Original source · Published January 2026 · Updated January 2026

Course overview

Rationale

The arts are woven into the fabric of community. They have the capacity to engage and inspire students, enriching their lives, stimulating curiosity and imagination, and encouraging them to reach their creative and expressive potential. Arts subjects provide opportunities for students to learn problem-solving processes, design and create art, and use multiple literacies to communicate intention with diverse audiences.

In Visual Arts in Practice, students respond to authentic, real-world stimulus (e.g. problems, events, stories, places, objects, the work of artists or artisans), seeing or making new links between art-making purposes and contexts. They explore visual language in combination with media, technologies and skills to make artworks. Throughout the course, students are exposed to art-making modes, selecting from 2D, 3D, digital (static) and time-based and using these in isolation or combination, as well as innovating new ways of working.

When responding, students use analytical processes to identify problems and develop plans or designs for artworks. They use reasoning and decision-making to justify their choices, reflecting and evaluating on the success of their own and others' art-making. When making, students demonstrate knowledge and understanding of visual features to communicate artistic intention. They develop competency with and independent selection of media, technologies and skills as they make experimental and resolved artworks, synthesising ideas developed throughout the responding phase.

Learning is connected to relevant industry practice and opportunities, promoting future employment and preparing students as agile, competent, innovative and safe workers who can work collaboratively to solve problems and complete project-based work in various contexts.

Syllabus objectives

The syllabus objectives outline what students have the opportunity to learn.

1. Use visual arts practices.

   When making, students use art-making modes, media, technologies and skills to create artworks. They develop independence across the course of study, selecting and refining use of visual arts practices according to their strengths and interests.

2. Plan artworks.

   When responding, students analyse key features of purpose and context to plan artworks. They make decisions, explore solutions and choose strategies to achieve goals.

3. Communicate ideas.

   When making, students use visual language to create artworks for specific purposes and in specific contexts. They interpret existing stimulus (e.g. problems, events, stories, places, objects, the work of artists or artisans) and generate and express individualised ideas or ways of working. Artworks may communicate representations, thoughts, feelings, experiences or observations.

4. Evaluate artworks.

   When responding, students make judgments about their own and others' visual arts ideas and artworks, reflecting on strengths, implications and limitations and applying their learning to planning for future artworks. Students select and use visual arts terminology and language conventions when producing written, spoken or signed evaluations.

Designing a course of study in Visual Arts in Practice

Syllabuses are designed for teachers to make professional decisions to tailor curriculum and assessment design and delivery to suit their school context and the goals, aspirations and abilities of their students within the parameters of Queensland's senior phase of learning.

The syllabus is used by teachers to develop curriculum for their school context. The term course of study describes the unique curriculum and assessment that students engage with in each school context. A course of study is the product of a series of decisions made by a school to select, organise and contextualise subject matter, integrate complementary and important learning, and create assessment tasks in accordance with syllabus specifications.

It is encouraged that, where possible, a course of study is designed such that teaching, learning and assessment activities are integrated and enlivened in an authentic setting.

Course structure

Visual Arts in Practice is an Applied senior syllabus. It contains at least four QCAA-developed units from which schools develop their course of study.

Each unit has been developed with a notional time of 55 hours of teaching and learning, including assessment.

Schools select four units from the unit options provided. They decide the order in which the units will be delivered. Once these decisions have been made, the four units selected and their order of implementation determine which units are considered Units 1–4.

Students should complete Unit 1 and Unit 2 before beginning Units 3 and 4. Units 3 and 4 are studied as a pair.

More information about the requirements for administering senior syllabuses is available in the 'Queensland curriculum' section of the QCE and QCIA policy and procedures handbook.

Curriculum

Senior syllabuses set out only what is essential while being flexible so teachers can make curriculum decisions to suit their students, school context, resources and expertise.

Within the requirements set out in this syllabus and the QCE and QCIA policy and procedures handbook, schools have autonomy to decide:

• how and when subject matter is delivered
• how, when and why learning experiences are developed, and the context in which learning occurs
• how opportunities are provided in the course of study for explicit and integrated teaching and learning of complementary skills.

These decisions allow teachers to develop a course of study that is rich, engaging and relevant for their students.

Assessment

Senior syllabuses set out only what is essential while being flexible so teachers can make assessment decisions to suit their students, school context, resources and expertise.

Applied senior syllabuses contain assessment specifications and conditions for the assessment instruments that must be implemented with Units 3 and 4. These specifications and conditions ensure comparability, equity and validity in assessment.

Within the requirements set out in this syllabus and the QCE and QCIA policy and procedures handbook, schools have autonomy to decide:

• specific assessment task details
• assessment contexts to suit available resources
• how the assessment task will be integrated with teaching and learning activities
• how authentic the task will be.

In Unit 1 and Unit 2, schools:

• develop at least two but no more than four assessments
• complete at least one assessment for each unit
• ensure that each unit objective is assessed at least once.

In Units 3 and 4, schools develop four assessments using the assessment specifications and conditions provided in the syllabus.

More information about assessment in senior syllabuses is available in 'The assessment system' section of the QCE and QCIA policy and procedures handbook.

Subject matter

Each unit contains a unit description, unit objectives and subject matter. Subject matter is the body of information, mental procedures and psychomotor procedures (see Marzano & Kendall 2007, 2008) that are necessary for students' learning and engagement with the subject.

Subject matter itself is not the specification of learning experiences but provides the basis for the design of student learning experiences.

Subject matter has a direct relationship with the unit objectives and provides statements of learning that have been constructed in a similar way to objectives.

