AS 91317 Annotated exemplars

This annotated exemplar is intended for teacher use only. Annotated exemplars are extracts of student evidence, with commentary, that explain key parts of a standard. These help teachers make assessment judgements at the grade boundaries.

Download all exemplars and commentary [PDF, 1 MB]

TKI Visual Arts assessment resources (external link)

For Excellence, the student needs extend ideas in a related series of drawings appropriate to established photography practice.

This involves critically analysing, evaluating, and further developing a concept, subject matter, problem or situation, in drawings appropriate to established practice.

The student identifies the thematic proposition of teenage isolation and anxiety. The student then pursues a variety of approaches to this theme. The accompanying peer critique (3) and personal annotations (4) show that the different approaches have been analysed and evaluated. The quality of this evaluation is evident in the visual outcomes (5) (6) (7) rather than the written statements.

The initial emulation of Anna Orlowska (1) is used to inform more implicit applications of this approach (2). The student uses the desaturated colour, corner vignetting and isolated figure conventions of the model, but applies these to significantly different compositional ideas (5).

The final outcomes (6) (7) move beyond the initial solutions (2) (4) (5) to show the extension needed for Excellence. In the final images the student focuses more exclusively on the expressive pose rather than figure/background relationship.

For a more secure Excellence, the student could move even further beyond the single figure strategy to include symbolic props or other figures. This provides opportunity for the student to create more complex meaning.

Alternative technical approaches could also provide opportunity for extension. For example, new artist models could advance the proposition. This would mean that the student could move beyond the default schema of vignetting (darkened corners) used in every outcome. 

For Merit, the student needs to clarify ideas in a related series of drawings appropriate to established photography practice.

This involves analysing, reflecting on, and further developing a concept, subject matter, problem or situation, in drawings appropriate to established practice.

The final outcomes (6) clarify a thematic narrative of personal identity through still life conventions. These outcomes resolve a variety of pictorial issues, including sequencing, symmetry, and a limited harmonious colour palette.

David Hilliard is identified in the initial research (1) as the primary artist model. He provides the underlying autobiographic proposition and the multiple-view triptych format of the final outcomes (6).

The practical investigation begins by exploring a range of approaches to a variety of photographic propositions. These include exterior (2), interior (3), and still life (4) contexts based around the idea of personal space and identity. The student then revisits the gathered material (5) to generate the clarified final sequences (6).  

To reach Excellence, the student could introduce new pictorial and/or technical ideas that move beyond the strategies of David Hilliard. The introduction of figures to suggest a narrative, controlled lighting to enhance drama, or photomontage to create ambiguity, could all provide opportunities to extend ideas.

The sustained exploration of an authentically new visual approach is needed to advance this student beyond Merit. For example, the wealth of resource imagery already generated would lend itself easily to the creation of David Hockney joiners or Annette Messager style installations.

For Merit, the student needs to clarify ideas in a related series of drawings appropriate to established photography practice.

This involves analysing, reflecting on, and further developing a concept, subject matter, problem or situation, in drawings appropriate to established practice.

The student demonstrates clarification of lighting, compositional and thematic ideas in the final outcomes (8). These outcomes are supported by the sustained exploration of the candle and family photo installation (7).

The student explores a range of artist models (1). The practical investigation is mainly based on the photo-assemblage of Annette Messager (4) and shrine-like installations of Christian Boltanski (3). The established practice of these artists is clearly evident in the final outcomes (5) (8). At all stages of development, the annotations (6) show that outcomes have been analysed and reflected on.

For a more secure Merit, the student could move beyond the emulation of artist models to further refine their own response to the theme. More consideration may be given to the format of the installation(s), colour values, choice of images, relationship of images within the installation, etc. 

The student could reconsider the pictorial strategies of the other identified artist models to create new combinations of approaches. For example, the grid format of Sol Lewitt (2) could be used to arrange the Boltanski shrine images (7).

The student may also further clarify the intention of the investigation. The student may also further clarify the intention of the investigation. This could be either memory and nostalgia or drama lighting and colour concerns.

For Achieved, the student needs to develop ideas in a related series of drawings appropriate to established photography practice.

This involves responding to and building on a concept, subject matter, problem, or situation, in drawings appropriate to established practice.

The student explores a wide range of pictorial and thematic approaches. They initially develop ideas around narrative and personal identity (1) (2) (3) (4). In these works they use pose, expression, figure/environment and figure/figure relationships to create stories.

The second part of the investigation focuses on hands as an expressive or narrative device (5) (6) (7) (8). In these images the student develops formal pictorial ideas about lighting, framing and then juxtaposing visual elements to create meaning. For example the hands and piano (6) imply a narrative while hands and face (7) suggest mood and personality.

To reach Merit, the student could re-examine the photo-shoots and select images that more clearly reflect a particular thematic idea. For example, the student could create a sequence that juxtaposes the close-up lips (3) with the party scenes (2).  This may add a cinematic structure to the narrative idea.

The student could also reorganise the structure of the submission to present a more clearly related series of images. This would include arranging like with like, and using size changes to differentiate between source, developmental, and final outcomes.

For Merit, the student could replace the ambiguous final outcome (8) with an image that clarifies the overall thematic and pictorial intentions of the investigation. 

For Achieved, the student needs to develop ideas in a related series of drawings appropriate to established photography practice.

This involves responding to and building on a concept, subject matter, problem, or situation, in drawings appropriate to established practice.

The student presents a considered advancement of ideas between the first (1) and second (3) photo-shoot. One aspect of the development involves the refinement of lighting from frontal (1) to strongly directional (3), which enhance the dramatic quality of the images.

Narrative sequencing (reflection, rotation) and pictorial ideas (dramatic lighting, empty background) are considered in the enlarged proof prints (2) (4).

The third (5) and fourth (6) sets of images begin to explore documentary with multiple figures and figure/environment relationships, rather than purely studio scenarios.  

For a more secure Achieved, the student could further refine the pictorial and thematic ideas explored in the first two photo-shoots (1) (3). The third and fourth photo-shoots (5) (6) explore different pictorial and thematic ideas rather than building on the preceding proposition.

Alternatively the student could combine the different approaches by using the studio photography conventions (1) (3) to explore the multi-figure interactions (5) (6). This approach would further develop and possibly clarify both technical (lighting, composition, and sequencing) and thematic (specific storyline) ideas.

For Achieved, the student needs to develop ideas in a related series of drawings appropriate to established photography practice.

This involves responding to and building on a concept, subject matter, problem, or situation, in drawings appropriate to established practice.

There is some development between the initial studio lighting images (3) and the projected Nazi element (4). In these images the student begins to develop ideas around tight framing, limited colour, and projected identity.

The sample identifies a range of possible photographic practices (1) and develops multiple approaches to the theme in concept proposals (2).

To reach Achieved, the student could further develop their ideas through additional photo-shoots. This may include revisiting the artist models (1) to identify new pictorial and technical approaches to the proposition. For example, the use of directional light to create form, alternative figure poses to enhance visual interest, or asymmetrical compositions to imply movement.

The student may also wish to evaluate the potentially negative effect of the selected imagery on future viewers. It would be possible to explore the notion of a German personal identity without including the associations (past and present) implied by the Nazi swastika.