Areas for students to improve include:

• developing an understanding of how the role of the natural world could be linked to cultural, historical and psychological factors as well as the world at large
• tailoring case studies to address the role of the natural world in artist’s practice and using the artworks to support a point of view.

Question 6

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide an evaluation that determined how artists may generate a variety of responses and reactions from different audiences in their conceptual and material practice
• develop a comprehensive analysis of artworks that support multi-faceted and complex judgements of how artists place demands on their audiences
• distinguish between the different demands placed on audiences such as physical, emotional, intellectual, ethical, confrontational, didactic, educational and spiritual.

Areas for students to improve include:

• addressing all aspects of the question to establish a direct relationship between artist, audience and artwork
• investigating the variety of ways in which artists engage audiences and the different types of demands that they make
• examining various types of audiences and how each may respond differently to artworks
• integrating a synthesised analysis of artworks which demonstrates how artists make demands on audiences.

Question 7

In better responses, students were able to:

• select artistic examples that effectively explored an artist’s time, identifying the human condition, sociocultural perspective and political events as representations of that time
• demonstrate how an artwork could act as either a mirror and/or a lens of their time, outlining the different ways in which an artwork can reflect a particular aspect of an artist's context
• develop a multifaceted discussion exploring the motivation and intent of artists to provide a mirror and a lens of their time
• confidently integrate sophisticated and relevant artistic vocabulary throughout their response to provide articulate, complex and nuanced support of their argument.

Areas for students to improve include:

• explaining the significance of examples to support insightful discussion of the artworld interrelationships
• developing an argument that presents a point-of-view in relation to how art is a mirror and a lens of the artist’s world
• tailoring case studies to formulate convincing links to all aspects of the question.

Question 8

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate an understanding of how artists intentionally explore ideas about identity in their artmaking
• choose appropriate examples from case studies to address the specific demands of the question
• define the different ways artists address identity, such as personal, collective, cultural, gender, political and religious
• synthesise each component of the question through clear connections within selected examples.

Areas for students to improve include:

• applying knowledge of specific artists and artworks to different aspects of the frames with an emphasis on how issues of identity are explored
• practising how to inquire into and draw conclusions about issues of identity.

Question 9

In better responses, students were able to:

• comprehensively address the question and support their argument with in-depth analysis of artists and artworks
• provide a sophisticated investigation into the relationship between signs and symbols and their meaning in artworks
• demonstrate complex and logical points of view explored through the frames that interpret the use of signs, symbols and meaning
• present a well-constructed investigation that analyses and comprehensively addresses how meaning is communicated by artists through artworks.

Areas for students to improve include:

• explicitly addressing the key words in the question
• selecting appropriate examples and integrating analysis of artworks to support an argument about how meaning is communicated
• presenting a clear point of view about how meaning is communicated through the deliberate use of signs and symbols
• addressing all aspects of the question by establishing a direct relationship between signs, symbols and meaning.