Aboriginal perspectives and Torres Strait Islander perspectives

The QCAA is committed to reconciliation. As part of its commitment, the QCAA affirms that:

• Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the first Australians, and have the oldest living cultures in human history
• Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples have strong cultural traditions and speak diverse languages and dialects, other than Standard Australian English
• teaching and learning in Queensland schools should provide opportunities for students to deepen their knowledge of Australia by engaging with the perspectives of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• positive outcomes for Aboriginal students and Torres Strait Islander students are supported by successfully embedding Aboriginal perspectives and Torres Strait Islander perspectives across planning, teaching and assessing student achievement.

Guidelines about Aboriginal perspectives and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and resources for teaching are available at www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/k-12-policies/aboriginal-torres-strait-islander-perspectives.

Where appropriate, Aboriginal perspectives and Torres Strait Islander perspectives have been embedded in the subject matter.

Complementary skills

Opportunities for the development of complementary skills have been embedded throughout subject matter. These skills, which overlap and interact with syllabus subject matter, are derived from current education, industry and community expectations and encompass the knowledge, skills, capabilities, behaviours and dispositions that will help students live and work successfully in the 21st century.

These complementary skills are:

• literacy — the knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions about language and texts essential for understanding and conveying English language content
• numeracy — the knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions that students need to use mathematics in a wide range of situations, to recognise and understand the role of mathematics in the world, and to develop the dispositions and capacities to use mathematical knowledge and skills purposefully
• 21st century skills — the attributes and skills students need to prepare them for higher education, work, and engagement in a complex and rapidly changing world. These skills include critical thinking, creative thinking, communication, collaboration and teamwork, personal and social skills, and digital literacy. The explanations of associated skills are available at www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior/senior-subjects/general-subjects/21st-century-skills.

It is expected that aspects of literacy, numeracy and 21st century skills will be developed by engaging in the learning outlined in this syllabus. Teachers may choose to create additional explicit and intentional opportunities for the development of these skills as they design the course of study.

Additional subject-specific information

Additional subject-specific information has been included to support and inform the development of a course of study.

First Nations cultural and intellectual property in The Arts

The Australia Council for the Arts provides protocols for using First Nations cultural and intellectual property in The Arts, which are available at https://australiacouncil.gov.au/investment-and-development/protocols-and-resources/protocols-for-using-first-nations-cultural-and-intellectual-property-in-the-arts.

Visual arts practices

Visual arts practices are the knowledge and skills students use to make artworks. In this syllabus, a course of study interconnects visual language, art-making modes, media, technologies and skills.

Visual language

Although language varies by culture, visual language has the potential to transcend and communicate across cultures, time and geography.

Students use visual language to communicate ideas through art-making. Students 'read' visual language by understanding and decoding relationships between elements and principles of design, visual aesthetic and symbols.

Elements and principles of design

Elements of design refer to the components available for the artist to communicate visually, including space, line, colour, shape, texture, tone and form.

Principles of design describe the relationships and effects of elements and include balance (symmetry, asymmetry, radial, pattern), contrast, proximity, harmony/unity, alignment, repetition/consistency and hierarchy/proportion/scale.

Visual aesthetic

Visual aesthetic is a particular style or expression that is recognisable and individual to the artist or artisan. Across the course of study, students develop their own style, which may be appropriated from or inspired by others' work.

Different cultures and time periods have stylistic qualities and iconology. Teachers and students should respect the contributions of different cultures, including Aboriginal artists and artisans and Torres Strait Islander artists and artisans.

Symbols

Artists and artisans use symbols as coded language to signify an idea. Symbols can be part of a personal, cultural or global language and may be visual, gestural, or made from words or sounds.

Students interpret artworks by understanding how symbols represent something else. For example, motifs or icons on a map signify types of terrain or infrastructure and can be used in an artwork to communicate ideas based on a common understanding of map-reading.

Art-making modes

Assessment conditions are based on the chosen mode. Modes may be explored in isolation or combination. Choice of mode is dependent on the interests of the student cohort and expertise of teachers. Modes are categorised into:

• 2D — analogue photography, artist books, collage, drawing, mixed media, painting (including murals) and printmaking
• 3D — assemblage, ceramics, installation, sculpture, small object and jewellery and wearable art
• digital (static) — blogs or websites, digital photography, graphic art and designed objects
• time-based — animation, film, interactive technologies and multimedia, e.g. video, film, slide, audio, smart-device or computer-based technologies.

Art-making media

Media are the materials used by an artist or artisan to make an artwork. Media can be used in isolation or combination. Choice of media is dependent on the art-making mode and available facilities and resources.

Media may include, but are not restricted to:

• 2D — acrylics, canvas, card, cellophane, chalk, charcoal, environmental objects such as leaves or sand, fabric, fine liners, foil, folded or torn paper, gouache, graphite pencil, ink, lace, laser-cut images, newsprint, oils, paint pens, paste-ups, plastic film, printed images, shellac, spray paint, tissue paper, watercolour
• 3D — cane, cardboard, clay (earthenware, stoneware, air-dry, polymer, porcelain, ball clay), corflute, enamel, natural objects such as feathers, ice, sticks or stones, plaster, plastic, precious metals, reclaimed materials (e.g. furniture, e-waste, pipes, springs, commercial or industrial offcuts or scraps), resin, silicone, soapstone, wire, wood.

Art-making technologies

Technologies are the tools that artists and artisans use to make artworks. Students consider available technologies and select those suited to the chosen mode and media.

