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Art Themes to Explore in GCSE & iGCSE

If you are looking for art themes to explore in GCSE or iGCSE lessons, the huge list below is a great starting point.  Thank you to art teacher Annie Chapman who started this list and to other teachers for making suggestions which I’ve added.  I also have an ‘ Artists Listed by Theme ‘ page, which lists lots of artists under a huge range of themes. Some words link to art teaching resources on this website.

Aboriginal and native art

Abandoned places

Advertising/Consumption and consumerism, Rich world vs Poor world

Ageing, old and new, decay and change

Art & Words

Beauty.The beauty myth, Self-image

Beautiful vs Ugly

Book illustration and text

Casting Shadows

Colour and mood

Carnival and Celebration

Culture Patterns, objects, traditions:  eg: Africa, Asia. Japan

Collections

Dream/Surrealism

Design eg. clothes/shoes/campaign poster

Depression/Fragility

Fear and Nightmares Environment

Faces and features

From natural to abstraction

Fragile things

Flowers and plants

Game Design

Graffiti/murals/Protest messages

Insects/butterflies in nature

In The News

Impressionism /light in painting

Illustrate a story

Landscapes of the mind, loneliness, loss

Magnification and macro

Mirrors/reflection

Money /inequality

Metamorphosis/change

Myths and Legends/Magic

Natural Forms

Out of Place

Ordinary vs extraordinary

Pattern eg. patterns in nature/repeat patterns/rotational patterns

Planets/Save the planet/Space

Pop Art and Comics

Rich world-vs-poor world

Reflections

Realism/Surrealism

Refugees/War

Stories and storytelling

Seven Deadly Sins

Self-portrait

Secrets/a secret place

Time and Space

Time-lapse/freeze frame/movement

Transformation

Tropical vegetation/Jungles

Trash and/or treasure

Through a Window

Ugly/beautiful

Under water

Vegetables and Fruit

Washed-up, things found on a beach

World within a world

Women in Art

Zoom-in/Close-up

This website is for art teachers.  I’m pleased that art students also enjoy it, but I am not able to respond to individual students who want help with ideas for their GCSE projects.

Please comment below if you have more art themes to explore in GCSE & iGCSE lessons and I will add them.

There is also a fantastic list of artists listed by theme on The Arty Teacher.  Click the link below to find out more.

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The Arty Teacher

Sarah Crowther is The Arty Teacher. She is a high school art teacher in the North West of England. She strives to share her enthusiasm for art by providing art teachers around the globe with high-quality resources and by sharing her expertise through this blog.

83 responses to “Art Themes to Explore in GCSE & iGCSE”

hi i wanted to ask if leaves are a good theme and how can i start with it?

Hi Lisa, I think leaves are a great starting point where you could really get involved in a variety of ‘recording’ e.g. drawing with different media on different surfaces, painting, photography, digital drawing. I’m not sure I’d describe ‘leaves’ as a theme, it’s more a subject matter. Perhaps drawing leaves could take you in the direction of themes such as aging or decay? Could you photograph the leaves as they wither and then do more recording?

Hi, I hope there is a theme for Rebirth, can that be included in the work?

You can choose anything for your theme as long as you feel you can fulfil the assessment objectives. Rebirth sounds interesting. Start by creating a mindmap, noting down all the things you think of when you think of rebirth. Hopefully this will give you lots of ideas for things you can research/draw/photograph.

Hi, my teacher told us to develop our ideas and make some painting over the holidays. I was wondering whether “mythology and art” was a good topic to explore, or is it too broad? I would love any help or suggestions for similar topics!

Mythology is an excellent theme. It’s good to start broad and then narrow your research down as your work progresses. Hopefull there will be something within mythology that you find particularly interesting.

Hi Arty teacher, i am learning the first year of igcse, i am wonder that would you consider cyberpunk a theme? there’re a lots of topic that I want to do but I was hesitate to choose. I want to choose something that stick with hobby and enjoyable. what would you recommend ? Here is some of my choice: fantasy, game design, cyberpunk, decay and change, memory. can you recommend some of the artist that I could research for these theme. thank you so much🫶🏻.

Hi Arty Teacher, could “song lyrics” be part of a theme?

Hi Gilbert, Absolutely, song lyrics are a great starting point to stimulate art. I’d suggest ‘Art & Words’ as a theme as this was actually on a GCSE exam paper in the past. You could then look at song lyrics. I have a list of artists under the theme of art and words on the following page: https://theartyteacher.com/artists-themes/

Hi im doing my first sketchbook for my igcse course.Im really struggling on finding a subject.At first i thought of teenages. And thought to talk about depression , social media and etc.But i have noticed that many people choose this subject so i dont really want to do it now.I have in my mind now social media impacts.Or even artificial intelligence.I believe its something unsual and not really talked about in art topics.Although im struggling on what photoshoot and some artists references.Could you please give me some ideas

Hi Yolanda, It’s good to choose a topic that no one else is doing. This shouldn’t be too hard: just look at the list above! It sounds like you like issues rather than something that is purely asethetic. At the following link are artists who have created artwork about interesting topics like the environment, social issues, isolation, death, emotions, identity and more. It might inspire you: https://theartyteacher.com/artists-themes/ What ever you choose, make your life easier by connecting it to something that is easy to photograph in an interesting way. e.g. If it is about death you could photograph churches and graveyards, if it is about social media photograph someone all alone and people in a group having a great time.

Hello, Is childhoon a good topic for igcse art and what subtopics can we explore for this theme and the reference artists?

Yes, childhood is an excellent theme. As for a subtopic, perhaps you could look at your own childhood to help you. What was significant? Toys? Place? People? Make it personal and think of something really good to photograph to make your life easier. The section on nostalgia on this page may help: https://theartyteacher.com/artists-themes/

Hi, I am grade 10 student and i am struggling to find a suitable topic. I have tried 3 to 4 topics and created many art works for them but I end up not liking them or feel like the topic is boring.What should I do also the topics i find interesting are hard to take pictures for.I mostly stay at home so can’t get pictures easily.Is there any topic i can explore which is interesting and easy to take pictures for?

Hi, If you have already tried 3 or 4 topics and created many artworks, you really need to pick a theme and stick to it. Choose a topic where it is easy to take inspiring photographs. Why pick something hard? Fantastic photos can be an inspiring starting point. There are so many good starting points in the blog post above. You need to think about what you are interested in and what you enjoy. Sometimes finding an inspiring artist can be a good starting point if you can’t find a topic that excites you. Only you know what you find interesting!

I want to do islamic architecture as a topic but I don’t know if it can be used as a topic, can you tell me if it can be used and what type of different panels I could make with this theme? , I have a feeling that it might be too broad and not very precise?

I think Islamic architecture is an excellent starting point. Start by researching it broadly and create work based on your findings. Then really think about what it is that you find appealing about it and narrow it down to that. Is it the colours, the patterns, the gold leaf, the domes? It is the religious aspect? A particular geographic area? Explore it further.

hi the arty teacher, i am a year 11 student taking igsce art and our theme is identity, however we need to choose a “sub-theme” sort of to explore along with that in regards to identity. would it be alright to explore something like ghosts or media (as in film, devices, internet, etc) ?

Yes, but it would be good if you could say why Ghosts is identity or what aspect of media you see as identity. Also, find some artists who explore identity through these sub-themes.

i understand what you mean, thank you! would something like the theme of confusion/belonging (not sure what’ll work better) in identity using ghost symbolism be better then?

I think you are exploring some interesting ideas. Why and how would a ghost symbolise confusion or belonging?

Hello Arty Teacher, I am an A-level student and I’m doing Art & Design. The theme given to us is “Observe, Seek and Challenge” but I am struggling to find any ideas, and I also don’t know many artists who have done paintings related to this theme. Would you please suggest any ideas that I can use and talk about so I can create an individual response to this theme? Thank you very much!

Hi Lili, I have a useful page on this website of artists listed by theme which is great for researching: https://theartyteacher.com/artists-themes/ “Observe, Seek and Challenge” is nice and broad. All artists observe. Seek, is interesting. What is the artist seeking? ie trying to find, desiring? I think artists seek ways to communicate, seek inspiration, seek to explore their own identity and that of others, seek to explore natural and manmade environments. Artists challenge us with their ideas all the time. They raise our awareness about climate change, social issues, race, gender, fears, prejudices, and stereotypes, ethical dilemmas and mental health challenges.

I think I’d pick a challenge first, find some artists, see what they are seeking to say and how.

Hi, the theme I’m exploring for my final GCSE piece is the power of love but I’m struggling to find inspiration and an artist. Any suggestions? Thanks

If you are struggling to find inspiration, it may not be a good theme for you. Try choosing a question from the paper that gives you lots of ideas. The word ‘ideas’ appears in 3 out of the 4 assessment objectives and you should be the one who is having the ideas. Lots of artists have been inspired by love. Jim Dine painted hearts. You could use them as a symbol of love. Make sure to include in your annotation why Dine used them. He was responding to a close friends mental breakdown. You can read more here: https://cranbrookartmuseum.org/artwork/jim-dine-the-heart-at-sea-in-a-non-secular-way/#:~:text=Dine%20felt%20the%20paintings%20were,Dine's%20is%20a%20compassionate%20one . The Pre-Raphalites painted about nature and religion but also literature and poetry, particularly text that dealt with love and death. Many of their painting depict beaufiul women. Rob Ryan creates paper cut outs. Many of them are romantic. If you google ‘paintings about love’ or ‘artists who depict love’ lots of things come up. I hope these suggestions help.

The aqa exam paper released and I want to do portraiture theme would faces and features be a good theme?

Hi Ayesha, I don’t think faces and features are a theme, they are simply part of portraiture. Themes could be: family, loniless and isoltion, cultural and ethnic identity, Intamcy and connection, time and aging, spirituality and faith.

Hi! I was wondering which to do between war and the Japanese imperialism and how it still seems to affect future generations or the role of beauty in horror. I have many many points for both but the first is much more personal but it seems to be quite controversial. What would you recommend i do?

These all sound like good themes. I would go with the most personal one. Controversial can be exciting when you explore it through art.

The edexcel exam paper has been released early for 2024 and the theme is power. I’m thinking of doing the power in oppression /war/genocide but I’m unsure of how to take a photoshoot/portray these ideas. I do have other ideas like discrimination (islamophobia, racism) , medicine, drug addiction , etc. I’m just not sure what to do that will be easy and fun?

What pops into your head when you think of oppression, war and genocide? I think of old rusty chains, blood stained cloth, dirty old hands, tattered flags, gas masks. These are all things that would make a powerful photoshoot. Could your drama department help? Do they have any war-appropriate costumes? Do you have a museum near by with artifacts? (War museum in London or Salford) Start with a broad photoshoot showing lots of ideas and then after you have worked from these photos, do a second more specific photoshoot to ‘develop your ideas’.

Hi there, this site is really helpful well I wanted to ask that can I go with the topic Indian gods

I think Indian Gods would be an excellent topic. You could look at how lots of different artists have drawn/painted them and then perhaps focus on an artist that you particularly like.

