Art and Design

Ms P M McQue M.A (Hons), M.F.A (Head of Department)
Mr S Jewell MDes BDes (Hons)

The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.
Aristotle

Art and Design aims to promote aesthetic understanding, visual awareness, knowledge and appreciation. It gives pupils the opportunity to use a range of media and technology; to understand, appreciate and respond to their world in a creative visual and non visual way. It promotes creative thinking, innovation and enterprise and encourages self reliance, initiative, problem solving and the development of personal opinions and imagery.

As a department our fundamental aims are:

  • To provide a purposeful, stimulating and creative environment within which pupils can develop Art and Design skills, work imaginatively and attain their personal best.
  • To foster and develop creative thinking and problem solving skills through learning and teaching.
  • To allow pupils to develop confidence and skills in a broad range of materials and media.
  • To nurture and develop in every pupil an appreciation of Art and Design and to instil knowledge of the work of artists, designers and architects from a broad range of cultural and historical points.
  • To make pupils more visually aware of the world around them.
  • To allow pupils to develop critical skills, to form opinions and make informed judgements about their own work and the work of other artists and designers.

Departmental Approach

Art and Design in Morrison's is taught in two large, well equipped art studios with beautiful views of the surrounding countryside. It is a stimulating and lively environment for pupils. The department has its own darkroom, well resourced computer suite, digital cameras including a digital SLR, kiln, pottery wheels and resources to support a broad range of working practices and techniques.

Art and Design as a subject encompasses a huge and diverse range of genres, techniques and skills. These include for example; drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, illustration, textiles, product design, ceramics and graphics. As a department - through the delivery of our courses, from Transitional to S6 - we aim to give pupils a varied and thorough grounding in a number of these disciplines as well as essential skills in the basics of drawing and media handling in preparation for exam courses. Pupils at junior level follow a course based around the structure and strands of 5-14, while senior pupils progress through Intermediate2, Higher and Advanced Higher.

Work at both junior and senior levels is delivered through project based units, normally informed by the work of an artist or designer. This provides pupils with the opportunity to engage with the work of artists and designers and can be used to inspire and inform their own work. An annual gallery visit creates the opportunity for pupils to experience work by artists and designers first hand.

Drawing is fundamental at all levels and is used to explore both expressive and design projects and to research, develop and explore ideas. Pupils are given sketchbooks from Transitional upwards and are encouraged to use these as a personal visual diary, both for drawing and collecting images of interest to them.

The department runs evening classes in figure drawing, in conjunction with Strath - Learning which gives senior pupils and local adults the opportunity to work directly from the figure for their college entrance portfolio or general interest.

Achievement and interesting work is always celebrated through regularly updated classroom displays, whole school display boards or the end of year exhibition in June. Pupils are given the opportunity to take part in local and national art competitions.

The department aims to give every pupil the opportunity to develop their work further or explore new areas and provides after school Supported Study, Art Clubs and Weekend Workshops.

Courses

Transitonal, First and Second year
Pupils attend Art and Design for a double period per week. They follow a standardised course, planned over the year which is structured around project based units. Courses are planned and reviewed on a yearly basis to allow new projects or ideas to be used by class teachers and are structured to prepare pupils for exam courses. These are;

  • 2D Expressive - e.g. still life, portrait, landscape using drawing and painting, mixed media, collage or printmaking
  • 2D Design - e.g. graphics, carrier bag, banners, logo using ICT, cut paper, batik, or printmaking
  • 3D Expressive - e.g. figure, animal, built environment using clay , modroc, junk sculpture
  • 3D Design - product, jewellery, costume,
  • Design Critical related to either 2D or 3D project
  • Expressive Critical related to either 2D or 3D project
  • Analytical Drawing - drawing from a first hand source

Third and Fourth year: Intermediate 2
Pupils attend Art and Design for one double and two single periods per week. Pupils in third year undertake one Design Activity, one Expressive Activity and an Art and Design study related to each area. Third year work is seen as a practice run for fourth year presentation.

Fourth year pupils undertake a Design Activity, an Expressive Activity and Art and Design Studies in relation to each area. Practical units are sent off to the SQA for marking and pupils sit a formal written paper on the topics studied for the Art and Design Study, which is also externally assessed. Pupils can be presented for either Intermediate 1 or 2 depending on assessment at this stage.

Higher
The Higher course follows a similar structure to Intermediate 2 with pupils undertaking an Expressive Activity, Design Activity and Art and Design Studies related to the area of choice. The Higher written paper is longer than Intermediate 2, requiring a more in depth knowledge.

Advanced Higher
Advanced Higher allows pupils to work in a more independent and less structured way than Higher, with a view to developing their area of interest. Following selection of a theme, pupils undertake two units of work, one 80 hours in length, one 40 hours in either Expressive or Design. Pupils are given tutorial support and critical feedback and the emphasis is on personal research through sketchbooks, drawing and exploring the work of other artists and designers.

Higher Photography for the Media
A project based course giving pupils the opportunity to explore both digital and traditional darkroom techniques. Pupils undertake three units of work based on aspects of photography for the media, with a practical assignment of a series of photographs and a written report in response to a brief sent for assessment at the end. There is no formal examination.