Reviewing Methods and Materials...Product Design...

Reviewing Methods and Materials…

Two and three-dimensional design exhibits:

Product design.

Students can begin to consider the advantages of using design techniques in order to represent ideas and solutions for product design projects.

Describe the guiding design brief or design briefs. Has the design brief been developed in response to a specific local problem? Has the development of the design brief been inspired by a desire to create a special response to new or prevailing product design issues that are widespread?

Has the design proposal featured in the exhibition been produced for a product design developed for personal use, or domestic use, or industrial environments or mass public use?

Has the exhibitor referred to specific art, design or craft traditions in the response to the design brief?

Describe the use of fonts, lines, shapes, colours, textures and materials proposed for the product designs.

Has the exhibitor incorporated the use of signage, or handles, or switches and control panels in the product design?

Outline the methods used to represent the product design exhibits. Has the exhibitor used two-dimensional representations based on the use of hand-rendered freehand or technical drawing techniques, or photographic techniques, or computer-aided design software packages and printing techniques? Has the exhibitor produced three-dimensional models? If so, describe the methods and materials used to produce the three-dimensional models. Note the use of specific modelling or construction methods, and particular materials, such as card, wood, plastics, or modelling compounds.

Reviewing Methods and Materials...Environmental Design...

Reviewing Methods and Materials…

Two and three-dimensional design exhibits:

Environmental design.

Students can begin to consider the advantages of using design techniques in order to represent ideas and solutions for environmental design projects.

Are the exhibits associated with larger urban planning schemes? If so, describe the aims of the scheme or schemes.

Describe the guiding design brief or design briefs. Has the design brief been developed in response to a specific local problem? Has the development of the design brief been inspired by a desire to create a special response to new or prevailing environmental design issues that are widespread?

Has the exhibitor referred to specific design traditions in the response to the design brief?

Are the environmental design exhibits predominately associated with architectural structures? If so, describe the use of lines, shapes, colours, materials in the built forms, as well as the placement of built forms in the surrounding spaces. Are the areas surrounding the main environmental designs man-made or natural?

Are the environmental design exhibits dominated by concerns related to landscape design? Describe the relationships between the exhibitor’s proposals for landscape design and the existing landscape environment. Does the exhibitor propose significant changes to an existing landscape environment before the development of a new environmental design? Does the environmental design incorporate man-made forms such as bridges, roads or paths, signage or outdoor art or craft works with landscape designs dominated by the use of natural forms such as plants?

Outline the methods used to represent the environmental design exhibits. Has the exhibitor used two-dimensional representations based on the use of hand-rendered freehand or technical drawing techniques, or photographic techniques, or computer-aided design software packages and printing techniques? Has the exhibitor produced three-dimensional models? If so, describe the methods and materials used to produce the three-dimensional models. Note the use of specific modelling or construction methods, and particular materials, such as card, wood, plastics, or modelling compounds.

Selected Bibliography No. 4...

_“Just what is ‘museum communication,’ anyway?,” Museum News The Journal of the American Association of Museums 69, no. 3 (May/June 1990): 98-99.

Albert O. Louer, “Tools of the trade. Mastering the elements of a successful museum communications program is a valid-but annoyingly subjective-undertaking,” Museum News, September 1939,” Museum News The Journal of the American Association of Museums 68, no. 4 (July/August 1989): 43-44.

Phyllis J. Meltzer, “Help them help you because today’s volunteers expect a return on the time they invest, negotiate ‘Volunteer Service Agreements’ with them,” Museum News The Journal of the American Association of Museums 68, no. 2 (March/April 1989): 60-62.

Mitchell, William J. and Oliver B. R. Strimpel, “To be there or not to be there: presence, telepresence, and the future of museums,” Museum News The Journal of the American Association of Museums 76, no. 2 (March/April 1997): 31-32, 58-59.

Geoffrey Platt Jr., “It just might be time to assess our ‘vulnerability’,” Museum News, September 1939,” Museum News The Journal of the American Association of Museums 68, no. 4 (July/August 1989): 71.

Beth B. Schneider “Museums and schools are allies in shaping art education,” Museum News The Journal of the American Association of Museums 68, no. 5 (September/October 1989): 70-71.

Stephen E. Weil, “Courtly ghosts & aristocratic artifacts: the art museum as palace,” Museum News The Journal of the American Association of Museums 77, no. 6 (November/December 1998): 44-49.

Inez S. Wolins, “Teaching the teachers. This approach to docent education wisely acknowledges that the people who lead museum tours are learners as well as teachers,” Museum News The Journal of the American Association of Museums 69, no. 3 (May/June 1990): 71-75.

Selected Bibliography No. 3...

Selected Bibliography No. 3…

Bandes, Susan J. and Selma Holo, “Intern in and outs. An internship will set the tone of a student’s professional museum career, so take the time to orchestrate it properly,” Museum News, September 1939,” Museum News The Journal of the American Association of Museums 68, no. 4 (July/August 1989): 54-56.

David E. Chesebrough, “Museum Partnerships: insights from the literature and research,” Museum News The Journal of the American Association of Museums 77, no. 6 (November/December 1998): 50-53.

Diana F. Cohen, “Words to live by because labels can make the difference between a good exhibit and a great one, pay attention to the process of script editing,” Museum News The Journal of the American Association of Museums 69, no. 3 (May/June 1990): 76-79.

Mary Ellen Conaway, “We must remain accountable to all our varied clients,” Museum News, September 1939,” Museum News The Journal of the American Association of Museums 68, no. 4 (July/August 1989): 76.

Donald Garfield, “Gauging visitor expectations was no easier then than now,” Museum News, September 1939,” Museum News The Journal of the American Association of Museums 68, no. 4 (July/August 1989): 85.

Donald Garfield, “The next thing now: designing the 21st-century museum,” Museum News The Journal of the American Association of Museums 75, no. 1 (January/February 1996): 34-45, 58, 63-65.

Donald Garfield, “Visitors always have provided clues for label-writers,” Museum News The Journal of the American Association of Museums 68, no. 5 (September/October 1989): 84-85.

Hamp, Steven K. and Michael J. Ettema “To collect or to educate? Some history museums discover they can’t do one without the other,” Museum News The Journal of the American Association of Museums 68, no. 5 (September/October 1989): 41-44.

Henderson, Anne and Susan Watts, “Learning how they learn: the family in the museum,” Museum News The Journal of the American Association of Museums 79, no. 6 (November/December 2000): 41-45, 67.

Reviewing Methods and Materials - Clay...

Reviewing Methods and Materials…

Three-dimensional works of art, design and craft:

Art, design and craft in clay:

Clay.

Students can begin to consider the advantages of using clay working techniques in order to represent observations, ideas and emotions, or create decorative or functional works of design or craft.

Display environment, scale, supports:

Is the clay art, design or craft work displayed outside or inside an architectural structure? Describe the location.

The scale of a piece of clay art, design or craft work can influence the viewer’s perceptions. Describe the size and scale of the clay art, design or craft work.

Describe the lighting environment in the exhibition area, and describe any shadows cast by the clay art, design or craft work or sections of the clay art, design or craft work. How do these shadows influence the viewer’s perceptions of the clay art, design or craft work? Can the viewer notice specific reflections cast by the clay art, design or craft work? Do these reflections influence the viewer’s perceptions?

Has the exhibitor produced a clay relief work that projects from a wall or another vertical structure? Is the work resting against a wall, a vertical backing board or an item of furniture? Is the item a low relief clay work with shallow projections or a high relief clay work where raised features project further away from the backing surface?

Has the exhibitor produced a free-standing clay art, design or craft work, so that the viewer can move around every section of the entire clay work?

Has the exhibitor created a small-scale, free-standing clay art, design or craft work? Has the small clay work been placed on a platform or plinth, or an item of furniture? Has the small clay work been placed in a clay display cabinet? If the small clay work is in a display cabinet, has the exhibition organiser used special support structures or lighting devices in order to present the work?

How high is the top surface of a platform or plinth or item of furniture used to present the clay art, design or craft work for display?

Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner created large free-standing clay art, design or craft work that can be placed on the ground or a low platform or plinth?

Does the use of a platform or plinth or an item of furniture for display purposes influence the way that the exhibition visitor views the clay art, design or craft work?

Has the exhibitor produced a free-standing clay art, design or craft work that is suspended from a ceiling or overhead structure? Is so, describe methods used to suspend the clay.

