Art & Design BTEC

If you have not previously studied GCSE Art, you will need to demonstrate your ability to cope with the course by providing the following evidence.

Create a minimum of 20 x sketchbook pages ideally in an A3 sketchbook but A4 would be
acceptable, that includes the following –

1. A) Evidence of your ability to draw from observation
   ideally using a range of media e.g. pencil, fine-line pen, dip-pen/brush and Indian ink, etc.
   Introduce colour if you feel confident – watercolour washed over pencil/waterproof fine-line pen
   for example. Try some of the following –
   Objects– try drawing a range of single objects – fruit, vegetables, kitchen tools/implements
   (whisk, colander, teapot, etc).
   2. Still Life – set up a small still life arrangement of some of these objects – fruit in a bowl and
   spilling out onto a table surface for example.
   3. People – try drawing members of your family or friends from observation (not using
   photographs) or attempt to capture (drawing) people you see when you’re out and about (find a
   spot to sit and observe – cafés are ideal for this activity).
   4. Buildings, street scenes or landscapes – don’t worry if your lines are bit wobbly when
   drawing buildings, try to capture the details that give the building its character – more ornate
   buildings give you lots of interesting things to draw.

Top tips:
Try planning how you will compose (arrange) the elements of your drawings on the page using a
small rough sketch before you start the actual drawing.

Try filling some pages with one drawing and on other pages drawing multiple objects/elements
on the same page.

1. B) Evidence of some creative ideas and material experimentation– this could be in
   form of one or a number of the following. You don’t have to produce all of this but some
   examples of one or two would be helpful:
   Paintings (portraits, landscapes, abstract pieces) you have made outside of your sketchbook.
   2. 3D work – a sculptural piece in clay or a model you have built from scratch for example.
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   3. Textile or fashion item – appliqué perhaps, where different fabrics are stitched over another
   layer of fabric to form a pattern, patchwork or image, or a garment you have designed and
   constructed.
   4. Photographs you have taken of a particular subject or an experimental film you have shot.
   5. Graphic Design/Illustration that you have created using software such as
   Procreate/Photoshop, etc. A fan magazine (Zine) you have created about something you are
   interested or inspired by; promotional images for a band you know or play in; or a series of
   illustrations you have made based on a book you’ve read.
   We need to see that you are already engaged in practical creativity of some kind will support
   your application by showing us you are genuinely interested in this subject.
2. C) Finally, we will also expect you to have visited some galleries and museums–
   Tate Modern, Tate Britain, The National Gallery etc. all have free entry to their permanent
   You will need to have visited at least one of these and be able to talk about what you
   have seen at enrolment/interview

Good luck!