Visual ArtsQ&A by dot point

The design portfolio (overview): the 100 mark coursework in which you respond to a design brief, compile investigative material and market research, develop a single line of development to a design solution, and evaluate your creative process and the aesthetic and functional qualities of the work.

The expressive portfolio (overview): the 100 mark coursework in which you respond to a chosen theme or stimulus, produce analytical drawings and investigative studies, develop a single line of development to a final piece, and evaluate your creative process and the visual qualities of the work.

Analysing design work in Section 2 of the question paper: responding to an unseen design, commenting on how the designer has used materials, techniques and design elements, and judging how well the design meets its function as well as its visual or aesthetic appeal.

Analysing expressive art in Section 1 of the question paper: responding to an unseen artwork, identifying how the artist has used media, techniques and the visual elements, and justifying a personal opinion about the work's mood, meaning and impact.

Answering the question paper: its two sections (expressive art and design), worth 50 marks in total, the way marks signal how much to write, the discipline of pairing observation with justified effect, and managing time across both sections under exam conditions.

Influences on artists and designers: how social, cultural, historical, environmental, technological and personal factors shape the working practices, choices and meaning of artists' and designers' work, and how to refer to these influences when analysing or discussing a piece.

The visual elements (line, tone, colour, shape, form, texture, pattern) and the design principles (composition, balance, contrast, proportion, rhythm, emphasis, harmony): the shared vocabulary used to describe and explain how art and design works, and the effects each can create.