Junior Cycle Visual Art

Course Content:

The course content of Junior Cycle Visual Art focuses on the students’ practical and cognitive engagement with art. Students will be enabled to progressively improve their skills as an artist/ craftsperson/designer in a space that is safe for them to explore ideas and diverse processes both creatively and imaginatively. This can be achieved through the interconnected strands of the disciplines of art, craft and design. A student will experience learning in each of these three strands as they progress through their junior cycle. The Subject involves practical work in a wide range of media for example, an artwork, a design, architectural study, and installation or an event. Alongside the three strands the Visual Art course looks at five important elements they are Critical and Visual Language, Visual Culture and Appreciation, Drawing, Art Elements and Design Principles, Media. Visual Art, students build on the progress and skills they have already achieved in primary school in order to help them further improve. Students of the subject will develop the transversal skills, such as creativity, collaboration, ability to question, risk- assessment, problem identification, problem-solving and management of their own emotions; skills that form a natural learning mechanism that can enhance their own development.

This subject suits all levels and abilities, especially those with a creative outlook and imagination. Natural ability alone is not enough. At Junior Certificate level, students develop their skills, explore their creative side and maximise their possibilities. Students that are weak in other areas, such as languages or maths, may find it easier to achieve in Art.

Students who enjoy expressing themselves through art and like to sketch and doodle. Students who are prepared to work hard at developing their artistic talent.

Students who are looking for a break from intensive memory-work in their other subjects. - Students must be enthusiastic, interested and be able to apply themselves to projects. Make sure to choose your favourite subjects. If you are good at a subject it will come naturally to you, and if you enjoy it you will excel at it. The qualities that visual art develops are crucial components to the rounded education of all young people. The type of homework includes Projects, Assignments, Drawing, Painting, Design, and Craft and research.

o Classroom based assessment 1 (Jan-May, 2nd year) - common level
o Classroom based assessment 2 (September- December, 3rd year) - common level
o Final SEC Assessment (December – May, 3rd year)

In January of 2nd year, students will be starting CBA 1 ‘From Process to Realisation’ and this will run over a 6-8 week period.

In September of 3rd year, students will be starting CBA 2 ‘Communicate and Reflect’ and this will run to December when students will be starting the Final SEC Assessment brief.

Descriptors:
The students’ work presented at the end of the CBA will be awarded a descriptor by the Art teacher. This will appear on each student’s “Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement”, issued by the State Examinations Commission. Work will be assessed against a list of “Features of Quality” and the work will be graded as follows: Exceptional, Above expectations, In line with expectations or Yet to meet expectations.

If you want to study more in an artistic area, you can continue in Fine Art and specialise in painting, sculpting or printmaking. Alternatively, you could go into the design area and specialise in areas such as fashion, graphic, interior or furniture design. Studying art, as the title suggests, allows students to be creative and explore their desire for self-expression and develop an appreciation for artistic work of others, including the work of famous artists and the history of art.

Anyone considering a career in a creative discipline such as Architecture, Marketing, Film and Entertainment, Industrial design, Web Design, Fashion, Game Design, or Advertising. Visual art is also very useful for primary school teaching and apprenticeships.