gcse art coursework themes

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Art Themes to Explore in GCSE & iGCSE

If you are looking for art themes to explore in GCSE or iGCSE lessons, the huge list below is a great starting point.  Thank you to art teacher Annie Chapman who started this list and to other teachers for making suggestions which I’ve added.  I also have an ‘ Artists Listed by Theme ‘ page, which lists lots of artists under a huge range of themes. Some words link to art teaching resources on this website.

Aboriginal and native art

Abandoned places

Advertising/Consumption and consumerism, Rich world vs Poor world

Ageing, old and new, decay and change

Art & Words

Beauty.The beauty myth, Self-image

Beautiful vs Ugly

Book illustration and text

Casting Shadows

Colour and mood

Carnival and Celebration

Culture Patterns, objects, traditions:  eg: Africa, Asia. Japan

Collections

Dream/Surrealism

Design eg. clothes/shoes/campaign poster

Depression/Fragility

Fear and Nightmares Environment

Faces and features

From natural to abstraction

Fragile things

Flowers and plants

Game Design

Graffiti/murals/Protest messages

Insects/butterflies in nature

In The News

Impressionism /light in painting

Illustrate a story

Landscapes of the mind, loneliness, loss

Magnification and macro

Mirrors/reflection

Money /inequality

Metamorphosis/change

Myths and Legends/Magic

Natural Forms

Out of Place

Ordinary vs extraordinary

Pattern eg. patterns in nature/repeat patterns/rotational patterns

Planets/Save the planet/Space

Pop Art and Comics

Rich world-vs-poor world

Reflections

Realism/Surrealism

Refugees/War

Stories and storytelling

Seven Deadly Sins

Self-portrait

Secrets/a secret place

Time and Space

Time-lapse/freeze frame/movement

Transformation

Tropical vegetation/Jungles

Trash and/or treasure

Through a Window

Ugly/beautiful

Under water

Vegetables and Fruit

Washed-up, things found on a beach

World within a world

Women in Art

Zoom-in/Close-up

This website is for art teachers.  I’m pleased that art students also enjoy it, but I am not able to respond to individual students who want help with ideas for their GCSE projects.

Please comment below if you have more art themes to explore in GCSE & iGCSE lessons and I will add them.

There is also a fantastic list of artists listed by theme on The Arty Teacher.  Click the link below to find out more.

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The Arty Teacher

Sarah Crowther is The Arty Teacher. She is a high school art teacher in the North West of England. She strives to share her enthusiasm for art by providing art teachers around the globe with high-quality resources and by sharing her expertise through this blog.

89 responses to “Art Themes to Explore in GCSE & iGCSE”

Can you help me brainstorm a new architecture art gcse theme. My original theme was called ‘deconstruct’ based on the deconstructivist movement of architecture which valued creativity and experimentation and emphasized breaking down the fundamentals of architecture. However, i am in the middle of my mini-finals and have gotten out of topic. One of my projects featured uneven and scattered buildings; the other was inspired by mandarin calligraphy.

I want a theme which can easily be built upon for future mini-finals but also unique and insightful. Thanks.

I love deconstructivist architecture – I can see why this has made a good project in the past. I’m also a fan of brutalist archecture, with it’s angular, minimalist, concrete style. Is that something you could explore? It was often built for social housing, so there could be meaningful conversations there. It is also connected with ‘Art Brut’, so there are lots of possibilites for research and individual responses.

Hello Arty Teacher! Thank you for your suggestions. I’m taking over IGCSE art next year and the students I am teaching are quite literal and struggle with using their imagination. I really want to teach them to step outside of their comfort zone and be creative. However, I’m worried I’ll confused them too much. Do you think the project title “once upon a time.” Is a good starter project to introduce igcse? After this, I was thinking about doing altered nature or identity for their actual component 1 coursework.

Hi Chloe, Thanks for your question. ‘Once upon a time’ makes everyone think of childrens stories. I think you would have to have ways to interpret it much more broadly and creatively than that. If you did, and those ideas made your students think laterally and creatively, or taught them to do so, then it sounds like a good idea. I love identity as a theme for students of that age. It’s easy to find many artists who have explored it in a huge variety of ways. I also love natural forms – so many possibilites. I hope you have discoverd my ‘Artists Listed by Theme’ page here: https://theartyteacher.com/artists-themes/

hi, thanks for your big heart, I’m grateful for your blog. I’d love to know if broken is a good theme for my igcse and if yes how can I build it up.

Hi Kako, Yes, I think ‘Broken’ is an excellent theme. I’d start by producing a mind that explores all the different sorts of broken. Broken objects, windows, mirrors; broken emotions, broken hearts, mental health. There has been a ‘fragments’ question on the GCSE paper before, so there are sure to be boards on Pinterest to inspire you. I’d explore a few ideas at the start of your sketchbook and then either combine some or narrow it down to your favourite idea to push further.

hi i wanted to ask if leaves are a good theme and how can i start with it?

Hi Lisa, I think leaves are a great starting point where you could really get involved in a variety of ‘recording’ e.g. drawing with different media on different surfaces, painting, photography, digital drawing. I’m not sure I’d describe ‘leaves’ as a theme, it’s more a subject matter. Perhaps drawing leaves could take you in the direction of themes such as aging or decay? Could you photograph the leaves as they wither and then do more recording?

Hi, I hope there is a theme for Rebirth, can that be included in the work?

You can choose anything for your theme as long as you feel you can fulfil the assessment objectives. Rebirth sounds interesting. Start by creating a mindmap, noting down all the things you think of when you think of rebirth. Hopefully this will give you lots of ideas for things you can research/draw/photograph.

Hi, my teacher told us to develop our ideas and make some painting over the holidays. I was wondering whether “mythology and art” was a good topic to explore, or is it too broad? I would love any help or suggestions for similar topics!

Mythology is an excellent theme. It’s good to start broad and then narrow your research down as your work progresses. Hopefull there will be something within mythology that you find particularly interesting.

Hi Arty teacher, i am learning the first year of igcse, i am wonder that would you consider cyberpunk a theme? there’re a lots of topic that I want to do but I was hesitate to choose. I want to choose something that stick with hobby and enjoyable. what would you recommend ? Here is some of my choice: fantasy, game design, cyberpunk, decay and change, memory. can you recommend some of the artist that I could research for these theme. thank you so much🫶🏻.

Hi Arty Teacher, could “song lyrics” be part of a theme?

Hi Gilbert, Absolutely, song lyrics are a great starting point to stimulate art. I’d suggest ‘Art & Words’ as a theme as this was actually on a GCSE exam paper in the past. You could then look at song lyrics. I have a list of artists under the theme of art and words on the following page: https://theartyteacher.com/artists-themes/

Hi im doing my first sketchbook for my igcse course.Im really struggling on finding a subject.At first i thought of teenages. And thought to talk about depression , social media and etc.But i have noticed that many people choose this subject so i dont really want to do it now.I have in my mind now social media impacts.Or even artificial intelligence.I believe its something unsual and not really talked about in art topics.Although im struggling on what photoshoot and some artists references.Could you please give me some ideas

Hi Yolanda, It’s good to choose a topic that no one else is doing. This shouldn’t be too hard: just look at the list above! It sounds like you like issues rather than something that is purely asethetic. At the following link are artists who have created artwork about interesting topics like the environment, social issues, isolation, death, emotions, identity and more. It might inspire you: https://theartyteacher.com/artists-themes/ What ever you choose, make your life easier by connecting it to something that is easy to photograph in an interesting way. e.g. If it is about death you could photograph churches and graveyards, if it is about social media photograph someone all alone and people in a group having a great time.

Hello, Is childhoon a good topic for igcse art and what subtopics can we explore for this theme and the reference artists?