Technologies may include, but are not restricted to:

• 2D — adhesives, brayers, brushes, burnishers, craft knives, cutting boards, drying racks, etching tools, etching/printing plates (e.g. lino block, mylar, plexiglass, wood), lino-cutting tools, palette knives, paper punches, printer, printing screens, print-press, scissors, stamps, stencils, tapes
• 3D — 3D printer, adhesives, carving tools, chisels, cutters, drills, files, hammers, kiln, measuring tapes/rulers, moulds, pins, pliers, sandpaper, soldering iron, vacuum former, vices, workbench
• digital (static) — digital cameras, drawing tablet, image editing software, photocopiers, scanners, smart-devices, social media sites, stock images, stylus, website builders
• time-based — audio hardware (e.g. microphones, headphones, mixing desks, pedals, amps, speakers), audio recorder, audio software, film hardware (e.g. video cameras, lenses, tripods, lights, reflectors), lighting equipment, screens, smart-devices, stock audio, stock footage, video editing software, video projectors.

Art-making skills

Skills are the art-making methods specific to the artwork being created. Skills are dependent on the chosen media and available technologies. When making, students consider how they integrate media, technologies and skills.

Some examples of specific skills include:

• building or construction skills, e.g. binding, gluing, nailing or screwing, taping, vacuum-forming, welding, wiring
• clay skills, e.g. casting, coil, extruding, hand-building, slab, slump or slip moulding, throwing
• digital editing skills, e.g. animating, drawing, layering, mixing, recording, rendering, retouching
• drawing skills, e.g. cross-hatching, loose sketching, perspective, shading, sighting/measuring, stippling
• painting skills, e.g. blending, colour-mixing, dry-brush, glazing, impasto, layering, pouring, stippling
• printing skills, e.g. carving, etching or engraving, inking, layering, registering, stencilling, transferring.

Purpose and context

Artworks reflect the context in which they are made. Students consider how context influences art-making and how artworks can be developed through multiple contexts to communicate layers of meaning.

Art-making contexts may be generated from local, national or global places, spaces and time periods, and include contemporary, personal, cultural and formal perspectives.

When making and responding to art, students determine the audience, the reason the artwork will be made and how it will be displayed. Reasons for art-making may include celebration, clarification, decoration, entertainment, information, persuasion, promotion or utility.

How an artist or artisan aims to address purpose and context in their art-making is referred to as their artistic intention.

Audience

Artworks are made with a particular audience in mind. Artists and artisans consider the potential engagement or reactions of the audience when developing ideas and artworks.

When making artworks for an audience, students consider:

• demographic, such as cultural knowledge, perspectives, values and beliefs, and how these factors influence an audience's interpretation and understanding
• how an audience will or can access the artwork
• how audiences can be actively involved with or experience the artwork in sensory, emotional or meaningful ways
• how they can communicate with their audience, e.g. visual language, interpretative artist statements or didactics, presentations, group or themed exhibitions.

Community engagement

Engaging with community in the development and making of artworks will provide real-world authentic experiences and may be drawn from:

• appropriate businesses, organisations or professionals
• local community groups, e.g. aged-care facilities, shopping centres, sporting teams
• online or digital communities, including across social media or gaming platforms
• schools or other educational institutions.

Industry engagement

Industry engagement highlights that careers in visual arts are diverse with many skills transferable to other vocations.

Students consider:

• careers that are available
• how industries and professions recognise and value visual media, technologies and skills
• skills that are transferable.

Transferable knowledge, understanding and skills developed in visual arts include:

• aesthetic understanding
• communication
• creative thinking and designing
• critical literacies (visual, aural, oral and digital)
• project management
• teamwork.

Display

Display and curatorial skills inform the real-world considerations artists, artisans and curators face when positioning, displaying and explaining artworks to enhance meaning and appreciation. Exhibiting artworks in public and private spaces is important to conveying social, cultural and artistic meaning.

Students consider what curatorial, display and/or marketing and sales skills are necessary to resolve their artwork.

Curatorial skills include:

• developing an exhibition theme or manifesto
• labelling artworks
• positioning artworks.

Display skills include:

• considerations for audience, viewer and art world purposes
• display techniques, e.g. hanging
• evaluating artwork locations, e.g. public space, private collections, gallery spaces.

Marketing and sales skills include:

• pricing
• programs and catalogues
• publicity, e.g. advertising, invitations, flyers, social media.

Assessment in Visual Arts in Practice

Assessment in Visual Arts in Practice requires students to:

• plan artworks — planning may be presented as annotated images; design folios; graphic organisers; proposals; recorded conversations; sketches; or spoken, written or signed presentations
• communicate ideas — for example, students may make a 3D artwork to communicate representations of self for a school-based exhibition; contribute to a mural to provide social commentary on environmental concerns; respond to a client brief to make a series of branded items for a local market; or show an inspired way of working by referencing a chosen photographic artist in a digital portfolio
• evaluate artworks
  • written evaluations may be presented as annotations or labels, essays, graphic organisers, lists, reflective articles or reviews
  • spoken or signed evaluations may be presented as conversations, interviews, presentations, podcasts or other audio recordings
  • multimodal evaluations may include recorded or live voice, gestural or physical responses, film clips, sketches or words.

Evaluation is part of a cyclical art-making process and may be assessed at various stages of a project.

Workplace health and safety

When working in visual arts spaces, students consider workplace health and safety by:

• following risk assessments, including instructions for access, cleaning, storage, travel, ventilation
• safely using tools and equipment according to manufacturing instructions
• being aware of hazards, including chemical, compressed gases, electrical, digital, dusts, mechanical, sharps, hot or cold instruments
• having access to first aid and first aid providers.