Thanks so much for your assistance Sarah. Please can Game design be considered as a theme?

Hi Liz, Great idea; I have added it. Thanks for the suggestion.

Hello I am called Robert from kenya any new themes for IGCSE exams for November and June exams 2023/24?

Hi Robert, No one will know the themes that will be on the exam papers until they are published.

my son is doing GCSE coursework but wanted to do it on African culture but he has to choose famous artists to tie in with that theme any help please

Hi Billie, You can look at a culture instead of an artist. GCSE specification states that you need to look at ‘contextual sources’. These could be artists, cultures, films, animation, or anything that inspires creativity. If I had a student who wanted to look at African culture, i would want them to narrow it down to a tribe or country within Africa. He could do a page in his sketchbook on ‘African Art’ to start with, but then look at Maasai Clothing or Senufo Masks. If his art teacher insists upon an artist, and hey, they are running the course, there are some great choices here: https://blog.artsper.com/en/a-closer-look/10-african-artists-you-absolutely-must-know/

Fantastic resources, I appreciate you making them available to us. The extensive list below is a wonderful place to start if you’re seeking for art-related topics to cover in GCSE or iGCSE classes. This incredible collection was compiled by Annie Chapman, a teacher of art. A few of these words are clickable links to useful pages for art teachers. Keep writing, I really enjoy reading your posts. Come across Joshuacreekarts.com and hope you can visit this too to get more information.

Hi! Thanks for your positive comment. I’m delighted you like the list. I’m happy to keep adding to it, so if you have any ideas, do let me know. I do mention Annie at the top of the post! I’ll check out your website.

Greetings, may you please advise what aspects are considered irrelevant and ‘out of topic’ when choosing a starting point?

Hi Klavier, I think you can pick any theme as long as you can see how you can fulfil the assessment objectives for your course. Choose a starting point that really excites you as you will be working on that theme for a long time. Pick something where you are inspired to record in a variety of ways. (Photography, drawing etc) Most of all, be creative and make a personal response!

I am an IGCSE teacher from Ghana. I have 5 learners and I am currently preparing them for the exams. However, I am a bit lost with the kind of themes to make available to them to choose or help them choose. Kindly, share some possible themes with me. It will really be helpful.

Hi Elizabeth, Thank you for your comment. You could choose any of the themes in this post but I always think it is a good idea to choose a theme that makes it easy for students to photograph something and to easily find artists. For examples ‘Natural Forms’ is a good theme as learners could choose from a huge range of items that would photograph well. There are also lots of artists that cover this theme. You may find these links useful: Artists listed by theme: https://theartyteacher.com/artists-themes/ Natural Forms Artists: https://theartyteacher.com/downloads/list-of-natural-forms-artists/ List of Natural Forms: https://theartyteacher.com/downloads/list-of-natural-forms/ You may also find these complete units of work useful: https://theartyteacher.com/category/arty-students/

This is so helpful and very relief. Thank you.

Hi Elizabeth, I’m so pleased you found it helpful 🙂

hello art teacher, is it true that we can choose to draw whatever we want in igcse art? or is there a subject for igcse art every year?

Hi, Different art teachers run their GCSE courses in different ways. They may give you a theme to start with at the start of the first year. If you are a self-motivated, confident learner they may well let you plot your own course but it is up to your teacher to guide you and do what is best for the whole class. When you get the exam paper in the second year, there is a broad range of starting points and often you can fit in what you would like to do into one of the questions (but not always!). I hope this helps.

Hi, this blog post is really helpful to me. But is art a good subject to take for pursuing engineering or design?

If you are thinking of persuing engineering or design, I would think that art would be the perfect subject to study. Think of polymath Leonardo da vinci, he found that recording his observations and ideas through drawing was essential. Many of his drawings were engineering designs! Many design courses would expect your to have studied art.

is art a good career choice? im 15 and haven’t actually decided a career choice, I used to just draw any image that I liked, but recently I have started learning art, practicing anatomy for example I have got a sketchbook that I actively use and, I also have another one which I am working on a comic in. i love drawing, but is it a good career choice? and if so, what opportunities are there abroad that I can look into *for the future*.

Hi Huzaifa, If you love being creative, studying art at a higher level can lead to all sorts of interesting jobs. It might help you to look at all of these art related careers here: https://theartyteacher.com/art-careers-written-for-kids/

Hiii, is it ok to do a fictional character as a theme?

Hi Jordan, Yes, that would be an interesting theme. I would strongly advise you to find an artist who has created artwork about the fictional character you choose. Or an animator or has created artwork, or a theatrical set designer who has made sets or costumes about the character. This would make your life easier!

Hi! i’m a gcse art student and i was just wondering if something about old fashioned clothes or something like armour would be a theme. i currently don’t have an art teacher :/ do we have to do the same theme as everyone in our class

Hi, Thanks for your message. Yes, both ‘old fashioned clothes’ and ‘armour’ would be excellent themes. Choose a theme where it is easy to photograph something. You don’t have to do the same as everyone in your class, you can all do your own theme. I would start by photographing either old fashioned clothes or armour, and then draw from your photos in a range of different media. Think about working on different surfaces and different sizes. You then need to find an artist that links with your theme in some way. Create a beautiful artist research page. Good luck!

Would surrealism be a theme ?

Hi Vishva, Surrealism is a movement rather than a theme. I’m trying to think if movements have ever come up on the exam papers and I can’t think that they have. I don’t see why you couldn’t research into Surrealism if that was something of interest. There are themes within Surrealism such as ‘Dream Like Scenes’, ‘Illogical juxtapositions’, or ‘Distorted figures and biomorphic shapes’.

Hi, my son his in his 1st year of art gcse. He is a good little drawer but that’s it really, not particularly good at painting or using different textiles. we are a little confused as to the structure of the course…. I do need to speak to his teacher but so hard getting to do this! portfolio/theme idea he has thiught of is western/ cowboy….came from his love of an xbox game. We’ve had a little look at the ladscape artists for that era and he has favourite characters from the game that he can sketch etc just not sure how to make it into a portfolio….any help would be grateful. thanks.

Hi Mari, Hopefully his art teacher has shared the GCSE assessment objectives with him. You can see them on the following page: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/art-and-design/gcse/art-and-design-8201-8206/scheme-of-assessment If you scroll down to ‘Assessment criteria grid’, in bold you will see the 4 assessment objectives. The first reads ‘Develop ideas through investigations, demonstrating critical understanding of sources.’ ‘Sources’ can be artists, designers, film-makers, books, anything creative really, including the designers and artists who made the xbox game. I would suggest he created a research page all about the game, the publisher of the game, the artists. You can find all sorts of stuff online about the art in games. For example here I found some fan art on the Rockstar Games website: https://www.rockstargames.com/newswire/article/51ka2k2819a1ak/fan-art-spindel-art-s-portraits-of-the-van-der-linde-gang After this research page, he could photograph someone dressed up as a cowboy. Make sure he considers background, lighting, focus. Present these photos in the portfolio. Draw from these photos. Draw in different media e.g. pencil, ballpoint pen, fine liners, markers, chalks, charcoal (what ever he feels comfortable with). Draw on different surfaces: white paper, brown packing paper? Cowboys drink coffee: coffee stain some paper and draw on that. Hopefully once he’s done this his art teacher will be able to tell him what to do next!

Hi, I am a teacher at a school in England. We have had our new brief for our y11 exam and the theme is ‘MAKE MUSIC DAY’. We are stuck for ideas on what the students could research into as well as artist who relate. Any help would be appreciated.

Hi Chloe, I hope you’ve discovered my ‘Artists Listed by Theme’ page. There are some artists listed under the theme ‘Music’ that might be useful to your students. You can see it here: https://theartyteacher.com/artists-themes/ I hope your school has a music department. I would be straight up there to borrow instruments as some students might want to start with photography as instruments are so photogenic. Other ways students might begin: Photographing a friend listening to music. Ask if anyone plays an instrument and use their own experience as a starting point. This article was interesting: https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/24-times-fashion-designers-got-their-beat-from-music They could pick their favourite band and promote them as if they were playing at ‘Make Music Day’.

Hello Mrs! I’m a current IGCSE art and design student, our school doesn’t have a art teacher yet. I have no idea what to do, should I start with making a portfolio on my own first? thank you! A topic I want to do is “behind the eyes” it’s a topic surrounding mythical creatures and mythology. would this be appropriate? thank you so much!

Hi, That sounds like a very difficult situation. I’m surprised your school is letting you do an art course without an art teacher. Are you in your first year of the course? What have you completed since September? I would first try and find a couple of artist that create artworks about mythical creatures and/or mythology. Produce some research pages on them in your sketchbook. Then try and think of something real that you could draw (a primary source) that relates to your artists. (This will depend on the artist you have chosen, but it might be something like animal skulls if your school has them) You could also work from secondary sources, perhaps images of lizards? Or could you get a real octopus from a fish mongers and draw and photograph it? (I’ve had students do this!) You could then use your drawings to create mythical creatures of your own. Make sure you work in a variety of media and on a variety of surfaces. Hopefully this would be a start. Let me know how you get on.

Hi The Arty Teacher, I am teaching iGCSE Art and Design for the first time. Just wondering as to what you would consider as an ideal number of themes that can be introduced to a class over the course of two years. Is it several or is it a matter of concentrating on one theme only throughout the entire course? Much appreciated, thank you.

Different teachers structure the course in different ways. At my school, we do one theme in Year 10 with two main outcomes. In year 11 they do another theme (we run this a little bit like a mock). Then they do the externally set task from January.

Great job! ” The Arty Teacher” The resources and responses you provided are very helpful and so inspiring. I teach Igcse Art and design in keystages 3,4&5 in Africa. Thanks!!

Hi Cletus, I’m so pleased to read that you find my resources useful and inspiring – thank you 🙂

Interesting and informative. I am an igcse teacher.would like to see the blog

Hi Ina, Thanks for your comment. You can see more blog posts here: https://theartyteacher.com/blog/

Have just come across this blog…. hope to gain more!!

Hi Brenda, That’s great to hear. I hope you enjoy more of my posts!

Hi Arty Teacher,

I am an art teacher in Africa Nairobi Kenya teaching IGCSE Art & Design. Just wondering if you still do this blog. Any materials would be appreciated including advice on Photography.

Kind regards. James

Hi James, Yes, if you go to the home page of the blog you’ll see I post every week. If you look under the category ‘Techniques and Processes’ there are some articles about photography. https://theartyteacher.com/category/techniques-processes/

Good day what ideas could I work on for Stories or story telling

I think you might find the artists listed on the following page under ‘Narrative’ inspiring. https://theartyteacher.com/artists-themes/

Hi Annabelle, That sounds like an excellent theme to me. Don’t worry about it – enjoy it. You could go in so many directions and make it personal. Within that theme, you can look at one aspect of it and then flow into other areas of it. Here is a list of artists you might like to look at: https://artsandculture.google.com/story/8-lgbtqi-artists-you-should-know/iQLiswH6mVfoJQ

‘Inside Out’ is a great topic. You could do a person without drawing a person e.g. A house on the outside where the objects in the house represent the person, or a jewellery box where what is in it represents the person. Both these could be 2D or 3D. Or make a book (or a box) where the outside is the personality you show to the world and the inside is what you keep hidden. You could take a more literal approach: You could do fish and fish skeletons. If you didn’t want to do a portrait, you could still do feet or hands and draw them and also the bone structure or x-rays.