Yes, childhood is an excellent theme. As for a subtopic, perhaps you could look at your own childhood to help you. What was significant? Toys? Place? People? Make it personal and think of something really good to photograph to make your life easier. The section on nostalgia on this page may help: https://theartyteacher.com/artists-themes/

Hi, I am grade 10 student and i am struggling to find a suitable topic. I have tried 3 to 4 topics and created many art works for them but I end up not liking them or feel like the topic is boring.What should I do also the topics i find interesting are hard to take pictures for.I mostly stay at home so can’t get pictures easily.Is there any topic i can explore which is interesting and easy to take pictures for?

Hi, If you have already tried 3 or 4 topics and created many artworks, you really need to pick a theme and stick to it. Choose a topic where it is easy to take inspiring photographs. Why pick something hard? Fantastic photos can be an inspiring starting point. There are so many good starting points in the blog post above. You need to think about what you are interested in and what you enjoy. Sometimes finding an inspiring artist can be a good starting point if you can’t find a topic that excites you. Only you know what you find interesting!

I want to do islamic architecture as a topic but I don’t know if it can be used as a topic, can you tell me if it can be used and what type of different panels I could make with this theme? , I have a feeling that it might be too broad and not very precise?

I think Islamic architecture is an excellent starting point. Start by researching it broadly and create work based on your findings. Then really think about what it is that you find appealing about it and narrow it down to that. Is it the colours, the patterns, the gold leaf, the domes? It is the religious aspect? A particular geographic area? Explore it further.

hi the arty teacher, i am a year 11 student taking igsce art and our theme is identity, however we need to choose a “sub-theme” sort of to explore along with that in regards to identity. would it be alright to explore something like ghosts or media (as in film, devices, internet, etc) ?

Yes, but it would be good if you could say why Ghosts is identity or what aspect of media you see as identity. Also, find some artists who explore identity through these sub-themes.

i understand what you mean, thank you! would something like the theme of confusion/belonging (not sure what’ll work better) in identity using ghost symbolism be better then?

I think you are exploring some interesting ideas. Why and how would a ghost symbolise confusion or belonging?

Hello Arty Teacher, I am an A-level student and I’m doing Art & Design. The theme given to us is “Observe, Seek and Challenge” but I am struggling to find any ideas, and I also don’t know many artists who have done paintings related to this theme. Would you please suggest any ideas that I can use and talk about so I can create an individual response to this theme? Thank you very much!

Hi Lili, I have a useful page on this website of artists listed by theme which is great for researching: https://theartyteacher.com/artists-themes/ “Observe, Seek and Challenge” is nice and broad. All artists observe. Seek, is interesting. What is the artist seeking? ie trying to find, desiring? I think artists seek ways to communicate, seek inspiration, seek to explore their own identity and that of others, seek to explore natural and manmade environments. Artists challenge us with their ideas all the time. They raise our awareness about climate change, social issues, race, gender, fears, prejudices, and stereotypes, ethical dilemmas and mental health challenges.

I think I’d pick a challenge first, find some artists, see what they are seeking to say and how.

Hi, the theme I’m exploring for my final GCSE piece is the power of love but I’m struggling to find inspiration and an artist. Any suggestions? Thanks

If you are struggling to find inspiration, it may not be a good theme for you. Try choosing a question from the paper that gives you lots of ideas. The word ‘ideas’ appears in 3 out of the 4 assessment objectives and you should be the one who is having the ideas. Lots of artists have been inspired by love. Jim Dine painted hearts. You could use them as a symbol of love. Make sure to include in your annotation why Dine used them. He was responding to a close friends mental breakdown. You can read more here: https://cranbrookartmuseum.org/artwork/jim-dine-the-heart-at-sea-in-a-non-secular-way/#:~:text=Dine%20felt%20the%20paintings%20were,Dine's%20is%20a%20compassionate%20one . The Pre-Raphalites painted about nature and religion but also literature and poetry, particularly text that dealt with love and death. Many of their painting depict beaufiul women. Rob Ryan creates paper cut outs. Many of them are romantic. If you google ‘paintings about love’ or ‘artists who depict love’ lots of things come up. I hope these suggestions help.

The aqa exam paper released and I want to do portraiture theme would faces and features be a good theme?

Hi Ayesha, I don’t think faces and features are a theme, they are simply part of portraiture. Themes could be: family, loniless and isoltion, cultural and ethnic identity, Intamcy and connection, time and aging, spirituality and faith.

Hi! I was wondering which to do between war and the Japanese imperialism and how it still seems to affect future generations or the role of beauty in horror. I have many many points for both but the first is much more personal but it seems to be quite controversial. What would you recommend i do?

These all sound like good themes. I would go with the most personal one. Controversial can be exciting when you explore it through art.

The edexcel exam paper has been released early for 2024 and the theme is power. I’m thinking of doing the power in oppression /war/genocide but I’m unsure of how to take a photoshoot/portray these ideas. I do have other ideas like discrimination (islamophobia, racism) , medicine, drug addiction , etc. I’m just not sure what to do that will be easy and fun?

What pops into your head when you think of oppression, war and genocide? I think of old rusty chains, blood stained cloth, dirty old hands, tattered flags, gas masks. These are all things that would make a powerful photoshoot. Could your drama department help? Do they have any war-appropriate costumes? Do you have a museum near by with artifacts? (War museum in London or Salford) Start with a broad photoshoot showing lots of ideas and then after you have worked from these photos, do a second more specific photoshoot to ‘develop your ideas’.

Hi there, this site is really helpful well I wanted to ask that can I go with the topic Indian gods

I think Indian Gods would be an excellent topic. You could look at how lots of different artists have drawn/painted them and then perhaps focus on an artist that you particularly like.

Thanks so much for your assistance Sarah. Please can Game design be considered as a theme?

Hi Liz, Great idea; I have added it. Thanks for the suggestion.

Hello I am called Robert from kenya any new themes for IGCSE exams for November and June exams 2023/24?

Hi Robert, No one will know the themes that will be on the exam papers until they are published.

my son is doing GCSE coursework but wanted to do it on African culture but he has to choose famous artists to tie in with that theme any help please

Hi Billie, You can look at a culture instead of an artist. GCSE specification states that you need to look at ‘contextual sources’. These could be artists, cultures, films, animation, or anything that inspires creativity. If I had a student who wanted to look at African culture, i would want them to narrow it down to a tribe or country within Africa. He could do a page in his sketchbook on ‘African Art’ to start with, but then look at Maasai Clothing or Senufo Masks. If his art teacher insists upon an artist, and hey, they are running the course, there are some great choices here: https://blog.artsper.com/en/a-closer-look/10-african-artists-you-absolutely-must-know/

Fantastic resources, I appreciate you making them available to us. The extensive list below is a wonderful place to start if you’re seeking for art-related topics to cover in GCSE or iGCSE classes. This incredible collection was compiled by Annie Chapman, a teacher of art. A few of these words are clickable links to useful pages for art teachers. Keep writing, I really enjoy reading your posts. Come across Joshuacreekarts.com and hope you can visit this too to get more information.

Hi! Thanks for your positive comment. I’m delighted you like the list. I’m happy to keep adding to it, so if you have any ideas, do let me know. I do mention Annie at the top of the post! I’ll check out your website.

Greetings, may you please advise what aspects are considered irrelevant and ‘out of topic’ when choosing a starting point?

Hi Klavier, I think you can pick any theme as long as you can see how you can fulfil the assessment objectives for your course. Choose a starting point that really excites you as you will be working on that theme for a long time. Pick something where you are inspired to record in a variety of ways. (Photography, drawing etc) Most of all, be creative and make a personal response!

I am an IGCSE teacher from Ghana. I have 5 learners and I am currently preparing them for the exams. However, I am a bit lost with the kind of themes to make available to them to choose or help them choose. Kindly, share some possible themes with me. It will really be helpful.

Hi Elizabeth, Thank you for your comment. You could choose any of the themes in this post but I always think it is a good idea to choose a theme that makes it easy for students to photograph something and to easily find artists. For examples ‘Natural Forms’ is a good theme as learners could choose from a huge range of items that would photograph well. There are also lots of artists that cover this theme. You may find these links useful: Artists listed by theme: https://theartyteacher.com/artists-themes/ Natural Forms Artists: https://theartyteacher.com/downloads/list-of-natural-forms-artists/ List of Natural Forms: https://theartyteacher.com/downloads/list-of-natural-forms/ You may also find these complete units of work useful: https://theartyteacher.com/category/arty-students/

This is so helpful and very relief. Thank you.

Hi Elizabeth, I’m so pleased you found it helpful 🙂

hello art teacher, is it true that we can choose to draw whatever we want in igcse art? or is there a subject for igcse art every year?

Hi, Different art teachers run their GCSE courses in different ways. They may give you a theme to start with at the start of the first year. If you are a self-motivated, confident learner they may well let you plot your own course but it is up to your teacher to guide you and do what is best for the whole class. When you get the exam paper in the second year, there is a broad range of starting points and often you can fit in what you would like to do into one of the questions (but not always!). I hope this helps.

Hi, this blog post is really helpful to me. But is art a good subject to take for pursuing engineering or design?

If you are thinking of persuing engineering or design, I would think that art would be the perfect subject to study. Think of polymath Leonardo da vinci, he found that recording his observations and ideas through drawing was essential. Many of his drawings were engineering designs! Many design courses would expect your to have studied art.

is art a good career choice? im 15 and haven’t actually decided a career choice, I used to just draw any image that I liked, but recently I have started learning art, practicing anatomy for example I have got a sketchbook that I actively use and, I also have another one which I am working on a comic in. i love drawing, but is it a good career choice? and if so, what opportunities are there abroad that I can look into *for the future*.

Hi Huzaifa, If you love being creative, studying art at a higher level can lead to all sorts of interesting jobs. It might help you to look at all of these art related careers here: https://theartyteacher.com/art-careers-written-for-kids/

Hiii, is it ok to do a fictional character as a theme?

Hi Jordan, Yes, that would be an interesting theme. I would strongly advise you to find an artist who has created artwork about the fictional character you choose. Or an animator or has created artwork, or a theatrical set designer who has made sets or costumes about the character. This would make your life easier!

Hi! i’m a gcse art student and i was just wondering if something about old fashioned clothes or something like armour would be a theme. i currently don’t have an art teacher :/ do we have to do the same theme as everyone in our class

Hi, Thanks for your message. Yes, both ‘old fashioned clothes’ and ‘armour’ would be excellent themes. Choose a theme where it is easy to photograph something. You don’t have to do the same as everyone in your class, you can all do your own theme. I would start by photographing either old fashioned clothes or armour, and then draw from your photos in a range of different media. Think about working on different surfaces and different sizes. You then need to find an artist that links with your theme in some way. Create a beautiful artist research page. Good luck!

Would surrealism be a theme ?

Hi Vishva, Surrealism is a movement rather than a theme. I’m trying to think if movements have ever come up on the exam papers and I can’t think that they have. I don’t see why you couldn’t research into Surrealism if that was something of interest. There are themes within Surrealism such as ‘Dream Like Scenes’, ‘Illogical juxtapositions’, or ‘Distorted figures and biomorphic shapes’.

Hi, my son his in his 1st year of art gcse. He is a good little drawer but that’s it really, not particularly good at painting or using different textiles. we are a little confused as to the structure of the course…. I do need to speak to his teacher but so hard getting to do this! portfolio/theme idea he has thiught of is western/ cowboy….came from his love of an xbox game. We’ve had a little look at the ladscape artists for that era and he has favourite characters from the game that he can sketch etc just not sure how to make it into a portfolio….any help would be grateful. thanks.

Hi Mari, Hopefully his art teacher has shared the GCSE assessment objectives with him. You can see them on the following page: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/art-and-design/gcse/art-and-design-8201-8206/scheme-of-assessment If you scroll down to ‘Assessment criteria grid’, in bold you will see the 4 assessment objectives. The first reads ‘Develop ideas through investigations, demonstrating critical understanding of sources.’ ‘Sources’ can be artists, designers, film-makers, books, anything creative really, including the designers and artists who made the xbox game. I would suggest he created a research page all about the game, the publisher of the game, the artists. You can find all sorts of stuff online about the art in games. For example here I found some fan art on the Rockstar Games website: https://www.rockstargames.com/newswire/article/51ka2k2819a1ak/fan-art-spindel-art-s-portraits-of-the-van-der-linde-gang After this research page, he could photograph someone dressed up as a cowboy. Make sure he considers background, lighting, focus. Present these photos in the portfolio. Draw from these photos. Draw in different media e.g. pencil, ballpoint pen, fine liners, markers, chalks, charcoal (what ever he feels comfortable with). Draw on different surfaces: white paper, brown packing paper? Cowboys drink coffee: coffee stain some paper and draw on that. Hopefully once he’s done this his art teacher will be able to tell him what to do next!

Hi, I am a teacher at a school in England. We have had our new brief for our y11 exam and the theme is ‘MAKE MUSIC DAY’. We are stuck for ideas on what the students could research into as well as artist who relate. Any help would be appreciated.

Hi Chloe, I hope you’ve discovered my ‘Artists Listed by Theme’ page. There are some artists listed under the theme ‘Music’ that might be useful to your students. You can see it here: https://theartyteacher.com/artists-themes/ I hope your school has a music department. I would be straight up there to borrow instruments as some students might want to start with photography as instruments are so photogenic. Other ways students might begin: Photographing a friend listening to music. Ask if anyone plays an instrument and use their own experience as a starting point. This article was interesting: https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/24-times-fashion-designers-got-their-beat-from-music They could pick their favourite band and promote them as if they were playing at ‘Make Music Day’.

Hello Mrs! I’m a current IGCSE art and design student, our school doesn’t have a art teacher yet. I have no idea what to do, should I start with making a portfolio on my own first? thank you! A topic I want to do is “behind the eyes” it’s a topic surrounding mythical creatures and mythology. would this be appropriate? thank you so much!

Hi, That sounds like a very difficult situation. I’m surprised your school is letting you do an art course without an art teacher. Are you in your first year of the course? What have you completed since September? I would first try and find a couple of artist that create artworks about mythical creatures and/or mythology. Produce some research pages on them in your sketchbook. Then try and think of something real that you could draw (a primary source) that relates to your artists. (This will depend on the artist you have chosen, but it might be something like animal skulls if your school has them) You could also work from secondary sources, perhaps images of lizards? Or could you get a real octopus from a fish mongers and draw and photograph it? (I’ve had students do this!) You could then use your drawings to create mythical creatures of your own. Make sure you work in a variety of media and on a variety of surfaces. Hopefully this would be a start. Let me know how you get on.

Hi The Arty Teacher, I am teaching iGCSE Art and Design for the first time. Just wondering as to what you would consider as an ideal number of themes that can be introduced to a class over the course of two years. Is it several or is it a matter of concentrating on one theme only throughout the entire course? Much appreciated, thank you.

Different teachers structure the course in different ways. At my school, we do one theme in Year 10 with two main outcomes. In year 11 they do another theme (we run this a little bit like a mock). Then they do the externally set task from January.

Great job! ” The Arty Teacher” The resources and responses you provided are very helpful and so inspiring. I teach Igcse Art and design in keystages 3,4&5 in Africa. Thanks!!

Hi Cletus, I’m so pleased to read that you find my resources useful and inspiring – thank you 🙂

Interesting and informative. I am an igcse teacher.would like to see the blog

Hi Ina, Thanks for your comment. You can see more blog posts here: https://theartyteacher.com/blog/

Have just come across this blog…. hope to gain more!!

Hi Brenda, That’s great to hear. I hope you enjoy more of my posts!

Hi Arty Teacher,

I am an art teacher in Africa Nairobi Kenya teaching IGCSE Art & Design. Just wondering if you still do this blog. Any materials would be appreciated including advice on Photography.

