What media and processes does Eduqas Art and Design cover?

Across its titles, the subject covers drawing and observational recording, painting and colour media (watercolour, acrylic, gouache, oil, mixed media), printmaking (relief, intaglio, planographic and stencil), three-dimensional work (modelling, carving, construction, casting, assemblage), textiles (stitch, applique, print and dye, felting, weaving, manipulation) and photography and lens-based media. The endorsed title sets which a candidate specialises in, but the AO2 skill of exploring and refining media is shared by all.

Why is exploring media so important for AO2?

AO2 is explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops. It rewards purposeful experimentation: trying media and techniques because they might suit your idea, judging what each does, and refining toward a resolved way of working. A portfolio that explores a relevant range, reviews each, and selects the strongest toward an outcome is what reaches the AO2 top band.

What is the difference between additive and subtractive three-dimensional work?

Additive processes build form up by adding material: modelling clay, constructing card, wire and wood, and assembling found objects. Subtractive processes cut form away from a solid block: carving wood, stone or plaster, which is irreversible. Casting (making a mould and casting a positive) is a separate process. Three-dimensional work is seen in the round, so it must read from all viewpoints and physically stand, and it is planned with maquettes (small trial models).

How is A-Level photography different from taking snapshots?

A-Level photography is the deliberate control of the camera and light to make considered images. The photographer chooses the aperture (which sets depth of field), shutter speed (which renders motion), ISO, composition and light to make the image they intend, shoots many frames, selects on contact sheets, and edits toward a resolved image. The evidence is that the photographer, not the camera on automatic, made the decisions, which is what AO2, AO3 and AO4 reward.

Do I have to use lots of different media?

You should explore a range of media and techniques relevant to your idea, because AO2 rewards purposeful exploration and refinement, but range without depth scores poorly. The strongest approach is to explore a relevant range, review what each offers your theme, then develop the strongest in depth toward your outcome. Within a specialist title (such as Fine Art or Photography) the range sits inside that discipline; the broad Art, Craft and Design title spans more than one.

EnglandVisual Arts

Eduqas A-Level Art and Design media, techniques and processes: a complete overview of drawing, painting, printmaking, three-dimensional work, textiles and photography

A complete overview of media, techniques and processes in Eduqas A-Level Art and Design: drawing and observational recording, painting and colour media, printmaking, working in three dimensions, textiles, and photography, and how exploring and refining media is exactly what AO2 rewards.

Generated by Claude Opus 4.816 min readEduqas-Art-and-Design-MediaUpdated 2026-06-02

Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed

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What this module covers
Drawing and observational recording
Painting and colour media
Printmaking
Working in three dimensions
Textiles and surface
Photography and lens-based media
Check your knowledge

What this module covers

Art and Design is made through media, techniques and processes, and exploring and refining them is exactly what AO2 rewards. This overview ties the six dot-point pages of the module together: drawing, painting, printmaking, three-dimensional work, textiles and photography. The endorsed title sets which a candidate specialises in, but the skill of purposeful, reviewed experimentation is shared across all of them.

Drawing and observational recording

Drawing is the core recording and thinking skill of the whole subject. It comes in kinds (observational, analytical, experimental, gesture) and a wide range of media (graphite, charcoal, pen, conte, brush). Most important is recording from primary sources: drawing the real subject gives authentic, first-hand information that drives original work, far stronger than copying photographs. Drawing underpins AO3 and feeds every discipline.

Painting and colour media

The painting media behave differently: watercolour is transparent and built light to dark; acrylic is opaque, fast-drying and flexible; oil is slow-drying and richly blendable; gouache is opaque and matte. Techniques include glazing, impasto, wet-in-wet and dry-brush. Choosing and controlling a medium for the subject, and using colour expressively, is core AO2 and feeds AO4.

Printmaking

Printmaking transfers ink from a matrix to paper, usually in an edition. Its four families are relief (lino, woodcut: prints the raised surface), intaglio (drypoint, etching: prints incised lines), planographic (lithography, monoprint) and stencil (screenprint). Each offers different qualities, explored through proofing. Its bold, graphic, layered and repeatable nature suits many themes.

Working in three dimensions

Three-dimensional work makes form in real space, seen in the round. Processes are additive (modelling, construction, assemblage), subtractive (carving, which is irreversible) or casting. Because the work is physical and seen from all sides, it is planned with maquettes (small trial models) and must stand and hold together.

Textiles and surface

Textiles works with fabric and fibre, divided into constructed (weaving, felting: making the cloth) and decorated (stitch, applique, print and dye: working onto cloth), with manipulation (layering, distressing) reshaping fabric. Cloth carries strong associations (the body, memory, comfort), so it is an expressive as well as a technical medium, explored through samples.

Photography and lens-based media

Photography is the deliberate control of the camera and light to make considered images. Exposure is set by aperture (also depth of field), shutter speed (also motion) and ISO, and the image is composed, lit, selected on contact sheets and edited toward a resolved outcome. It serves both as a recording medium (AO3) and a fine-art medium (AO4).

Art and Design is made through media, techniques and processes, and exploring and refining them is exactly what AO2 rewards. Drawing is the core recording skill, best from primary sources. Painting media (watercolour transparent, acrylic opaque and flexible, oil slow and blendable) use techniques like glazing, impasto and wet-in-wet. Printmaking has four families: relief (lino), intaglio (drypoint, etching), planographic (monoprint) and stencil (screenprint), explored by proofing. Three-dimensional work is additive (modelling, construction, assemblage), subtractive (carving) or casting, planned with maquettes and seen in the round. Textiles are constructed (weaving, felting) or decorated (stitch, applique, print), and cloth carries meaning. Photography controls aperture (depth of field), shutter (motion) and ISO, composing, lighting, selecting and editing considered images. The shared skill is purposeful, reviewed exploration that refines toward an outcome.

Check your knowledge

Why is recording from primary sources more valuable than copying photographs? (2 marks)
How does the handling of watercolour differ from acrylic? (2 marks)
Name the four printmaking families and one process in each. (2 marks)
What is the difference between additive and subtractive three-dimensional processes? (2 marks)
Name the three camera exposure controls and a creative effect of each. (3 marks)

Solutions

Q1: Drawing the real subject gives direct, three-dimensional, authentic information (you choose view, light and detail, and see what a photo flattens), driving original work; copied photographs are second-hand, flatten form and show little ownership.
Q2: Watercolour is transparent, built light to dark in washes with the paper giving the lights; acrylic is opaque, fast-drying, workable thin or thick, over-paintable and layerable.
Q3: Relief (lino or woodcut), intaglio (drypoint or etching), planographic (lithography or monoprint), stencil (screenprint).
Q4: Additive builds form up by adding material (modelling, construction, assemblage); subtractive cuts form away from a block (carving), and is irreversible.
Q5: Aperture (sets depth of field), shutter speed (renders motion: freeze or blur), ISO (sensitivity: low for clean, high for low light with noise).

Sources & how we know this

WJEC Eduqas GCE A Level Art and Design specification — Eduqas (2015)
GCE AS and A level subject content for art and design — Department for Education (2015)