Getting a 9 (A**) in Fine Art - Introduction

 

Like with any other subject, there is formula to getting a high grade in art, even if it’s not obvious. I find that there aren’t many people talking about getting high marks in Fine Art online, which is why I decided to write this series of articles.

 

Who am I?

I studied GCSE Fine Art from Aug 2018 - June 2020. In Year 10, I started off fluctuating around a 6 and 7 (B-A equivalent), which is a decent grade but I wanted to push myself and aim high. I tried experimenting to see what worked - different materials, exploring various art styles, using types of reference photos, etc.

By the end of Year 10, I figured out the strategy, and since Term 1 of Year 11 I have been receiving consistent 9s. My final grade was a 9 - when I started, I thought a grade like this was impossible to achieve with my level of skill. But I’ve found that with hard work and strategy, it is not.

 

What will you learn?

In this article I’ll share my experiences, and my top pieces of advice for Fine Art students who aim to achieve high results. Although some of what I say will be specific only to Fine Art, I’m sure some will apply to Graphics and other Art students.

 

This series of articles will have 5 parts:

  1. Observational drawings

  2. Annotations

  3. Artist Analyses

  4. Experiments and Final Piece

  5. Time Management

 

I’ll talk about how you can ace each part of your project, what things to consider, advice, and some tips I wish people told me when I started the course.

 

Disclaimer: This is not to say that by just following my advice, you will get a 9 - these are just my personal tips on doing well in GCSE art and I will share what worked for me.