Art in Year 7
Year 7 students begin their KS3 art course by learning about the foundation skills. We cover all the elements, such as line, tone, pattern and colour, through a portrait project in terms 1 and 2. Students will create studies and responses and learn how to organise a sketchbook so that it is clear and methodical, as well as improving their drawing and design skills. Students are also given the opportunity to work in groups to explore a variety of artists who use colour and pattern and complete a group project inspired by their House Goddesses.
Art in Year 8
In Year 8 students build upon the skills they have learnt in their previous year. Students will develop their painting skills with a project exploring Black History Month. This project will give students the opportunity to use paint on canvas, and go on to exhibit their work in the Townley Contemporary Gallery.
In the second half of the year, Year 8 students will continue to develop their skills in observing and drawing the human body. Students will explore a variety of artists who have drawn and painted, and been inspired by the human body, and will go on to investigate proportion and perspective.
Art in Year 9
In Year 9 the Art Department provide an exciting and challenging Programme of Study which introduces students to a more independent way of working, in preparation for the GCSE Art curriculum. Students will study two units of work, primarily focussed around Pop Art and Identity. Students will be given opportunities to draw and paint from direct observation, as well as develop ideas using contextual references as a starting point.
Year 9's continue to be offered the exciting opportunity to publicly exhibit their work in the school, with their second unit which is based on the work of Claes Oldenburg and the Pop Art movement. Every Year 9 student will be expected to produce work in a sketchbook; providing them plenty of opportunities to work independently, learn to display and annotate work as they create it, as well as tracking their ideas and skills as they develop them.
History of Art in Key Stage 3 (Years 7, 8 & 9)
All Key Stage 3 students have the opportunity to study the History of Art in Year 7, 8 and 9. The course is structured around the three terms of the academic calendar.
The KS3 Art History course introduces students to a wide range of art from different cultures, and from different time periods in order to expand their knowledge and understanding of the arts, as well as placing these artworks into their contexts in order to expand their understanding of social history. Starting in Year 7, students begin their journey within the Pre-history timeframe and complete their brief journey through time in Year 9 with the contemporary period.
We are fortunate and excited to be able to offer Art History at Townley, and we continually seek new ways to inspire students to finding out more about the stories behind famous artworks, artists and buildings.
The course will equip students to study art GCSE as well as expand their understanding of our History of Art A-Level.