When working in digital and online spaces, students establish practices that comply with ethical standards, security and safety protocols, e.g. copyright and permissions, data management, privacy policies, risk assessments, safe use of social media.

Safe working practices in Visual Arts in Practice may include correctly handling tools, using protective clothing and equipment, or safely installing or displaying artwork.

Reporting

General information about determining and reporting results for senior syllabuses is provided in the 'Determining and reporting results' section of the QCE and QCIA policy and procedures handbook.

Reporting standards

Reporting standards are summary statements that describe typical performance at each of the five levels (A–E).

A

The student demonstrates self-directed and competent use of media, technologies and skills. Their planning for artworks reveals strategic and self-directed intentions. The student communicates ideas through self-directed experimentation and selection of visual features that enhance artistic intentions. Their evaluations reveal the interrelationships between purpose and context that inform own practice.

B

The student demonstrates informed selection and use of media, technologies and skills. Their planning for artworks reveals clear and logical choices aligned to purpose and context. The student communicates ideas that emphasise purpose and context through informed and coherent visual features. Their evaluations show well-reasoned justification of visual features, strengths and limitations in relation to purpose and context.

C

The student uses media, technologies and skills. Their planning for artworks represents specific purposes and contexts. The student communicates ideas through artworks for specific purposes and in specific contexts. They evaluate their own and others' artworks, using appropriate visual arts terminology and language conventions.

D

The student uses media or technologies. Their planning for artworks links to ideas about purpose and/or context. The student communicates ideas that reference purpose and/or context. They provide statements of opinion, making links to purpose and/or context.

E

The student shows evidence of media use and documents ideas towards planning. They communicate visual ideas and provide observations.

Determining and reporting results

Unit 1 and Unit 2

Schools make A–E judgments on individual assessment instruments implemented in Unit 1 and Unit 2 using reporting standards.

Schools report results to the QCAA for students who complete Unit 1 and/or Unit 2. Results are reported as satisfactory (S) or unsatisfactory (U). Where appropriate, schools may also report a not rated (NR).

Units 3 and 4

Schools make A–E judgments on each of the four assessment instruments implemented in Units 3 and 4 using instrument-specific standards (ISS).

Schools report instrument results to the QCAA for students enrolled in Units 3 and 4 for each of the four assessments implemented. Where appropriate, schools may also report a not rated (NR).

Schools are also responsible for determining and reporting an A–E final subject result to the QCAA. The subject result is an on-balance judgment about how the pattern of evidence across the four assessments in Units 3 and 4 best matches the characteristics of the reporting standards at one of five levels (A–E).

Unit options

Unit option A: Looking inwards (self)

In this unit, students explore and respond to ideas about self. They think creatively about their own and others' cultures and convey ideas in concise and engaging ways to make artworks. Students identify figurative and non-figurative ways to create representations of self. Figurative visual language may communicate explicit likeness, whereas non-figurative visual language is coded or symbolic.

Students consider context and purpose when making and responding to artworks. By investigating how other artists or artisans communicate ideas about self, they discover ways of using visual language, media, technologies and skills. Students work individually to experiment with and explore representations of self and to plan an artwork. They demonstrate creative thinking skills as they innovate and resolve the planned artwork.

Authentic contexts are used to provide learning experiences and generate purposes for making. Through engaging with various perspectives and/or cultural or social contexts, students have opportunities to learn ways of working and to give and gather feedback, enriching their learning.

Contexts for artworks may include:

• school-based, such as class displays or presentations, events, end-of-year exhibitions, featured works on school digital displays, whole-school assemblies or awards presentations
• competitions (involving rules and regulations)
• online, such as personal virtual portfolios, social media, gaming avatars, websites or blogs.

Purposes for artworks may include to:

• celebrate, inform or educate about identity, e.g. communicate cultural or social identity, represent hobbies or interests
• document real, imagined or fantastical physical appearance, e.g. a true likeness, future self, superhero or avatar
• highlight or promote artistic skill, e.g. to apply for arts industry opportunities.

Unit objectives

1. Use media, technologies and skills.
2. Plan figurative and/or non-figurative artworks that represent self.
3. Communicate ideas that represent self.
4. Evaluate artworks that represent self.

Subject matter

Use visual arts practices

• Experiment with mode, media, technologies and skills in isolation or combination, e.g. rotoscoping photographs through painted scenes.
• Select and use media, technologies and skills independently and with teacher guidance, e.g. develop and combine two experimental approaches to create one mixed-media resolved work.
• Consider workplace health and safety measures and protocols.

Plan artworks

• Demonstrate the use of appropriate visual arts terminology to communicate representations of self.
• Document planning and develop solutions for own artworks that represent self, e.g. annotated images; design folios; graphic organisers; recorded conversations; sketches; spoken, written or signed presentations.
• Research the work of artists and/or artisans and collate personalised language, symbols and/or texts that represent self.
• Make decisions by experimenting; weighing the benefits of media, technologies and skills to communicate representations of self; and deciding on the best course of action.
• Devise art-making solutions and methods in response to context and purpose.
• Demonstrate project management skills, e.g. time management, establishing timelines, resource management, goal-setting, modifying expectations, communicating, organising self and others.

Communicate ideas

• Experiment with visual arts practices, considering
  • diversity and refinement of media, technologies and skills
  • how elements and principles of design (e.g. patterns and colour) and other visual language communicate personal or cultural features
  • the ways that artists and/or artisans make artworks.
• Resolve artworks that realise plans to communicate representations of self, considering
  • identified context and purpose
  • organisation of elements and features to form a coherent work
  • appropriate use of visual language, media, technologies and skills.

