Cambridge Ordinary Level 6005 Art and Design November 2016 Principal Examiner Report for Teachers

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1 Paper 6005/01 Paper 1 Observational Assignment General comments Candidates across the whole ability range responded well to almost all questions set. A wide range of media was used such as pencil shading, coloured pencil, and watercolour, acrylic to chalk and oil pastel. However, watercolour and acrylic paint were predominant in almost all the works. Very few students chose pencil shading for the final work. A variety of media was seen in almost all preparatory works. The most able candidates displayed creativity and ease in the use of their chosen media. Works were highly personal, sensitive, lively and well worked out. Their work revealed thorough research and preparation and indicated a good understanding of the development of ideas leading to the final solution. The ability to convey precise surface qualities and volumes was clearly shown. Work seen in the middle range revealed difficulties caused by the lay-out and drawing of forms. Candidates showed the beginnings of more personal and well-informed work, but they analysed and recorded in a much simpler way. The work seen in the low range showed weaknesses in drawing, in the understanding of forms and structures and in the development of well-organised compositions. Weaknesses were seen in the handling of paint and many works were flat. Although reference to artists is an important part of the assessment, many students gave too much importance to pictures and notes on artists who were not related to their works thus reducing space for their own studies and development. The final piece is expected to be the culmination of the preparatory works. In some cases, preparatory works were of a higher quality than the final piece. Submitted work should not be folded and should not be larger than A2. A number of candidates used larger than A2 sized paper for their preparatory works and in some cases the papers were damaged during packing. Comments on specific questions Question 1: A tennis racket and two balls, with a hat and a can of drink, all resting on a towel Works were executed in various media but mostly in pencil, coloured pencils and watercolours. The most able candidates showed a good understanding of tonal values and were able to depict the forms of the objects. Compositions were well organised and good technical control and manipulative skills were also seen. The objects were depicted with great competency. Some candidates displayed great understanding and maturity and there were some very interesting pieces. Candidates works in the mid-range showed weaknesses in working the elliptical shape of the tennis racket and in the rendering of the towel. Some submissions showed poor drawing skills and the works lacked tonal values. The weakest candidates produced poorly arranged compositions where the notion of space and spatial relationship was not clearly understood. Question 2: Two different fruits, one cut open This was by far the most popular question and produced a wide range of responses. Fruits were mostly tropical such as pineapple, banana, mango, dragon fruit, kiwi as well as oranges and apples. Some excellent work was produced where all elements of the objects had been well observed with a skilful use of media. Stronger candidates showed a good understanding of compositional elements including space and light.

2 There was some very strong work showing colours and textures well depicted. These works were successful in their observational studies and recording of the structural form and volume of the objects. The studies were carefully executed and were well drawn and painted. Preparatory works were of high quality showing excellent gathering and studies from primary sources. Works within the mid-range showed quite good drawing skills but often lacked understanding of colour mixing and tonal values. The preparatory works also showed less mature studies. The work in the low range showed very limited understanding of tone and surface texture. Works were flat, showing only a linear description. Candidates needed to explore the different ways to relate objects to the space around them. Question 3: A table set for a birthday tea party The best candidates who chose this question showed great competence and understanding in depicting the cake, tea ware, sandwiches and the table itself. Space and spatial relationship was strong and the objects were well arranged on a flat surface. The best works showed great confidence in the use of tonal values and colour to modulate forms. Weaker candidates produced poorly arranged compositions where the notion of space and spatial relationship was not clearly understood. Difficulties were seen in the drawing of ellipses for teapots, plates and cups. Lack of tones and colour mixing were evident in the handling of media. Question 4: An upturned bicycle The best work for this question showed a good mastery of the chosen media and technique. The works were individual and personal showing good gathering with own photos from first-hand sources and coherent development of ideas. Work seen at the middle levels of achievement demonstrated difficulties in showing linear structures of the bicycle. Control of media was generally satisfactory. The less able candidates demonstrated a lack of ability in terms of drawing and painting skills. These works often showed a lack of preparation and research. Investigation of ideas were mainly from secondary sources. Question 5: Bus station There were some excellent preparatory and final works submitted for this question. Candidates showed good exploration and manipulation of images from primary sources. Linear perspective was used sensibly. The best candidates showed a good mastery of their chosen media and technique and responses were individual and personal. Less able candidates often showed a satisfactory understanding of the basic requirements for this question. Gathering and recording of information from direct observation were however, limited. Preparatory works were mostly filled with images downloaded from the internet. The weakest candidates were not well informed due to limited knowledge of aesthetic judgment. This was clearly reflected in their final pieces which were often limited with linear images and flat colours. In addition, their supporting studies were very basic with very a small number of inconsistent drawings. Question 6: A sun lounger by a swimming pool There were few strong submissions for this question. Most works showed a satisfactory investigation of ideas and adequate use of perspective. Preparatory woks were mostly filled with images from secondary sources. The less able candidates showed a lack of drawing and painting skills and a very limited understanding of tonal values and spatial relationship. Most works would have been improved with more emphasis on the development of ideas, critical analysis and personal judgments. Question 7: In the corner of a library Few candidates selected this question and most submissions were in the mid-levels of achievement. Linear perspective proved to be challenging for most candidates. A few works included human figures. Candidates were able to show some ability to control media. Question 8: A figure wrapped in a towel Submissions to this question included some strong performances. A few of these works showed the full figure. Some candidates chose to represent a half figure or only the head of the model wrapped in a towel. A variety of models was used such as male, female, infant and even animals. The best candidates showed very good ability in recording from direct observation or other sources. Most candidates had worked from their own photographs. They showed competent manipulative skills of media in their preparatory and final work. The depiction of anatomy and flesh tones was often excellent. Some candidates found showing the proportion of the human figure more challenging and a stronger knowledge of tonal values would have enhanced the works of these candidates. A satisfactory handling of media was observed.

3 Paper 6005/02 Paper 2 Interpretative Assignment General comments It was clear that candidates were aware of what was expected from them on this component and most of them had prepared themselves well. The most able candidates gathered and developed ideas and this showed in the final work. The best submissions showed a complete journey, with full investigation and development leading to a relevant final piece. However many candidates did not take full advantage of the opportunity to consider a variety of ideas and would have benefited from refining their skills in cropping images so as to improve their compositional skills. Generally these works were not as successful. Weaker submissions relied heavily on secondary materials and ideas were not developed. These candidates would have benefitted from gathering first-hand studies and developing their images in a personal way. A few candidates produced up to eight pages of preparatory work. Candidates should be reminded to adhere to the requirements of the syllabus. There were some issue with the submission of work. Some candidates did not use the cellophane papers provided. As a result, some work got stuck together and consequently some final work was heavily damaged. Some of the collage work had not been expertly executed. They were left as low reliefs, and in a few cases the items glued did not remain in place. Comments on specific questions Question 1: Alone This question was a popular choice and the level of work varied. The most able candidates displayed a good understanding of research, development of ideas, and in the handling of media. Supporting sheets were deep-toned. They had made good use of primary and secondary sources in the development of ideas to respond to the theme. Mid-range candidates showed some maturity in the handling of colour and media. Generally they were partially able to portray an atmosphere and the state of being alone. In many cases their supporting work was just adequately done. Some candidates could have produced stronger work with wider research and recording. The less able candidates often found it difficult to express themselves clearly through the chosen medium. They often copied from secondary sources, especially from the internet. Question 2: Collision This theme was also a popular one. The most successful candidates were able to show their drawing and painting abilities and had good supporting studies along with the final piece. It was clear that most candidates had ideas, but often their exploitation and development were poor. The responses ranged from terrestrial to celestial bodies showing collision. Candidates attempting collision in outer space managed some special effects in the depiction of the universe. Those attempting terrestrial collisions were less successful in the drawing of vehicles. The biggest challenges were in expressing the form of a vehicle and in developing an idea. Many candidates considered hitting and touching as a collision but neglected to exploit both the full scope and dramatic effects suggested by the theme.

