How Often Do You Take Art in High School
Concluding Updated on February 8, 2017
This article aims to provide a articulate, unbiased view of what studying a Art at high schoolhouse is like. It complements our Fine art Careers resources and aims to assist y'all decide whether a high school Visual Art or Design class is correct for y'all. It is written by contempo U.k. high schoolhouse graduate, Megan Fatharly, who attended Hitchin Girls' Schoolhouse, Hertfordshire, England, and contains quotes from many high school Art students around the world.
When I first started studying GCSE Art (a UK Art qualification for xiv-sixteen year olds) it felt daunting, because I was so certain that to be considered 'proficient' I had to draw perfectly, yet I soon learnt to develop my own mode and enjoy the freedom that the subject allows. Y'all are able to explore a chosen subject matter and experiment with materials to express ideas, whether that be through painting, sculpture or through any other medium.
Here are viii things I wish I had known before selecting to study Fine art at high schoolhouse:
People may guess or mock you for taking a 'mickey mouse' discipline
Art is often described equally a 'mickey mouse' subject or 'soft choice' by people who have little agreement of the subject. Art has a large practical component; at that place is the view that it is non intellectually demanding or academic. People may not realise the higher ordering thinking that is required when studying Art to evaluate, analyse and develop artwork and themes and at times produce comprehensive written projects in some areas of report. The subject may exist discredited by the media, career advisors and young man students.
Two of my "friends" do Maths at A Level and accept repeatedly taken the mick out of me for doing A Level Art, to the point where I considered dropping it… – An A Level Art pupil, via The Pupil Room
In my own experience though, I find people normally capeesh the amount of effort that is required and adore your dedication to the bailiwick, peculiarly when you study Art at a senior level, where there are often written components such as a Personal Investigation / Personal Study or formal fine art analysis.
I have had friends who studied 'bookish' subjects similar Maths or Science too as Art. I think people forget that these subjects can complement each other. This is very beneficial if you lot desire to study something like Architecture, for case. In Art, you lot are as well challenging yourself creatively, whereas in more academic subjects it is more than most facts, understanding and objectivity. With a subject similar Art you lot are expressing yourself in a dissimilar mode.
For me Art was one of the most useful subjects in terms of teaching me life skills like time management, prioritising! As well as of course technical skills like Photoshop which have actually helped me get jobs etc. – Nikau Hindin, A Level Art student from ACG Parnell College
If you lot are serious nigh pursuing Art, you need to get past what other people retrieve of the field of study. You are the i who volition be studying it, if you find joy in doing it, it may be the correct choice for you (read 9 reasons to study Art in high school).
You can't but draw whatsoever yous want
Some students are shocked to learn that you tin't just 'draw any you lot desire'. A very important part of most loftier school Art qualifications is drawing and observing. This means that it is important to describe things from life rather than photographs when possible. Y'all can look at different angles and truly observe the object (read how to create an fantabulous observational drawing).
It is sometimes frustrating not knowing exactly what is expected
If you lot are deciding whether to pick a artistic subject at a college level, it is important to realise that Fine art does not involve a list of facts or content to larn like other subjects. Marking schemes can involve imprecise and vague terminology. Because of this, y'all may be unclear nigh what is expected or needed to excel.
This is why I think information technology is important to await at examples of educatee work before selecting the subject and at exam lath websites, equally they often attempt to explain what is expected. Reading the official syllabus can be a smashing place to beginning. This will requite guidance in terms of quantity of work required, deadlines and how things should be submitted. It is important to sympathise key terminology, such as 'evolution'. This is how to go from one office of your projection to the other to show how your piece of work is progressing and does non appear disjointed. There are some smashing articles on this website which I used throughout studying Art which show what these words mean.
When viewing artwork on this website, remember that the Student Art Guide features the best piece of work from students around the earth. I recollect it is really important to not feel daunted by this (I know I did) but remember that you will have time to improve and refine your skills over the time you study a artistic subject area like Art.