This is really helpful thank you so much for sharing these I’ve already gotten an idea of what I want ❤️

That’s great to hear. Thank you.

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COURSEWORK GUIDES

You have art coursework and need to research artworks for it. Where do you start? How do you find relevant inspiration? How have other artists approached the themes?Our thematic coursework guides provide ideas and inspiration to get you started. Try our 'Have A Go!' section at the bottom of our guides for activities to keep you motivated!

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Objects Coursework Guide

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Senses Coursework Guide

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Dynamism and Movement Coursework Guide

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Landmarks Coursework Guide

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Trees Coursework Guide

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Memory Coursework Guide

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Transformation Coursework Guide

Explore how artists have transformed objects and ideas through their work

Details Coursework Guide

Explore the theme of details through works in our collection

Human Figure Coursework Guide

Explore people drawn, painted or sculpted from life and art that explores abstract ideas about being human

News and Event Coursework Guide

Look at artists responses to news, from headline-grabbing events and social or political issues, to stories of the extraordinary everyday

Light and Dark Coursework Guide

Look at artworks made from light and shadow to the symbolic use of light and dark to make powerful statements

Interwoven Coursework Guide

Explore art that interweaves materials, ideas, experiences and histories

Perspective Coursework Guide

From vanishing points to points of view, explore perspective in art

Spaces Coursework Guide

Busy crowded streets, eerie empty rooms, explore spaces in art

Habitats Coursework Guide

From art about home life to art that highlights the impact of climate change and pollution on natural habitats

Texture Coursework Guide

Explore textures in art from woven textures and textured fabrics and materials to gestural marks and patterns

Toys Coursework Research

From pop art to gender politics, see toys in a new light and get some inspiration for your coursework

Myths and Legends Coursework Guide

Be inspired by myths and legends – or create your own!

Changed Identity Coursework Guide

From changing their own identities to changing the identity of objects, how have artists explored the theme of changed identity?

Space Coursework Guide

From the space race to heavenly bodies, find some coursework inspiration

Plastics Coursework Guide

Explore plastic in art for some research inspiration

Old and New Coursework Guide

Uncover ways of thinking of Old and New in art

Circus Coursework Guide

Uncover ways of exploring the theme of Circus for coursework inspiration

Rhythm Coursework Guide

Explore artworks with rhythm for some coursework inspiration

Geometric Coursework Guide

Maths meets art to inspire your coursework

Moments in Time Coursework Guide

See how artists respond to moments in time to inspire your coursework

Crowded Coursework Guide

Pack in tightly for some inspiration for your coursework

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Create Like an Artist

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25+ Ideas and Tips for GCSE Art Sketchbooks

In GCSE , General by Think Student Editor March 15, 2024 Leave a Comment

Students often struggle with heavy coursework in subjects like GCSE Art. For such a broad portfolio, it can be hard to manage with the limited time students have, and it can also be hard to find inspiration. Additionally, students often struggle linking the artists they choose to a final idea, which is also usually unclear to GCSE students at the start of their modules. Fear not! This article is focused on finding subjects of interest that can be incorporated into a portfolio that can make any student shine, as well as some tips on expanding your work to really get the examiner’s attention.

While GCSE Art may seem like an easy subject, it really is a lot of work to get a high grade. With that in mind, here are some ideas to help students, as a student who got a grade 9!

Flowers are something that’s recommended often by art teachers, but it isn’t without merit. Not only can this show off your knowledge of natural form, there’s also a lot of symbolism that can be drawn from it.

For example, you can use the Victorian flower language to develop your work: cultivating a unique message that shows the examiner that you’re aware of messages in art. You could also do flowers in stages of their life cycle to convey tone within the art – for example, decaying flowers can be used to show mourning or death.

Some examples of artists who do flowers include Georgia O’Keeffe and Claude Monet . You can find more information about Georgia O’Keeffe at the O’Keeffe Museum by clicking here .

While Monet focuses on a range of subjects, you can incorporate both his style of flowers and techniques into your art. If you would like to read more about Claude Monet, you can find more information at Claude Monet Gallery here .

If you like creating art of living beings that aren’t humans, animals are a creative way to express messages and deeper meanings. While there isn’t a codified set of meanings for animals, some animals are commonly associated with different emotions and settings .

Animal symbolism featured heavily in the Renaissance: ermines for purity, birds for sacrifice and resurrection, to name a couple. It’s useful to think of what you want the viewer to feel when planning out a piece of artwork . Do you want them to feel troubled, sad, happy, or angry?

This can be a good choice for those who are fond of their pets, or those who like animals in general. Some people might even go for a touch of surrealism and give human bodies animal heads or vice versa!

An example of an artist who paints animals is Marcia Baldwin, a fine artist who paints colourful oil paintings of animals and nature . To read more about her work, check out this page from her website!

If you’d like to lean into futurism and technology more, then robots might be the way for you. Personally, I found that robots allowed room to show examiners technical skill and detail, such as reflective surfaces, mechanical parts, and reimagined body parts.

Another interesting thing was taking organic forms and making them into metal structures – for example, I drew metal and robotic hearts and lungs to explore anatomy while keeping it on theme. By expanding on a topic, you can give yourself a lot more to work with when it’s time for your final piece . Additionally, there’s a lot of symbolism to be found with robots; themes like control, being similar to humans, and detachment. It’s definitely a theme that stands out.

The artist I chose to study for robots was Hajime Sorayama, an artist who uses airbrushes to make extremely detailed images of robots . Another good example is Makoto Kobayashi, an illustrator who focuses his work on mecha robots – more information can be found on Sabukaru Online here .

4. Childhood toys

A great way to show the passage of time and have interesting subjects is by focusing on toys and other childhood memories. Not only does this subject convey a lot of symbolism, it can also be very versatile to fit with different themes.

For example, with ‘Reflections’ it can mirror someone’s childhood or aspirations (lost or not) – and the condition of the toy can create a more emotive piece. With ‘Lock’, for example, you could also show toys being locked away as time goes on.

The artist I selected to study was Margaret Morrison, a realist and surrealist painter who explores the wonders of childhood through brightly coloured toys . Her smooth use of techniques also makes her work a valuable reference to study – check it out at Woodward Gallery by clicking here .

5. Sweets and food

Food and sweets are often underappreciated during GCSE Art as many students discredit them as ‘easy to draw’; on the contrary, it takes a lot of skill for food to be captured on paper. Food drawings can show the examiner technical and observational skill – just keep in mind to develop your art over a series of drawings of food, rather than just one!

Different foods can also contain a lot of symbolism: in different religions, cultures, and countries. For example, tangerines during the Chinese New Year represent good luck and abundance. Eating can also be representative of many things: jealousy and love being just a couple.

An artist who does still life of various foods and sweets is Sarah Graham – more information on her and other artists who cover food can be found here on The Art Teacher website.

6. Sculptures

There are many interesting statues that students can recreate on paper – one that might not be terribly common. If you’re interested in working in 3D mediums, sculptures are a great way to show the examiner a range of techniques that aren’t just limited to a page.

By focusing on various sculptures, you can incorporate various subject matters as sculptures cover a wide range of styles. If you’re into abstract art, there are plenty of interesting sculptures to cover.

3D mediums like clay, wood, or even metal can be used to develop your coursework and show a broader range of skill . If you’re interested in a Classical style of sculpture, you could check out Michelangelo’s sculptures like the Pieta and David.

Alternatively, you can check out some contemporary sculptors at Contemporary Art Issue here .

7. Woodwork

This ties into sculptures, but woodcarving is a great, ‘softer’ medium than stone and can show the examiner that you can utilise a range of mediums to achieve a result. If carving a whole statue isn’t your thing, you can try woodblock carving – either to stamp paper with or keep as a piece of art in itself.

An example of a cubist sculptor who works in wood is Ossip Zadkine, with an example of his work being Prometheus in 1930. More information about him and other wood sculptors can be found here at the Artsper blog.

8. Buildings and cityscapes

If you’re interested in architecture, looking at buildings and cityscapes can be a great way to explore that. Not only is there a range of building styles – Gothic, contemporary, modern, etc. – but focusing on buildings is a great way to show reflections of the time period.

Additionally, showing technical skill in things like perspective drawings and models is a great way to explore and develop your coursework further . An example of an artist is Catherine Yass, a photographer who creates colourful photographs focusing on the inside of buildings.

More information on her can be found here on the Cristea Roberts website.

9. Household objects

A great way to explore your surroundings and skills in observation is to focus on household objects in order to convey a personal connection to your art . By using objects personal to you and your household, it might be easier later on to decide on a final piece that’s personal to you.

Sketching and creating art of household objects can increase your proficiency in observation but also the different arrangements of objects can help your eye for composition . Additionally, everyone’s household objects are wholly different; this is a chance to show what represents you

An artist who does clay sculptures of pantry products is Mechelle Bounpraseuth – information on her can be found here on The Art Teacher. Another artist who does various products in a colourful and highly textured style is Raymond Logan – more is found here on his website.

10. Portraits

Looking at portraits and studying humans is a great way to show your understanding of art for natural form. Portraits are a great way to develop technical skill but also to develop a personal style. Examiners value portraits a lot as it can very distinctly show progress.

You can really explore with portraits as you can display a range of emotions, but also positions and forms that you can develop for pages and pages on end . For example, I explored various forms by looking at various reference websites and did double pages on them to bulk up my books.

An example of a photorealistic artist who does his portraits in biro is Oscar Ukonu – more information about him and other portrait artists can be found here on The Art Teacher website.

11. Insects

Insects are chock-full with symbols and allow students to capture natural forms while also boasting a wide variety of species and colours . As a subject matter, insects are definitely an interesting option that students can use to showcase a range of skills and technical knowledge.

When choosing subjects, it’s important to be able to expand on the topic . Insects come in all forms, so there’s definitely room to expand on any work! For some examples of further ideas, you could try studying just the wings of bees, or exploring the shine of a beetle’s carapace!

An artist who creates fascinating metal sculptures of insects is Mike Libby – more about him can be found on his personal website, linked here .

12. Reflective surfaces

Reflective surfaces are a great way to explore emotion and lighting – this applies to things like mirrors, lakes, glass, and more . While it looks cool, it can also allow you to develop important skills like being able to include depth in drawings.

Mirrors are a good way of expanding on ideas of deeper meanings – such as retrospection, or someone’s inner self. One of the key word themes for a past exam unit was “Reflections”, and while it’s not always literal, mirrors are a good place to start.

