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[wolfhazel]

Hey I am taking art for my A-Levels as I love doing it at home and want to improve. The only thing is I didn't take it as a GCSE. Do any of you have any ideas on how I can get up to standard over the summer. Anything I should work on? Any help would be really helpful!

[Starry eyed goblin]

I never took A level art, but have you got a copy of the syllabus or any information on the course content? That might help you focus your work .
Good luck with it, I hope you do well!

[peter]

Having done mine at the age of 50(!) I was told the main difference between gcse & A level is that with A level you should be of a standard to create, research, and produce your own work with no influence from tutors - basically, THINK like an artist! Art history is always worth cramming - modern AND classical. Pick a couple of favourite artists and learn everything you can about them including how & why they paint. The sole object of any qualification is to show you are interested and most of all, understand, the subject. The good & bad news is that Art isn't an exact science - you have to live & breathe it.

[Graeme]

I agree with Peter. My mistake was to think 'Why do I need to know about history?'
I have probably read more art history books over the last ten years than in all the years previous. Immerse yourself.

[wolfhazel]

Thank you these are really helpful points

[peter]

I don't know if this will be any more help, but this is the work I did for my course work. It is supposed to embody artists I was influenced by when I was studying. I can remember Hockney, Albers, Rothko, Kay Sage, Fiona Ray, Clifford Still, lots more, but I can't be bothered looking in the studio!

Edited by peter, 21 June 2005 - 06:08 PM.

[wolfhazel]

Ooh Mark Rothko is one of my favourite artists Thanks a lot I shall look into these

[hawkwood]

good tips all.

Stary is right about finding out the syllabus as being quite important. when I was doing my a level I switched schools between year 1 and 2 and switched syllabus with almost catastrophic results. The 1st syllabus was examined on ten submitted pieces, 1 exam pice and a history project. and during my 1st year I got into the habit of doing things big. over the entire year I only did one piece smaller than A1. when I switched I carried on working big 'cause I enjoyed it and only found out half way through the year that I would be judged on three submitted sheets of A1 (1 of drawings, 1 of paintings and one of design work) containing selected works and three timed exam pieces.

The other advice I would give is make sure that you do at least one drawing every day over the hollidays as one of my teachers showed everyone in the class up when he asked how much art we had done over the hollidays and brought in the five sketch books he had filled in the same time period to hammer home the point.

As for what to practice drawing, anything and everything. we did alot of still lifes early in the course and a fair few landscapes. My mock exam for the 1st year was to do a landscape with a water feature and for my final exam piece I had to paint somthing based on a very sentimental poem about cats in a non sentimental way. And every opportunity you get you should practice sketching people.

you are also likely to be expected to use your own paints as well either acrylic or oils so if you havent used either of them before you might want to give them a go.

you will be expected to already understand perspective and basic anatomy.

hope this helps and hasnt been too overwhelming, I'm sure that you'll enjoy the course

Edited by hawkwood, 24 June 2005 - 10:10 AM.

[wolfhazel]

Yes it has thank you very much! I'm looking forward to it, it's just a big leap considering I didn't take it for GCSE but i still can't wait