The nearly important thing you tin do if you are unsure most what to expect, is talk to your Art teacher. You volition become an idea of the workload and the syllabus structure that your school or college follows. They tin show you examples of current or past student projects, and so you get an thought of the kind of piece of work that people create. Also, talking to older students, although a daunting prospect, is highly benign, as they can tell you personally how they feel about information technology and answer any questions.
Your classmates won't all exist super talented – there volition be a range of abilities
…It was intimidating to walk into a classroom total of people who share your passion but have attained more than skill than you. But that'south just the thing; you are your worst critic. You just take to trust yourself and what y'all are capable of doing. – Kristia Bondoc, AP Studio Art student from Mt. Eden High School
At that place is ofttimes a misconception that anybody who takes Art at a senior level in high school must have a supreme level of 'talent'. The presence of high achievers can exist more obvious than in other subjects, where it is not always clear who is the all-time student. In Art, your accomplishment is laid out on the table for everyone to see. This can be nervus-racking…but as well inspiring.
This is exactly how I felt at GCSE level. At this phase I was never 100% confident with my drawing. As a chief component of any Fine art qualification, this was something I had to overcome. I was surrounded by people who I felt were ten times better than me. Withal, I think it is of import to consider what you enjoy doing. Drawing does not automatically mean hours and hours spent on a stunning pencil drawing. I establish that drawing in pen worked for me, as information technology allowed a looser style of drawing. There are many types of mark-making, and even if you don't excel with one technique, you can build upon strengths in another. I was still observing, merely in a more expressive way. I found other ways of recording ideas; this included photography. It was when doing GCSE Art that my passion for photography developed. During A Level (a qualification typically taken past 16-xviii year olds) I adult a dearest of working in pen, experimenting with dissimilar types of marker making.
I know you are scared across belief that you can't practise this, but you tin. I was once in your shoes, just as terrified. What is so frightening about joining this course is that y'all only see the artwork we produce one time information technology'south finished. You don't meet how far our artwork has come. We all started in Art 1 or Advanced Fine art with the same potential. – Elizabeth Blancas, AP Studio Art student from Mt. Eden Loftier School
There will be others who feel like you exercise most a particular medium. There are oftentimes students who feel that they are great drawers simply weaker painters. Over time, skill with wet mediums ofttimes improves dramatically and students larn to work faster.
Working in a new medium means yous can use information technology in a manner that you relish. At the end of the solar day, all students accept strengths and weaknesses. Some are in a higher place-boilerplate or average at the subject area, but enjoy information technology. Every bit with any field of study, in that location are those who excel in all areas likewise.
…because you make and then much art, you begin to transform into an crawly artist without even realizing it. I honestly did not expect to really love watercolor, I always thought that it was too hard for me to employ. – Kristia Bondoc, AP Studio Fine art student from Mt. Eden Loftier School
In well-nigh classes there are a range of abilities and it is important to consider this, if you feel yous're not every bit proficient as everyone else. You will develop throughout the class and refine your skills and discover a medium you lot savor to work with. No matter where your ability level begins, you can make tremendous progress in a year. Because of this, my conviction in the subject grew and I came to trust my artistic decisions more.
Remember too that you don't have to have the all-time skill level in your grade to excel and that having the right attitude is simply equally important. If you are motivated and put the effort in you are likely to enjoy the subject more. If your attitude and effort are positive this will have a greater influence on your marking (read what makes an Art student excel and why some students never get high grades).
With a skillful work ethic, the workload is manageable (not impossible)
Many students select Art thinking that it will be a fun subject where you hurl a fleck of paint effectually and scribble with brightly coloured crayons. Students who enter under this misconception endure a very quick wake-up telephone call. Art can indeed be fun, but it is too an unimaginable amount of work. It requires constant and ongoing effort. Many students spend more time on their Art homework than they do on all of their other subjects put together. – From the meridian ten mistakes made by Fine art students
Some people truly underestimate the workload, but with the right mental attitude, the workload should not scare people off. With a bailiwick like Art, the work is continuous. Your ideas evolve with the projection and so does the type of work you do. It's not and then much that the workload is unmanageably enormous, but that it is continuous, and you can't get away with working hard just earlier an exam.
At A Level, I had five hours of Fine art a week and was told for every hour in school we should spent an 60 minutes out of school. Notwithstanding, it actually is down to how much effort you are prepared to put in. Five hours of work may be a beautiful pencil drawing merely information technology might also be several expressive paintings. It is also important to consider that information technology should be quality over quantity (although obviously y'all demand sufficient quantity to run into the assessment objectives, and that this doesn't mean that a disorganised student can expect to submit just a handful of pieces and still become a great grade). This is something I learnt from GCSE. Quality of the work is much more important than how much you practise, every bit you may spend time on something that does not show whatsoever evolution or experimentation. The submission of weaker pieces can bring your grade down overall, then it is far better to aim for a manageable quantity and execute it well, than to produce masses of lower quality work.
Time management is important. If you can keep on superlative of a project the workload seems less overwhelming. Again, there are great resource on this website to assist, such every bit how to stop procrastinating and get your Fine art homework done.
Equipment and materials can cost a lot
Art is different to other subjects in the terms of equipment and materials. You are typically lugging around sketchbooks (something you'll become used to) other fine art supplies and various yet life items. It is important to consider the price of these materials if you are contemplating taking Art. Subjects like Photography and Graphic Pattern, in item, require you to print a lot, in addition to initial stationery and camera costs.
You have to recollect for yourself
In younger years at school, Art classes are oftentimes very directed. However, by the time y'all get to senior high school, students are usually required to be more than independent and think for themselves. I really enjoyed being more independent when I did A Level Art, because you learn to think for yourself and trust your artistic decisions.
Art form is relaxed – information technology will become your home away from home
Existence surrounded past other creative people who enjoy Art as a subject can exist very motivating. It gives you a chance to talk almost your piece of work and see how other people develop and interpret a theme or project. For me, the atmosphere of the classroom for other subjects was different. I always felt very relaxed when I did Art, equally it was different to my other subjects that were heavily textbook or essay based. In some Fine art classes you may even exist able to mind to music while y'all piece of work and there are always neat discussions going on.
So AP Fine art happened. This admittedly perfect course, it was what I needed without fifty-fifty realizing it. I thought I would be the one person who didn't talk to anyone and nobody wanted to talk to. It was the exact opposite. I could express myself without fearing judgment, every week, every day. It felt skillful, and it felt right. I had found people that I cared about, but more importantly, I felt that they cared nigh me….[]…I constitute a family where I least expected it, in high school. – Alec Bates, AP Studio Art student from Mt. Eden High School
You volition quickly become comfortable talking about your work to others. This might mean presenting your piece of work to others and sharing your process from the beginning to the end of a project. My teachers at my schoolhouse did exercises like this and I plant is hugely beneficial equally a confidence booster. It besides gave me the chance to proceeds feedback from others, which as an artist yous may not always agree with, but constructive criticism never hurts. You can learn a lot by listening to other talking about their procedure.
If yous are considering taking Art, having completed A Level Art I can say it is one of the best choices I ever made. I accept grown then much every bit a person and my confidence with working in different mediums has improved. Yous challenge yourself if you choose it, considering you have to think independently, creatively and methodically almost how you will develop a project. I thoroughly recommend taking it because the possibilities of what you tin can do are countless.
Megan'south piece of work tin be viewed on Facebook or Instagram.
This article was written by Megan Fatharly, who graduated from high school in 2014. Megan gained an A* in GCSE Art and Design, an A for AS Art and Design and an A Grade for A Level Art, under the OCR UK examination lath. She is currently completing a UAL Foundation Diploma in Fine art and Design at Falmouth Academy and volition kickoff a Bachelor of Arts in September.
Source: https://www.studentartguide.com/articles/what-they-didnt-tell-you-about-high-school-art