Has the exhibitor featured kinetic elements in the clay art, design or craft work? Describe these elements. Does the movement depend on natural forces, such as the wind, or has the exhibitor used a special mechanism in order to promote movement? Describe the movement of forms in the clay art, design or craft work.

Clay: works or art, or design or craft?

Is the exhibit a work of clay art? Why is this exhibit a work of art, rather than a work of design or a craft work? If this work is a unique visual representation, describe the visual representation and the visual composition used by the artist.

Is the exhibit a clay design work? Why is this exhibit a work of design, rather than an art work or a craft work? Has the designer produced a work in response to a specific design brief? Describe the design aims that guided the development of the exhibit. Describe the decorative or utilitarian purpose of the clay work. Has the development of the exhibit been associated with specific design traditions and practices?

Is the exhibit a work of clay craft? Why is this exhibit a craft work, rather than an art work or a work of design? Has the crafts practitioner produced a work that is part of a specific craft tradition? Describe the crafts technique that guided the development of the exhibit. Does the craft work serve a particular function? Describe the decorative or utilitarian purpose of the craft work.

Clay techniques:

Describe the types of clay used for the final clay art, design or craft work.

Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner manipulated clay by using hand tools? Has foot-powered or electrically-powered equipment, such as pottery wheels, been used to create the clay work?

If hand-building techniques have been used to create the exhibit, describe the techniques that have been used. Has the exhibitor used coil or slab building techniques? Has the exhibitor combined hand-building techniques with other techniques, such as pottery wheel work?

If the exhibitor has incorporated repeat patterns into the clay exhibit, describe these patterns.
Has the exhibitor developed a clay work that consists of a single form or related multiple forms? If multiple forms have been used, describe the connections between these forms.

Has the exhibit been kiln-fired to the temperature levels of bisque ceramics or stoneware or porcelain?

Has the artist, designer crafts practitioner relied on the use of modeling techniques in order to produce the clay exhibit? Can the viewer detect the marks of modeling tools or other implements on the surface of the clay? Does the clay feature smooth areas or fine detail or heavily textured areas? Describe the use of shapes and linear elements in the clay exhibit. Has the exhibitor left any natural or pre-existing surface colours visible, or have clay slips, inlays, additional surface colours, two-dimensional collage techniques, or laminating techniques been applied to the clay surface? Does the clay feature a matte or a gloss surface? Has the clay been burnished using clay modeling tools? If clay glazes have been applied to the surface of an exhibit, describe the ways that the exhibitor has used these materials. Has the exhibitor used enamel or oil paints, or ceramic or porcelain paints to the surface of the exhibit?

Has the clay exhibit been created through the use of a casting technique? Has the exhibition catalogue or label described the type of casting techniques used? Describe the use of shapes and linear elements in the clay work. Does the clay feature smooth sections, clearly defined areas of detail or textured areas? Has the exhibitor left any natural or pre-existing surface colours visible, or have clay slips, inlays, additional surface colours, two-dimensional collage techniques, or laminating techniques been applied to the clay surface? Does the clay feature a matte or a gloss surface? Has the clay been burnished through the use of clay modeling tools? If clay glazes have been applied to the surface of an exhibit, describe the ways that the exhibitor has used these materials. Has the exhibitor used acrylic, enamel or oil paints, or ceramic or porcelain paints to the surface of the exhibit?

How has the artist used clay cutting or carving techniques in order to produce the clay art, design or craft work? Can the viewer detect the marks of tools or other implements on the surface of the clay? Does the clay feature smooth areas or fine detail or heavily textured areas? Has a scraffitto technique been used? Describe the use of shapes and linear elements in the clay work. How many holes have been left in the clay work in order to create positive or negative shapes or spaces? Are the positive shapes more prominent than the negative shapes or spaces? Has the exhibitor left any natural or pre-existing colours visible, or have clay slips, inlays, additional surface colours or clay stains, two-dimensional collage techniques, or laminating techniques been applied to the clay surface? If natural clay colours or marks have been left as a feature, describe the visual impact of these sections. Does the clay feature a matte or a gloss surface? Has the clay been burnished through the use of clay modeling tools? If clay glazes have been applied to the surface of an exhibit, describe the ways that the exhibitor has used these materials. Has the exhibitor used acrylic, enamel or oil paints, or ceramic or porcelain paints to the surface of the exhibit?

Has the clay art, design or craft work been created through the use of assemblage techniques? If several pieces of clay have been joined together, describe the techniques that have been used to achieve the final form. Have the assembled clay elements been placed together on a base or a ground surface? Describe the use of shapes and linear elements in the clay. Has the exhibitor left any natural or pre-existing surface colours visible, or have clay slips, inlays, additional surface colours, two-dimensional collage techniques, or laminating techniques been applied to the clay surface? If natural clay tones have been left as a feature, describe the visual impact of these sections. Does the clay feature a matte or a gloss surface? Has the exhibitor used burnishing methods or glazes on the clay surface? Has the exhibitor used acrylic, enamel or oil paints, or ceramic or porcelain paints to the surface of the exhibit?

Subject matter:

Has the exhibitor used three-dimensional clay techniques in order to produce realistic representations? Describe the representations.

Has the exhibitor used three-dimensional clay techniques in order to produce an abstracted representation? Describe the representations.

If the exhibitor has produced three-dimensional sculptural pattern forms, describe the placement and scale of the pattern lines or shapes, as well as any distinctive optical effects.

Reviewing Methods and Materials - Wood...

Reviewing Methods and Materials…

Three-dimensional works of art, design and craft:

Art, design and craft in wood:

Wood.

Students can begin to consider the advantages of using woodworking techniques in order to represent observations, ideas and emotions, or create decorative or functional works of design or craft.

Display environment, scale, supports:

Is the wooden art, design or craft work displayed outside or inside an architectural structure? Describe the location.

The scale of a piece of wood art, design or craft work can influence the viewer’s perceptions. Describe the size and scale of the wood art, design or craft work.

Describe the lighting environment in the exhibition area, and describe any shadows cast by the wood art, design or craft work or sections of the wood art, design or craft work. How do these shadows influence the viewer’s perceptions of the wood art, design or craft work? Can the viewer notice specific reflections cast by the wood art, design or craft work? Do these reflections influence the viewer’s perceptions?

Has the exhibitor produced a wood relief work that projects from a wall or another vertical structure? Is the work resting against a wall, a vertical backing board or an item of furniture? Is the item a low relief wood work with shallow projections or a high relief wood work where raised features project further away from the backing surface?

Has the exhibitor produced a free-standing wood art, design or craft work, so that the viewer can move around every section of the entire wood work?

Has the exhibitor created a small-scale, free-standing wood art, design or craft work? Has the small wood work been placed on a platform or plinth, or an item of furniture? Has the small wood work been placed in a wood display cabinet? If the small wood work is in a display cabinet, has the exhibition organiser used special support structures or lighting devices in order to present the work?

How high is the top surface of a platform or plinth or item of furniture used to present the wood art, design or craft work for display?

Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner created large free-standing wood art, design or craft work that can be placed on the ground or a low platform or plinth?

Does the use of a platform or plinth or an item of furniture for display purposes influence the way that the exhibition visitor views the wood art, design or craft work?

Has the exhibitor produced a free-standing wood art, design or craft work that is suspended from a ceiling or overhead structure? Is so, describe methods used to suspend the wood.

Has the exhibitor featured kinetic elements in the wood art, design or craft work? Describe these elements. Does the movement depend on natural forces, such as the wind, or has the exhibitor used a special mechanism in order to promote movement? Describe the movement of forms in the wood art, design or craft work.

Wood: works or art, or design or craft?

Is the exhibit a work of wood art? Why is this exhibit a work of art, rather than a work of design or a craft work? If this work is a unique visual representation, describe the visual representation and the visual composition used by the artist.

Is the exhibit a wood design work? Why is this exhibit a work of design, rather than an art work or a craft work? Has the designer produced a work in response to a specific design brief? Describe the design aims that guided the development of the exhibit. Describe the decorative or utilitarian purpose of the wood work. Has the development of the exhibit been associated with specific design traditions and practices?

Is the exhibit a work of wood craft? Why is this exhibit a craft work, rather than an art work or a work of design? Has the crafts practitioner produced a work that is part of a specific craft tradition? Describe the crafts technique that guided the development of the exhibit. Does the craft work serve a particular function? Describe the decorative or utilitarian purpose of the craft work.

Wood techniques:

Describe the types of wood used for the final wood art, design or craft work.

Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner manipulated wood by using hand tools? Has electrically-powered equipment been used to create the wood work? Has the exhibitor used a wood lathe and wood turning techniques to create the exhibit?