4 Question 3: Imbalance The source of inspiration for this question ranged from nature to philosophical and societal imbalances such as in the ying and the yang or the rich and poor. However many candidates had difficulty in interpreting the theme. Much of the work was limited by poor research and poorly executed work. These candidates relied heavily on secondary materials and their personal interpretations were weak. Their work remained at the literal level and the theme was not well-considered or properly investigated. Question 4: Inside a shop The interior perspective of a shop was a challenging aspect in this question. In addition to this, the drawing and painting of human figures in proportion within the shop also caused issues for many candidates. In the work of the most able candidates, the three dimensional aspect of elements in space could clearly be seen. The mid-level candidates did not focus on the shop as a whole and often concentrated on the people in the shop. Thus, little perspective of the interior of the shop could be seen. Weaker candidates produced distorted and disproportionate human forms showing no spatial awareness. In some cases, the supporting studies did not match the final outcome. Question 5: The storm Those who had considered thunderstorm were more successful than those who opted for a sea storm. The depiction of fiery skies were better executed than those showing the rough seas. Reliance on internet sources was common. The best candidates recomposed pictures from the secondary sources into a remixed work. They also showed their ability to depict high waves and the stormy climate and atmosphere. Mid-level candidates tended to reproduce the same pictures from internet sources. Mere reproduction of existing images was not beneficial to the work. Unfortunately, they did not use their knowledge and skills to express themselves adequately. Less able candidates, could not depict the stormy effect of the sea and the sky. They also displayed limited skills in the handling of paint as medium. Question 6: Beach party The best candidates answering this question were able to show the entertaining atmosphere that prevails in beach parties well. Figures were grouped to create the related ambiance. Strong mastery of coloured medium enhanced the level of the artwork. The challenge for weaker candidates was the drawing of human figures in proportion. They opted mostly for collage work which was often not well executed. The application of sand on paper to represent the beach was too literal and did not show sufficient artistic insight. The supporting studies of these candidates showed no strong link with the final work.

5 Paper 6005/03 Paper 3 Design Assignment General comment Candidates showed they were aware of the requirements of this paper. Successful candidates demonstrated maturity, real engagement and a sense of purpose in their work. Work produced was informed with clear evidence of students investigations and development of their ideas. All the various elements of art were convincingly dealt with. A range of media and techniques were used and in some works there were evidence of good technical control. Candidates also included informative annotations which very often made their intentions clear. Many candidates had established good working practice by working from their own photos or from primary sources. They had often taken pictures of their specimen or of different local sites to develop original and creative works. Lettering fonts were well experimented and integrated with the design. At this level, they were able to propose various layouts to arrive at a suitable solution. However, less successful work lacked evidence of a focused investigation. Many candidates did not engage themselves fully in the preparation of the supporting work. There was also an over-reliance on internet materials with solutions not supported by sufficient evidence of development of work. It should be noted that at this level, candidates should research, record and analyse information from direct observation. Weaker candidates used computer generated lettering which was traced or copied in their work. Candidates should be discouraged from making use of heavy collage such as spices, dried beans, wood, pieces of glass and hair pins, which were inappropriate for a design work. Unfortunately, many of the less successful attempts showed no evidence of research, analysis and of the development of ideas to arrive at an appropriate solution. In some cases work was formulaic and preparatory works were very similar. This did not encourage creativity and originality. It was noted that some candidates submitted preparatory work which was very competent but produced final works which were not of the same strength. Comments on specific questions Question 1 Candidates were asked to create a design for a gift shop called Driftwood. Most of the work seen was at the mid-range level. The best submissions included good use of typography for the word driftwood, integrated with drawings of shells, jewellery and wood. Candidates also included illustrations of how the design would appear on the shop sign. Unfortunately, often this work lacked graphic qualities and the final solutions were weak. The weakest submissions did not show evidence of a clear journey. Letter formations were poor and were very often traced from downloaded typography. Question 2 Candidates answered in the form of a poster for a modern dance production called coffee shop. Most candidates copied an existing logo of a coffee shop and images of silhouette of dancing figures from secondary sources such as clipart sites. Most of the time, candidates focused on integrating existing design with letter fonts. There were very few submissions which showed full engagement in developing ideas from a starting point to end up with a creative and original idea. Generally coffee cups were copied from secondary sources. In many cases, the print outs were directly used without any personal input. Weaker candidates had great difficulty in communicating their ideas resulting in very poor responses.