An surrealist artist who focuses on reflective surfaces and interesting reflections is M. C. Escher – you can read about him here on the National Gallery of Art website.

13. Nature and landscapes

If you like the outdoors, natures and landscapes is a good way to explore natural form and scenery . Looking at nature is extremely broad as it encompasses a wide range of terrains: cliffs, trees, leaves, lakes, etc. There’s certainly a lot of room for developing ideas!

Run wild! Looking at nature can help develop composition skills and also observational skills . As the subject varies a lot, you can look at different animals, natural monuments, and anything else that piques your interest.

Birds carry a lot of symbolism that can easily be used in your artwork. Not only can you develop your sketchbook with studies of wings or feathers in various medias, but you can also specifically look at certain birds that represent various things.

For example, doves represent peace and reconciliation, while crows bear ill omens in some traditions. One of the artists you could look at is Mark Powell, someone who not only does stunning images of birds in biro, but also portraits – check out his work at The Art Teacher here !

15. Skeletons and anatomy

Skeletons and anatomy can be a great way to show examiners that you understand form and the technical aspects of humans . For example, one of the artists I did for my art unit looked at hands – I developed my understanding by painting the skeletal components, then the muscular ones.

Looking at skeletons and anatomy and linking it to your artist (even if it isn’t someone who does look at skeletons) can help deepen your understanding for anatomy and how motion in humans works.

Some famous artists who looked at anatomy include Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo!

16. Storyboards

If you like telling stories visually through art while conveying messages more directly, why not try storyboards? Storyboards are what they sound like – drawings that map out a story . If you’re working with animals, humans or even objects, you can definitely tell a tale with them!

Storyboards are a great way to translate mediums into other uses . For example, when I did puppets and marionettes in Year 10, I included a story about a marionette’s journey to gain its freedom in the outside world.

Additionally, if your story has a cyclical structure (meaning it begins and ends in the same way), you can translate it onto a strip of paper that loops into a circle . This creates an infinite story!

17. Surrealism

If you like surprising people with your art and making them question it, why not try surrealism? Surrealism can be used to perplex people, while simultaneously being engaging for the viewer!

For example, when I was painting a traditional English breakfast, I decided to create a character made completely out of it: fried egg eyes, bacon hair, a mushroom nose etc. Placing elements meaningfully with the intent on creating questions is definitely something examiners notice!

Some examples of artists who use surrealism to convey various ideas are Rene Magritte (who can be found here at the Museum of Modern Art) and Salvador Dali (found here at the Museum of Modern Art).

18. Sewing and fashion

If you’re into clothes, looking at fashion is a great way to explore time periods and ideas through fabric. Not only does this show the examiner exploration of different mediums if you decide to actually do some sewing, but if you’re also drawing it shows technical skill through fabric folds and design!

Fashion helps reflect culture and ideas of different times. It can easily be developed by looking at similar fashion, or even trying your hand at designing your own! Additionally, you could expand on your work by doing studies on fabric folds and different weave and pattern types!

19. Light and candles

Lighting is definitely an interesting subject to study – it covers photography and many other disciplines you can easily explore . Lighting is very important in art as it plays a big role in things like composition and depth, therefore it’s a valuable thing to focus on.

This can be explored through many ways – using candles, ordinary lamps or even just a flashlight to take photos of various forms . You can use those photos to draw from or paint from – different mediums for the same photo shows development as well!

Hands are a fascinating way of looking at organic forms and engaging in expressive art. You can easily reference your own hands for drawing – something that makes it easier to observe how different positions convey different moods.

There is also a lot of weight carried in someone’s hands – clasped could indicate anxiousness or worry, whereas open palms could represent shock or joy. When paired with other elements, like an object with personal meaning, a whole message can be conveyed through hands .

An artist who focused on hands later in his life was Henry Moore, a 20 th century artist who believed feelings of an artist were conveyed through their hands. More about him can be found on the Tate website here .

21. Emotions

This is a topic that is pretty simple to develop – looking at various emotions and how you can represent them in your art. It encompasses everything from expressions, colours, subject matters, and composition.

It can be worthwhile to look at as it can help establish an even deeper message in your final piece. It can also help develop understanding in colour theory, expressions, and other aspects of art.

23. Instruments

Instruments are a great way of adding liveliness and engaging in various culture and music. If you’re a musician, or even just a fan of how instruments look, then this might be an interesting subject for you.

With a wide range of instruments available around the world, there is plenty of material to observe and develop . Some instruments also play heavy roles in various cultures, which can be something you can lean on if you’re from a particular culture.

Certain instruments may also be personal to you! If you would like to see some various illustrations of instruments in art – and also the artist – you can check out the Google Arts and Culture page here to see different representations of music.

24. Family and friends

Often, people choose to draw their family and friends as they have a deep connection with the subject – it usually makes things easier when thinking of a final piece. Friends and family can be readily available to use as references if necessary.

Additionally, studying people you know and see in real life can improve your anatomy perception and increase your understanding of planes of both the face and body . Having a live model will certainly make understanding 3D bodies a lot easier!

25. Fantasy creatures

If you’re interested in mythology or fantasy creatures in general, it’s entirely possible to translate that as a topic in your book. You can use already-existing interpretations of creatures, or even fashion your own out of source material.

Not only is this a cool way to express yourself, but if you’re using traditional figures from mythology, then it’s a form of visual language conveying hidden messages. For example, an interpretation of Athena (maybe as an owl or olive tree) can be used to indicate wisdom.

If you would like to see some artists inspired by mythology, you can check out this article from the Tate Gallery to read more about them!

26. Ships and the sea

Looking at the vast sea and tools of navigation can be used to showcase the might of the ocean and humanity’s attempts to make a little bit of the unknown known. There’s plenty to explore – the fish, the beach, the depths, light in the water, and many others!

Some artists who paint the sea include Winslow Homer and Katsushika Hokusai, both of whom can be found on the Art Wolf website here !

27. Technique pages (various techniques)

Showing thought processes and progress is a vital part of GCSE Art. By not constraining yourself to a single medium and technique, the examiner can see a clear variety in your work that shows development .

Some examples of different mediums include watercolours, acrylics, pencils, biro, lino printing, oil painting, chalk, oil pastels, woodwork, clay sculpting, photography, ink drawings and monoprint.

A good way to showcase developments and bulk up your book is to make several double pages on different techniques . For example, I used about six pages to make lino prints in a range of colours, with various comments on the colours and how they affect the piece.

Another way to bulk up your book is to experiment with textured surfaces – I was a fan of using cardboard and sticking it in with paintings on them! You can use newsprint, sugar paper, card, and even fabric! Showing a large range of mediums shows examiners your dedication and proficient skills.

How to annotate

One of the most important things you can do in your sketchbooks is annotating. With every piece of art you create, you should write about your process .

This can tackle things like thoughts while creating, challenges you overcame, techniques and mediums used, as well as the intended effect on the viewer. For each exam board, annotating is part of the Area Objectives ; this means you get graded on your input in this area.

When choosing an artist, make sure to annotate at least one of their artworks: discussing various techniques and effects on viewers . There should be writing with each piece talking about each process – planning, during the process, and thoughts after.

You should also include artists when writing information about your own pieces – such as if they inspired you, what elements of yours and theirs are similar, whether there were any techniques of theirs you tried out.

If you would like to read more about planning and other tips on getting a 9 in GCSE Art, check out this article from Think Student on the topic!

Final piece tips

It’s perfectly normal to not have thought much about your final piece when first starting each GSCE module. What matters most during this time is cultivating various ideas that you could possibly use later on when planning it out.

You can’t use a subject in your final piece if you’ve never linked it to your main theme before. For example, if your focus was on sweets and food, you can’t decide to suddenly include butterflies in your piece without first linking the two.

With that in mind, if you know you want to go down a certain direction for your final piece, make sure you have a variety of sources to choose from . Choose your artists based on what you’re drawn to and want to incorporate eventually, and link as many topics with your artist as you can.

For example, from a single Van Gogh painting on angels, I explored that theme as much as possible even though it was only a single artwork. I translated the painting, studied wings, biblically accurate angels and explored ways of depicting them. Link all you do back to your artists!

What should you do if you’re struggling with ideas for a piece?

If you’re struggling to find any sort of idea of what you want to do, you could start by thinking about how the theme makes you feel. For example, our theme ‘Lock’ seemed gloomy, so that’s what I chose to make the examiner feel by creating a tragic story between my subjects.

Think of subjects you’ve been collecting in your sketchbook – are there any you could link together to create that feeling? If you feel like it’s missing anything, you could try link those things to your artist so you’ve got them in your sketchbook.

Maybe it still doesn’t feel like enough to you. If that’s the case, try creating a little story of things that are personal to you. Compile a list of objects you’d be interested in including, and make sure you’ve developed them in your book and linked them back to each artist.

If you’re still extremely stuck, you could look around online galleries and exhibitions for ideas – you can get inspiration for techniques, compositions, and subjects! You could also try talking to your art teacher, who can help with finding rough compositions and subject ideas!

The Art Teacher

Art Lesson Ideas, Plans, Free Resources, Project Plans, and Schemes of Work. An 'outstanding' art teacher in Greater Manchester. Teaching KS3 and KS4 art and design.

Grade 9 GCSE Art Examples

As it is so challenging for students to achieve a Grade 9 in GCSE Art & Design, I thought it would be useful to share some Grade 9 Art project examples. If you’re wondering how to get a Grade 9 in GCSE art, these projects might be able to help!

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*UPDATE!* I have added more full Grade 9 Art & Design projects to this presentation – there are now FIVE projects to have a look at. Enjoy!

I usually have students work on design sheets so these are photographs of all the design sheets and any final pieces the students made. I was so impressed with their work and with how much effort the students put in! Anyone who teaches (or has done GCSE art) will know it is REALLY difficult to get the top grades and takes a lot of hard work.

There are five Grade 9 full project examples on the presentation, including sheets of student’s secondary and primary research and artist research. As I tell my students, the focus should always be on the quality of their work rather than the quantity in order to achieve high grades in art. Although, of course, they need have enough work to meet all of the four assessment objectives (I currently teach for the AQA exam board.)

I have also included all of the student’s observational / working drawings, development work, experimentation, plans and final pieces. I have added close up images of the Grade 9 observational drawing work so you can use the presentation to show your own students if you wish.

I have chosen very different exam projects so you can see a full range of techniques and approaches to the different exam questions. The projects are a mix of coursework and the externally set exam by AQA.

I have added titles to each of the slides in ‘student speak’ so your students can clearly see examples of what each stage of a Grade 9 art project looks like. All of the annotations should be legible too!

Finally, I have included photographs of all of the final pieces completed in the 10 hour exam / controlled assessment. As well as the final pieces, I have included close up images so you can clearly see the details and quality of the work. In total, there are 85 slides with examples of Grade 9 GCSE art projects.

Since some of these art projects were for the externally set exam, the marks made up 40% of the total grade. All students achieved a Grade 9, but that is also including the 60% coursework component.