How has the artist used wood cutting or carving techniques in order to produce the wood art, design or craft work? Can the viewer detect the marks of tools or other implements on the surface of the wood? Does the wood feature smooth areas or fine detail or heavily textured areas? Describe the use of shapes and linear elements in the wood work. How many holes have been left in the wood work in order to create positive or negative shapes or spaces? Are the positive shapes more prominent than the negative shapes or spaces? Has the exhibitor left any natural or pre-existing colours or wood grains and markings visible, or have inlays, additional surface colours or wood stains, two-dimensional collage techniques, or laminating techniques been applied to the wood surface? If the exhibitor has used wood burning or heated poker work to change the surface of the wooden exhibit, describe the sections of the work where burning techniques have been used? If natural wood grains and markings have been left as a feature, describe the visual impact of these sections. Does the wood feature a matte or a gloss surface? If varnishes or waxes have been applied to the wooden surface of an exhibit, describe the ways that the exhibitor has used these materials.

Has the wood art, design or craft work been created through the use of assemblage techniques? If several pieces of wood have been joined together, describe the techniques that have been used to achieve the final form. Have dovetail joins, wooden pegs or metal nails or screws and hinges, or glues, or even a combination of these elements been used? Have the assembled wood elements been placed together on a base or a ground surface? Describe the use of shapes and linear elements in the wood. Has the exhibitor left any natural or pre-existing surface colours visible, or have inlays, additional surface colours, two-dimensional collage techniques, or laminating techniques been applied to the wood surface? If the exhibitor has used wood burning or heated poker work to change the surface of the wooden exhibit, describe the sections of the work where burning techniques have been used? If natural wood grains and markings have been left as a feature, describe the visual impact of these sections. Does the wood feature a matte or gloss or a reflective surface? If varnishes or waxes have been applied to the wooden surface of an exhibit, describe the ways that the exhibitor has used these materials.

Subject matter:

Has the exhibitor used three-dimensional wood techniques in order to produce realistic representations? Describe the representations.

Has the exhibitor used three-dimensional wood techniques in order to produce an abstracted representation? Describe the representations.

If the exhibitor has produced three-dimensional sculptural pattern forms, describe the placement and scale of the pattern lines or shapes, as well as any distinctive optical effects.

Selected Bibliography No. 2...

Articles highlighting international perspectives have provided me with useful insights. Here are a few examples…

_“Artists offer an early introduction to skills,” Museums Journal (Museums Association-Britain) 97, no. 12 (1997): 13.

Elizabeth K. Eder, “Re-imagining the museum experience,” Museum News The Journal of the American Association of Museums 79, no. 5 (September/October 2000): 77-78.

C. S. Drake, “Museums in the community-an education resource,” Museum (UNESCO) XLIV, no. 2 (1992): 96-99.

Leonora Gorbunova, “Beyond boredom-innovations for and with Russian children,” Museum (UNESCO) XLIV, no. 2 (1992): 92-95.

Maria Papageorge, “Museum education, Amsterdam style,” Museum News The Journal of the American Association of Museums 57, no. 6 (July/August 1979): 17-18.

Barbara Reque, “From object to idea,” Museum News The Journal of the American Association of Museums 56, no. 3 (January/February 1978); 45-48.

_“What a museum gains in success and popularity it loses in artistic value,” Museum (UNESCO) XLII, no. 4 (1990): 232-233.

_“What do art students think about museums?” Museum (UNESCO) XLII, no. 2 (1990): 123-125.

Selected Bibliography No. 1...

Here is a list of references that I found useful when I began my research related to art museum education:

C. Bleick, “A volunteer in art education: the art museum docent,” Art Education (NAEA) 33, no. 1 (January 1980): 19-20.

E. Caston, “The object of my affection: a commentary of museumness,” Art Education (NAEA) 33, no. 1 (January 1980): 20-24.

A. Hovsen, “What is beyond, or before, the lecture tour? A study of aesthetic modes of understanding,” Art Education (NAEA) 33, no. 1 (January 1980): 17-18.

Lacey, T. and J. Agar, “I know its there, but how do I use it?” Art Education (NAEA) 33, no. 1 (January 1980): 10-12.

B. Newsom, “On understanding art museums,” Studies in Art Education (NAEA) 16, no. 2 (1975): 46-53.

B. Newsom, “An examination of visual arts education in museums,” Studies in Art Education (NAEA), 16, no. 2 (1975): 54-57.

R. W. Ott, “Museums and schools as universal partners in art education,” Art Education (NAEA) 33, no. 1 (January 1980): 7-9.

N. Press, “Inside art: a program of participation,” Art Education (NAEA) 33, no. 1 (January 1980): 13-15.

K. Rawlins, “Educational metamorphosis of the American museum,” Studies in Art Education (NAEA), 20, no. 1 (1978): 4-17.

R. A. Smith, “Cultural services, the aesthetic welfare, and education research,” Studies in Art Education (NAEA) 16, no. 2 (1975): 5-11.

Reviewing Methods and Materials - Glass...

Reviewing Methods and Materials…

Three-dimensional works of art, design and craft:

Art, design and craft in glass:

Glass.

Students can begin to consider the advantages of using glass techniques in order to represent observations, ideas and emotions, or create decorative or functional works of design or craft .

Display environment, scale, supports:

Is the glass work displayed outside or inside an architectural structure? Describe the location.

The scale of a piece of glass work can influence the viewer’s perceptions. Describe the size and scale of the glass work.

Describe the lighting environment in the exhibition area, and describe any shadows cast by the glass work or sections of the glass work. How do these shadows influence the viewer’s perceptions of the glass work? Can the viewer notice specific reflections cast by the glass work? Do these reflections influence the viewer’s perceptions?

Has the exhibitor produced a glass relief work that projects from a wall or another vertical structure? Is the work resting against a wall, a vertical backing board or an item of furniture? Is the item a low relief glass work with shallow projections or a high relief glass work where raised features project further away from the backing surface?

Has the exhibitor produced a free-standing glass work, so that the viewer can move around every section of the entire glass work?

Has the exhibitor created a small-scale, free-standing glass work? Has the small glass work been placed on a platform or plinth, or an item of furniture? Has the small glass work been placed in a glass display cabinet? If the small glass work is in a display cabinet, has the exhibition organiser used special support structures or lighting devices in order to present the work?

How high is the top surface of a platform or plinth or item of furniture used to present the glass work for display?

Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner created large free-standing glass work that can be placed on the ground or a low platform or plinth?



Does the use of a platform or plinth or an item of furniture for display purposes influence the way that the exhibition visitor views the glass work?

Has the exhibitor produced a free-standing glass work that is suspended from a ceiling or overhead structure? Is so, describe methods used to suspend the glass.

Has the exhibitor featured kinetic elements in the glass work? Describe these elements. Does the movement depend on natural forces, such as the wind, or has the exhibitor used a special mechanism in order to promote movement? Describe the movement of forms in the glass work.

Glass: works or art, or design or craft?

Is the exhibit a work of glass art? Why is this exhibit a work of art, rather than a work of design or a craft work? If this work is a unique visual representation, describe the visual representation and the visual composition used by the artist.

Is the exhibit a glass design work? Why is this exhibit a work of design, rather than an art work or a craft work? Has the designer produced a work in response to a specific design brief? Describe the design aims that guided the development of the exhibit. Describe the decorative or utilitarian purpose of the glass work. Has the development of the exhibit been associated with specific design traditions and practices?

Is the exhibit a work of glass craft? Why is this exhibit a craft work, rather than an art work or a work of design? Has the crafts practitioner produced a work that is part of a specific craft tradition? Describe the crafts technique that guided the development of the exhibit. Does the craft work serve a particular function? Describe the decorative or utilitarian purpose of the craft work.

Glass techniques:

Describe the types of glass materials used for the final glass work.

Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner manipulated glass materials by using hand tools. Has electrically-powered equipment been used to create the glass work?

How has the artist used glass-blowing or modelling techniques in order to produce the glass work? Can the viewer detect the marks of modeling tools or other implements on the surface of the glass? Does the glass feature smooth areas or fine detail or heavily textured areas? Describe the use of shapes and linear elements in the glass work. Has the exhibitor left any natural or pre-existing colours visible, or have inlays, additional surface colours, two-dimensional collage techniques, or laminating techniques been applied to the glass surface? Does the glass feature a matte or gloss or a reflective surface?

Has the glass work been created through the use of a casting technique? Has the exhibition catalogue or label described the type of casting techniques used? Does the glass feature smooth sections, clearly defined areas of detail or textured areas? Has the exhibitor left any natural or pre-existing colours visible, or have inlays, additional surface colours, two-dimensional collage techniques, or laminating techniques been applied to the glass surface? Does the glass work feature a matte or gloss or a reflective surface?

Has the glass been produced through the use of carving or cutting techniques? Describe the use of shapes and linear elements in the glass work. How many holes have been left in the the glass work in order to create positive or negative shapes or spaces? Are the positive shapes more prominent than the negative shapes or spaces? Has the exhibitor left any natural or pre-existing colours visible, or have inlays, additional surface colours, two-dimensional collage techniques, or laminating techniques been applied to the glass surfaces? Does the glass feature a matte or gloss or a reflective surface?

Has the glass work been created through the use of assemblage techniques? Have the assembled glass elements been placed together on a base or a ground surface? Describe the use of shapes and linear elements in the glass. Has the exhibitor left any natural or pre-existing surface colours visible, or have inlays, additional surface colours, two-dimensional collage techniques, or laminating techniques been applied to the glass surface? Does the glass feature a matte or gloss or a reflective surface?

Subject matter:

Has the exhibitor used three-dimensional glass techniques in order to produce realistic representations? Describe the representations.

Has the exhibitor used three-dimensional glass techniques in order to produce an abstracted representation? Describe the representations.

If the exhibitor has produced three-dimensional sculptural pattern forms, describe the placement and scale of the pattern lines or shapes, as well as any distinctive optical effects.

Reviewing Methods and Materials - Jewellery and body ornament

Reviewing Methods and Materials…

Three-dimensional works of art, design and craft:

Art, design and craft in jewellery:

Jewellery and body ornament.

Students can begin to consider the advantages of using three-dimensional jewellery techniques in order to represent observations, ideas and emotions, or create decorative or functional works of design or craft .

Display environment, scale, supports:

Describe the lighting environment in the exhibition area, and describe any shadows cast by the jewellery or sections of the jewellery. How do these shadows influence the viewer’s perceptions of the jewellery?

The scale of a piece of jewellery can influence the viewer’s perceptions. Describe the size and scale of the jewellery.

Has the artist produced a piece of jewellery that projects out from a section of the human body? Does the piece of jewellery depend on low relief elements with shallow projections or high relief elements where raised features project further away from the wearer’s body?

Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner produced a body ornament that is suspended from the wearer’s body?

Has a small item of jewellery been placed on a large platform or plinth, or an item of furniture? Has a small item of jewellery been placed in a glass display cabinet? If the small item of jewellery is in a display cabinet, has the exhibition organiser used special support structures or lighting devices in order to present the work?

Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner created large body ornament or wearable form that can be placed on a large platform or plinth?

How high is the top surface of a platform or plinth or item of furniture used to present the item of jewellery for display?

Does the use of any large platform or plinth or an item of furniture for display purposes influence the way that the exhibition visitor views the item of jewellery?

Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner featured kinetic elements in the jewellery? Describe these elements. Does the movement depend on natural forces, such as breezes or body movement, or has the exhibitor used a special mechanism in order to promote movement? Describe the movement of forms associated with the item of jewellery.

Jewellery: works or art, or design or craft?

Is the exhibit a work of jewellery art? Why is this exhibit a work of art, rather than a work of design or a craft work? If this work is a unique visual representation, describe the representation and the visual composition used by the artist.

Is the exhibit a jewellery design work? Why is this exhibit a work of design, rather than an art work or a craft work? Has the designer produced a work in response to a specific design brief? Describe the design aims that guided the development of the exhibit. Describe the decorative or utilitarian purpose for the item of jewellery. Has the development of the exhibit been associated with specific design traditions and practices?

Is the exhibit a work of jewellery craft? Why is this exhibit a craft work, rather than an art work or a work of design? Has the crafts practitioner produced a work that is part of a specific craft tradition? Describe the crafts technique that guided the development of the exhibit. Does the craft work serve a particular function? Describe the decorative or utilitarian purpose for the craft work.

Jewellery techniques:

Describe the materials used for the jewellery work.

Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner produced a work that required the manipulation of jewellery materials purely by hand, or has the exhibitor relied on the use of hand tools. Describe the hand tools used to produce the work. Has electrically-powered equipment been used to create the jewellery work?

Has the artist, designer crafts practitionerrelied on the use of modelling techniques in order to produce the jewellery? Can the viewer detect the marks of modelling tools or other implements on the surface of the jewellery? Does the jewellery feature smooth areas or fine detail or heavily textured areas? Describe the use of shapes and linear elements in the jewellery. Has the exhibitor left any natural or pre-existing surface colours visible, or have inlays, additional surface colours, two-dimensional collage techniques, or laminating techniques been applied to the jewellery surface? Does the jewellery feature a matte or gloss or a reflective surface?

Has the jewellery been produced through the use of beating, etching, carving or cutting techniques? Have hand tools or power tools been used? Describe the materials used for the jewellery. Has the exhibitor carved or cut out the jewellery in bone, wood, stone, metal, or plastic compounds? Have hammering, carving or sanding tools been used to smooth or texture surfaces on the jewellery? Have holes been carved through the jewellery? Describe the use of shapes and linear elements in the jewellery. How many holes have been carved or cut through the jewellery in order to create positive or negative shapes or spaces? Are the positive shapes more prominent than the negative shapes or spaces? Has the exhibitor left any natural or pre-existing surface colours visible, or have inlays, additional surface colours, two-dimensional collage techniques, or laminating techniques been applied to the jewellery surfaces? Does the jewellery feature a matte or gloss or a reflective surface?

Has the jewellery been created through the use of a casting technique? Has the exhibition catalogue or label described the type of casting techniques used? Has the final jewellery work been cast in metal, glass, ceramic slip, or a resin or plastic compound? Describe the use of shapes and linear elements in the jewellery. Does the jewellery feature smooth sections, clearly defined areas of detail or textured areas? Has the exhibitor left any natural or pre-existing surface colours visible, or have inlays, additional surface colours, two-dimensional collage techniques, or laminating techniques been applied to the jewellery surface? Does the jewellery feature a matte or gloss or a reflective surface?

Has the jewellery been created through the use of assemblage techniques? Has the artist used paper, card or cardboard, wood, stone, natural forms such as bone, pearl or shell, metal sheets or cast shapes or wire, glass, flexible or rigid plastic, fabric, ceramic forms or found objects to form the jewellery? Has the exhibitor used hard surfaces or soft surfaces to form the item of jewellery? Describe the assemblage techniques that have been used to form the jewellery. Has the exhibitor used tearing or cutting processes, or folding and twisting techniques? Has the exhibitor used metal soldering or welding techniques, glues, or attachment techniques such as the use of wire or fibre connections, pins, rivets, nuts, bolts, screws or nails, or raised metal prongs? Has the exhibitor used sewing techniques to connect jewellery elements? Has the assembled jewellery elements been placed together on a base or the ground surface? Describe the use of shapes and linear elements in the jewellery. Has the exhibitor left any natural or pre-existing surface colours visible, or have inlays, additional surface colours, two-dimensional collage techniques, or laminating techniques been applied to the jewellery surface? Does the jewellery feature a matte or gloss or a reflective surface?

Subject matter:

Has the exhibitor used three-dimensional jewellery techniques in order to produce realistic representations? Describe the representations.

Has the exhibitor used three-dimensional jewellery techniques in order to produce an abstracted representation? Describe the representations.

If the exhibitor has produced three-dimensional sculptural pattern forms, describe the placement and scale of the pattern lines or shapes, as well as any distinctive optical effects.

Reviewing Methods and Materials - Fibre and fabric art, design and craft...

Art, design and craft in fibres and fabrics:

Students can begin to consider the advantages of using fibre and fabric techniques in order to represent observations, ideas and emotions, or create decorative or functional works of design or craft.

Display environment, scale, supports:

Is the fibre or fabric work displayed outside or inside an architectural structure? Describe the exhibition location.

Describe the lighting environment in the exhibition area, and describe any shadows cast by the fibre or fabric work. How do these shadows influence the viewer’s perceptions of the fibre or fabric work?

The scale of a representation can influence the viewer’s perceptions. Describe the size and scale of the fibre or fabric work.

Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner produced a fibre or fabric work that can rest against a wall, a vertical surface or an item of furniture? Does the work feature shallow projections, or is it a fibre or fabric work that features raised elements that project some distance away from the backing surface?

