AS 91445 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, 16 MB]

TKI Visual Arts assessment resources (external link)

For Excellence, the student needs to use drawing to demonstrate in-depth understanding of specific conventions appropriate to design.

This involves critically selecting and fluently applying art making processes, procedures, materials, techniques and conventions, with consideration of their particular characteristics, to achieve a particular outcome.

This student has produced a logo, masthead and double page spread (DPS) outcome for a Flatmate Training School magazine. A high level of visual impact between and coherency is maintained throughout all three design outcomes (2) (5) (7). These show an in-depth understanding of the visual principles and technical processes needed to support a successfully integrated branding identity.

The student demonstrates a sound understanding of a range of conventions specifically associated with each brief. For example, the double page spread sequence (6) (7) shows fluent application of title, pull-out quote, body text and innovative illustrative elements. The logo outcome demonstrates sensitivity to the principles of positive/negative space as well as a subtle use of leading and kerning.  

The concept drawing and accompanying annotations (1) (3) reveal consideration of the characteristics and constrains of each design context. The success of each brief shows critical selection of the strongest visual options. The clear progression from concept drawings (1) through the following digital developments to the final outcome (2) demonstrates a sound understanding of the design process. 

For a more secure Excellence, the student could show more sustained refinement of concept ideas selected for the final outcomes. For example, the chosen cover option (5) could be further developed from the initial concept (4) rather than simply enlarged.

For Merit, the student needs to use drawing to demonstrate understanding of specific conventions appropriate to design.

This involves purposefully selecting and using art making processes, procedures, materials, techniques and conventions, with consideration of their particular characteristics, to achieve a particular outcome.

This student has generated a successful logo (1), cover (4) and double page spread (DPS) (6) solutions for a theme park brochure. The selection and placement of typographic and pictorial elements shows innovative and functional relationships between text and image. While a range of font options are explored (3), both solutions use a bold sans serif font to unify the project and provide colour fill (4) or negative space (5) opportunities.

The consistent use of pale blue sky and rainbow colours also helps to unify the outcomes and project a positive ‘holiday escape’ atmosphere.

The annotations for the cover (2) and double page spread (5) concept drawings show consideration of the characteristics and constraints of each design context.

To reach Excellence, the student could further refine the conventions explored in the cover concept works (3). The final outcome would also benefit from a reconsideration of cover conventions, such as text hierarchy and placement of the barcode.

The mast head solution itself (1) would also need to be more clearly related to the following briefs to show the fluent application required for Excellence. This is particularly critical for the cover solution (4) where the masthead is an essential branding identity component.

For Merit, the student needs to use drawing to demonstrate understanding of specific conventions appropriate to design.

This involves purposefully selecting and using art making processes, procedures, materials, techniques and conventions, with consideration of their particular characteristics, to achieve a particular outcome.

This student has demonstrated understanding of masthead (1) and cover (4) conventions through the production of successful outcomes for a cycling magazine. 

Appropriate application of specific technical conventions is clearly evident in the developmental work for the cover design (3). In these works the student shows control of selection, posterisation, colour and transparency functions.

A range of appropriate visual conventions are well managed in the cover outcome (4). These include the role of negative space, relationship between text and image, unifying limited palette, and use of underlying grid geometry.

A consistent visual style is maintained between cover and masthead through the use of a pastoral image and restrained black and white graphics.

For a more secure Merit, the student could use the cover design sequence (3) to further refine the masthead solution (1). The cover sequence provides an opportunity to test the success of the masthead, and reveals that the recognisability and legibility of the masthead could be improved.

The student may also integrate some of the technical and pictorial conventions of the cover concept sequence in the final outcome. For example, the more traditional bike image (2) may be more consistent with the ‘Baskets on Bikes’ theme than the generic cycle graphic used.

For Achieved, the student needs to use drawing to demonstrate understanding of conventions appropriate to design.

This involves selecting and using art making processes, procedures, materials, techniques and conventions, with knowledge of their particular characteristics, to achieve a particular outcome.

This student has produced masthead, cover and double page spread (DPS) outcomes for a mental health magazine titled Twisted Minds. The student has demonstrated a well-developed understanding of digital manipulation software. The warped visual motif for the cover (1) effectively references to the ‘twisted’ nature of the proposition. The cover outcome (2) shows application of the typographic conventions of kerning, leading, inverted letters, and use of subtle tonal and transparency properties.

The student applies the established convention of using a limited colour palette (black, white and red) to maintain a consistent visual identity.

To reach Merit, the student could further refine both cover and DPS outcomes to show greater understanding of the conventions specific to these contexts. For example, the kerning of the ‘T’ in the final Masthead (3) could be adjusted and the colour/transparency decisions reconsidered. Other elements such as storyline titles, issue date and price could be included to show a fuller understanding of the conventions of the magazine covers.

For Merit, the student would also need to show awareness of critical layout conventions in the DPS (4), such as the placement of text across the gutter. A more sustained review of established DPS practice, and trialling of alternative personal solutions, is likely to enhance the students understanding of conventions appropriate to this design context.

For Achieved, the student needs to use drawing to demonstrate understanding of conventions appropriate to design.

This involves selecting and using art making processes, procedures, materials, techniques and conventions, with knowledge of their particular characteristics, to achieve a particular outcome.

This student has produced workable solutions for a Raw Design magazine that acknowledge the conventions of masthead (1), magazine cover (3) and double page spread (DPS) (5). The student demonstrates appropriate use of hand drawn (2) and digital techniques in the production of print outcomes.

The final landscape cover (4) shows clear understanding of the conventions applicable to this design context. The use of informal typographic elements and an organic colour palette contribute towards a unified branding identity. Handmade and digital geometric elements are a recurring features that support this consistent visual style.

For a more secure Achieved, the student could show more developed understanding of DPS conventions (5). For example, the body text should be placed clear of the gutter while the strong ‘raw’ painted triangles of the cover could be usefully integrated as background elements.

The final cover outcome should also be revised to include the final ‘n’ in the word ‘design’, as this appears to be an omission rather than an aesthetic decision.

A more sustained investigation of existing magazine conventions and evaluation of the initial ideas, may enhance the student’s understanding of these design conventions. This would result in more consistent understanding being demonstrated in the final outcomes

For Achieved, the student needs to use drawing to demonstrate understanding of conventions appropriate to design.

This involves selecting and using art making processes, procedures, materials, techniques and conventions, with knowledge of their particular characteristics, to achieve a particular outcome.

This student has generated masthead (4) and cover (5) outcomes for a digital storage magazine titled Hide. The student uses a variety of hand drawn (1) and digital processes (4).

The masthead solution (4) uses the juxtaposition between organic and geometric letters in an attempt to communicate the idea of hiding digital information in secure ‘cloud’ storage.

The written annotations (3) show some understanding of design principles and conceptual ideas used by the student.

To reach Achieved, the student could show consideration of the key conventions appropriate to magazine cover design. For example, selling line, storyline titles, barcode, price etc. should be included. The student could also further refine their understanding in the digital covers rather than simply recreating the drawing concept in a digital medium (5).

For Achieved, students should recognise and build upon the most successful aspects of the initial investigation. The negative space strength of the letter ‘I’ in the initial logo concept (2) is undermined by the spacing and overlap of the final outcome (4).