Units

Unit 1
The unit will develop the learner's knowledge, skills and understanding necessary for the confident application of visual language in a range of art and design activities.

Learning Outcomes
1 - Understand the characteristics of visual language in art and design
2 - Be able to apply visual language to a range of art and design activities

Assessment Criteria
1.1 - Critically compare, through experimental application, the characteristics of a wide range of visual language elements.
2.1 - Apply visual language, across a range of contexts, to influence appearance and meaning in art and design
2.2 Critically compare the use of visual language, across a range of contexts, to influence appearance and meaning in art and design.

Unit 2
This unit will provide the learner with an introduction to a range of research activities and related skills appropriate to the support of art and design. The unit will also develop and understanding of the vital role that research plays in informing and developing ideas.

Learning Outcomes
1 - Understand research tools, methods and skills
2 - Understand primary and secondary research sources
3 - Be able to use research tools, methods and skills to inform ideas for creative activities

Assessment Criteria
1.1 - Critically compare a range of research tools, methods and skills
2.1 - Critically compare a range of primary and secondary research sources
3.1 - Apply research tools, methods and skills to record and interpret information and develop ideas for creative activities
3.2 - Evaluate the effectiveness of research tools, methods and skills to develop ideas for creative activities

Unit 3
This unit will provide the learner with an awareness of the critical p perspectives and contextual frameworks that support practical activity in art and design.

Learning Outcomes
1 - Understand critical perspectives that influence the analysis of art and design activity
2 - Understand the contexts within which art and design is positioned

Assessment Criteria
1.1 - Critically compare a range of critical perspectives that influence the analysis of art and design
1.2 - Apply knowledge of critical perspectives to the analysis of a range of art and design activities
1.3 Apply knowledge and understanding of a range of critical perspectives to support own art and design practice
2.1 - Critically compare a range of contexts within which art and design is positioned
2.2 Apply an understanding of a range of contextual parameters to support own creative development

Unit 4
This unit will provide the learner with an introduction to a range of materials and processes used in art and design, their particular characteristics, and the related technical skills necessary to record experiences and articulate ideas.

Learning Outcomes
1 - Understand materials, processes and technical skills used in art and design

Assessment Criteria
1.1 - Critically compare a range of materials and processes used in art and design through experimental application
1.2 - Apply understanding of materials and processes to support own art and design activities
1.3 - Apply understanding of technical skills to support own art and design activities
1.4 - Evaluate the use of materials, processes and technical skills to own support art and design activities

Unit 5
This unit will develop the learner's ability to critically analyse and integrate research, contextual understanding, materials, methods and skills to solve 2 dimensional problems in art and design.

Learning Outcomes
1 - Be able to analyse and research a 2 dimensional problem in art and design
2 - Be able to use an integrated approach to 2 diminutional problem solving in art and design
3 - Be able to use evaluation to support solutions to problems in 2 dimensions in art and design

Assessment Criteria
1.1 - Analyse the requirements and parameters of a 2 dimensional problem in art and design
1.2 - Apply research activities to support solutions to a 2 dimensional problem in art and design
2.1 - Demonstrate the ability to plan, organise and prepare solutions to a 2 dimensional problem in art and design
2.2 - Apply practical skills, understanding and methods to solve 2 diminutional problems in art and design
3.1 - Analyse the effectiveness of solutions to 2 dimensional problems in art and design 

Unit 5 - Five Final Images+Evaluation

These are the five final images I have chosen from my 'Live Music' photography, I think these are some of the best shots I have taken, especially as they were some of the later work I did, after I'd been getting used to photographing music. By this point I'd learnt a lot about the lighting and composition, and managed to create some photographs which were much better than the earlier ones. 

I really enjoyed shooting live music, it started off quite difficult because I'd never worked with lighting like that, but as I got used to the surroundings I got into it a lot more. I'm happy with the outcome of most of the photographs, and I'm happy with the amount I've learnt in such a short time of photographing music. 

The only problem I have with the photographs is that they are grainy, because I'd shot them on a high ISO. In the near future I'm hoping to get some new lenses with bigger apertures, which will solve the problem of having to use high ISOs.

Unit 5 - Live Music - The Beat

These photographs were taken as part of my 'music' theme, they're of a band called 'The Beat'. I enjoyed photographing The Beat more than most bands because they were a lot more energetic on stage, and had some less common instruments (like the saxophone seen below). This brought some originality into it, instead of just photographing the usual man with a guitar. 

One of my favourite parts to this shoot was the lighting, there are numerous different lightings I have captured, varying in both colour and style. This was a helpful quality, because it allowed me to make a massive range of photographs.

Although I think the photographs have turned out quite well, there is big flaws to them, one of which includes them being grainy. This is caused by using a high ISO on my camera, which was unavoidable because of the quality of my lenses, (my lenses have a maximum aperture of f5.6, unlike more appropriate lenses which would be closer to f1.4). Another issue I've had is the photographs being slightly out of focus, mainly due to the fast pace of the shooting. 

Despite the graininess of the photographs, I think this is probably the best set of photographs I have produced from shooting live music. This is mainly because of the composition, using a longer lens (75-300mm) as well as a standard (18-55mm) allowed me to get a greater variation of shots, which can be seen below. 

Black and White Photographs

Unit 5 - Live Music - The Ragamuffins

Black and White Photographs