Has the exhibitor produced a free-standing fibre or fabric work, so that the viewer can move around every section of the entire exhibit?

Has the exhibitor created a small-scale free-standing fibre or fabric work? Has the small fibre or fabric work been placed on a stand, a large platform or plinth, or an item of furniture? Has the small fibre or fabric work been placed in a glass display cabinet? If the small fibre or fabric work is in a display cabinet, has the exhibition organiser used special support structures or lighting devices in order to present the work?

Has the exhibitor created large free-standing fibre or fabric work that can be placed on the ground or a low platform or plinth?

How high is the top surface of a platform or plinth or item of furniture used to present the fibre or fabric work for display?

Does the use of a stand, platform or plinth or an item of furniture for display purposes influence the way that the exhibition visitor views the fibre or fabric work?

Has the exhibitor produced a free-standing fibre or fabric work that is suspended from a ceiling or overhead structure? Is so, describe methods used to suspend the fibre or fabric work.

Has the exhibitor incorporated kinetic elements into the fibre or fabric work? Describe these elements. Does the movement depend on natural forces, such as the wind, or has the exhibitor used a special mechanism in order to promote movement? Describe the movement of forms in the fibre or fabric work.

Fibres and fabrics: works or art, or design or craft?

Is the exhibit a fibre or fabric art work? Why is this exhibit a work of art, rather than a work of design or a craft work? If this work is a unique visual representation, describe the representation and the visual composition used by the artist.

Is the exhibit a work of design using fibres or fabrics? Why is this exhibit a work of design, rather than an art work or a craft work? Has the designer produced a work in response to a specific design brief? Describe the design aims that guided the development of the exhibit. Describe the decorative or utilitarian purpose for the item of fabric design. Has the development of the exhibit been associated with specific design traditions and practices?

Is the exhibit a craft work using fibres or fabrics? Why is this exhibit a craft work, rather than an art work or a work of design? Has the crafts practitioner produced a work that is part of a specific craft tradition? Describe the crafts technique that guided the development of the exhibit. Does the craft work serve a particular function? Describe the decorative or utilitarian purpose for the craft work.

Fibre and fabric techniques:

Describe the materials used for the fibre or fabric work.

Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner manipulated fibres purely by hand, or has the exhibitor used hand tools. Describe the hand tools been used to produce the fibre or fabric work. Has the exhibitor used needles or looms? Describe the types of needles used by the exhibitor. Describe the type of loom used by the exhibitor. Has the exhibitor used a butterfly loom, backstrap loom, a card loom, a two-shaft loom or a four-loom, or a larger commercial loom?

Has electrically-powered equipment, such as sewing machines or knitting machines, been used to create the fibre or fabric work?

Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner used braiding or plaiting techniques, fibre wrapping techniques, and knitting or crochet techniques as well as sewing techniques?

Has the exhibitor used netting or lace-making techniques?

Has the exhibitor used felting techniques?

Has the exhibitor used basketry techniques?

Has the exhibitor incorporated paper fibre techniques into the work?

If the exhibit has been produced using sewing techniques, describe the techniques that have been used. Has the exhibitor used hand sewing techniques or machine sewing techniques or a combination of both? Describe the types of sewing techniques used.

Have sewing techniques been used to create two-dimensional representations or patterns? Describe the sewing stitches used by the exhibitor. Can the exhibition visitor clearly identify specific plain or embroidery stitches in the work? Has the exhibitor used sewn embellishments that include the use of other items, such as beads, sequins, or other natural or found objects?

Has the exhibitor used sewing techniques to create three-dimensional elements in the fibre or fabric work? Has the artist used internal armature forms or padding in order to support or shape the fibre or fabric work? Has the exhibitor used quilting techniques, such as trapunto, or soft sculpture needle stitching?

Has the exhibitor created a work that can be worn on part of a human body? Has the exhibitor used particular pattern-making methods or traditions in order to create a wearable work of art, design or craft?

Does the fibre or fabric work feature smooth areas or fine detail or heavily textured areas?

Describe the use of shapes and linear elements in the fibre or fabric work.

How many open spaces have been created in the fibre or fabric work in order to develop positive or negative shapes or spaces? If open spaces have been created in the fibre or fabric work, describe the shapes created and the views that can be seen through the spaces. Are the positive shapes more prominent than the negative shapes or spaces?

Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner left any natural or pre-existing surface colours visible, or has additional colour or two-dimensional appliqué or collage techniques been applied to the background fibres or fabrics? Does the fibre or fabric work feature a matte or gloss or even a shiny, reflective surface? Has the exhibitor used fabric paints or dyes that are natural, or commercially produced, or even a combination of both types of colour sources? Has the exhibitor used colour resist techniques such as tie-dye or shibori methods, or wax resist techniques such as batik? Has the exhibitor used fabric pens, crayons or pastels, or fabric printing techniques such as monoprinting methods, block printing or a stencil printing method such as a silk screen process?

Has the fibre or fabric work been created through the use of multi-media methods or assemblage techniques? Describe these methods or techniques.

Subject matter:

Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner used fibre or fabric techniques in order to produce realistic representations? Describe the representations.

Has the exhibitor used fibre or fabric techniques in order to produce an abstracted representation? Describe the representations.

If the artist, designer or crafts practitioner has produced a fibre or fabric work that includes pattern forms, describe the placement and scale of the pattern lines or shapes, as well as any distinctive optical effects.

Reviewing Methods and Materials - Sculpture

Reviewing Methods and Materials…

Three-dimensional works of art and design:

Sculpture.

Students can begin to consider the advantages of using three-dimensional sculpture techniques in order to represent observations, ideas and emotions.

Display environment, scale, supports:

Is the sculpture displayed outside or inside an architectural structure? Describe the location.

Describe the lighting environment in the exhibition area, and describe any shadows cast by the sculpture or sections of the sculpture. How do these shadows influence the viewer’s perceptions of the sculpture?

The scale of a sculptural representation can influence the viewer’s perceptions. Describe the size and scale of the sculpture.

Has the artist produced a relief sculpture that projects from a wall or another vertical structure? Is the work resting against a wall, a vertical backing board or an item of furniture? Is the work a low relief sculpture with shallow projections or a high relief sculpture where raised features project further away from the backing surface?

Has the artist produced a free-standing sculpture, so that the viewer can move around every section of the entire sculptural representation?

Has the artist created a small-scale free-standing sculpture? Has the small sculpture been placed on a large platform or plinth, or an item of furniture? Has the small sculpture been placed in a glass display cabinet? If the small sculpture is in a display cabinet, has the exhibition organiser used special support structures or lighting devices in order to present the work?

Has the artist created large free-standing sculptures that can be placed on the ground or a low platform or plinth?

How high is the top surface of a platform or plinth or item of furniture used to present the sculpture for display?

Does the use of a platform or plinth or an item of furniture for display purposes influence the way that the exhibition visitor views the sculpture?

Has the artist produced a free-standing sculpture that is suspended from a ceiling or overhead structure? Is so, describe methods used to suspend the sculpture.

Has the artist featured kinetic elements in the sculpture? Describe these elements. Does the movement depend on natural forces, such as the wind, or has the artist used a special mechanism in order to promote movement? Describe the movement of forms in the sculpture.

Sculpture techniques:

Has the artist used modelling techniques in order to produce the sculpture? Has the artist used internal armature forms in order to support the sculptural representation? Has the artist used papier mache pulp or strips, kiln-fired clay, plastic or oil-based modeling compounds, an air-dried modeling compound such as paper-fibre clays, or wax? Can the viewer detect the marks of modelling tools or other implements on the surface of the sculpture? Does the sculpture feature smooth areas or fine detail or heavily textured areas? Describe the use of shapes and linear elements in the sculpture. Has the artist left any natural or pre-existing surface colours visible, or have additional surface colours, two-dimensional collage techniques, or laminating techniques been applied to the sculpture surface? Does the sculpture feature a matte or gloss or even a reflective surface?

Has the sculpture been produced through the use of carving or cutting techniques? Have hand tools or power tools been used? Describe the materials used for the sculpture. Has the artist carved or cut out the sculpture in wood, stone, metal, plastic compounds, plaster, or wax? Have carving tools been used to smooth or texture surfaces on the sculpture? Have holes been carved through the sculpture? Describe the use of shapes and linear elements in the sculpture. How many holes have been carved or cut through the sculpture in order to create positive or negative shapes or spaces? Are the positive shapes more prominent than the negative shapes or spaces? If holes have been carved through the sculpture, describe the shapes created and the views that can be seen through the holes. Has the artist left any natural or pre-existing surface colours visible, or have additional surface colours, two-dimensional collage techniques, or laminating techniques been applied to the sculpture surface? Does the sculpture feature a matte or gloss or even a reflective surface?