6 Question 3 This was a very popular question. Candidates were asked to design a page or the front cover of a Mauritian cookbook. Very able candidates responded with good primary and secondary research. Work produced was informed with clear evidence of investigations leading to the development of the final idea. Research on local famous dishes, spices, vegetables and cooking utensils were conclusive. They produced thoughtful and inspiring solutions which clearly showed that they had studied the Mauritian context. There was a variety of media and techniques explored including collage, printing and stencilling. The weaker works tended to rely heavily on downloaded images, randomly put together with no coherent compositional skills. Question 4 This was another popular question and many submissions used images derived from photographic starting points. Good submissions showed good use of primary and secondary resources, with candidates own personal photographs of sugar mills, chimneys, sugarcane, and the sugar museum from The Pamplemousses garden. They gathered good quality information which they developed in their supporting work which in turn supported their drawings and graphic outcomes. The best works showed good understanding of aesthetics related to design. Some work displayed personal involvement, such as visits to the sugar museum, first hand drawings of sugarcane, sugar cubes and a sugar crushing wheel. In contrast, weaker candidates tended to work from download images. Many submissions showed weaknesses such as difficulties in letter formation, handling of media and composition. Question 5 Candidates had to design the interior of a swimming pool or sports centre, based on patterns caused by light falling onto surfaces or shining through screens. The best submissions made good studies of water reflections and shiny objects with interesting colour schemes. Development of ideas was direct and various possibilities and layouts were cleverly explored. Candidates explored positive and negative shapes to create interesting patterns. A few candidates even tried to show what the design would look like in the swimming pool. Mid-range candidates developments were not convincing enough and submissions were limited in gathering and recording from first-hand observation. A few submissions relied heavily on geometrical shapes and design with no evidence that they were derived from primary or secondary sources. Weaker responses were limited due to poor references and limited preparatory work. In some cases, the element used in the final work had no link at all with the preparatory. Question 6 There were some very sensitive and well balanced works answering this question. The best works showed a good understanding of the aesthetics related to design. Letterings were fluent and well-proportioned and the backgrounds were very closely related to the text. A few candidates had carried out good research on landscape compositions which were integrated as background. Appropriately chosen Illustrations and decorative borders were often researched well and clearly integrated with the text. The strongest candidates conveyed the meaning of the poem. Weaker attempts were generally hindered by the lack of skill or practice in lettering and type face and line spacing. Question 7 There were too few responses seen to comment on. Question 8 This question was on interior design for a welcoming waiting room at a parent and child clinic based on shells, sea and river creatures. Most of the entries for this question were answered from one Centre, where candidates responded to the question in almost the same way. Primary sources and secondary sources were all very similar and as a result of this work lacked personal vision, personal qualities, personal views and independence. Weaker candidates were limited by poor references to marine life, with simplified versions of fish, shrimps, octopus and shells. However, good submissions demonstrated the ability to select appropriate resources and materials and there was a logical progression in the way that their source material was used and developed. Final pieces from these candidates were usually appealing with an interesting play of colours and forms. Almost all candidates managed to show how the design would look on the wall with the sitting arrangement and play area which were to scale with good perspective. In some of the most successful pieces there was a sense of freshness with good use of colours which suited the context of a mural for a parent and child clinic.