Kind regards. James

Hi James, Yes, if you go to the home page of the blog you’ll see I post every week. If you look under the category ‘Techniques and Processes’ there are some articles about photography. https://theartyteacher.com/category/techniques-processes/

Good day what ideas could I work on for Stories or story telling

I think you might find the artists listed on the following page under ‘Narrative’ inspiring. https://theartyteacher.com/artists-themes/

Hi Annabelle, That sounds like an excellent theme to me. Don’t worry about it – enjoy it. You could go in so many directions and make it personal. Within that theme, you can look at one aspect of it and then flow into other areas of it. Here is a list of artists you might like to look at: https://artsandculture.google.com/story/8-lgbtqi-artists-you-should-know/iQLiswH6mVfoJQ

‘Inside Out’ is a great topic. You could do a person without drawing a person e.g. A house on the outside where the objects in the house represent the person, or a jewellery box where what is in it represents the person. Both these could be 2D or 3D. Or make a book (or a box) where the outside is the personality you show to the world and the inside is what you keep hidden. You could take a more literal approach: You could do fish and fish skeletons. If you didn’t want to do a portrait, you could still do feet or hands and draw them and also the bone structure or x-rays.

This is really helpful thank you so much for sharing these I’ve already gotten an idea of what I want ❤️

That’s great to hear. Thank you.

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COURSEWORK GUIDES

You have art coursework and need to research artworks for it. Where do you start? How do you find relevant inspiration? How have other artists approached the themes?Our thematic coursework guides provide ideas and inspiration to get you started. Try our 'Have A Go!' section at the bottom of our guides for activities to keep you motivated!

2023 Coursework Guides

Past coursework guides, we recommend, closeness and simplicity to nature coursework guide.

From the gardens and paradise to land art, discover the artworks in our collection that explore the themes of closeness and proximity to nature

Complex and simple movement coursework guide

From machines to humans, discover the artworks in our collection that explore the themes of simple and complex movement

Simple processes, complex outcomes coursework guide

From optical illusions and repeating forms to instructions, discover the artworks in our collection that explore the theme of simple processes, complex outcomes

Details and the uncanny coursework guide

From photoreal to dreams, discover the artworks in our collection that explore the themes of details and the uncanny

Layers Coursework Guide

From stacking and painting to collage and hidden layers, discover the artworks in our collection that explores the techniques of layering

Objects Coursework Guide

From the uncanny and personal to advertisement and politics, discover the artworks in our collection that explores the themes of object

Senses Coursework Guide

From touch and taste to sight and smell, discover the artworks in our collection that explores the themes of the senses

Reflection Coursework Guide

From mirror and glass to water and fractals, discover the artworks in our collection that explores the themes and techniques of reflection

Weather Coursework Guide

From sun worshipers, cloud gazers and storm chasers to artists who use the weather to explore broader themes and ideas

Materials Coursework Guide

From 'usual' to unlikely art materials: explore textures, qualities, techniques and symbolism of things artists use to make their work

Still Life Coursework Guide

Not just fruit and flowers, explore still lifes from realistic to abstract and familiar to unexpected

Dynamism and Movement Coursework Guide

Explore how artists use marks and colour to suggest motion or make kinetic, performance and video art to explore movement

Landmarks Coursework Guide

From art about landmarks to art that is itself a landmark: get some inspiration on the theme of landmarks

Diary Coursework Guide

From sketchbooks to video diaries and the everyday to big life events, explore how artists use diaries to record the world around them

Mark Making Coursework Guide

Explore the different ways artists use marks and expressive qualities

Outline Coursework Guide

Discover surprising ways artists use outlines in art from graphic to graffiti or abstract and animated

Clothing Coursework Guide

Explore art and fashion, from clothes and identity to shapes, patterns and textures of clothing inspired by art

Masks Coursework Guide

Explore how artists have used masks in their work, to protect, disguise, hide and amuse

Trees Coursework Guide

From atmosphere and symbolism to textures and abstract shapes, explore how trees have inspired artists

Memory Coursework Guide

Explore memories of the past, memories of people and fading memories to see how artists recall and reminisce in art

Food Coursework Guide

Can a humble bag of chips or slice of pizza become a masterpiece? Explore some tasty art about food

Colour Coursework Guide

Explore how different artists have used colour in their work and sketches

Form Coursework Guide

What exactly is form? And how can you explore it in your sketchbook?

Play Coursework Guide

What does play mean for you? Is it sports, or music? Perhaps it’s drifting into a personal imaginary world, or maybe it’s social – board games, card games, or just meeting others

Underwater Coursework Guide

About 70 percent of the Earth is covered in water. It’s probably the least-explored part of our planet - we’ve explored more of space than the oceans. But maybe because of that, for artists, water has been a theme, a subject and even a medium to work with

Line Coursework Guide

See how artists use the power of a line and try some ideas in your sketchbook

Tone Coursework Guide

Learn how you can use tone in your sketchbook

Transmission Coursework Guide

Discover works in which artists explore the complex ways humans spread thoughts and ideas

Isolation Coursework Guide

Recently we have all had to deal with long and short periods of isolation. How have artists explored the ideas of isolation in their work, and what can you learn from those experiences?

Mother and Child Coursework Guide

Discover tender images of new mums and babies and artists' in-depth explorations of mother and child relationships

Journeys Coursework Guide

From physical journeys and migration to journeys of self-discovery, get ideas and inspiration about journeys in art

Relationship Coursework Guide

Exploring relationships in art, as a connection or association between people, things or ideas

Letters and Words Coursework Guide

Discover how artists use letters and words in their art

Force Coursework Guide

From forces of nature and forceful feelings to force as a method, explore how artists have used force in art

Ritual Coursework Guide

What is a ritual? Discover how ritual has been used as a theme in art

Self-Image Coursework Guide

Explore how artists have represented themselves, and others, using portraiture

Transformation Coursework Guide

Explore how artists have transformed objects and ideas through their work

Details Coursework Guide

Explore the theme of details through works in our collection

Human Figure Coursework Guide

Explore people drawn, painted or sculpted from life and art that explores abstract ideas about being human

News and Event Coursework Guide

Look at artists responses to news, from headline-grabbing events and social or political issues, to stories of the extraordinary everyday

Light and Dark Coursework Guide

Look at artworks made from light and shadow to the symbolic use of light and dark to make powerful statements

Interwoven Coursework Guide

Explore art that interweaves materials, ideas, experiences and histories

Perspective Coursework Guide

From vanishing points to points of view, explore perspective in art

Spaces Coursework Guide

Busy crowded streets, eerie empty rooms, explore spaces in art

Habitats Coursework Guide

From art about home life to art that highlights the impact of climate change and pollution on natural habitats

Texture Coursework Guide

Explore textures in art from woven textures and textured fabrics and materials to gestural marks and patterns

Toys Coursework Research

From pop art to gender politics, see toys in a new light and get some inspiration for your coursework

Myths and Legends Coursework Guide

Be inspired by myths and legends – or create your own!

Changed Identity Coursework Guide

From changing their own identities to changing the identity of objects, how have artists explored the theme of changed identity?

Space Coursework Guide

From the space race to heavenly bodies, find some coursework inspiration

Plastics Coursework Guide

Explore plastic in art for some research inspiration

Old and New Coursework Guide

Uncover ways of thinking of Old and New in art

Circus Coursework Guide

Uncover ways of exploring the theme of Circus for coursework inspiration

Rhythm Coursework Guide

Explore artworks with rhythm for some coursework inspiration

Geometric Coursework Guide

Maths meets art to inspire your coursework

Moments in Time Coursework Guide

See how artists respond to moments in time to inspire your coursework

Crowded Coursework Guide

Pack in tightly for some inspiration for your coursework

16-25? Join Tate Collective for £5 exhibition tickets

Student resources.

Discover more for students from Tate

Create Like an Artist

How to make art inspired by artists like Rachel Whiteread, Andy Warhol and Frank Bowling

• Cover/sub lesson
• Women artists
• Contemporary artists
• Scheme of Work
• Literacy in art

AQA GCSE exam themes

• by AMIMAMIM
• January 19, 2018 April 15, 2020

Preparing for the AQA GCSE exams feels like a bit of a marathon. With seven GCSE exam themes to resource, coming up with artists and ideas can really test your creative thinking! Still, I’ve ploughed on through and finished all seven themes and I’m pretty pleased with the results.

