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Visual Arts
IB DP Category 1
Online (IB Approved), 25 - 27 August 2023
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Arts-Visual
IB MYP Category 1
Online (IB Approved), 10 - 12 November 2023
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Subscriber comments
(Last 3 months)
- Yes, I do recall answering your question a while ago but not sure where it was posted. For students to access the student gallery you need to select the examples you want (or all) by ticking the boxes in student access. They are all orange...
- there is no stipulation of how many of their own pieces the student discusses...it could be one, or several, the important thing is to explore the relationship with the chosen artworks
- Hello,I have written before but I cannot find our converstation, sorry for any repetition. My students are not able to access the student gallery to see any student work?! HELP! I am trying to make sure this isn't because...
- Hi Heather, Is there any quantity requirement for the HL students' developing works? Is it possible to focus on one artwork in the whole 3-5 extra pages for Crit F?
- A title is an entirely subjective thing (and often a bit of mystery doesnt hurt)... it does not need to be translated, unless of course the artist wants the significance of the title to be clear to the examiner. This could be included in the...
- Hello Heather,I have some doubts, perhaps of minor interest, that concern me. If the work is done in Spanish, Can you give titles in English to your works? In the same way, if the work is done in Spanish, Should they translate the title of...
- HL 8-11SL 4-7
- Hi Rachel or , I'm curious about for the Do's and Don'ts activity, which of those images do you consider 'Do's'? I apologize if this should be obvious, but I have questions about some of them with the handwriting, in particular :)
- Hi,The amount of work for the exhibition 2023. How many pieces do the students have to submit?
- So glad to hear it, sometimes we just need a new idea, artist, or a new technique to introduce... keeps it interesting.
- Yes, in text citation at point of use and a separate sources document with full reference
- Love this content ! Thank you so much for posting about alternative photo processes- this is exactly I needed
- I see that the Works Cited is submitted as a separate document--Do the screens need in-text citation of some sort?
- It always amazes me how much content ( text and images ), some students can manage to squeeze onto a page!Very impressive.
- You have read it correctly and yes that would be OK. Most choose to use works from 3 different contexts but this is not required.
- The CS rubric says to choose artworks "from at least two contrasting cultural contexts". If a student chooses two artworks from contrasting contexts and a third artwork from the same or very similar cultural context as one of the two, would...
- The portfolio is assessed holistically, so the criteria may be addressed throughout, not necessarily all in one investigation/art form if thats what you mean...it is nice to see the whole process for an artwork and 4 slides sounds about right,...
- Tanguy was French and Hesse German, these are sufficiently different cultural backgrounds. The historical period however is the same, so perhaps introducing a third work form a different time frame could provide an interesting contrasting context.
- Hi Heather, when submitting the final PP, should students submit slides that hit all assessed strands for or a particular artworks/investigations? For example, if my students are creating 4 slides per artwork (and hitting all strands), should...
- Hi Heather,I have a student who has looked at Yves Tanguy and Eva Hesse who are both European and post WW2 and undecided on his 3rd artwork. Is it enough that the contrasting element comes from different genders, art media and genre? How...
- I understand the stress! Cite image in first occasion, with a number that corresponds to full citation on sources page, I.e. image 1, then subsequent repeat citations can be referenced with that number. for example Detail of image 1 .Students...
- Is it correct to assume that if a student cites the artwork once in the CS, she does not have to cite it on every slide, every time she uses that image? If she uses a detail of the work to bring focus to a point of analysis or comparison, should...
- I think that might only be available if student is doing the diploma in French- can you talk to your coordinator? If not don’t worry too much, the language can be quite basic, look at the CS by Agata in student gallery For example. Majority...
- Thank you so much! That's very helpful
- Hi Heather, is it possible to submit the comparative in French instead of English? Its a bilingual school and VA is taught in English but I have a student with limited English. Thank you!
- Hi Jette, I like the MOMA resource on photography as a general introhttps://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/themes/photography/The Tate has an A-Z of modern photography that is appealing and informativehttps://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/p/photography/a-zand...
- Hi Heather I have a student who's doing her Comparative Study on photography. I wondered if you have an idea for a good source describing the different genres in photography?
- thank you Donique, this makes me so happy to hear !!
- Just a quick thank you Heather, this website is such a must have and I am on it every day! I will be lost without it. Thank you for all the effort you put into this website. I and many others appreciate it greatly! Ciao Donique
- Hi Syeda, congratulations! you can share the work with me via a google docs link, send to heathermcr@gmail.com
- Hi Christina, I think the fact that she has more traditional work that shows technical skills is helpful ( for the assessed criteria) and the sensory work sounds exciting and innovative! Depending on the presentation of the boxes it may...
- Hi Heather,Thank you so much for your response,I wanted to ask you one of my student of badge 2021 scored 7 in both Comparative study and Exhibitionis it possible if her work published on in thinking what is the procedure
- Excellent work! congratulation
- Okay, thank you very much. I appreciate your input. Many Thanks
- Hi Heather, I hope you are well! A student of mine has a plan to create an 'olfactory portrait' of her mother, making a series of boxes that contain smells. She is nt planning to have anything else that conveys a visual idea, maybe she will...
- Arguably yes, but some examiners may not see it that way so probably best to include a third artwork from a different culture altogether.
- Hello,I have a student who has looked at Evelyn De Morgan and Dante Rossetti. So both from the same country and same time period. Is it enough that the contrasting element comes from their cultural differences in terms of different genders...
- Superb work! Congratulations to Nicoletta and her teacher!
- Wow, really fascinating work! Bravo
- Great thank you Heather.
- Thank you very much!
- This sounds like a good start. Then gradually she can discover what art forms she feels most at ease with- textiles, ceramics, furniture, architectural drawings.
- The photo can be before, but the rationale should explain the interactive nature Of the piece. Could also be specified in the ex text
- Hi Helen, interesting dilemma. it Sounds 3D to me but the student could even explain how it is both… as Long as they have other forms too
- Hello Heather,I am new to IB and very much appreciate all the information on this site, its such a great support.I have a question, we have a HL student (in her first year) interested in interior design. Do you have any suggestions what she...
- Hi heatherjust wanted to clarify that one of my art students is doing the interactive piece in her exhibition where audience will be engaging, but when uploading, should the picture of the completed piece be there, after all the opinions are...
- Thank you so much!
- Dear Heather, I have a student who would like to design a sculpture which will then be printed on a 3d printer. He will have to use a programme to translate this digitally but intends to paint it afterwards. Do you think that this would be...
- Many thanks! I'm not sure I can share the work in case it is used in the exhibition, but I think we agreed to create a new one based on this one which is actually more interesting.
- Hi Heather! Hope all is well. