AS 91448 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, 2.8 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 printmaking.

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 demonstrated technical facility with a variety of printing processes.  Critical selection is shown in the use of found commercial materials (1) (2) which are used as a substrate for some outcomes. For example, the envelopes (1), larger sack (3) and box (4) all relate to the overseas aid proposition.

The student shows a subtle understanding of the relationships between image, substrate and texts elements. For example, the phrase ‘fragile, handle with care’ (2) normally used in a postal context is cleverly connected to the image by juxtaposition.

In-depth understanding of specific characteristics and constraints of each process is demonstrated in the use of dry point (1) and screen print (2) on the small blank boxes. Whereas woodcut is used on the large bag (3) where the printed element needs to compete with existing graphics.

For a more secure Excellence, the student could further refine one or more of the technical or conceptual conventions. For example, the Warhol style multi-image (3) could be printed on multiple bags. This would make more explicit reference to the Brillo Boxes precedent, and enhance the ‘aid agency’ connection and the installation potential of the outcome, showing further depth.

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

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 investigated a wide range of printmaking processes including some innovative approaches to combining traditional and contemporary materials. For example, creating three-dimensional outcomes from the solar plates (4). 

A wide range of specific pictorial conventions associated with the theme of mortality have been identified. These include the skull (1), skeleton (2) scythe (3), clock (5) and hourglass (6). The student considers a variety of conventional and innovative (5 and 6) combinations of these images to achieve an outcome that is visually engaging and symbolically loaded.

The final outcomes (6) combine screen, dry-point and lithograph processes. The success of these works demonstrates understanding of each specific process as well as showing consideration of required modifications to ensure a coherent outcome.

To reach Excellence, the student could show in-depth understanding of one particular process by focusing more exclusively on that method.

Alternatively the student could further refine one of the pictorial conventions used.  For example, the three dimensional clock images (5) and mixed process hour glasses (6) significantly differ in both pictorial ideas and production techniques.  Each of these options provides opportunity for the sustained exploration of procedural, pictorial and thematic aspects needed to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of specific conventions.

No exemplar available.

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

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 an appropriate level of technical competency across different printing processes and procedures. The dry-point techniques show precise accuracy of the lines and clean crisp nature of the inking and printing (2). The colour, silhouette and placement of the reductive collagraph (3) are well considered to create an aesthetic decorative balance of positive and negative elements, while supporting the thematic idea of a herd of deer.

The final outcome (5) uses innovative characteristics to achieve a particular outcome. In this work the cut out horse and rider literally leap off the page. This selection and application of the three dimensional strategy is entirely appropriate to the intended outcome. 

For a secure Merit, the student could show more considered use of the printing processes beyond dry point and collagraph. The solar and pronto-plates (1) reveal an inconsistent understanding of these processes, while the technical execution of the woodcut (4) could show much greater dexterity.

It may be useful for the student to periodically review the preceding outcomes. This would enable them to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the printmaking processes and compositional decisions. This information could then be used to enhance their understanding of the specific technical and pictorial conventions.

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

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 demonstrated understanding of a variety of printmaking technical conventions including dry point (1), solar plate (2) and woodcut (7). Innovative contemporary conventions such as using three dimensional surfaces (4) and stitching (6) are also explored.

The final series of works (6) shows consideration of how the characteristics of particular processes can support an intended outcome. In this case, the stitching together of fragmented pieces evokes a sense of medical procedure appropriate to the anatomical imagery.

To reach Merit, the student could further refine the final outcomes (6) to make a more explicit statement about the thematic content. This may include more accurate medical suture techniques and/or plasters and bandages to reinforce the thematic proposition.

For Merit at Level 3, the student needs to show more consistent understanding of each specific printmaking process. More considered tonal balance (3), controlled inking (5) and careful cutting (7) is needed to show specific understanding of these processes.

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

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 demonstrated skills with a variety of printmaking processes such as woodcut (1) (4) and dry point (5) (6). The woodcuts (4) show understanding of the printmaking convention of positive/negative balance. The combined screen and dry point outcome (5) shows appropriate registration skills.

The student begins to use more innovative technical conventions in the cut out woodcut revealing a photographic image (2). This outcome shows the student considering alternative ways to achieve a particular thematic outcome (a crowded Hong Kong apartment).

For a more secure Achieved, the student could focus on one or two particular processes. This could help to increase the consistency of the technical facility through practice and attention to procedural conventions. For example, the student could revisit the woodcut photography approach to resolve the tonal issues and make the figurative elements more apparent.

The student could also be more selective in the pictorial and compositional decisions rather than shifting between different images. Combining the lotus flower (3), Hong Kong map (6), and ferry (7) within the oval format (8) would more clearly communicate the particular thematic intention (Hong Kong life and culture).

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

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 completed an appropriate investigation of a variety of printmaking processes including solar plate (1), pronto plate (2), monoprint (4), dry point (5) and woodcut (6). The student then attempts to move beyond the single print outcome in a series of mixed process experimentations (8) (9).

The final photographic sequence (9) begins to show understanding of pictorial conventions such as scale, repetition, limited colour and focal ambiguity. The blocked out eyes show understanding that this device communicates the idea of obscured identity.

To reach Achieved, the student could ensure that the technical conventions associated with each process are sufficiently controlled in relation to the Level 3 expectations of the standard. For example, the cutting technique in the main image (7) needs to show more considered rendering of hair and facial features.

The alternative woodcut face (6) shows better management of the hair.  Recognising this feature and using this block for the main image, would show greater understanding of woodcut conventions.

The drawing conventions also need to show knowledge of the characteristics and constraints appropriate to the theme. In the case of portraiture (3) the student would need to show more accurate rendering of anatomy and proportion for Achieved at Level 3.