Each mind-map is an A3 interactive PDF – meaning you can click on the artists names and images to link to relevant websites, when looking on a computer. They also make inspiring posters to have up in the classroom providing subtle inspiration to students who might be inclined to think quite narrowly about the themes.

Here they are:

GCSE exam themes are available singly or as a bundle from my Teachers Pay Teachers shop, just click here .  Or the bundle of seven PDF files is available for £5 by clicking here:

Other resources which might be useful for the exam can be found at the links below:

• Week-by week GCSE art exam advice printable
• Evaluation printable
• Artist research template
• Annotation advice
• Student guide to mind-mapping

And the AQA GCSE theme mind-maps from 2017 are downloadable here  – for free.

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3 thoughts on “AQA GCSE exam themes”

Thanks for these mind-maps. I’m looking forward to getting them in front of my year 11s to spark some new creative ideas!!!!!! I was initially a bit unsure about buying process, but found it totally straight forward and the link to the pdf files was emailed over in seconds = perfect, cheers, this will save me lots of work!!!

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Hi there. So glad you have found these useful. Good luck with the rest of the exam prep! Best wishes, Mima

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25+ Ideas and Tips for GCSE Art Sketchbooks

In GCSE , General by Think Student Editor March 15, 2024 Leave a Comment

Students often struggle with heavy coursework in subjects like GCSE Art. For such a broad portfolio, it can be hard to manage with the limited time students have, and it can also be hard to find inspiration. Additionally, students often struggle linking the artists they choose to a final idea, which is also usually unclear to GCSE students at the start of their modules. Fear not! This article is focused on finding subjects of interest that can be incorporated into a portfolio that can make any student shine, as well as some tips on expanding your work to really get the examiner’s attention.

While GCSE Art may seem like an easy subject, it really is a lot of work to get a high grade. With that in mind, here are some ideas to help students, as a student who got a grade 9!

Flowers are something that’s recommended often by art teachers, but it isn’t without merit. Not only can this show off your knowledge of natural form, there’s also a lot of symbolism that can be drawn from it.

For example, you can use the Victorian flower language to develop your work: cultivating a unique message that shows the examiner that you’re aware of messages in art. You could also do flowers in stages of their life cycle to convey tone within the art – for example, decaying flowers can be used to show mourning or death.

Some examples of artists who do flowers include Georgia O’Keeffe and Claude Monet . You can find more information about Georgia O’Keeffe at the O’Keeffe Museum by clicking here .

While Monet focuses on a range of subjects, you can incorporate both his style of flowers and techniques into your art. If you would like to read more about Claude Monet, you can find more information at Claude Monet Gallery here .

If you like creating art of living beings that aren’t humans, animals are a creative way to express messages and deeper meanings. While there isn’t a codified set of meanings for animals, some animals are commonly associated with different emotions and settings .

Animal symbolism featured heavily in the Renaissance: ermines for purity, birds for sacrifice and resurrection, to name a couple. It’s useful to think of what you want the viewer to feel when planning out a piece of artwork . Do you want them to feel troubled, sad, happy, or angry?

This can be a good choice for those who are fond of their pets, or those who like animals in general. Some people might even go for a touch of surrealism and give human bodies animal heads or vice versa!

An example of an artist who paints animals is Marcia Baldwin, a fine artist who paints colourful oil paintings of animals and nature . To read more about her work, check out this page from her website!

If you’d like to lean into futurism and technology more, then robots might be the way for you. Personally, I found that robots allowed room to show examiners technical skill and detail, such as reflective surfaces, mechanical parts, and reimagined body parts.

Another interesting thing was taking organic forms and making them into metal structures – for example, I drew metal and robotic hearts and lungs to explore anatomy while keeping it on theme. By expanding on a topic, you can give yourself a lot more to work with when it’s time for your final piece . Additionally, there’s a lot of symbolism to be found with robots; themes like control, being similar to humans, and detachment. It’s definitely a theme that stands out.

The artist I chose to study for robots was Hajime Sorayama, an artist who uses airbrushes to make extremely detailed images of robots . Another good example is Makoto Kobayashi, an illustrator who focuses his work on mecha robots – more information can be found on Sabukaru Online here .

4. Childhood toys

A great way to show the passage of time and have interesting subjects is by focusing on toys and other childhood memories. Not only does this subject convey a lot of symbolism, it can also be very versatile to fit with different themes.

For example, with ‘Reflections’ it can mirror someone’s childhood or aspirations (lost or not) – and the condition of the toy can create a more emotive piece. With ‘Lock’, for example, you could also show toys being locked away as time goes on.

The artist I selected to study was Margaret Morrison, a realist and surrealist painter who explores the wonders of childhood through brightly coloured toys . Her smooth use of techniques also makes her work a valuable reference to study – check it out at Woodward Gallery by clicking here .

5. Sweets and food

Food and sweets are often underappreciated during GCSE Art as many students discredit them as ‘easy to draw’; on the contrary, it takes a lot of skill for food to be captured on paper. Food drawings can show the examiner technical and observational skill – just keep in mind to develop your art over a series of drawings of food, rather than just one!

Different foods can also contain a lot of symbolism: in different religions, cultures, and countries. For example, tangerines during the Chinese New Year represent good luck and abundance. Eating can also be representative of many things: jealousy and love being just a couple.

An artist who does still life of various foods and sweets is Sarah Graham – more information on her and other artists who cover food can be found here on The Art Teacher website.

6. Sculptures

There are many interesting statues that students can recreate on paper – one that might not be terribly common. If you’re interested in working in 3D mediums, sculptures are a great way to show the examiner a range of techniques that aren’t just limited to a page.

By focusing on various sculptures, you can incorporate various subject matters as sculptures cover a wide range of styles. If you’re into abstract art, there are plenty of interesting sculptures to cover.

3D mediums like clay, wood, or even metal can be used to develop your coursework and show a broader range of skill . If you’re interested in a Classical style of sculpture, you could check out Michelangelo’s sculptures like the Pieta and David.

Alternatively, you can check out some contemporary sculptors at Contemporary Art Issue here .

7. Woodwork

This ties into sculptures, but woodcarving is a great, ‘softer’ medium than stone and can show the examiner that you can utilise a range of mediums to achieve a result. If carving a whole statue isn’t your thing, you can try woodblock carving – either to stamp paper with or keep as a piece of art in itself.

An example of a cubist sculptor who works in wood is Ossip Zadkine, with an example of his work being Prometheus in 1930. More information about him and other wood sculptors can be found here at the Artsper blog.

8. Buildings and cityscapes

If you’re interested in architecture, looking at buildings and cityscapes can be a great way to explore that. Not only is there a range of building styles – Gothic, contemporary, modern, etc. – but focusing on buildings is a great way to show reflections of the time period.

Additionally, showing technical skill in things like perspective drawings and models is a great way to explore and develop your coursework further . An example of an artist is Catherine Yass, a photographer who creates colourful photographs focusing on the inside of buildings.

More information on her can be found here on the Cristea Roberts website.

9. Household objects

A great way to explore your surroundings and skills in observation is to focus on household objects in order to convey a personal connection to your art . By using objects personal to you and your household, it might be easier later on to decide on a final piece that’s personal to you.

Sketching and creating art of household objects can increase your proficiency in observation but also the different arrangements of objects can help your eye for composition . Additionally, everyone’s household objects are wholly different; this is a chance to show what represents you

An artist who does clay sculptures of pantry products is Mechelle Bounpraseuth – information on her can be found here on The Art Teacher. Another artist who does various products in a colourful and highly textured style is Raymond Logan – more is found here on his website.

10. Portraits

Looking at portraits and studying humans is a great way to show your understanding of art for natural form. Portraits are a great way to develop technical skill but also to develop a personal style. Examiners value portraits a lot as it can very distinctly show progress.