That means that not every single drawing or experiment in the presentation is a grade 9 . This is important as students can refine their work by recognising what has not gone well and move forward using only their best work! This is tricky to get across to students but hopefully using this presentation will help. I have used it with my own classes and found it useful.

If you would like a copy of the Grade 9 Art presentation for free, just leave a comment and I will share it with your email address! Thanks, I hope this is useful 🎨

Could you make a small donation to help keep this site free? It is getting more expensive to keep online – thanks!

Sharing is caring

206 thoughts on “ grade 9 gcse art examples ”.

Hi! Looks amazing, would love to have a copy if possible as I am currently doing my exam project.

Thanks so much.

Like Liked by 1 person

Hi, yes of course! Hopefully this will help your students through their exams – it’s a stressful time.

These are great. Please could I have a copy too?

Yes of course, I just sent it 🙂

Superb ideas

Hi , this is really helpful advice and resources. Thanks for posting. Could you please send me a copy?

Hi, you’re welcome! Thanks for your message 🙂 I just shared it.

Hi, thanks! I still use it too with my students 🙂 I’ve just shared it!

These resources are WONDERFUL! Thank you for posting them.

You’re welcome! Thanks for your lovely comment 🙂

Really find this site useful! Could I please have a copy to show my GCSE Art students.

I’m really glad it’s helpful 🙂 I just sent the presentation.

Hi , I would love a copy to show my students- thanks.

Hi, no probs – I just sent it over 🙂

Great! thanks so much, a wonderful resource.

This is great and useful to show the students, especially the not everything has to be perfect!

Thanks for your comment! I just sent it over – hopefully it’s helpful for your students. I use it all the time with my GCSE Art classes 🙂

This is really beautiful work! It would be really beneficial to show my students the jouney and development of some great projects 🙂

Hi – I just shared it, I hope your students find it useful! Mine tend to get a better understanding of what is expected when I go through this 🙂

I love this! Would I be able to be sent a copy?

I’m glad you like it 🙂 I have just shared it with you!

this looks so helpful! My daugher is near the end of year 10 and woudl love to see the presentation

I just shared it – I hope your daughter finds it useful!

This would be really useful for my daughter in Y10.

This is amazing and would help my students a lot. Could you please share the presentation with me?

Hi, yes of course, I just sent it 🙂

Many thanks for this 🙂

Love your work – I looking to support my daughter whose work is incredible but she’s not finding her teacher very supportive

I have just shared it – I hope your daughter finds it helpful!

Really well put together. I am sure it will be helpful for many students. Thank you so much for sharing.

Thank you! I just sent it over 🙂

Thank you for sharing. So so helpful. If not too late please could I see a copy of the full presentation?

You’re welcome! And it’s not too late 🙂 I just shared it.

Hi, can I please get a copy? Thank you.

Hi, yes of course – I just sent it 🙂

Very comprehensive and informative. Brilliant post. New to the art teaching world so this would be amazing to have a copy to show students.

Thanks so much for your comment! I’ve just shared it, best wishes for your new career!

This is so inspiring! I am a new teacher and I’d love a free copy of the grade 9 art presentation. Thank you

Thanks for your comment, I’m glad you find it helpful! I just emailed it to you 🙂

Fabulous stuff, would love a copy of the presentation to support a friend’s daughter who is doing her Art GCSE!

Hi, no problem, I just sent it! Best of luck to your friend’s daughter 🙂

Hey there, thank you for such an excellent resource, this would be great in helping me support my daughter who is doing her Art GCSE.

Thanks for your comment! I just sent it – best of luck to your daughter 🙂

This is very useful. Please could we have a copy. Thx!

Hi, yes of course – I just shared it.

Please can you send a copy of the gcse presentation, thanks

I have just shared it with you – thanks!

Please could I have a copy of the presentation. Thx!

I have just shared it 🙂

Sorry I got a message to say it couldn’t be sent to your email address – please double check you’ve given the correct email?

Hi! We would love a copy of your presentation. It would be so helpful!

I just sent it – hope it helps!

Very interesting, thank you. Please may I have the copy?

Would love this! please could I have a copy?

Yes, no problem!

Fabulous resource, pease could I have a copy

This is a great idea, please could I have a copy. Thank you

Thanks! I just sent it over.

Hi, can I get a copy to share with students please.

Hi, I have just shared it 🙂 thanks.

This is really helpful. Please may I have a copy?

Hi, yes of course, I have sent it over.

Hi, please could I get a copy for my son? He has not had an art teacher for most of his GCSE time and is getting very concerned about completing his coursework! Many thanks

Sorry to hear that – hopefully this will help him out a bit 🙂

Hi, I would love a copy, thank you!

I have just shared it with you – enjoy!

Such a great inspiration for teachers, parents and pupils…thank you for taking the time to put all this together xx

Thanks so much, glad you appreciate it 🙂 I just shared it.

Please could I have a copy? Thanks so much.

Yes, I have just shared it 🙂 hope it’s helpful!

Hello! So pleased to come across these examples. Please could you share the full set with me?

Thanks! Happy to help out, I just sent them over 🙂

Hi, I would like a copy please. Thank you.

No problem, I just shared it.

Please could I have a copy? I would find it very useful, thankyou.

Thank you for doing this, some fabulous original ideas. I would love a copy please, I think it will help a number of students looking for more information.

Thanks! It’s all the student’s work so credit to them 🙂

Could this non-arty mum have a copy please? It would be very helpful, thanks.

Of course! And there’s no such thing as non-arty 🙂 there’s no right or wrong!

This is extremely helpful! Please could I have a copy sent across? Thankyou in advance 🙂

I have just sent it over, hope it helps you out!

Hi! What a wonderful idea to share examples in this way as it’s so difficult to know what to do to achieve the top grades! Please could you send me the slideshow? Many thanks!

Thanks for your comment! I have just shared it, I hope it’s helpful.

hi these are great, could I get a copy? X

Thanks! I have sent it to you 🙂

this is invaluable, would be ever so grateful of a new copy as an ECT. Many thanks

No problem 🙂 congrats on becoming an ECT too!

Would love a copy please! 🙂

I just shared it 🙂

I would really appreciate a copy please. There is nothing like seeing examples!

I have just sent it – I hope it helps!

would really appreciate a copy! Thanks

No problem, I just shared it 🙂

Hi, this looks great, please could I get a copy

Thanks! I just shared it with you 🙂

This looks amazing, could I have a copy, please? It will really help guide my students through their GCSEs

Hi, yes of course! Hope it helps your students out 🙂

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Making and teaching art. Based in Manchester. View all posts by art_teacher_mcr

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Essay Writing Guide

Last updated on: Jun 28, 2024

Art Topics - 200+ Brilliant Ideas to Begin With

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Reviewed By: Rylee W.

Published on: Apr 23, 2019

Are you a student struggling to find interesting and engaging art topics for your assignments or projects?

The world of art is vast and diverse, offering countless possibilities for exploration and creative expression. However, with so many options available, it can be overwhelming to narrow down your focus. But fret not, as we're here to help you navigate this artistic maze! 

In this blog, we will provide you with a curated list of fascinating art topics that will inspire your creativity and make your assignments stand out. Whether you're interested in exploring different art movements or delving into the cultural and historical significance of art, we've got you covered.

So let’s get started!

On this Page

Art Topics For Students

Here are some engaging art topics to write about that will spark your creativity and deepen your understanding of the artistic world.

• The Impressionist movement and its impact on art.
• Exploring the use of color in abstract art.
• The influence of nature in landscape painting.
• The evolution of portraiture throughout history.
• The symbolism in still life paintings.
• The role of art in social and political activism.
• Exploring different art mediums: painting, sculpture, photography, etc.
• The connection between art and emotions.
• Exploring cultural diversity in art.
• The representation of mythology in art.

Art Topics for Elementary Students

Here's a table with three columns containing art topics suitable for grades 3, 4, and 5:

History Art Topics

We always turn back and refer to history in hopes of avoiding past mistakes and learning new things. The same goes for art history. It provides us with a great number of exciting subjects and topics.

You can write about any art movement, time period, and school, talk about their origin and uniqueness, etc. Following are some amazing topics related to history that can help you draft an exceptional piece of writing. 

• Egyptians used the same art canon for 3000 years. Why?
• The history and techniques used in printmaking.
• What is the philosophy of art? Explain the relationship between art and philosophy.
• African countries and the return of cultural property post World War II.
• Discuss primeval musical instruments.
• Stained glass in Medieval France.
• Venetian carnival masks and their history.
• Human sacrifice in Mayan culture and its depiction in art.
• Components of sculptures in Ancient Greece.
• Draw a comparison between Egyptian and Mesoamerican pyramids.
• The history and origin of Greek theater.
• Biblical motives in the early paintings of Leonardo da Vinci.
• The significance of Christian symbols in Renaissance art.
• The beauty standards of Renaissance women.
• The significance of Raphael’s work.

Art Topics on Artist Bibliography

Artist’s bibliographies make up for interesting essay topics. You never know what you might find going deep into their personal and professional lives, struggles, childhood, and their thinking and ideas.

We have gathered a list of artists from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, respectively, for you to choose for your upcoming art essay.

18th Century

• William Blake
• Francisco Goya
• J. M. W. Turner
• Samuel Morse
• Jacques-Louis David
• Eugene Delacroix
• Thomas Gainsborough
• Mikhail Lomonosov
• John James Audubon
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Katsushika Hokusai
• Marie Tussaud
• E. T. A. Hoffmann
• Grandma Moses

19th Century

• Vincent Willem Van Gogh
• Claude Manet
• Gustav Klimt
• Rabindranath Tagore
• Henri-Émile-Benoît Matisse
• Hilaire Germain Edgar
• Auguste Renoir
• Georges Seurat
• Alfred Sisley
• Edgar Degas
• Paul Cezanne
• John Everett Millais
• Frederic Remington
• Thomas Lawrence
• Adolf Menzel

20th Century

• Louise Bourgeois
• Marcel Duchamp
• Frida Kahlo
• Pablo Picasso
• Judy Chicago
• Cindy Sherman
• Andy Warhol
• Henry Spencer Moore
• Georgia Totto O’Keeffe
• Alberto Giacometti
• David Smith
• Vanessa Bell
• Frank Lloyd Wright
• Benny Andrews

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Art Topics on Different Epochs

The 18th century was an era of lavish architecture and musicians.

• Influence of industrial revolution on art development.
• Late Baroque architecture.
• Rococo interior design.
• Importance of Denis Diderot’s critiques of French art in the 18th century.
• Neoclassicism sculpture: A combination of new and old ideas.
• Comparison between Baroque and Rococo art designs.
• Well-known composers of First Viennese School.
• Marquis de Sade and its contribution to literature.
• Significance of Denis Diderot’s criticism of French Art.
• History of the famous Eugene Delacroix’s paintings.

The work of the artists of the 19th century.

• Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night and its colorists.
• Why is the carving of the Veiled Virgin by Giovanni Strazza so special?
• How were the Victorian beauty standards portrayed in their art?
• Monet’s Sunrise: what is so special about the light?
• Dancing paintings by Edgar Degas.
• Changes in the methodology of Impressionism paintings.
• Artists and their depiction of Victorian beauty standards.
• The relation between Goya’s prints and French caricatures.
• The historical significance of Francisco de Goya’s paintings.
• Paul Gauguin's savage art.

20th-century movements

• Art Deco and Art Nouveau: similarities and differences.
• Surrealism in Salvador Dali’s sculptures.
• Basic principles of futurism.
• Frida Kahlo’s paintings and the most commonly used symbol in them.
• Techniques used in Jackson Pollock’s art?
• The Kiss by Gustav Klimt: discuss its styles.
• Jasper Johns Flag: realistic and artificial motifs.
• Futurism and its basic principles.
• Unusual techniques in the art of Jackson Pollock.
• Evolution of mannerism in Pablo Picasso’s paintings.

Art Therapy Topics

Art therapy is a worthwhile resource to explore. Here is an interesting list of art therapy topic ideas that you can consider before starting your writing process.

• Art therapy as an industry.
• Art Therapy a Form of Psychotherapy.
• Art Therapy in Abused Children.
• Art for Communities and Families.
• Art therapy and the creative process.
• Benefits of art therapy.
• Art Therapy in Group Setting.
• Art Therapy in Children and its Effectiveness.
• Quantitative Research in Art Therapy.
• The Power of Art Therapy.
• Techniques Used For Art Therapy.
• Losing Yourself in Art.
• Art Therapy Resources.
• Art Therapy Activities.
• Art therapy and mental health.

Art Debate Topics

Coming up with an interesting Art debate topic can be tricky. There are a number of things that you need to consider when coming up with an interesting topic. Following are some of the unique  debate topics  ideas that you can consider choosing.

• Should abstract be considered a type of art?
• Should art be recognized more academically?
• Should kids draw horror art?
• The purpose of art.
• Is it possible to appreciate art without liking it?
• Art vs. Design.
• How important is art for children's education?
• How art affects and reflects the world.
• Is Art Really Necessary Anymore?
• Was Hitler’s contribution to the arts powerful?
• Modern art and its legitimacy.
• Critiquing styles of Harold Rosenberg and Clement Greenberg.
• The uniqueness of Russian artists.
• How is primitivism real art?

Art Persuasive Speech Topics

When given to come up with a persuasive speech, it is often up to students to choose a topic.

Choosing the right topic is not an easy task. Here you can find some of the interesting art persuasive speech topic ideas to help you start the process.

• Do some pets pose a danger to the community?
• Is battery farming ethical?
• Why should art classes be enforced in all public schools?
• How can one benefit from having a pet?
• What makes a dog a perfect pet?
• How are dolphins important to the environment?
• Reasons why you should not raise wild animals as pets
• What we lose when animals go extinct.
• Reasons why students should be taught to play musical instruments in school.
• Significance of learning different languages.
• Why should graffiti be considered art?
• Why should museums be free for citizens?
• Significance of cultural art education in schools
• Effectiveness of music therapy.
• How cultural interactions can make people successful professionally?

You can also explore articles to find more  persuasive speech topic ideas  on  5StarEssays.com  and write compelling essays.

Art Topics on Different Cultures

• How has pop art influenced American culture?
• Styles and material used in Japanese calligraphy.
• How does the henna pattern differ in the Middle East, India, and Africa?
• Asian tribes: their fashion and textile.
• Maori culture: war dance haka.
• Bollywood and the Hindi film industry.
• Why should inappropriate language in English literature be removed?
• Bollywood dance routines Vs. Americans.
• History and significance of pop music culture.
• Why should art therapy be covered in medical health insurance in different parts of the world?
• Pros and cons of watching Sci-Fi films.
• Comparison between the romantic comedy of Hollywood Vs. Bollywood.
• Features of Irani cinema.
• Significance of sitar in Hindu culture.
• Contemporary dance forms in different cultures.

Art Topics on Ancient Civilization

• Influence of science on Ancient Greek sculptures
• Explain the main reasons for the shift in Roman artistic style in the 4th century.
• The Great Wall of China and its construction.
• Women and Politics in Ancient Rome.
• Female representation in Ancient Art.
• Art and architecture in Ancient Times.
• The story behind the art and architecture of Ancient Rome.
• Describe Ancient Greek literature and theater.
• Contribution of Ancient Civilizations to the modern art
• Depiction of beauty in Ancient Art

Art Research Paper Topics

Despite the fact that art cannot be measured with figures as its value depends on personal impressions, it still can be a subject for research.

It is quite a challenging task to study something full of emotions. But don’t worry, as there is much credible data that you can include in your research paper only if you choose the right topic.

Following are some of the interesting topic ideas that you can choose to start with.

• Gothic and Neo-Gothic.
• Comparison of Nazi and Soviet art.
• Can abstract art be decoded?
• The art of disgusting.
• Bauhaus movement.
• Surrealist movement.
• Photography as art.
• History and origin of Abstract Expressionism.
• Similarities and differences between Claude Monnet and Edouard Manet.
• How cultural identity affects the creation of art?
• Breaking stereotypes through art and literature.
• Limitations of the performance art.
• Mysterious photography and artwork of Vivian Maier.
• Jazz music of the 19th century.
• Hidden meanings in the famous paintings.

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Modern Art Topics

Modern art consists of interesting movements, styles, and forms. Choose any of the below topics to write on.

• The abstract expressionism movement.
• Pablo Picasso, founder of cubism.
• Impressionism Vs. Cubism.
• Development of American pop art.
• Is contemporary art merely a way for greedy capitalists to make money?
• Political cartoons as an art form.
• Are people scared of modern art?
• History and techniques of printmaking.
• The definition of “Philosophy of Arts.”
• The artistic styles of Art Deco.

Art History Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Writing a compare and contrast essay isn’t easy, but it allows you to learn a great deal about different time periods, artists and their work and movements, etc.

• Picasso’s blue and rose periods: similarities and differences.
• Baroque and Rococo design styles: compare and analyze.
• Traditional vs. Modern Caribbean music.
• Renaissance vs. Baroque Epoch
• What are the main differences between Picasso and Leonardo Da Vinci?
• Roman Vs. Greek mythology.
• Venus de Milo Vs. The Thinker.
• Similarities and differences between the artworks of the 18th and 19th centuries.
• The artwork of India and Africa.
• Styles and techniques of painting landscapes.

We have added a variety of more compare and contrast essay topics in this blog; go check it out.

Art Argumentative Essay Topics

• The most significant piece of art of the 20th century and why?
• Graffiti art or vandalism?
• Banksy artist or vandal?
• What contributed to making Paris a center of art in the 20th century?
• Why do we need art in our lives?
• Why is TV becoming obsolete?
• Significance of print media in current times.
• Advantages of listening to classical music.
• How painting can help treat mental illnesses.

Need more argumentative essay topics? Check out our blog on  argumentative essay topics .

Cause and Effect Essay Topics on Art

• Did iconoclasm affect Muslim art, and how?
• Causes of the decline of art in Medieval Europe?
• How has the cultural revolution influenced Chinese art?
• The invention of the printing press changed the status of the mass media. Examples must be provided to support your position.
• Raphael’s influence on the art of the Renaissance.
• Influence of Hitler’s work on literature.
• Influence of WWI of art.
• Influence of WWII on literature.
• How the work of William Blake paved the path for modern art?
• How did art influence the people during Hitler’s time?

Art Topics For Presentation

• The evolution of street art: From graffiti to mainstream acceptance.
• The impact of technology on contemporary art.
• Art therapy: The healing power of creativity.
• Women artists throughout history: Challenging gender norms and making their mark.
• Exploring cultural appropriation in art: Appreciation vs. exploitation.
• Art and environmental activism: Raising awareness through creative expression.
• The influence of ancient civilizations on modern art.
• Art as a form of storytelling: Narrative elements in visual arts.
• The role of art museums in preserving and promoting artistic heritage.
• The intersection of art and science: The fusion of creativity and innovation.

Performing Arts Topics

• The influence of dance in different cultures
• The evolution of musical theater
• The impact of technology on contemporary dance performances.
• The portrayal of social issues in modern dance
• The role of improvisation in theater
• Exploring different styles of classical music
• The significance of costume design in theater
• How music influences our feelings and experiences.
• The power of storytelling through puppetry
• The fusion of traditional and contemporary elements in multicultural performances.

Literary Arts Topics

• Exploring the use of symbols to convey deeper meanings.
• The evolution of the novel: From its early forms to modern genres.
• The impact of postcolonial literature
• Exploring magical realism in literature: Blending reality and the fantastical.
• The role of satire in social critique
• Women writers and the feminist literary movement
• The portrayal of mental health in literature
• The influence of mythology in contemporary literature
• Analyzing the portrayal of bleak future societies.
• The power of storytelling in oral traditions

Art and Society Topics

• Art as a vehicle for social change
• How art shapes and revitalizes communities.
• Exploring the intersection of art, capitalism, and consumer culture.
• Analyzing instances of art being censored or restricted due to societal or political factors.
• Examining the benefits and challenges of arts education in schools.
• Exploring the therapeutic benefits of engaging with art.
• How artists express and challenge notions of race, gender, sexuality, and culture.
• Examining the relationship between art, digital media, and technological advancements.
• Exploring how artists respond to and raise awareness about ecological issues.
• Analyzing art projects that promote dialogue, collaboration, and inclusivity within communities.

Art Topics for Personal Development

• Art journaling for self-reflection and growth
• The power of imagination and artistic expression to manifest personal goals and aspirations.
• Exploring art techniques as a form of meditation and cultivating present moment awareness.
• Using art-making as a means to reduce stress, promote relaxation, and enhance well-being.
• Creating visual representations of personal stories and experiences.
• Using different art mediums to process and communicate emotions.
• Utilizing collage or mixed media techniques to visually represent personal goals and aspirations.
• Engaging in artistic activities to explore personal identity, values, and beliefs.
• Using art-making as a means to cope with and overcome challenges and adversity.
• Experimenting with different art styles and mediums to discover one's unique artistic voice.

Miscellaneous Art Essay Topics

• Contemporary artists, you like and why?
• What is your opinion on true art: what is it?
• If you are an artist, how would you explain your kind of art to others?
• Does life and nature influence art?
• What are your views on art therapy?
• Difference between a French and American artist.
• History and evaluation of animation
• Significance of censorship
• Origin of Crop art
• Urban sculptures and their significance
• What is fiber art?
• The emergence of textile arts
• History of graphic novels
• Interactive art of modern times
• Introduction and significance of tramp art?

In conclusion, choosing an art topic is an important and personal decision for an art student. It's a process that involves self-reflection, exploration, and experimentation. By reflecting on your interests, researching, and seeking inspiration, you can discover the subjects that truly ignite your creativity. 

Remember, there's no right or wrong answer when it comes to art topics. The key is to follow your passion and enjoy the journey of artistic exploration. 

So, whichever topic you choose, just add it to our AI essay generator and get an AI essay for reference. 

Or, if you need help writing a high-quality paper, feel free to contact 5StarEssays.com expert essay writers. Simply request ‘ write my essay ’ and get assistance for all types of academic essays and papers. 

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IGCSE Art: Year 1

The first two terms of year one in the course will be focused on developing skills in drawing, painting, mixed media (collage), digital art and 3d (sculpture).  Students will explore a range of dry and wet media while researching key art movements that have impacted the art world over time.  Term 3 is typically split between a unit on Figures & Portraits and beginning the Component 1: Coursework .

Below is a predicted layout for the first year of the IGCSE program.

3 (1st half)

3 (2nd half)

Topics / Skills Covered

Still-life :

Students will learn to draw still-life objects from direct observation. They will explore the visual elements of art- line, tone, shape and form whilst studying natural and organic forms. They will learn to use a variety of media such as pens, pencils, graphite and charcoal. They will learn about the history and characteristics of Cubism and make a final painting in a Cubist style using mixed media and collage.

Spaces and Places :

Students will start to explore the theme in a personal and individual way through direct observation and photographs. They will create paintings in watercolours, acrylics, pastels and other media. They will use colour theory to create colour schemes and use colour in an expressive manner. Students will create a final piece of the project in 8 hours as an assessment. 

Figures and Portraits :

Students will learn how to draw portraits and figures with accuracy. They will use rules of proportion and create a series of sketches involving figurative elements.

IGCSE Coursework Project :

Students start the coursework project for IGCSE Art & Design. They start by choosing a theme and gathering and recording images from direct observation. This is worth 50% of their IGCSE grade. 

Within this project students will experiment with a variety of images, media and techniques and demonstrate the development of an idea from start to a final resolved piece.

How Artists Capture Environments:

How Artists Explore Identity:

At the beginning of the coursework you will be asked to select a theme which will be the focus of your work for the next year.  Consider your theme carefully and aim to choose one that is of personal interest to you.

Choosing a theme may be more difficult than it sounds.  You might begin with this simple 3 step process:

Brainstorm             Evaluate           Narrow it down

For additional resources on theme development and a comprehensive list of artist's by themes click here

Full list  of themes

Here are examples for  Component 1.   There is no order nor have marks been assigned; just a variety of prior student work. ​

example 7 

example 8 

It is important that both Component 1 and 2 progress thematically with unity between each sheet.  Although there is no set format for how this is to be done, I instruct my students to follow idea progress based on the Elements of Art .  Use this document here to add structure and maintain organization between sheets.

Use these links for an in depth view on how to develop a final work: ​

A* Coursework

Compositional layout

Top Marks in the World

If you are interested in a Surrealistic approach, look into the following links:  

Intro to Surrealism

Surrealism ppt

Speed drawing in pencil

My Surreal Room

Speed painting

Simple box figure

Citing Sources

PDF File Download

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This is a place to ask specific, non divisive, close ended questions.

Need advice on an Art Coursework- what do I do?

Long-story short: I've fumbled on my work management, and realise I have an Art Coursework due this week-

It goes towards 60% of my Art grade- the task essentially was a Journal summarising my Summer- with drawings, dates, etc-

Now because I discovered this late, I can't prepare a dated journal with a day to day update- so I'm preparing one art piece to summarise my whole summer in one- how should I go about it? Any ideas for its presentation etc?

Also lmk if this could go in any other Subreddits, I'm in need of a lot of advice xD

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• Research Proposal
• Math Problems
• Proofreading
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• Cover Letter Writing
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• Discussion Board Post

50+ Photo Essay Topics for A+ Essays

Table of Contents

While most academic assignments involve writing, photo essays involve writing and photography. These assignments utilize images and words to convey messages.

When writing these essays, you’ll need photo essay ideas for students to inspire your paper. Do you need sizzling photo essay ideas for your next photo essay? Keep reading this post for photo essay ideas to jump-start your papers.

What is a Photo Essay ?

We would like to define this assignment before delving into photo essay topics for students . A photography paper is a written assignment that uses photos to tell a story or make a point. Unlike other assignments, it heavily relies on images to communicate one’s message. You can use these papers to:

• Convey news stories.
• Create awareness about critical issues.
• Share personal experiences.
• Document places or events.
• Highlight the works of artists or photographers.

Tips for Selecting Photo Essay Topics

Like other essay assignments, a photo essay requires you to have tantalizing photography essay topics that make you want to write and your readers want to read your papers. Here are tips to help you choose a good topic.

Your Interests

Since photography is a wide field, you can’t be genuinely interested in all its rich diversity. Therefore, choose a topic that resonates with your passion, for instance, street or family photography. 

Narrow Your Topic

Narrow all potential argumentative photo essay topics to enable you to discuss them fully. Otherwise, an overly general topic will give you difficulties because you might not exhaust it within your assignment’s word count. 

Your Audience’s Interests 

Lastly, all potential photo essay ideas should align with your target readers. Write about something your readers can and want to read about. 

Top Family Photo Essay Topics

Don’t struggle again to find good topics for your family photography essay. Here are great photo essay ideas for high school students . 

• The best sites for family photography.
• Blunders to avoid when shooting family photos.
• Strategies to make family photographing more fun.
• Using family photo sessions to create lasting memories.
• How to use family photographs to deepen family bonds? 
• The history of family photography.
• Trends in family photography.
• Insights for managing children during family photoshoots. 
• Shooting family photos in the home.
• How to shoot family photos during vacation.

A Day in the Life Photo Essay Topics

Do you want topics for photo essay regarding the life of an individual? Here are photo essay ideas to give you a good head start.

• Insights to do better a day in the life photos.
• Planning for a day in the life of photography.
• Managing settings when shooting photos.
• A day in the life of a student at home.
• A day in the life of a student at school.
• A day in the life of a working mom.
• A day in the life of a stay-at-home mother.
• A day in the life of a teacher.
• A day in the life of a rural farmer.
• A day in the life of a CEO.

10 Street Style Photo Essay Topics

Taking photos in the streets can be challenging. Do you want easy photo essay ideas to guide you in your essay? Here are photo essay topic ideas for your inspiration. 

• Privacy and photography in public places.
• Mastering street-style photos at night.
• Discuss different types of street photography.
• Mastering the art of documentary street photography.
• Strategies for improving urban landscape photography.
• Avoiding distractions in street photography.
• Tips on how to master street photography angles.
• Capturing gestures in street photos.
• Posing ideas for better street photographs.
• Blunders to avoid when capturing photos in the streets.

10 Architectural Photo Essay Topics

Finding suitable photo essay topics for students who want to write about architectural photography is easy. Here are photo essay ideas to inspire you. 

• Challenges facing architectural photography.
• The history of architectural photography.
• How is AI transforming architectural photography?
• Trends in architectural photography.
• Mistakes to avoid in architectural photography.
• How to sharpen your architectural photography skills? 
• Technologies that are transforming architectural photography.
• Comparing and contrasting architectural photography with other genres.
• Strategies for a successful career as an architectural photographer. 
• Mastering camera settings for better architectural photography. 

Top History of Photography Culture Photo Essay Topics

Do you want photography essay topics related to photography history? Below are sample ideas for photo essays to jump-start your next assignment. 

• Photography: Exploring a rich cultural history.
• Understanding the history of war photography.
• Exploring color photography and its history.
• Tracking social documentary photography then and now.
• Reliving the great depression in photos.
• How has the invention of the first camera changed the world?
• How has the invention of digital cameras changed photography?
• Top ways portrayal of war has impacted on modern photography.

Photo Essay Example

So far, we’ve discussed ideas and shared sample topics. Below is an excerpt from a model essay to inspire you.

Ethics and Photo Manipulation

It’s critical to Identify the main factors that influence young readers’ acceptance of digital news photo manipulation. Thus, it’s critical to discuss digital ethics related to photo manipulation in the digital era. 

Specifically, people need to understand and examine what affects young readers’ rejection or acceptance of digitally altered news images. A few key influencers in readers’ choices have been identified.  

First, the perceived prevalence of photo manipulation affects the reader’s decision to reject or accept an altered news image. Second, media credibility determines whether readers accept or reject manipulated news photos. Third, personal Photoshop usage and knowledge also influence non-professional standards that make readers accept or reject altered photos. (Yao, Perlmutter and Liu 124) 

Let’s Help You With Your Photo Essay Today 

Getting the right ideas for photo essays is a strong starting point for students who want to score high grades on their assignments. Therefore, we provided you with the best photography essay ideas to inspire your future assignments. You are free to contact us if you need further academic assistance with your assignments.

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How to Select a Great A2 Art Personal Study Topic

Last Updated on April 2, 2023

This is the first in a series of articles aimed at helping A Level Art students with their Personal Study (a project which is required as part of CIE A2 Art & Design). This article outlines twelve guidelines for selecting a good topic. The recommendations are based on my own experience with the teaching of this component, discussions with examiners during CIE training days and the feedback given within Examiner Reports.

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1.  The topic must relate to Art or Design

This sounds obvious and something that should not need saying, but, absurdly, it does. For some, inexplicable reason, students continue to submit projects that are completely unrelated to Art or Design. This is a quote from a recent CIE Examiner Report:

There were numerous inappropriate submissions which were not concerned with any aspect of Art and Design. These included such topics as ‘Giving up smoking’, ‘The biology of the senses’, ‘Growing tea on a plantation’, as well as aspects of tourism, green issues and political themes. 

2. The topic should be something that you are genuinely interested in

The ultimate purpose of your Personal Study is to teach you something: to help you develop as an artist and to strengthen your understanding of art-related issues. The most successful Personal Studies communicate ‘ a strong sense of involvement through personal enthusiasm and a commitment to sustain the investigation ’.

Simply speaking, when you are passionate about a topic, you are more likely to do well.

3. The focus of your Personal Study should be process and materials (the way an artist or group of artists use/s media) or subject or theme (the way an artist approaches a topic, usually with reference to composition and technique)

In other words, your Personal Study should involve the analysis of specific pieces of art; it should NOT be the life story of an artist or the documentation of a broad period of Art history (unless this somehow includes sufficient focus upon specific artworks).

4. A topic should provide you sufficient material to write about, while not being so vast that your project becomes all-encompassing, disjointed or surface-deep

In order to produce a high quality Personal Study, you need to have a clear, well-articulated focus. This gives you something to organise your project around and encourages you to write with coherence and structure (a lack direction is a common weakness in low achieving Personal Studies). Completing an entire project around the analysis of one or two artwork, for example, is limiting, while attempting to analyse Abstract Art in all of its entirety (without any connection to a specific artist) sets up an enormous, daunting task which cannot be given justice in the time given.