Has the sculpture been created through the use of a casting technique? Has the exhibition catalogue or label described the type of casting techniques used? Can the exhibition visitor determine if a lost wax process has been used to create a casting, or if a pressed sand, plaster, plasticine, resin, plastic or rubber mold been used in the casting process? Has the final sculpture been cast in metal, plaster, glass, resin, ceramic slip, a plastic compound or wax? Has the artist used an internal armature form in order to support the sculptural representation? Describe the use of shapes and linear elements in the sculpture. Does the sculpture feature smooth sections, clearly defined areas of detail or textured areas? Has the artist left any natural or pre-existing surface colours visible, or have additional surface colours, two-dimensional collage techniques, or laminating techniques been applied to the sculpture surface? Does the sculpture feature a matte or gloss or even a reflective surface?

Has the sculpture been created through the use of assemblage techniques? Has the artist used an internal armature form in order to support the sculptural representation? Has the artist used paper, card or cardboard, wood, stone, metal sheets or cast shapes or wire, glass, flexible or rigid plastic, fabric, ceramic forms or found objects to form the sculpture? Has the artist used hard surfaces or soft surfaces to form the sculptural representation? Describe the assemblage techniques that have been used to form the sculpture. Has the artist used tearing or cutting processes, or folding and twisting techniques? Has the artist used metal welding or soldering techniques, glues, or attachment techniques such as the use of wire or fibre connections, pins, rivets, nuts, bolts, screws or nails? Has the artist used sewing techniques to connect sculptural elements? Has the assembled sculpture elements been placed together on a base or the ground surface? Describe the use of shapes and linear elements in the sculpture. Has the artist left any natural or pre-existing surface colours visible, or have additional surface colours, two-dimensional collage techniques, or laminating techniques been applied to the sculpture surface? Does the sculpture feature a matte or gloss or even a reflective surface?

Subject matter:

Has the artist used three-dimensional sculpture techniques in order to produce realistic representations? Describe the representations.

Has the artist used three-dimensional sculpture techniques in order to produce an abstracted representation? Describe the representations.

If the artist has produced three-dimensional sculptural pattern forms, describe the placement and scale of the pattern lines or shapes, as well as any distinctive optical effects.

Reviewing Methods and Materials - Printmaking…

Reviewing Methods and Materials...

Two-dimensional works of art and design:

Printmaking.

Students can begin to consider the advantages of using printmaking techniques in order to represent observations, ideas and emotions.

Support used:

What types of support has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner used for the prints? Has the artist or designer used paper, fabric, some form of card or another alternative, such as wood, a ceramic surface, dried plant material or leather? Describe the type of paper or fabric used. Is the support surface matte or glossy in appearance? Is the support surface smooth or textured?

Has the surface of the support for each editions of prints been changed by the use of collage elements?

Printmaking techniques:

Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner produced a single monoprint or an edition of prints? If the print on display is part of an edition, try to find a record of the print number and the number of the prints in the edition on the print support surface.

If the artist, designer or crafts practitioner has used a monoprint technique, describe the type of monoprint produced. Has the monoprint been created through the application of paper, card or fabric over printing ink spread onto a glass, plastic, or cardboard sheet? Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner used found objects such as fibres, fabrics, lace, net, natural plant matter or man-made found objects on the ink-covered printing sheet?

Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner used a block printing technique? What type of material been used to form the printing block? Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner used unmodified found objects as printing blocks? Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner used created a block by shaping wood, card, foam, linoleum, root vegetables, plaster or wax? Has the block been produced by the use of carving techniques? Has the block been carved once, or several times in order to reduce the block surface and show different and distinct lines, shapes, textures and colour areas? Has the block been created through the use of plastic, rubber or plaster plus a casting technique? Has the block been created through the collograph technique, where different three-dimensional elements, textured pastes and glues are attached to the block? Has the block been used to create a single visual image or has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner used one or more blocks in order to create a pattern? If a pattern has been created, has more than one block been used, and have the blocks been moved, repeatedly applied and overlapped over the support surface? Describe any special features related to the creation of a repeat block print.

Has the artist used a metal printing plate in order to produce the print? How has the artist marked out a visual representation onto the metal plate? Has the exhibition catalogue or the exhibition labels indicated if the artist has directly marked the metal plated, or has the artist used materials such as acids that eat away at the metal plate?

Has the artist used a lithography stone or a combination of resist techniques in order to create a visual representation ready for printing?

Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner used a stencil in order to create a printed image or pattern? Can you find out how the stencil was produced? Has the stencil been cut from paper, card or plastic, or has the stencil been created through the use of a light or chemically sensitive masking film? If a pattern has been created, has more than one stencil been used, and has a stencil been moved and overlapped over the support surface? Have the stencil prints been created through the application of printing ink through the use of a brush or roller, or has the stencil been attached to a silk screen, and the print produced by passing printing ink through the screen?

Has the print been computer-generated through the use of digital technology and specific software programs plus an ink-jet or laser printer? Have the exhibit labels, exhibition notes or the catalogue entries provided information about the use of specific software packages, scanned images or the inclusion of digital photography techniques?

Describe the use of line and shape on the printed image.

Describe the use of tone and colour on the printed image.

Has the printing technique been used to represent textures in the image or pattern?

Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner incorporated both photographic imagery and hand rendered linear or tonal elements into the printed image or pattern on display?

Are there any notable features associated with the print registration? Has the artist, designer or crafts practitioner used print overlays or overlaps in association with print registration in order to create an important visual effect?

Subject matter:

Has the artist or designer used printmaking techniques in order to produce realistic representations? Describe the representations.

Has the artist or designer used printmaking techniques in order to produce an abstracted representation? Describe the representations.

If the artist, designer or craft practitioner has printed pattern formats, describe the placement and scale of the pattern lines or shapes, as well as any distinctive optical effects.

Reviewing Methods and Materials - Painting...

Reviewing Methods and Materials…

Two-dimensional works of art and design:

Painting.

Students can begin to consider the advantages of using painting techniques in order to represent observations, ideas and emotions.

Support used:

What types of support has the artist or designer used for the paintings? Has the artist or designer used paper, card or cardboard, a canvas or linen fabric stretched over a board or a frame, a wooden sheet or block, a sheet of metal or plastic, plaster, or a ceramic surface?

Has the surface of the support for each painting been changed by the use of a medium that can change surface texture, such as plaster or an acrylic paste or liquid? Has the surface of the support for a painting been changed through the use of collage techniques that include the use of glues, fabrics or fibres, foils and found papers?

Has the surface of the support been changed through the use of a primer coat or undercoat? Has the primer coat or undercoat been left exposed in any section of a painting? What colour is the primer coat or undercoat?

Application of paint:

What type of paint has been used by the artist or the designer? Has the work been completed through the use of watercolours or gouache, acrylic paint, oil paint, enamel paint, egg tempera, or pigments mixed into melted wax or wet plaster.

How has the paint been applied? Has the artist used fingers, sticks, fabric or foam, hair brushes, knives or scrapers, rollers, or equipment that can help to spray or diffuse the paint over the support?

Has the artist used separate thin paint washes of paint? Has the artist used thin, overlapping washes of paint?

Has the artist or designer used stippling techniques or small dots of paint in order to render tonal sections?

Have tonal sections been rendered through the application of broad strokes of wet or semi-dry paint? Have these broad strokes of paint been applied in solid blocks, or have they been modulated? Have paint strokes been applied when the support, primer coat or undercoat was wet?
Has the artist applied paint in thick, textured and opaque layers? Are the paint surfaces smooth, or can the viewer easily detect brushstrokes or marks that show that fingers, sticks, knives, scrapers or other items have been used?

Has the artist or designer used other materials on the support surface, such as drawing media?

Has the artist or designer partially blended paint colours together on the support surfaces?

Has the artist used masking or resist techniques in order to create edges or textured surfaces on the painting support? Can the viewer easily easily detect the type of masking or resist techniques, such as layers of crayon wax?

Has the artist or designer used finely painted lines in order to define edges or details?

Has the artist or designer used paint to indicate tonal changes? Have tonal changes been depicted through the use of paint washes, blocks of painted tone, modulated paint strokes or lines, or modulated paint diffused through the use of a solvent or medium, or through the use of paint sprays or splattering techniques?

