Visual Arts

In creative arts, students discover a variety of art forms through a study of Drama, Music and Visual Arts.

In the contemporary society, knowledge is increasingly shaped and communicated through imagery and visual codes. Visual Arts allows students to navigate this visually driven world with confidence, and through creative practices, empowers them to communicate meaning through visual language. The course also provides a vital platform for them to express their perspectives, experiences and interpretations of the world around them.

Stage 4

In Years 7 and 8, students study Visual Arts as a compulsory core subject and are introduced to creative expression across 2D, 3D and 4D art forms. Year 7 students build foundational skills in drawing, painting, ceramics and digital media, gaining confidence with essential artmaking techniques, before extending these skills into more conceptually driven projects in Year 8. Alongside artmaking, students begin to engage critically with art criticism and art history, as they learn the analytical frameworks used to interpret artworks and apply them to written responses.

Stage 5

In Years 9 and 10, the Visual Arts faculty offers three elective subjects: Visual Arts, Visual Design, and Photographic & Digital Media, allowing them to tailor their studies to their creative interests. Students are able to study one or more of these electives if they're interested. These courses provide opportunities for students to work in a more specialised range of expressive forms, and each course culminates in a Year 10 Body of Work that showcases their technical growth, conceptual understanding and personal artistic voice. In their theoretical studies, students continue to deeper their knowledge of art historical contexts, and examine the evolution of artistic practice during Modernism and Postmodernism. They will develop a deeper understanding of the analytical frameworks and aim to craft sophisticated, well-structured written responses.

Stage 6

In Years 11 and 12, Visual Arts is offered as an HSC subject, combining the artmaking skills and art historical knowledge developed through Stage 5 Visual Arts, Visual Design and Photographic & Digital Media. They refine their personal artmaking practice throughout Year 11, exploring their strengths, interest and emerging conceptual directions. This prepares them for the creation of a substantial, year-long Body of Work in Year 12. In art criticism and art history, students broaden their perspectives of the art world through targeted case studies and close examination of artists, artworks and art movements. They learn to analyse unseen images with confidence, applying critical frameworks and writing scaffolds to form insightful interpretations. As they progress, students also refine their extended writing skills, crafting persuasive, well-structured essays.

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