You can really explore with portraits as you can display a range of emotions, but also positions and forms that you can develop for pages and pages on end . For example, I explored various forms by looking at various reference websites and did double pages on them to bulk up my books.

An example of a photorealistic artist who does his portraits in biro is Oscar Ukonu – more information about him and other portrait artists can be found here on The Art Teacher website.

11. Insects

Insects are chock-full with symbols and allow students to capture natural forms while also boasting a wide variety of species and colours . As a subject matter, insects are definitely an interesting option that students can use to showcase a range of skills and technical knowledge.

When choosing subjects, it’s important to be able to expand on the topic . Insects come in all forms, so there’s definitely room to expand on any work! For some examples of further ideas, you could try studying just the wings of bees, or exploring the shine of a beetle’s carapace!

An artist who creates fascinating metal sculptures of insects is Mike Libby – more about him can be found on his personal website, linked here .

12. Reflective surfaces

Reflective surfaces are a great way to explore emotion and lighting – this applies to things like mirrors, lakes, glass, and more . While it looks cool, it can also allow you to develop important skills like being able to include depth in drawings.

Mirrors are a good way of expanding on ideas of deeper meanings – such as retrospection, or someone’s inner self. One of the key word themes for a past exam unit was “Reflections”, and while it’s not always literal, mirrors are a good place to start.

An surrealist artist who focuses on reflective surfaces and interesting reflections is M. C. Escher – you can read about him here on the National Gallery of Art website.

13. Nature and landscapes

If you like the outdoors, natures and landscapes is a good way to explore natural form and scenery . Looking at nature is extremely broad as it encompasses a wide range of terrains: cliffs, trees, leaves, lakes, etc. There’s certainly a lot of room for developing ideas!

Run wild! Looking at nature can help develop composition skills and also observational skills . As the subject varies a lot, you can look at different animals, natural monuments, and anything else that piques your interest.

Birds carry a lot of symbolism that can easily be used in your artwork. Not only can you develop your sketchbook with studies of wings or feathers in various medias, but you can also specifically look at certain birds that represent various things.

For example, doves represent peace and reconciliation, while crows bear ill omens in some traditions. One of the artists you could look at is Mark Powell, someone who not only does stunning images of birds in biro, but also portraits – check out his work at The Art Teacher here !

15. Skeletons and anatomy

Skeletons and anatomy can be a great way to show examiners that you understand form and the technical aspects of humans . For example, one of the artists I did for my art unit looked at hands – I developed my understanding by painting the skeletal components, then the muscular ones.

Looking at skeletons and anatomy and linking it to your artist (even if it isn’t someone who does look at skeletons) can help deepen your understanding for anatomy and how motion in humans works.

Some famous artists who looked at anatomy include Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo!

16. Storyboards

If you like telling stories visually through art while conveying messages more directly, why not try storyboards? Storyboards are what they sound like – drawings that map out a story . If you’re working with animals, humans or even objects, you can definitely tell a tale with them!

Storyboards are a great way to translate mediums into other uses . For example, when I did puppets and marionettes in Year 10, I included a story about a marionette’s journey to gain its freedom in the outside world.

Additionally, if your story has a cyclical structure (meaning it begins and ends in the same way), you can translate it onto a strip of paper that loops into a circle . This creates an infinite story!

17. Surrealism

If you like surprising people with your art and making them question it, why not try surrealism? Surrealism can be used to perplex people, while simultaneously being engaging for the viewer!

For example, when I was painting a traditional English breakfast, I decided to create a character made completely out of it: fried egg eyes, bacon hair, a mushroom nose etc. Placing elements meaningfully with the intent on creating questions is definitely something examiners notice!

Some examples of artists who use surrealism to convey various ideas are Rene Magritte (who can be found here at the Museum of Modern Art) and Salvador Dali (found here at the Museum of Modern Art).

18. Sewing and fashion

If you’re into clothes, looking at fashion is a great way to explore time periods and ideas through fabric. Not only does this show the examiner exploration of different mediums if you decide to actually do some sewing, but if you’re also drawing it shows technical skill through fabric folds and design!

Fashion helps reflect culture and ideas of different times. It can easily be developed by looking at similar fashion, or even trying your hand at designing your own! Additionally, you could expand on your work by doing studies on fabric folds and different weave and pattern types!

19. Light and candles

Lighting is definitely an interesting subject to study – it covers photography and many other disciplines you can easily explore . Lighting is very important in art as it plays a big role in things like composition and depth, therefore it’s a valuable thing to focus on.

This can be explored through many ways – using candles, ordinary lamps or even just a flashlight to take photos of various forms . You can use those photos to draw from or paint from – different mediums for the same photo shows development as well!

Hands are a fascinating way of looking at organic forms and engaging in expressive art. You can easily reference your own hands for drawing – something that makes it easier to observe how different positions convey different moods.

There is also a lot of weight carried in someone’s hands – clasped could indicate anxiousness or worry, whereas open palms could represent shock or joy. When paired with other elements, like an object with personal meaning, a whole message can be conveyed through hands .

An artist who focused on hands later in his life was Henry Moore, a 20 th century artist who believed feelings of an artist were conveyed through their hands. More about him can be found on the Tate website here .

21. Emotions

This is a topic that is pretty simple to develop – looking at various emotions and how you can represent them in your art. It encompasses everything from expressions, colours, subject matters, and composition.

It can be worthwhile to look at as it can help establish an even deeper message in your final piece. It can also help develop understanding in colour theory, expressions, and other aspects of art.

23. Instruments

Instruments are a great way of adding liveliness and engaging in various culture and music. If you’re a musician, or even just a fan of how instruments look, then this might be an interesting subject for you.

With a wide range of instruments available around the world, there is plenty of material to observe and develop . Some instruments also play heavy roles in various cultures, which can be something you can lean on if you’re from a particular culture.

Certain instruments may also be personal to you! If you would like to see some various illustrations of instruments in art – and also the artist – you can check out the Google Arts and Culture page here to see different representations of music.

24. Family and friends

Often, people choose to draw their family and friends as they have a deep connection with the subject – it usually makes things easier when thinking of a final piece. Friends and family can be readily available to use as references if necessary.

Additionally, studying people you know and see in real life can improve your anatomy perception and increase your understanding of planes of both the face and body . Having a live model will certainly make understanding 3D bodies a lot easier!

25. Fantasy creatures

If you’re interested in mythology or fantasy creatures in general, it’s entirely possible to translate that as a topic in your book. You can use already-existing interpretations of creatures, or even fashion your own out of source material.

Not only is this a cool way to express yourself, but if you’re using traditional figures from mythology, then it’s a form of visual language conveying hidden messages. For example, an interpretation of Athena (maybe as an owl or olive tree) can be used to indicate wisdom.

If you would like to see some artists inspired by mythology, you can check out this article from the Tate Gallery to read more about them!

26. Ships and the sea

Looking at the vast sea and tools of navigation can be used to showcase the might of the ocean and humanity’s attempts to make a little bit of the unknown known. There’s plenty to explore – the fish, the beach, the depths, light in the water, and many others!

Some artists who paint the sea include Winslow Homer and Katsushika Hokusai, both of whom can be found on the Art Wolf website here !

27. Technique pages (various techniques)

Showing thought processes and progress is a vital part of GCSE Art. By not constraining yourself to a single medium and technique, the examiner can see a clear variety in your work that shows development .

Some examples of different mediums include watercolours, acrylics, pencils, biro, lino printing, oil painting, chalk, oil pastels, woodwork, clay sculpting, photography, ink drawings and monoprint.

A good way to showcase developments and bulk up your book is to make several double pages on different techniques . For example, I used about six pages to make lino prints in a range of colours, with various comments on the colours and how they affect the piece.

Another way to bulk up your book is to experiment with textured surfaces – I was a fan of using cardboard and sticking it in with paintings on them! You can use newsprint, sugar paper, card, and even fabric! Showing a large range of mediums shows examiners your dedication and proficient skills.

