AS 91913 Annotated exemplars

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

Download all written exemplars and commentary [PDF, 11 MB]

Level 1 Visual Arts assessment resources (external link) - NCEA.education

For Achieved, the student needs to produce a resolved artwork appropriate to established practice.

This involves using media and techniques relevant to an art making practice. The conception and design (pictorial arrangements and structural properties, rather than the field of design) need to be informed by a related set of conventions.

This student’s evidence presents a finished outcome appropriate to the specific context of a Zine.

The planning pages that emerge out of the 91912 investigation identify a specific thematic intention. The whakatauki “He toka tū moana” (“A rock standing firm in the sea”) is reflected through the shoreline imagery. Exploring the deeper philosophy and values of the whakatauki (cultural beliefs providing inner strength) would enhance opportunity to show the deeper understanding needed for higher levels of achievement.

The layout of pages with the top row upside down shows the student understands the pagination requirements of the eight-panel folded Zine structure. However, more subtle opportunities (such as making use of double page spread folds) have been overlooked in favour of more straight forward single panel sections.

The rounded typography forms relate well to the organic pictorial elements to form a consistent personal style. Ownership and engagement are also demonstrated by the use of self-generated photographic and drawing elements. This places the outcome securely within the Achieved grade range.

To enhance opportunity to show the level of consistent control required for Merit, further refinement of layout conventions appropriate to the design context is needed. For example, being more selective and conscious of negative space would help to avoid crowding in most panels. Greater precision in text and graphic elements would also enhance opportunity to show a more convincing level of consistent ‘control’.

For Merit, the student needs to produce a resolved artwork with control appropriate to established practice.

This involves consistently managing design and media conventions relevant to the identified art making practice.

The large scale and cultural identity theme are sufficiently sustained, significant, and contextually specific to meet the standard. The sustained research, testing, and planning evidence has resulted in the effective communication of the intention and appropriate management of media skills.

Potential source imagery is generated on page 1 and image associations are explored on page 2. These are further developed in the collage on page 5, with annotations explaining the symbolic reasons underpinning the juxtaposition of visual elements. This reflects the level of thematic intentionality typically needed for Merit.

Artist model solutions to the identity theme are explored on pages 6-7. This provides pictorial options and ensures that established practice is evident in the final outcome.

The pictorial strategies of Beau Frank are employed in the composition planning on page 9. Painting techniques are tested on page 10 to ensure an appropriate level of media control.

The final A2 size painting is a sustained and significant outcome that shows control of conceptual ideas and technical skills.

For Excellence, the outcome would need to show a higher level of fluency in the design and execution. This may involve more personally innovative pictorial ideas beyond the artist model, and/or greater facility in the rendering of components such as the hair texture, tones in clothing, and surface quality in the background.

For Excellence, the student needs to produce a resolved artwork with fluency appropriate to established practice.

This involves skilfully managing design and media conventions relevant to the identified art making practice. Excellence evidence is characterised by a strong sense of thematic purpose, highly resolved design conventions, and consistent facility with technical skills. 

The comprehensive research and planning, and highly successful final Zine, places this evidence securely within the Excellence grade range.

The supporting pages include exploration of typography principles, study of artist model strategies, the personal development of typographic components, and original photo-shoots to gather resource imagery. This sustained preparation has resulted in an informed understanding of design conventions and a wide range of options for personal development.

The resolved artwork presents innovative application of layout, graphic, and type conventions to form a stylistically cohesive work. Zine conventions of pagination, sequencing, and double page spreads are seamlessly applied. The management of scale, negative space, selective colour, and text/image relationships is highly resolved.

The Zine clearly links to the specific location of Auckland, and involves a wide range of consistently refined and effective visual strategies. This exemplifies the fluency requirement of the criterion for Excellence.