GCSE Art & Design (Fine Art)






Externally Set Assignment (ESA - Exam Unit) - 2025 - Term 1

The Externally Set Assignment (ESA) unit starts in January 2025. You will receive a project theme from the exam board, like the examples above. From this point you will start to develop your ideas in preparation for the exam. This exam will take place in term 1 in April . The art exam is usually one of the first exams to take place. This will be a 10-hour controlled test over two days. It will be under exam conditions and will be marked as part of the 40% mark for component 2.

During these two days, you will be completing a final outcome, which you have been preparing for since January in response to the exam board project theme.

GCSE Fine Art - Exam Unit Preparation

This is how you are marked for Coursework and the Exam.

  • There are 24 marks to gain for each assessment objective (AO).
  • 60% of your GCSE mark is coursework and 40% is your exam mark.

AO1: Develop ideas through investigations

  • Artist research pages.
  • Visits to exhibitions and galleries.
  • Your own responses in the style of the artist.
  • Interviews with artists/designers/photographers
  • Photo-shoots exploring areas of interest.
  • Annotate and analyse what you have found out.

AO2: Refine work by exploring ideas and selecting and experimenting with appropriate techniques

  • Experimenting with a range of different art media, materials and techniques.
  • Explore different compositions, colour schemes & textures
  • Record the development of your work as it progresses through photographs & annotations.
  • Presented work in sketchbooks and mounted sheets

AO3: Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to their intentions in visual and/or other forms.

  • Title page.
  • Mind Map.
  • Observational drawings.
  • Sketches from your imagination
  • Sketched design ideas with Annotations explaining your ideas.
  • Primary source photographs
  • Sketchbook or mounted sheetwork

AO4: Present a personal, informed and meaningful response. Completing a relevant and intentional final piece.

  • Plans and drawings of final piece ideas.
  • Mini mock-ups and experiments for final piece.
  • Creating an original final piece, that is clearly inspired by your research and creative journey.
  • Evaluation of final piece (how does your piece link to the project theme?).

Helpful Websites for GCSE Fine Art

http://www.art2day.co.uk - A website giving easy access to the work of contemporary artists from around the world.

http://www.studentartguide.com - The Student Art Guide helps students excel in a wide range of high school Art qualifications, such as IGCSE, GCSE, A Level, NCEA, AP Studio and IB Art. They compile new ideas, best practice and helpful learning strategies for secondary school Art students. The website features outstanding student art projects, including those that are awarded top in a qualification or country. These provide wonderful learning tools for others and celebrate the achievement of students, teachers, and schools.

http://www.artweb.com - A web application allowing artists, craftspeople and designers to create an online portfolio of work.

http://www.creativebloq.com - A website giving creative tips and inspiration across web design, graphic design, three-dimensional design and more.

Gallery Websites

https://manaratalsaadiyat.ae/en/ - Manarat Al Saadiyat is a local contemporary Art Gallery that hosts a range of Art Exhibitions, workshops and cultural arts events that keep you up to date with the regional and global art scene.

https://www.louvreabudhabi.ae/en/ - The world famous Louvre Abu Dhabi hosts both local and international artworks and exhibitions from a range of cultures, contexts and times.

http://www.guggenheim.org - Guggenheim Museum showcases a collection of early modern masterpieces.

http://www.tate.org.uk - The Tate holds the national collection of British art from 1500 to the present day as well as international modern and contemporary art.

http://www.moma.org - The Museum of Modern Art in New York host the cutting edge of contemporary artists exhibition. A good website for an eclectic mix of artist and artwork inspiration.

http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk - The National Gallery in London houses one of the greatest collections of paintings in the world.

http://www.royalacademy.org.uk - The Royal Academy of Arts in London aims to promote not just the appreciation and understanding of art, but also its practice.

The GCSE Art & Design (Fine Art) Specification

Past Papers

Useful Youtube Channels to follow:

GCSE Fine Art Help and Ideas

Student Art Guide - YouTube

What does a level 9 look like?

A* GCSE Art Sketchbooks (youtube.com)

GCSE GRADE 9 (A**) EXAM SKETCHBOOK (youtube.com)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogUZkcEzL2I

A* GCSE Art Book // (FULL MARKS!) Yr 11 Coursework - YouTube

A* GCSE Art Sketchbook - YouTube