Have paint thinners, such as linseed oil or spirits, been used?

Is the paint surface matte or glossy in appearance? Have glaze mediums or finishes or varnishes been used?

Subject matter:

Has the artist or designer used painting techniques in order to produce realistic representations? Describe the representations.

Has the artist or designer used painting techniques in order to produce an abstracted representation? Describe the representations.

Reviewing Methods and Materials - Drawing…

Student discussions and assignments associated with excursions or field trips to art, design and craft exhibitions can be related to a variety of different aspects of each exhibition or focus on particular aspects of the exhibits. The following blog posts will initially focus attention on the methods and materials used to produce the exhibits.

Two-dimensional works of art and design:

Drawing.

Students can review the advantages of using drawings in order to provide observations, ideas and emotions through visual representations.

Supports:

Students could analyse the use of supports for the drawings on display.

Describe the size and shape of the supports used for the drawings, and the placement of the visual representations on the supports.

Have the exhibits been drawn on paper or fabric or other alternatives, such as dried plant material?

If the drawing has a paper support, has the paper been mass produced or has the paper been produced by craftspeople through the use of small-scale paper mills and presses?

Have the supports been finished with a matte or gloss surface?

Are the supports textured in some way?

Have the supports been enhanced through the use of collage techniques? Describe the materials added through the use of collage.

Are the supports white?

If the supports are not white, has a colour been integrated during the manufacturing process?

If colour been applied to the surface of the support, describe any use of primers or undercoats of paint, ink or dye.

Has the support influenced the type of marks created by the drawing media?

Drawing materials:

What materials have been used to create the drawings?

Are they dry or formed into a stick format? Are they graphite pencils, coloured pencils or chinograph pencils, charcoal, conte sticks, compressed chalk pastels, oil pastels or wax crayons?

Has the artist or designer used a solvent such as water, metholated or white spirits, or turpentine in order to dissolve sections of the dry media applied to the drawing support?

Has the artist or designer used wet media, such as inks, watercolour paints or gouche paints or dyes?

Drawing implements:

What types of implements have been used to apply the wet media?

Has the artist or designer used pen knibs, felt-tipped pens, sticks, brushes, pieces of fabric or foam, knives and scrapers, or equipment associated with spraying or splattering the wet media across the support surface?

If pens or brushes have been used, describe the type of pen knibs or brush widths selected.

Have stencils or resist techniques such as applications of gum or wax materials been used in order to direct or resist the application of wet media?

Line drawing:

Have the drawing media been used to produce line drawing techniques?

Has line drawing been used throughout the visual representation?

Have line drawing methods been restricted to the depiction of outlines or a specific area of an image?

Have continuous lines been used?

Have broken lines been used?

Have modulated lines been used?

Have drawn lines been used to indicate tonal changes?

Have lines been used for tonal rendering through the creation of areas of hatching or cross-hatching? If so, how do these sections relate to other lines, such as outlines?

Have lines been used to indicate different surface textures?

Tonal drawing:

Has the artist or designer has devoted attention to the depiction of tonal changes? How has this been achieved?

Has the artist or designer used a range of methods other than hatching or cross-hatching techniques or modulated line in order to render tonal sections?

Has the artist or designer used stippling techniques or small dots of media in order to render tonal sections?

Have tonal sections been rendered through the application of broad strokes of dry or wet media? Have these broad strokes of dry or wet media been applied in solid blocks, or have they been modulated?

Media use and integration:

Has the artist or designer combined the use of different dry or wet media together in single images?

Have hand-drawn sections or representations been combined or integrated with collage or digital imagery?

If collage elements have been incorporated into hand-drawn representations, describe the types of materials, imagery and textures incorporated through the use of collage elements.

Subject matter:

Has the artist or designer used drawing techniques in order to produce realistic representations? Describe the representations.

Has the artist or designer used drawing techniques in order to produce an abstracted representation? Describe the representations.

Students in the exhibition space…

Adults charged with supervising a group of students on a field trip or excursion are often confronted by the process of arranging student movements in the exhibition space so that viewing opportunities can be maximised.

If several adults accompany the student group during the field trip or excursion, then sub-groups could be organised and each subgroup would then be able to focus on a specific exhibit or section on display. If a clearly defined thematic approach has been used to present the exhibition then subgroups could be sent to different thematic sections, and these subgroups could swap places at strategic times during the exhibition visit.

If only one adult is able to accompany a large student group then the supervisor may need to focus on a very limited number of adjacent exhibits at one time during the exhibition visit. Analysis and discussion of specific aspects could then be completed with the entire group as it remains seated or standing. The entire group can then move to the next appropriate section of the exhibition.

If students are able to complete a worksheet or observation notes while they are in the exhibition area, then they need to organise a safe portable writing support such as a cardboard sheet or folder. The use of a pencil rather than a pen is usually requested by many museum or gallery administrations as a measure to ensure the safety of the exhibits as well as the wall and floor surfaces in the exhibition spaces.

Adults accompanying the student group also need to reinforce the need for students to behave in a manner that is caring and supportive, so that every visitor in the exhibition space is able to enjoy viewing the exhibits and the visit to the museum or gallery is very positive.

Exhibition spaces...

Students can begin to develop the means to express their own reactions to the physical space and methods used to stage an exhibition or display of work of art, design or craft in a museum or gallery environment. In order to be able to carefully evaluate the impact of an exhibition or display, student discussions or assignments could actually commence with a series of observations and descriptions of the physical space and the presentation techniques used. These types of assignments can prompt students to examine the impact of exhibition design on viewer perceptions and reactions.

Questions could request students to examine and analyse the use of wall and floor space, the use of lighting, the manner in which two-dimensional works are placed against wall surfaces and the ways in which these works are framed or mounted for display, the use of floor space, display cases, plinths or platforms for the display of three-dimensional works, the use of colour or textures on walls or display surfaces, the placement of barriers to protect works, and the format and placement of labels and catalogues. Students may even be able to provide descriptions of visitor movements and reactions in an exhibition or display space.

The following could be included in a list of questions for discussion or investigation…

Physical space:

Is this exhibition staged in one room, several rooms, or a single space with subdivisions or clearly defined different sections?

If multiple sections of space or multiple rooms have been used for a single exhibition, how have the exhibits been placed in these areas?

Have works or art, design or craft been placed directly on the floor, and has floor space been used for display cabinets, platforms or plinths?

Describe the use of colour and textures on the walls of the museum or gallery space allocated for the exhibition. Is the use of colour and texture on the walls uniform throughout the exhibition space? Is the use of wall colour and texture related to the exhibition theme or the subjects depicted in the works on display?

If the use of the wall colour and texture has varied throughout the exhibition area, have colour changes been directly related to the display of different exhibits?

Lighting:

Describe the light sources available in the exhibition or display space.

Are there multiple light sources in the exhibition space?

If natural daylight is available, then describe the exhibits nearest to the windows or skylights.

Has artificial lighting been used in conjunction with natural light sources? If so, describe the placement of different exhibits in relation to the daylight and artificial light sources.

If the exhibition space relies on the use of artificial light sources, describe the placement of these light sources, the level of lighting on the exhibition space, and the relationship between the light sources and the placement of the exhibits.

If lighting levels vary throughout the exhibition space, then describe the impact of the lighting changes on the presentation of the exhibits.

Displays of two-dimensional exhibits:

If the exhibition or display features two-dimensional works hung on the walls or partitions, how high and how close have these worked been placed?

Has the placement of exhibits mounted on the walls resulted in particular advantages or any problems for visitors?

Are the two-dimensional works mounted or framed, and are the mounts or frames the same throughout the exhibition? Describe differences in the mounts or frames if the use of mounts or frames varies.

Displays of three-dimensional exhibits:

Describe the three-dimensional works of art, design or craft that have been placed directly on the exhibition floor space. How much clear floor space has been left around each work?

If display cases or cabinets, platforms or plinths have been used for the exhibition presentation, describe their size, the types of work displayed in these areas and the materials, colours and textures used to produce these display stands.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of including display cases or cabinets, platforms or plinths as a part of the exhibition presentation?

Barriers and visitor pathways:

Are there any barriers in the exhibition barriers in the exhibition area? Describe the type of barriers used.

Why have the barriers been placed in sections of the exhibition of the exhibition space?

How do visitors react to the use of exhibition barriers?
Catalogues, exhibit lists and labels:

Does the exhibition or display feature catalogues or exhibit lists? Describe the size and design of these catalogues or lists, as well as any other associated printed items, such as publicity cards.