Evaluate artworks

• Make judgments about how own and others' artworks communicate representations of self, reflecting on and justifying strengths and limitations in relation to context and purpose.
• Analyse and interpret how artists and/or artisans use visual arts practices to communicate representations of self.
• Examine and discuss how visual language, media, technologies and skills are chosen and used in isolation or combination to communicate ideas that represent self.
• Apply literacy skills using different modes of communication, e.g. artist statements; annotated images; design folios; graphic organisers; recorded conversations; sketches; spoken, written or signed presentations.
• Engage with and respond to feedback from others, e.g. peers, teachers, guest artists and/or community mentors.

Unit option B: Looking outwards (others)

In this unit, students respond to issues or concerns that take place locally, nationally and/or globally, and investigate how artists or artisans respond to these in their artworks. In the role of artists or artisans, students explore issues and concerns within times, places and spaces, and the impact these have on themselves and others in the community. Students provide their own commentary on the world around them through art-making processes.

Students consider context and purpose when making and responding to artworks. Students work individually and/or collaboratively to experiment with and explore emotive and persuasive visual language, media, technologies and skills used to communicate issues and concerns. They plan an artwork and demonstrate creative thinking skills as they innovate and resolve the planned artwork.

Authentic contexts are used to provide learning experiences and generate purposes for making. Through engaging with various perspectives and/or cultural or social contexts, students have opportunities to learn ways of working and to give and gather feedback, enriching their learning.

Contexts for artworks may include:

• school-based, e.g. signage, displays or presentations, fundraising events or featured works on school digital displays
• community, e.g. public or collaborative artworks on urban surfaces or in urban spaces, or performances
• online, such as social media, websites or blogs.

Purposes for artworks may include to:

• communicate issues that affect
  • students and their local communities, e.g. access to resources, belonging in cultures or subcultures, social or identity constructs or psychological/mental health concerns
  • humanity, e.g. environmental, socioeconomic, scientific or political
• explore, challenge and/or document various perspectives or world views
• generate a response from an audience, e.g. challenge or persuade with a call to action.

Unit objectives

1. Use media, technologies and skills.
2. Plan artworks that represent local, national or global issues.
3. Communicate ideas about local, national or global issues in a social space.
4. Evaluate artworks that comment on local, national or global issues.

Subject matter

Use visual arts practices

• Experiment with mode, media, technologies and skills in isolation or combination, e.g. emotive mark-making or visualisation of census data, edited or performed with audio.
• Select and use media, technologies and skills independently and with teacher guidance, e.g. extend prototype ink drawing as a photographic screen-print for use on posters.
• Consider workplace health and safety measures and protocols.

Plan artworks

• Demonstrate the use of appropriate visual arts terminology to communicate about local, national or global issues in a social space.
• Document planning and develop solutions for own artworks that comment on local, national or global issues, e.g. annotated images; design folios; graphic organisers; recorded conversations; sketches; spoken, written or signed presentations.
• Research events or ideas that have affected individuals and communities, as well as artists and/or artisans whose work is informed by these local, national or global issues.
• Make decisions by experimenting; weighing the benefits of media, technologies and skills to communicate in social spaces; and deciding on the best course of action.
• Devise art-making solutions and methods in response to context and purpose.
• Demonstrate project management skills, e.g. time management, establishing timelines, resource management, goal-setting, modifying expectations, communicating, organising self and others.

Communicate ideas

• Make prototype artworks, considering
  • diversity and refinement of media, technologies and skills
  • how elements and principles of design (e.g. contrast and scale) and other visual language communicate about local, national or global issues
  • the ways that artists and/or artisans make artworks.
• Resolve artworks that realise plans to communicate an issue, considering
  • identified context and purpose
  • organisation of elements and features to form a coherent work
  • appropriate use of visual language, media, technologies and skills.

Evaluate artworks

• Make judgments about own and others' artworks, reflecting on and justifying strengths and limitations in relation to context and purpose.
• Analyse and interpret how artists and/or artisans use visual arts practices to communicate and explore local, national or global issues.
• Examine and discuss how visual language, media, technologies and skills are chosen and used in isolation or combination to communicate ideas about local, national or global issues.
• Apply literacy skills using different modes of communication, e.g. artist statements; annotated images; design folios; graphic organisers; recorded conversations; sketches; spoken, written or signed presentations.
• Engage with and respond to feedback from others, e.g. peers, teachers, guest artists and/or community mentors.

Unit option C: Clients

In this unit, students work collaboratively with a client to develop criteria and designs for artworks that meet clients' needs and expectations, and agree on essential visual language, media, technologies and/or skills. Students communicate to clarify expectations and generate ideas to test with clients before implementing them into a resolved artwork. They manage client expectations through organisation of resources and timelines to see projects realised.

Students consider context and purpose when making and responding to artworks. By investigating how other artists or artisans fulfil design briefs, they discover ways of using visual language, media, technologies and skills. Students work individually to generate artwork prototypes and test client response. They demonstrate creative thinking skills as they innovate and resolve the artwork based on the needs and expectations of the client.

Community and school contexts are used to provide authentic learning experiences and generate purposes for making. Through engaging with authentic or real-life clients, students will have opportunities to develop their own style as an artist or artisan, and to give and gather feedback to refine outcomes.