7 Question 9 This was a popular choice and responses seen covered the whole mark range. The majority tended to be from the middle and lower range with the most common images taken from fashion magazines. Sometimes, there was evidence of first-hand drawing of scissors, hair brushes, hair dryer and lipstick. Simplified human figures with stylised hair curls were also commonly used. In contrast to this, weaker candidates tended to download images and silhouettes which were used directly without any modification. Rendering of letterings was researched well by a few candidates. Weaker candidates used stencil rulers and downloaded letter fonts. The resulting work showed little understanding of aesthetics or the value of a personal response. The very best work demonstrated a good journey leading to the final work. Studies from direct observation were used, media were well explored and the compositions were successful and informed.

8 Paper 6005/04 Paper 4 Critical and Historical Assignment General comments This year s work was of a satisfactory level with some consideration given to placement and arrangement of the images and written work. All candidates had followed a similar approach in their presentation and also in the content of their study. For example, all candidates chose to undertake a comparative study of local and international artists. Although this encourages good practice in recording from first-hand artwork, candidates could be encouraged to explore different formats and to undertake more personal and in-depth critical analysis in the development of ideas. They should be encouraged to communicate their findings in a more informed and personal way in order to demonstrate how their work has developed during their investigational study. It was noted that all candidates focused their studies on artists work in the field of painting only. Centres should remind candidates that they can explore other fields such as sculpture and architecture and areas in the visual arts such as videos and films. This would widen the scope for first-hand study. On the whole, the submissions reflected a consideration for research, documentation, development of ideas and critical analysis. Most candidates used primary data in the form of analysis of paintings and interviews with artists. Stronger candidates had carefully considered what they were choosing to analyse when they made an artist copy. For example, selecting parts of the art work, the artist s use of line or colour or pattern or considering different ways of communicating that understanding. This involved works of different scale and media.

9 Paper 6005/05 Paper 5 Coursework Assignment General comments There were many approaches to this paper and the level of technical competence varied. All candidates submitted a final piece with supporting work. Submissions were mainly on board, paper, and some textile pieces were seen as well. A variety of themes were seen. Portraiture was very common including selfportraits and figurative fantasy compositions. Other topics included wildlife, animals, birds and human figures. A wide range of painting and drawing media was used, including pencil, pen, pastel, watercolours, acrylic, collage and print making. Many candidates used a mixture of these in their outcomes, with varying degrees of success. Where the experimentation and development had been extensive, the candidates understanding of the media helped them to blend these different materials in some very successful compositions. Stronger candidates carried out thorough studies from direct observation or from their own photographs. The high level of independence and initiative, evident in the visual recording of the stronger candidates, resulted in very imaginative and accomplished outcomes. Some candidates demonstrated competent manipulative skills. The best had used their supporting studies to show evidence of research from different sources, making colour studies and trial experiments both with processes and compositional layouts. The strongest submissions demonstrated a command of the visual language: form, structure, proportion, perspective, tone, texture and colour relationships. In some submissions there was evidence of cultural and artistic information which was used in the development of the work and was entirely relevant. Less successful candidates did not demonstrate the same quality and understanding of visual elements in their preparatory work and this was clearly reflected in their final piece. They would have benefited from more organisation and a consistency in the development of ideas. Moreover, solid observational studies from first-hand sources would have provided them with more confidence and skill in their chosen craft. It should also be noted that glass supports are inappropriate and should not be used. Comments on specific areas of study Painting and related media The strongest work contained research from different sources including candidates own photography. There was much evidence of commitment and creative response in the development of ideas. Good planning and organisation throughout the journey contributed enormously to the success of the final outcomes. Materials were successfully chosen and resulted in the achievement of the desired effects. Some candidates combined a mixture of materials to good effect including tactile relief work. A wide range of media and techniques was used throughout the preparatory work ranging from painting, collage and embroidery which informed the final pieces. Evidence of creativity and integrity was apparent throughout the journey. Many portraits were submitted but some candidates who displayed an adequate level of technical competence produced repetitive studies of the same figure which did not add creativity to the journey. Some outcomes were more successful where candidates were bolder and had combined several techniques together.