Describe the printed format used for the catalogue or exhibition list.

Describe the placement of any labels associated with individual exhibits, the shapes and background colours used for the labels, and the lettering styles incorporated into the label presentation.

Describe the type of information included on the exhibit labels.

Visitor space:

Have the exhibition organisers defined a distinct single pathway for visitors to follow through the exhibition or display space? If there is a specific route, how have the exhibition organisers marked out this pathway?

Describe the amount of space available for visitors to stand in front of individual exhibits, or the amount of space available for visitors to move from one exhibit to another.

Is seating available for visitors in the exhibition or display space? Has the seating been placed in a central location in the exhibition space? Has the seating been placed near specific exhibits? Describe any advantages or disadvantages associated with the use of seating in the exhibition space.

Before the gallery door...

What are the benefits of including the evaluation of exhibition or display venues during field trips or excursions for students? The main purpose of an excursion or field trip to a museum or gallery may be bound up with an opportunity to view a specific exhibition or a display of works of art, design or craft. However, students may question why this exhibition has been set up in a museum or gallery environment. Given the ease of access to printed or electronic reproductions or works or art, design or craft, they may also wonder why viewing an original work in a museum or gallery environment should be a requirement in their school studies. The development of student study units or assignments related to the evaluation of the museum or gallery environment may be a valuable means of initiating student discussion about the roles of museums or galleries in their local communities.

Some museums or galleries were founded in order to preserve significant works of art, design or craft. Numerous public museums and galleries were meant to serve a role as educational institutions so that the presentation of works of art or design or craft would change the perceptions and behaviour of visitors. Some major art museums or galleries were actually established during the nineteenth century in conjunction with the foundation of a school or art or design for young adults. A number of tertiary educational institutions developed their own collections of art and design works during the twentieth century in order to support both teaching and research activities. Community or associational museums or galleries can serve to promote the development of community or associational identity as well as fund-raising activities. These museums of galleries also provide opportunities for community or associational members to be involved in arts activities. Commercial galleries are usually founded on the principle that they can boost the consumption of works or art, design or craft, but many commercial arts entrepreneurs understand the benefits of encouraging the interest of members of educational institutions in order to elevate the public profile of the arts in a particular location.

The organisation of a visit to a museum or gallery specialising in the presentation of works of art, design and craft may begin with a classroom discussion or a formal lesson that outlines the type of museum or gallery that the students will be visiting. This will help to alert students to the role and size of the museum or gallery staging the exhibition.
Discussion could include references to the age of the museum or gallery, the age of the building used to house the museum or gallery and the nature of the administration in charge of the museum or gallery. Reference to the administration of the museum or gallery could result in a discussion centred on the principal purpose of the museum or gallery. Students could then begin to consider the differences between a public museum or gallery, and museums or galleries operated by educational institutions, community groups, associations, private individuals or commercial concerns.

Students may need to complete tasks that help them to answer questions about the museum or gallery building that provides a venue for an exhibition or displays earmarked for the excursion or field trip. Opportunities for discussion or question and answer sessions, student response papers required for activities during the trip, or assignments set directly after the trip can assist the development of descriptions of the museum or gallery surrounds. The subsequent evaluation of a museum or gallery location can prompt reflection on the relationship between the physical identity of the museum or gallery complex and the type of cultural consumption associated with the museum or gallery. When students arrive at the museum or gallery site they could begin to observe the access routes to the museum or gallery building, the physical environment or landscape design surrounding the museum or gallery buildings, the use and impact of signage associated with the museum or gallery, the external architectural features of the museum or gallery and the entrance area for the building. Structured student activities requiring careful observation and reflection in relation to all of these factors could help to focus the attention of students, and hopefully begin to break down any nervousness about the experience of visiting a museum or gallery.

The following could be included in a list of questions for discussion or investigation…

Access routes:

Is access to the museum or gallery complex linked to public transport routes? Is access to the museum or gallery complex linked to parking areas?

Is there a footpath approach from the roadway or parking area to the doorway of the museum or gallery complex?

Describe the provision of access routes for visitors with special mobility needs.

The external environment:

Is the museum or gallery building surrounded by other built environments, trees and vegetation and large scale free-standing three-dimensional sculptures? If any of these elements are present, students could complete descriptions of each of these elements.

Signage:

Has external museum or gallery signage been incorporated into permanent road signposts?

Have cloth or plastic banners been used?

Are signs mounted on the actual museum or gallery building?

Student descriptions could take note of the use of particular lettering styles, colour schemes, the use of transparent or matte or reflective surfaces, as well as lighting features related to signs.

External architectural features:

Students could examine the external architectural forms incorporated into the museum or gallery complex. They could note the presence of important external architectural features such as columns, decorative or textural wall surfaces, or verandahs.

Is the museum or gallery complex in a building that has previously been used for other purposes?

Is the museum or gallery in a building that has been specifically been constructed for that purpose?

How old is the museum or gallery building, and is it closely linked to other buildings?

Have relief sculptures been incorporated into the design of the building walls?

The museum or gallery entrance:

Students could also describe the entrance to the museum or gallery complex.

How large is the doorway?

Is there signage on the door?

Are there museum or gallery staff members working near the main entrance, and if so where are they placed in this entrance area and what are their tasks?

Starting the field trip

Student excursions or field trips to museums or galleries featuring exhibitions of art, design or craft can be place heavy demands on students, teachers, parents and museum or gallery staff in terms of organisational requirements and expense. Teachers realise that these excursions or field trips can give students experiences that provide vital information as well as educational inspiration for arts courses. However, student responses to a particular excursion can be difficult to predict. Students can return to the classroom enthusiastic and energised, excited by what they have observed and learnt. Unfortunately, some field trips can be disastrous. Students can find the gallery or museum environment to be physically and socially intimidating, and some students can spend their time in an exhibition area as reluctant visitors, anxious to leave as soon as possible.

This blog seeks to examine the development of the museum education experience for students from primary, elementary or preparatory classes, middle school classes and senior school classes. Why should we devote time to an analysis of the museum education experience for school students? Some preservice Education courses for undergraduate or postgraduate students interested in teaching careers devote attention to issues related to museum education, but it can be difficult to access to such coursework. An examination of issues related to museum education can be confined to the preparation of teachers in specialist areas, such as Art Education for middle or senior classes, or only made available in specific elective courses that are offered on a semi-regular basis. Some generalist primary, elementary or preparatory school teachers discover that they are required to participate on a regular basis in arts education only after they have completed a teacher training course that never examined arts education in great detail. Arts education and specifically art, design and craft education programs for school students in elementary, middle or senior schools are not always compulsory sections of the teaching timetable, so some elementary students may be able visit museums and galleries on a regular basis, and some senior school students with almost no previous exposure to museum or gallery environments may suddenly find themselves considering enrolment in an elective Art, Design or Craft course that requires museum or gallery field trips.

Teachers and parents may hope that museums and galleries will provide inhouse educational support services, so that students can receive guidance when they arrive in an exhibition area. It is true that many museums and galleries operate excellent education sections, staffed by highly qualified and experienced educators with specialist subject expertise and museum training. These museum or gallery staff members are prepared to provide consultation services for teachers before and after a visit from a student group. They will arrange for students to be met at the doors of the museum or gallery for a carefully structured guided tour that will establish a platform for further educational activities after the return to the school classroom. However, many museums and galleries simply cannot provide the resources for the regular employment of such specialist staff. Attempts may be made to provide support through the efforts of specialist art, design or craft curators who do not have teacher training or teaching experience. Volunteer guides or docents who have undertaken preparatory inhouse museum or gallery activities may also help to develop attempts to provide educational support. Volunteer guides or docents are the invaluable backbone of many an important museum or gallery, but some guides or docents may have very little life experience with large groups of school students in specific age groups, and guiding large student groups can be a very daunting experience at times, even for very experienced teachers. Finally, many smaller university, community-operated, associational or commercial museums or galleries staging important displays may welcome interest from teachers and school students, but these museums or galleries simply cannot provide any form of educational support. Visits from school groups are welcome, but a teacher, or a school administrative staff member or a parent must provide any assistance for student visitors.

This blog will attempt to examine the ways in which teachers, school administrative staff, parents and museum or gallery staff could provide school students with support when they visit an exhibition. Hopefully, the blog will provide ideas and techniques suitable for field trip organisers to develop positive educational opportunities for adults and school children involved in museum or gallery visits.

An introduction

This blog will examine issues related to museum education programs for school students, art education archives and records management, and historical research for art, design and craft education.