Contexts for artworks may include:

• school-based, e.g. murals, musicals, performances or events
• community, e.g. local markets, public artworks, printed or online community marketing
• online or digital, e.g. video works or graphic art for websites or blogs.

Purposes for artworks are set by the client, but may include to:

• decorate or promote, e.g. wearable items to advertise a company or event
• highlight or educate, e.g. informational poster or illustrated book
• entertain, e.g. props, set-pieces or wearable art to complement school events
• generate income, e.g. saleable objects such as decorative or functional ceramics, jewellery and small objects, textile art.

Unit objectives

1. Use media, technologies and skills.
2. Plan commissioned artworks.
3. Communicate ideas that meet client needs and specifications.
4. Evaluate artwork proposals that respond to client needs and specifications.

Subject matter

Use visual arts practices

• Experiment with mode, media, technologies and skills in isolation or combination, e.g. digitally compositing sketches with photographed or supplied objects or places.
• Select and use media, technologies and skills independently and with teacher guidance, e.g. casting multiple ceramic forms to assemble and install as a public sculpture.
• Consider workplace health and safety measures and protocols.

Plan artworks

• Demonstrate the use of appropriate visual arts terminology to communicate client needs and specifications.
• Document planning and develop solutions for own artworks that fulfil a brief, e.g. annotated images; design folios; graphic organisers; recorded conversations; sketches; spoken, written or signed presentations.
• Research the client or associated brand, as well as artists and/or artisans who have been commissioned to create work.
• Make decisions by experimenting; weighing the benefits of media, technologies and skills to fulfil the brief; and deciding on the best course of action.
• Devise art-making solutions and methods in response to context and purpose.
• Demonstrate project management skills, e.g. time management, establishing timelines, resource management, goal-setting, modifying expectations, communicating, organising self and others.

Communicate ideas

• Make prototype artworks for a design proposal, considering
  • client needs and specifications
  • the ways that artists and/or artisans make commissioned artworks.
• Resolve artworks that realise plans to fulfil a client brief, considering
  • identified context and purpose
  • organisation of elements and features to form a coherent work
  • appropriate use of visual language, media, technologies and skills.

Evaluate artworks

• Make judgments about own and others' artworks, reflecting on and justifying strengths and limitations in relation to context and purpose.
• Analyse and interpret how artists and/or artisans use visual arts practices to make artworks for clients.
• Examine and discuss how visual language, media, technologies and skills are chosen and used in isolation or combination to communicate ideas.
• Explain and justify how the artwork meets the client's needs/specifications.
• Apply literacy skills using different modes of communication, e.g. artist statements; annotated images; design folios; graphic organisers; recorded conversations; sketches; spoken, written or signed presentations.
• Engage with and respond to feedback from others, e.g. peers, teachers, guest artists and/or community mentors.

Unit option D: Transform & extend

In this unit, students respond to an artist or artisan's ways of working by collating and analysing artworks of a chosen practitioner. They evaluate features that communicate the artist or artisan's style through recognisable or characteristic visual language, media, technologies and/or skills.

Students consider context and purpose when making and responding to artworks. By investigating their chosen artist or artisan's style or art practice, students discover inspired ways of using visual language, media, technologies and skills. Students plan and make artworks inspired by their practitioner of choice, transforming and extending their outcomes by altering the media or meaning, and by adding elements or features to personalise the work. They demonstrate creative thinking skills as they innovate and resolve their own artwork.

Authentic contexts are used to provide learning experiences and generate purposes for making. Through engaging with practitioners and/or peers (online, virtually or face-to-face), students have opportunities to refine ways of working and to give and gather feedback, enriching their learning.

Contexts for artworks may include:

• school-based, such as class displays or presentations, end-of-year exhibitions, featured works on school digital displays, whole-school assemblies or awards presentations
• online, such as personal digital/virtual portfolios, websites or blogs.

Purposes for artworks may include to:

• celebrate or inform others about the chosen artist or artisan, e.g. at a themed exhibition paying homage to artists of influence
• refine own artistic style and practice to make artworks for a portfolio.

Unit objectives

1. Use media, technologies and skills.
2. Plan artworks that represent a developing style and/or practice and connections between the work of self and others.
3. Communicate ideas that show inspiration and developed style.
4. Evaluate artworks of a chosen practitioner and their influence on own works.

Subject matter

Use visual arts practices

• Experiment with mode, media, technologies and skills in isolation or combination, e.g. emulating an artist's use of traditional paint media and then altering the display by digitally projecting the work over a paper diorama.
• Select and use media, technologies and skills in response to direct observations of an artist or artisan's style and/or practice, e.g. cutting, rearranging and layering found signs and drawings as a surface for painting in response to observations of Jean-Michel Basquiat.
• Consider workplace health and safety measures and protocols.

Plan artworks

• Demonstrate the use of appropriate visual arts terminology to communicate an artist or artisan's style and/or practice.
• Document planning and develop solutions for own artworks that communicate influence of artist or artisan and show a developed style, e.g. annotated images; design folios; graphic organisers; recorded conversations; sketches; spoken, written or signed presentations.
• Research the work of a chosen artist or artisan and collate key styles, features and/or forms, commonly used themes, media, technologies and/or skills of a selected artist or artisan's artworks.
• Make decisions by experimenting; weighing the benefits of media, technologies and skills to communicate an artist or artisan's style and/or practice; and deciding on the best course of action.
• Devise art-making solutions and methods in response to context and purpose.
• Demonstrate project management skills, e.g. time management, establishing timelines, resource management, goal-setting, modifying expectations, communicating, organising self and others.