How to annotate

One of the most important things you can do in your sketchbooks is annotating. With every piece of art you create, you should write about your process .

This can tackle things like thoughts while creating, challenges you overcame, techniques and mediums used, as well as the intended effect on the viewer. For each exam board, annotating is part of the Area Objectives ; this means you get graded on your input in this area.

When choosing an artist, make sure to annotate at least one of their artworks: discussing various techniques and effects on viewers . There should be writing with each piece talking about each process – planning, during the process, and thoughts after.

You should also include artists when writing information about your own pieces – such as if they inspired you, what elements of yours and theirs are similar, whether there were any techniques of theirs you tried out.

If you would like to read more about planning and other tips on getting a 9 in GCSE Art, check out this article from Think Student on the topic!

Final piece tips

It’s perfectly normal to not have thought much about your final piece when first starting each GSCE module. What matters most during this time is cultivating various ideas that you could possibly use later on when planning it out.

You can’t use a subject in your final piece if you’ve never linked it to your main theme before. For example, if your focus was on sweets and food, you can’t decide to suddenly include butterflies in your piece without first linking the two.

With that in mind, if you know you want to go down a certain direction for your final piece, make sure you have a variety of sources to choose from . Choose your artists based on what you’re drawn to and want to incorporate eventually, and link as many topics with your artist as you can.

For example, from a single Van Gogh painting on angels, I explored that theme as much as possible even though it was only a single artwork. I translated the painting, studied wings, biblically accurate angels and explored ways of depicting them. Link all you do back to your artists!

What should you do if you’re struggling with ideas for a piece?

If you’re struggling to find any sort of idea of what you want to do, you could start by thinking about how the theme makes you feel. For example, our theme ‘Lock’ seemed gloomy, so that’s what I chose to make the examiner feel by creating a tragic story between my subjects.

Think of subjects you’ve been collecting in your sketchbook – are there any you could link together to create that feeling? If you feel like it’s missing anything, you could try link those things to your artist so you’ve got them in your sketchbook.

Maybe it still doesn’t feel like enough to you. If that’s the case, try creating a little story of things that are personal to you. Compile a list of objects you’d be interested in including, and make sure you’ve developed them in your book and linked them back to each artist.

If you’re still extremely stuck, you could look around online galleries and exhibitions for ideas – you can get inspiration for techniques, compositions, and subjects! You could also try talking to your art teacher, who can help with finding rough compositions and subject ideas!

The Art Teacher

Art Lesson Ideas, Plans, Free Resources, Project Plans, and Schemes of Work. An 'outstanding' art teacher in Greater Manchester. Teaching KS3 and KS4 art and design.

GCSE Artist Research Guide

Creating research about artists is a creative and exciting part of a GCSE course. It will allow you to discover new artworks and learn about how artists think and work.

This GCSE artist research guide will help you find an appropriate artist, analyse their work and present your research to a GCSE standard. The purpose of research in GCSE Art is to help you understand the artist’s style , techniques / processes and themes . You will use this knowledge to inform your own artwork.

Researching artists / art exhibitions / photographers / designers is an important aspect of your GCSE Art course and can help you improve your own work and generate new ideas.

Successful GCSE artist research pages are produced by collecting information and images about an artist you are studying or want to study. Your research should include:

• A brief biography of the artist
• Pictures of their artwork
• Analysis of their artwork(s)
• The inspiration behind their pieces
• Your own response

A guide to creating high quality artist research:

• It is important to choose a relevant artist. If your project is about portraits , you shouldn’t really be looking at artists who specialise in landscapes !
• You should also choose an artist that you like . It’s no good choosing an artist if you think their work is boring.
• Use an artist who has similar skills to you. Do you prefer drawing? Avoid painters!
• This will show that you understand the context of their work.
• This will make your research look more professional.
• Artists often use social media to show their processes. Online museums and galleries also share information about the artist’s work or techniques.

How to present your artist research:

Once you have found an artist that you’re interested in and you have started to research them, you need to present what you have found. Use these tips to help show off your research:

• Plan your layout
• Include colours related to the artist
• Have a clear title
• Write neatly, checking spellings and grammar
• Type up annotations if it will help you
• Create a response using the same materials as the artist (eg. acrylic paint)
• Create your research on a computer if it will help you

DON’T:

• Spend hours on a fancy title
• Spend hours on a fancy background
• Feel like you need to write lots and lots
• Copy a full piece of the artist’s work – a colour study, or a section of their work is enough to learn from them

Let’s look at a good example of GCSE artist research :

• The layout is simple and clear; the background lines link to the artworks.
• The student has stuck to black and white, just like the artist.
• The title is clear and reflects the ‘glitch’ style of the art
• The writing is neat, along straight lines
• The drawing is high quality and uses appropriate materials (pencil and white pen). The student has clearly studied the artist’s work carefully.

How to analyse artwork:

You should choose a piece of artwork by the artist to analyse . Writing an image analysis about art can seem strange because there are no absolutely ‘correct’ answers. However, if you’re not sure how to analyse artwork, this guide to analysing art can help.

You don’t need to answer every question, but aim for at least 2 or 3 from each section:

Artist: Janet Fish Title: “Untitled (Two Packages of Pears)” Date: (1969) Medium: oil on canvas Size: 52 1/4″ x 42″

Let’s analyse an artwork using some questions from the “Content, Form, Process, Mood” Guide:

What can you see in the picture? Think about objects, colours, shapes and textures. The painting shows two packets of green pears, there are six in total. They are still in the wrapper and there are a lot of reflections painted to show the plastic covering them. What is the composition (layout) of the work? The pears fill the whole canvas and we can’t see much of the background. There is some symmetry with three pears on each side. Is there a colour scheme? Why or why not? There is a limited, harmonious colour palette of calm greens, blues and yellows. The colours are quite realistic and natural to reflect the subject matter. Is it realistic, or surreal, or both? Why? Overall the piece has realistic and surreal elements due to the sharp shapes of the light reflections that add contrast to the soft natural shapes. The shape of the reflections stand out against the soft round edges of the pears. How was the artwork made? The artist has used oil paints which enhances the glossy, plastic effect. Do you think the artist made any other versions or sketches? I think they would have sketched different layouts and mixed tester colours to match the fruit carefully.

Creating your own artist response:

Your response to an artist or artwork should use the same (or similar) materials to the artist. You might choose to focus on their use of colour or composition for example.

You should always include your opinion about an artist’s work in your research, explaining why you like/dislike their work.

You should also explain how it will inspire you or influence your own work.

In this artist research example the student has studied the artwork of Tjalf Sparnaay. Their response is a good quality drawing of a fried egg, copied from one of the artist’s paintings. The artist is a hyperrealist painter, but the student has responded with coloured pencils, showing skill in the accuracy of their drawing and managing to show some realism in their work through natural colours and a range of tones.

In this example, the student has researched the ceramic artist Mechelle Bounpraseuth . Their response doesn’t use clay like the artist, but the student has used the same idea as Bounpraseuth and chosen to draw a food object that reminds them of their family / friends. The drawing is highly skilled, showing a range of tones and highlights with exceptional attention to detail.

GCSE Artist Research examples:

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Artist research page checklist:

Now that you’re got an idea of what good artist research looks like, download the checklist below to use and help make sure you have included everything you need.

This artist research page checklist is simple to use and will make sure you / your students have included everything they need to make a successful, GCSE standard artist research page!

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3 thoughts on “ gcse artist research guide ”.

Amazing work thanks

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The artist work is really very good and amazing.

Thank you so much.

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A* GCSE Art Coursework: Sense of Place

Last Updated on April 2, 2023

This Edexcel GCSE Art Coursework project was completed by Samantha Li , while studying at West Island School , Pokfulam, Hong Kong. Samantha gained full marks (120/120 and 80/80) for both her Coursework and Examination . This article contains images of Samantha’s GCSE Art sketchbook pages: outstanding observational drawings of architectural spaces, artist research, development of ideas and experimentation with media.

