Art & Design

Welcome to the Art and Design Department

The department aims to promote creativity by giving all students the opportunity to reach the highest level of personal achievement. We encourage students to flourish as independent learners through their understanding of the creative process. Students and staff work together to foster an environment of inclusion and excellence where we value and provide for individual learning needs and aspirations. We promote a positive and welcoming environment through the display of pupil work.

BGE Art & Design Course Outline

Through art and design, learners have opportunities to be creative and to experience inspiration and enjoyment. They explore a range of media and technologies through practical activities; create, express, and communicate ideas. Their studies of the works of artists and designers enhance their enjoyment and deepen their knowledge and understanding.

National 3, 4 & 5

National courses reflect Curriculum for Excellence values, purposes and principles. They offer flexibility, provide more time for learning, more focus on skills and applying learning, and scope for personalisation and choice.

The course enables learners to plan, develop, produce and present creative art and design work. It allows candidates to improve their skills base and broaden their horizons regarding the range of careers available to them. Candidates develop creativity, perseverance, independence and resilience. Learning through art and design also develops candidates’ ability to critically appreciate aesthetic and cultural values, identities and ideas.

The course comprises two areas of study:

Expressive Activity

This part of the course helps candidates plan, research and develop creative expressive work in response to a theme/stimulus. Candidates develop knowledge and understanding of artists’ working practices and the social, cultural and other influences affecting their work and practice. They select a theme/stimulus and produce 2D/3D analytical drawings, studies and investigative research, and use this to produce a single line of development leading to a final piece. Candidates reflect on and evaluate their creative process and the visual qualities of their work.

Design Activity

This part of the course helps candidates plan, research and develop creative design work in response to a design brief. Candidates develop knowledge and understanding of designers’ working practices and the social, cultural and other influences affecting their work and practice. They select a design brief and compile a variety of 2D/3D investigative material and market research, and use this to produce a single line of development leading to a design solution. Candidates reflect on and evaluate their creative process and the aesthetic and functional qualities of their work.

Higher (National 6)

The course has an integrated approach to learning, and includes a mix of practical learning and analysis of art and design practice.
In the course learners will draw upon their detailed understanding of art and design work and practice as they experiment with using a range of selected art and design materials, techniques and/or technology to develop their own creative ideas. Learners will develop a range of complex problem solving skills, and a critical understanding of the impact of social, cultural and other external factors on artists’ and designers’ work and practice.

The course consists of two mandatory units:

Expressive Activity

This unit helps learners to develop their personal thoughts and ideas in visual form. In the unit, learners will develop critical understanding of artists’ working practices and the social and cultural influences impacting their work. They will select stimuli and produce investigative drawings and studies. They will develop and refine their expressive ideas and art work, experimenting with and using a range of materials, techniques and/or technology in 2D and/or 3D formats in response to the stimuli.

Design Activity

In this unit learners will plan, research and develop creative design work in response to a design brief. They will develop their creativity, problem solving and critical thinking skills as they consider complex design opportunities, and work to resolve design issues and constraints. In the unit, learners will develop critical understanding of designers’ working practices and the social and cultural influences impacting their work. They will develop and refine their design ideas by experimenting with and using a range of materials techniques and/or technology in 2D and/or 3D formats.