Communicate ideas

• Experiment with visual arts practices, considering
  • the ways that artists and/or artisans make artworks using media, technologies and skills
  • how elements and principles of design (e.g. colour) and other visual language (e.g. repeated motifs) communicate style and/or practice.
• Resolve artworks that communicate a developed style and/or practice and take inspiration from an artist or artisan, considering
  • identified context and purpose
  • organisation of elements and features to form a coherent work
  • appropriate use of visual language, media, technologies and skills.

Evaluate artworks

• Make judgments about own and others' artworks, reflecting on and justifying strengths and limitations in relation to context and purpose.
• Analyse and interpret how artists and/or artisans use visual arts practices to communicate a developed style and/or practice.
• Examine and discuss how visual language, media, technologies and skills are chosen and used in isolation or combination to communicate ideas.
• Apply literacy skills using different modes of communication, e.g. artist statements; annotated images; design folios; graphic organisers; recorded conversations; sketches; spoken, written or signed presentations.
• Engage with and respond to feedback from others, e.g. peers, teachers, guest artists and/or community mentors.

Assessment

Assessment A1: Project — Looking inwards (self)

Students make and evaluate an experimental folio that explores representation of self. Students plan a resolved artwork.

Assessment objectives

1. Use media, technologies and skills.
2. Plan a figurative and/or non-figurative artwork that represents self and connections between the work of self and others.
3. Communicate ideas that represent self through an experimental folio.
4. Evaluate representation of self in own artworks, using appropriate visual arts terminology and language conventions.

Specifications

This task requires students to:

• make an experimental folio, including
  • communicating ideas about aspects of self
  • experimenting with a variety of media, technologies and skills
  • using figurative and/or non-figurative visual language to make artworks that represent self
• evaluate the experimental folio, including making judgments and justifying how ideas are communicated for purpose and context
• plan an artwork, including
  • identifying media, technology, skills and visual language used by artists and/or artisans that communicate ideas that represent self in their artworks
  • considering aspects of self that could be represented in an artwork
  • analysing purpose and context
  • explaining connections between the work of self and others
  • annotating an experimental folio to indicate a plan for a resolved artwork (for Assessment A2)
  • negotiating appropriate media, technologies and skills.

Conditions

• Students can develop their responses in class time and their own time.
• This is an individual task.

Response requirements

Experimental folio Up to 8 experimental artworks: 2D, 3D, digital (static) and/or time-based

Planning and evaluation One of the following:

• Multimodal (at least two modes delivered at the same time): up to 5 minutes, 8 A4 pages, or equivalent digital media
• Written: up to 600 words
• Spoken: up to 4 minutes, or signed equivalent

Instrument-specific standards

Assessment A2: Resolved artwork — Looking inwards (self)

Students make a resolved artwork that communicates representation of self from Assessment A1.

Assessment objectives

1. Use media, technologies and skills.
2. Communicate ideas about self through a figurative and/or non-figurative artwork.

Specifications

This task requires students to:

• make a resolved artwork, including
  • selecting appropriate media, technologies and skills
  • considering plans generated in response to analysing and evaluating purpose and context (Assessment A1)
  • representing self, using figurative and/or non-figurative visual language
  • considering audience and display.

Conditions

• Students can develop their responses in class time and their own time.
• The resolved artwork may be created individually or in groups. Students must be assessed individually.

Response requirements

Resolved artwork 2D, 3D, digital (static) and/or time-based media: up to 4 artworks

Instrument-specific standards

Assessment B1: Project — Looking outwards (others)

Students make a prototype artwork that explores a local, national or global issue. They evaluate others' artworks and plan for a resolved artwork that represents a local, national or global issue in a social space.

Assessment objectives

1. Use media, technologies and skills.
2. Plan an artwork that represents a local, national or global issue.
3. Communicate ideas about a local, national or global issue through a prototype artwork.
4. Evaluate others' artworks, using appropriate visual arts terminology and language conventions.

Specifications

This task requires students to:

• evaluate the art practice of a chosen artist or artisan, including making judgments and justifying how ideas are communicated on the selected issue
• plan an artwork, including
  • considering local, national or global issues that could be represented in an artwork
  • identifying media, technology, skills and visual language used to communicate issues
  • analysing purpose and context
  • annotating a prototype artwork to indicate a plan for a resolved artwork (for Assessment B2)
  • negotiating appropriate media, technologies and skills
• make a prototype artwork, including
  • communicating ideas about a local, national or global issue
  • experimenting with a variety of media, technologies and skills.

Conditions

• Students can develop their responses in class time and their own time.
• This is an individual task.

Response requirements

Prototype artwork 2D, 3D, digital (static) and/or time-based media: up to 4 artworks

Planning and evaluation One of the following:

• Multimodal (at least two modes delivered at the same time): up to 5 minutes, 8 A4 pages, or equivalent digital media
• Written: up to 600 words
• Spoken: up to 4 minutes, or signed equivalent

Instrument-specific standards

Assessment B2: Resolved artwork — Looking outwards (others)

Students make a resolved artwork that communicates about a local, national or global issue in a social space.

Assessment objectives

1. Use media, technologies and skills.
2. Communicate ideas about a local, national or global issue through an artwork.

Specifications

This task requires students to:

• make a resolved artwork, including
  • selecting appropriate media, technologies and skills
  • considering plans generated in response to analysing and evaluating purpose and context (Assessment B1)
  • communicating about a local, national or global issue, using visual language
  • considering audience and display in a social space.

Conditions

• Students can develop their responses in class time and their own time.
• The resolved artwork may be created individually or in groups. Students must be assessed individually.