5. The study should be about someone else’s art (not your own)

This is an area where CIE Art & Design students are often confused. There is an incorrect belief that students are expected to submit a body of original creative work as part of the Personal Study, similar to that produced for the Coursework project (some students even go so far as submitting only original practical work or additional Coursework pieces for this component – often with no annotation or explanation – which does not satisfy the requirements of the Personal Study at all). While the Personal Study certainly can – and in the majority of cases should – include beautiful practical work completed by the student, the Personal Study is about analysing, studying and learning from other artists : it is NOT about producing original artwork on your own topic (more information about the images used in a Personal Study will be given in a subsequent article). This quote from CIE helps to clarify this:

The main aim of the Personal Study is to encourage candidates to focus on selected examples of existing works of art or design from established contemporary or historical practitioners, seen at first hand, by making critical judgements and personal evaluations.

Note that this article has been written for CIE A2 Art Personal Studies: Personal Studies required for other examination boards differ in some respects.

6. A link to your Coursework can be advantageous

Although it is not necessary for CIE Art & Design students to select a Personal Study topic which relates to their A2 Coursework project , the examiners comment that ‘ good practice might suggest that a link between the two is advisable ’. This is because a selecting a related topic allows you to acquire knowledge, skills and understanding that may help you to complete your Coursework to a higher standard. (Remember that if you refer to your Coursework project within your Personal Study you should include photos to help explain what you are saying. Each component is assessed individually and examiners do not have access to your Coursework project while they are assessing your Personal Study).

7. Choose a topic that allows you to view artwork first-hand

This is not a guideline: it is imperative. In my experience, the best CIE A2 Art Personal Studies are produced when students not only view artwork in the flesh (in a gallery or museum exhibition, for example), but are able to meet and interview the artist or designer and see their methods of working. This gives opportunity for the work to be understood in great detail (seeing true colours, textural surface qualities and the real scale of the piece) and encourages truly personal responses. It also means that students can take beautiful photographs of the artist or designer working in their studio and see all of the processes and various stages of completion. Examiners frequently report that lower grade Personal Studies ignore this requirement and depend more heavily on secondary sources: lifeless reproductions from books and the internet.

8. Contrasting and comparing the work of artists can be helpful

Studying the work of a mainstream or critically acclaimed artist alongside a local artist can be beneficial, especially if the local artist is less established. This gives you the best of both worlds (the enthusiasm and first-hand contact from a local artist, plus the insight that comes from studying historical, contemporary and/or international artists who work in another cultural context). You may, for example, choose to focus upon two artists who paint the same subject in a different way, or to discuss the influence of a famous artist upon a local painter. It should be noted that the examiners understand that many students will not be able to see all of the artworks they study in the flesh, so supporting first-hand study with those viewed in reproduction is absolutely acceptable.

9. Select a topic that is supported by quality reference material

While the Personal Study is centred around your own personal responses, drawing on the opinions of educated critics can provide insight and a depth of understanding: grounding, validating and/or challenging your own views. Before finalising upon a Personal Study topic for A2 Art, check to see if there are existing articles, books or online reviews about the artists in question. This also helps to verify that the artist you have selected has some standing in the art community and is thus likely to be an appropriate and valuable person to study. It should be noted, of course, that in many cases, the more well-known an artist is, the less time they have to accommodate visits from eager high school students; sometimes relatively unknown artists can be very skilled and have much to teach a high school Art student.

10. Word your title so that it captures the essence of your Personal Study and indicates a well-chosen focus

For example: ‘ The Portraiture of [artist name]: An Appreciation of Light and Colour ’ is more appropriate than ‘ Portraiture in Art ’. ‘ The use of Symbolism in Traditional and Contemporary Weaving ’ (an example given in the CIE 9704 Art & Design syllabus ) is more appropriate than ‘ The Art of Weaving ’. ‘ Landscapes of the Idurah Valley ’ (another example given in the syllabus) is more appropriate than ‘ Landscape Paintings ’. ‘ An Investigation into Gender Roles in Contemporary Art ’ is better than ‘ Contemporary Art ’. In the former examples, the title helps to clarify the focus of the study; the latter suggest an enormously broad study that would be difficult to complete well. Similarly, it is also beneficial to avoid overly simplistic titles that convey little information, such as ‘ [artist name] Personal Study ’ or ‘ Fish ’. Ideally, the examiner a clear idea about what your study is about (and be impressed) from the first moment they encounter your project.

11. Select your Personal Study topic near the start of the A2 Art Course

The Personal Study is a large and comprehensive project. It is impossible to complete in its entirety (and achieve a good grade) at the last minute. It can be good practise to start thinking about your topic selection at the conclusion of the AS Course. High achieving students often use the winter or summer break, seeking out artists who are available for interview locally. This leaves them in a strong position to start the A2 year (it can be wise to touch base with teachers prior to making contact with an artist, however, to avoid wasting anyone’s time). Regardless of whether the vacation period is utilised, it is essential that the Personal Study receives regular attention (ideally within scheduled class time as well as in homework sessions) so that students can plan, research and complete the project in a systematic, organised way.

12. Submit an Outline Proposal Form to CIE before you begin

While this is not a requirement, all students should be encouraged to do this. Any concern about the suitability of a topic can be overcome by making use of the Outline Proposal Forms (OPF). This is a free way of gaining invaluable feedback from the official CIE Senior Moderator before you begin. Blank forms are available on the password protected Teachers’ Support Site and can be submitted electronically to CIE for approval. It is important to note that the brief feedback given should be read with great care and always adhered to. This form should then be retained and submitted along with the finished Personal Study.

An example of the CIE Examiner Reports quoted in this article can be found on the publicly accessible Art & Design section of the CIE website. Further reports are available from the password protected Teachers’ Support Site.

The next article in this series discusses how to write a Personal Study . A subsequent post will focus on the images. You may also be interested in reading our overview of the CIE A2 Art Personal Study .

Amiria has been an Art & Design teacher and a Curriculum Co-ordinator for seven years, responsible for the course design and assessment of student work in two high-achieving Auckland schools. She has a Bachelor of Architectural Studies, Bachelor of Architecture (First Class Honours) and a Graduate Diploma of Teaching. Amiria is a CIE Accredited Art & Design Coursework Assessor.

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13 Art Ideas That Are Perfect to Take Outdoors

Going outside has so many benefits for both you and your students. As art teachers, we are always looking for new and exciting ways to engage students. One way to do this is to take art projects outside the classroom and into the great outdoors. Not only does this provide a change in scenery for your students, but it also allows them to experience art in a whole new way. If you need additional ideas for Creating Art Outside , discover more in PRO Learning .

Keep reading for the benefits of taking art outside, as well as project ideas to try in your own curriculum.

What are the benefits of going outside?

• Fresh Perspective Being outside allows students to see things from a different angle, which can inspire new ideas and creativity.
• Connection to Nature By creating art in nature, students can develop a deeper appreciation for the natural world and its role in their lives. They are better able to understand the importance of preserving their environment.
• Physical Activity Many outdoor art projects involve movement, which can help students stay active.
• Sense of Community Working on art projects outside can foster community and collaboration among students.
• Mental Health Spending time in nature reduces stress and anxiety .
• Problem-Solving Doing artwork outside presents a new set of challenges for our students to problem-solve , such as weather, light source, location, and adapting to a new environment.
• Collaboration and Teamwork Working outside encourages students to communicate and collaborate . This helps develop social skills and team building.

Here are thirteen art project ideas great for the outdoors!

While going outside is fun, remember to review expectations before running out the door with paints and brushes in hand. Student safety and following procedures are imperative when learning in a new space. Work in class time to go over the expectations for outdoor art. And always ask your administrators what outdoor locations are acceptable and accessible for your classes.

1. Chalk Drawing

Many outdoor spaces on campus have pavement or cement. Take chalk outside and do some lessons on chalk drawing. The best part is that your students beautify the campus in the process!

2. Photography

Great lighting, interesting subject matter, and the flexibility of digital cameras can make a photography unit a breeze! To learn more about incorporating Digital Photography Basics , check out the Collection in FLEX Curriculum .

3. Shadow Drawing 

Cover basic elements and principles of art in a new way with shadow drawing! Introduce or review shape, negative and positive space, and even composition with this lesson. Take your students outside while there is direct sunlight to look for interesting shadows. Students use any art material to trace the shadows onto their paper. Watch this Instagram Live Make Art With Me for more extensions.

4. Nature Sculpture and Collage

Take students outside to create nature sculptures for a change of pace and perspective. Students can also collect leaves, sticks, and other natural materials to create collages.

5. Nature Printing 

Printmaking is always a fun and immersive experience for students. Try out monoprinting with collected nature items. If you want more in-depth information on this process, check out the “Nature-Inspired Monoprinting” lesson in FLEX Curriculum .

6. Plein-Air Painting 

Creating quick compositions and building observational skills are concepts you can cover with plein-air painting. To streamline the materials needed, make marker paintings. For more information, download the “Plein-Air Marker Paintings” lesson in the Creating With Nature Collection in  FLEX Curriculum .

7. Observational Nature Drawing 

Observational drawing is a valuable skill you can help your students practice. Instead of a traditional still-life drawing, students choose what subject to draw from nature. Draw the item outside and draw or bring it inside after a scavenger hunt.

8. Cyanotype Prints 

This early photography method uses paper coated with iron salts that react with ultraviolet light. Placing items directly on the paper and exposing it to natural light creates a direct print of whatever is on the paper. Students will enjoy collecting items to create their cyanotype prints. Experiment with the placement of each item to practice composition skills. Read this article for more on sun printing.

9. Spray Paint

Well-ventilated areas are a must to use spray paint. Collect new or leftover cans of spray paint. Add a coat to assemblages or found object sculptures to create unity. Or use it to tone a canvas before adding new techniques and layers.

10. Texture Rubbing

The outdoors have a variety of textured surfaces. Explore the element of texture and create custom texture rubbings. Use the “Texture Scavenger Hunt Collage” lesson from the Creating With Nature Collection in  FLEX Curriculum for step-by-step instructions.

11. Natural Tools and Pigments

Experiment with creating paints and drawing materials with items found outside. You can make art with almost any natural material, from ground-up leaves to dirt and flowers! Play with the unique marks sticks, grasses, or bark can make.

12. Tie-Dye

Tie-dye is a truly messy method of creating artwork. However, you don’t need a sink to create tie-dye. When outdoors, grab a hose and make sure you have plenty of open workspaces. For quick tips, check out these two articles ( 1 , 2 ), and for a more in-depth look at the process, watch the Tie-Dye Techniques Pack in PRO Learning .

13. Just Take Your Project Outside!

When in doubt, take the project you are working on outside! If you and your students are having a mediocre week or your project feels a bit stale, a change in scenery can rejuvenate the mood.

Take art projects outside for a fresh way to experience art. From nature collages to plein-air painting, there are many ways to incorporate the outdoors into your art lessons. Students will benefit from the change of scenery and connection to nature. They will also have the opportunity to be active and collaborate with their classmates. Improve your classes’ mental health and motivation levels—grab some art supplies and head outside!

What project will you take outside this spring? 

What benefits have your students gained from going outdoors? 

Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

Rebekah Hower

Rebekah Hower, a middle school art educator, is a former AOEU Writer. She is passionate about creating an engaging and relevant environment for students to discover and experiment.

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