Year 8 Art & Design

Unit Content

Unit 1

Agents of change

This unit centres on three-dimensional visual language and introduces students to the artist and ocean advocate Courtney Mattison. Through exploring this artist’s work, students learn how to manipulate and join clay, as well as how to create balanced compositions in three-dimensions. We also discuss why and how the work is important and the wider context of global citizenship.

Key knowledge developed:

  • Knowing how research and investigation can inspire and inform personal interpretation
  • Understanding the importance of planning and designing
  • Understanding artistic motivation and concepts in art

Key skills developed:

  • How to research information about another artist's creative practice
  • How to manipulate and join clay
  • How to create a composition in 360 degrees
  • How to analyse and evaluate our own work and that of other artists

Assessment: Learning is assessed formatively at Weeks 5 and 10 of the 12-week unit against an established checklist of criteria. A baseline assessment of dexterity and fine motor skill is conducted early in the unit to facilitate planning and support. Assessment is this unit is designed to support progress and build confidence for all students, regardless of their fine motor skills or prior knowledge.

Unit 2 

Food illustration

This unit expands two-dimensional visual language skills and introduces students to a wide range of technique and process through an introduction to food illustration. The unit explores the work of Emma Dibben and students are introduced to her illustrative style and her past collaboration with Waitrose. This unit allows for students to role play being a Food Illustrator, whilst developing a personal illustration style.

Key knowledge developed:

  • Understanding how skills can be transferred between wet and dry media
  • Understanding how practising techniques improves confidence over time
  • Understanding how art media can be matched to intention
  • Understanding the role of food illustration in advertising

Key skills developed:

  • How to record and observe in a range of media
  • How to blend
  • How to mix colour, tints and tones
  • How to develop a style

Assessment: Learning is assessed formatively at Weeks 5 and 10 of the 12-week unit against an established checklist of criteria. A baseline assessment of dexterity and fine motor skill is conducted early in the unit to facilitate planning and support. Assessment is this unit is designed to support progress and build confidence for all students, regardless of their fine motor skills or prior knowledge.

Unit 3

Places and spaces

This unit explores the concept of perspective through a range of activities designed to allow students the opportunity to make models and to build their understanding through experimentation. The project takes inspiration from our locality, involving the study of a range of historical buildings within Watlington.

Key knowledge developed:

  • Knowing how research and investigation can inspire and inform personal interpretation
  • Understanding the importance of planning
  • Understanding of the rules of perspective and being able to apply them

Key skills developed:

  • How to use an iterative process to build and explore perspective
  • How to create images in both single or two-point perspective
  • How to analyse and evaluate our own work and that of other artists

Assessment: Learning is assessed formatively at Weeks 5 and 10 of the 12-week unit against an established checklist of criteria. A baseline assessment of dexterity and fine motor skill is conducted early in the unit to facilitate planning and support. Assessment is this unit is designed to support progress and build confidence for all students, regardless of their fine motor skills or prior knowledge.