Response requirements

Resolved artwork 2D, 3D, digital (static) and/or time-based media: up to 4 artworks

Instrument-specific standards

Assessment C1: Project — Clients

Students make and evaluate a design proposal for a commissioned artwork in response to a client brief. Students plan a resolved artwork.

Assessment objectives

1. Use media, technologies and skills.
2. Plan a commissioned artwork that represents client needs and specifications.
3. Communicate ideas about client needs and specifications through a design proposal.
4. Evaluate the design proposal, using appropriate visual arts terminology and language conventions.

Specifications

This task requires students to:

• plan a commissioned artwork, including
  • identifying media, technology, skills and visual language suitable for a commissioned artwork
  • considering client needs and specifications that must be represented in an artwork
  • analysing purpose and context
  • annotating a design or prototype artwork to indicate a plan for a resolved artwork (for Assessment C2)
  • negotiating appropriate media, technologies and skills
• make a design proposal, including
  • using visual language to respond to client needs and specifications
  • considering suitable media, technologies and skills to communicate ideas to a client
  • considering appropriate format for client context and design specifications
  • artwork prototype/s using selected media, technologies and skills
• evaluate the design proposal, including making judgments and justifying how the design proposal aligns with the client brief.

Conditions

• Students can develop their responses in class time and their own time.
• This is an individual task.

Response requirements

Design proposal Multimodal (at least two modes delivered at the same time): up to 5 minutes, 8 A4 pages, or equivalent digital media, including up to 4 prototype artwork/s — 2D, 3D, digital (static) and/or time-based

Planning and evaluation One of the following:

• Multimodal (at least two modes delivered at the same time): up to 5 minutes, 8 A4 pages, or equivalent digital media
• Written: up to 600 words
• Spoken: up to 4 minutes, or signed equivalent

Instrument-specific standards

Assessment C2: Resolved artwork — Clients

Students make a resolved artwork that addresses client needs and specifications from Assessment C1.

Assessment objectives

1. Use media, technologies and skills.
2. Communicate ideas about client needs and specifications through an artwork.

Specifications

This task requires students to:

• make a resolved artwork, including
  • selecting appropriate media, technologies and skills
  • considering plans generated in response to analysing and evaluating purpose and context (Assessment C1)
  • communicating client needs and specifications, using visual language
  • considering audience and display.

Conditions

• Students can develop their responses in class time and their own time.
• The resolved artwork may be created individually or in groups. Students must be assessed individually.

Response requirements

Resolved artwork 2D, 3D, digital (static) and/or time-based media: up to 4 artworks

Instrument-specific standards

Assessment D1: Project — Transform & extend

Students make a folio of stylistic experiments inspired by evaluation of the art style and/or practice of an artist or artisan. Students plan a resolved artwork.

Assessment objectives

1. Use media, technologies and skills.
2. Plan artworks that represent a developing style and/or practice.
3. Communicate ideas that represent connections between the work of self and others through a stylistic folio.
4. Evaluate style and/or practice in others' artworks, using appropriate visual arts terminology and language conventions.

Specifications

This task requires students to:

• evaluate the art practice of a selected artist or artisan, including making judgments and justifying how ideas are communicated for purpose and context
• make a folio of stylistic experiments, including
  • selecting styles, features and/or forms to communicate influence of selected artist or artisan
  • experimenting with a variety of media, technologies and skills inspired by selected artist or artisan
  • using visual language to respond to the style and/or practice of selected artist or artisan
• plan an artwork, including
  • identifying key styles, features and/or forms, commonly used themes, media, technologies and/or skills of a selected artist or artisan's artworks
  • analysing purpose and context of the selected artist or artisan's artworks
  • considering influences of others that could be developed in artworks
  • annotating a folio of stylistic experiments to indicate a plan for a resolved artwork (for Assessment D2)
  • negotiating appropriate media, technologies and skills.

Conditions

• Students can develop their responses in class time and their own time.
• This is an individual task.

Response requirements

Folio of stylistic experiments Up to 8 experimental artworks: 2D, 3D, digital (static) and/or time-based

Planning and evaluation One of the following:

• Multimodal (at least two modes delivered at the same time): up to 5 minutes, 8 A4 pages, or equivalent digital media
• Written: up to 600 words
• Spoken: up to 4 minutes, or signed equivalent

Instrument-specific standards

Assessment D2: Resolved artwork — Transform & extend

Students make a resolved artwork that communicates a developed style and/or practice, and takes inspiration from an artist or artisan from Assessment D1.

Assessment objectives

1. Use media, technologies and skills.
2. Communicate ideas that show inspiration and developed style through an artwork.

Specifications

This task requires students to:

• make a resolved artwork, including
  • selecting appropriate media, technologies and skills
  • considering plans generated in response to analysing and evaluating purpose and context (Assessment D1)
  • communicating inspiration from selected artist or artisan, using visual language
  • considering audience and display.

Conditions

• Students can develop their responses in class time and their own time.
• The resolved artwork may be created individually or in groups. Students must be assessed individually.

Response requirements

Resolved artwork 2D, 3D, digital (static) and/or time-based media: up to 4 artworks

Instrument-specific standards

Glossary

The syllabus glossary is available at www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/downloads/senior-qce/common/snr_glossary_cognitive_verbs.pdf.

References

Marzano, RJ & Kendall, JS 2007, The New Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, 2nd edition, Corwin Press, USA. ——2008, Designing and Assessing Educational Objectives: Applying the new taxonomy, Corwin Press, USA.

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