Two of Samantha’s sketchbook pages are included in our new book:  Outstanding High School Sketchbooks . This book has high-resolution images so that fine details and annotation are clear, making it an excellent resource for students and schools.  Learn more !

In an interview with the Student Art Guide, Samantha shares the themes she explored – a reflection of daily life and busy routines – and provides insight into how she developed a high level of artistic skill and the ability to work with speed. Her descriptions of the places depicted within her work are breathtaking: indicating a deep connection and understanding of her subject matter – something all IGCSE / GCSE Art students should aspire to.

READ NEXT: How to make an artist website (and why you need one)

What was your GCSE Art Coursework topic and why did you select this?

Samantha : My coursework topic was ‘Sense of place’ and, for me, this is expressing culture and sense of belonging through touch, sight, taste, smell, and sound. The first two can easily be communicated through texture and colors, and a combination of these creates an atmosphere that bursts into life.

The city scenes are of Sham Shui Po, Central, Aberdeen and Causeway Bay, all in Hong Kong. For my artwork, I used reference photos I took myself and also drew from life. I was lucky to be living in Aberdeen during that time and often went to the marketplace to buy groceries. It felt good to be part of the busy, yet simple routines. The woman with the red gloves speaking in Cantonese while I just pretend to understand by nodding…the smell of flowers interrupted by the metallic smell of fish. There was so much going on!

As I twisted through the lanes searching for the perfect potato, what visually appealed to me the most were the dripping, grungy walls hidden behind the stalls. A mix between the freshness of vegetables, combined with what looked ancient, seemed somewhat natural, which makes it beautiful. It’s like that feeling when looking at the hands of an aged farmer, it’s beautiful !

Your Coursework project contains exceptional gestural drawings. Drawing quickly is something that many students struggle with. How did you develop this skill?

Samantha : When sketching without resources, I rarely think and just jump straight into it. Thinking too much restricts your mind’s ability to use the information it has gathered through experience, so I try to just trust my instincts and adjust it afterwards if it doesn’t look right.

I have done a lot of drawing as a hobby ever since I could hold a pencil. I only started to develop my techniques professionally during the summer of 2012 (towards the end of first GCSE year) when I was introduced to a small, unfamiliar art group by an ex-graphic designer.

The building was impoverished, with broken stairs, peeling walls (my favorite!) and small rooms with no fans or air conditioning. The tropical climate didn’t help much either. However the intensity of the atmosphere distracted me completely from the stickiness of the sixty people around me and the sweat continuously dripping from my forehead. This goes on for nine hours, from 8am to 11:30pm (I try to use only 3hrs per piece), not including lunch and dinner breaks in between.

The other artists were older and more skilled than me. That gave me pressure and the drive to surpass the person beside me. They were all using the building as a studio and practice for art exams to get into universities, so competition was everywhere. I also made a lot of friends that gave me tips and also taught me how to play basketball and pool!

The other artists focused completely on the examination system (which I don’t really understand at all, to be honest) so the sketching ‘rules’ were strict and didn’t have room for imagination. Nearly all the students there had no interest in art and were simply there to get into a university. I guess this was the difference between us that made me improve at such a rapid speed in a short period of time: passion.

I just keep reminding myself of my dream, which is to become someone who adds respect to the art world and reduces the stereotypical belief that ‘people become an artist as last resort’, which is, unfortunately, a common thought among many people I’ve met.

Other than that summer experience, I draw a lot at home for fun, creating dynamic poses and looking up tutorials for interesting techniques. I used to draw for a few hours right after I got home from school, stopping only when my wrist ached. Now, I have an exciting International Baccalaureate life with subjects I enjoy and I spend less time doodling and more time studying and hanging out with friends.

The main things I learned through my experiences:

• We are extremely lucky to live with such great conditions to help reach our full potential (especially if we have air-conditioning).
• Focus on the big picture first, add the details later.
• Art is art, not a photograph!

My journey not only helped me improve technical skill, it helped me build more confidence and develop experiences that are not so art-related.

Which artists did you study as part of your project? 

Samantha : During the project, the artists I studied use very different styles and mediums. Most of GCSE was experimentation, so our class was encouraged to try a wide range of techniques, such as pen pressure, layering…

Ian Murphy was the first artist I studied. He came to our school and taught us lots of methods of creating backgrounds, linework, and his art-making process. It opened a whole new world of possibilities in my mind when expressing directional movement and creating effects the traditional way (I was a digital art addict)!

While most of Ian Murphy’s artwork creates a reminder of culture and age by emphasizing the textural attributes, Jasper Knight ’s artworks have a more modern and graphical look. His distinctive style includes using solid colors (usually primary) and bold lines that drip. What captures me the most about Jasper Knight’s work is the combination of geometrical features and playfulness, similar to De Stijl and Memphis.

As a digital art lover, I was attracted to Margaret Preston ’s color schemes and printmaking technique, which is quite similar to cel-shading . Her artwork express complexity through few colors and strong borders which makes it eye-catching.

Kurt Schwitters was an artist I studied while I was experimenting with collage and composition through basic shapes and materials. I became more open-minded about different materials such as rope, wires, and aluminium foil, all which I have never used before in a painting. His work also gave me ideas on the use of levels (height and density of materials) when printmaking.

Samantha is a multi-talented student: someone to watch. If you enjoyed this article, you may also wish to view Samantha’s  International  GCSE Art Examination  or  other exemplary high school Painting and Fine/Art Projects .

Amiria has been an Art & Design teacher and a Curriculum Co-ordinator for seven years, responsible for the course design and assessment of student work in two high-achieving Auckland schools. She has a Bachelor of Architectural Studies, Bachelor of Architecture (First Class Honours) and a Graduate Diploma of Teaching. Amiria is a CIE Accredited Art & Design Coursework Assessor.

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GCSE Art and Design

8201, 8202, 8203, 8204, 8205, 8206

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• 3.1 Knowledge and understanding
• 3.4 Art, craft and design
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Students are required to develop knowledge, understanding and skills relevant to their chosen title through integrated practical, critical and contextual study that encourages direct engagement with original works and practice.

Students may work in any medium or combination of media. They can work entirely in digital media or entirely non-digital media, or in a mixture of both, provided the aims and assessment objectives are met.

Students must learn through practical experience and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of sources that inform their creative intentions. Intentions should be realised through purposeful engagement with visual language, visual concepts, media, materials and the application of appropriate techniques and working methods.

Students must develop and apply relevant subject-specific skills in order to use visual language to communicate personal ideas, meanings and responses.

Students must, over time, reflect critically upon their creative journey and its effectiveness in relation to the realisation of personal intentions.

The following definitions of art, craft and design highlight the distinguishing characteristics of each domain. These domains can be addressed separately or in an integrated way depending upon the intentions and purposes of work undertaken.

Art based study can be defined as practice that involves the development of personal work and lines of enquiry determined by the need to explore an idea, convey an experience or respond to a theme or issue.

Craft based study can be defined as practice that involves making activities that draw upon knowledge of tools, materials and process es, and associated intellectual, creative and practical skills.

Design based study can be defined as practice that involves developing a response to a specific need, brief or starting point, taking account of established requirements, constraints and/or parameters.

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The WJEC GCSE in Art and Design is designed to provide engaging, challenging, coherent and meaningful learning experiences through a flexible structure that supports the sequential and incremental development of creative practice.

This rewarding and immersive programme of study broadens experience, develops imagination and technical skills, fosters creativity and promotes personal and social development.

The focus of the specification is to nurture an enthusiasm for Art, Craft and Design and, through a broad introductory foundation programme, to develop critical, practical and theoretical skills that enable students to gain a holistic understanding of a range of practices and contexts in the visual arts, crafts and design fields.

This linear specification provides the flexibility and capacity to build and extend the breadth and depth of student’s creative practice and offers the choice of a broad-based general course, plus seven distinct title options :

 Art, Craft and Design

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