Stage 1 Visual Arts Design

LEVEL: Stage 1

SACE Credits: 10 credits

LENGTH: One Semester or a Full Year

Recommended background: Satisfactory completion of Year 10 Design and/or Year 10 Art

In addition, a sound knowledge of Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud is recommended.

Content:

In Design, students will express ideas through practical work using drawings, sketches, diagrams, models, photographs and/or audio-visual techniques, leading to resolved pieces. Students have opportunities to research, understand, analyse and reflect upon visual design works in their cultural and historical contexts. The course includes the development of a brief, research, ideas (concepts) analysis and experimentation with media and techniques, resulting in a final practical piece. 

Students will select their design focus from:

  • Architecture
  • Graphic Design
  • Product Design 

One focus area will be selected per semester (maximum of 2 if Design is chosen for the full year).

Assessment:

Students’ performance will be determined according to the subject’s Performance Standards, as outlined by the SACE Board. Grades A to E will be used for reporting purposes. 

Assessment Type 1 – Folio 40%

  • An A3 digital or sleeved folder of support material demonstrating understanding of the design process for ONE practical assignment. This includes the brief, research (from a diverse range of resources) and ideation (development of several concepts).

Assessment Type 2 – Practical 30%

  • The practical may be submitted in a variety of formats depending on the student’s skill base and design brief. All work is to be presented as a digital A2 poster format ready for display and may contain a variety of imagery including floor plans and elevations , scaled models and print ready final resolutions of design projects.
  • A practitioner’s statement of 250 words written at the end of the design process is included in this assessment task. 

Assessment Type 3 – Visual Study 30%

  • A research-based presentation of techniques, processes, materials and analytical themes related to historical or contemporary design practice, which takes the form of 8-12 A3 pages in a sleeved folder or digital format combined as a PDF file.

Special Requirements: 

Students are required to supply an A3 plastic sleeved Display Folio and an A3 blank paged sketch book.

Students will be provided an Adobe Design Suite software subscription on their personal device for the duration of this subject.

Leads to: SACE Stage 2 Visual Arts – Design or SACE Stage 2 Visual Arts – Art

Please note you can only choose one Visual Arts subject in Stage 2.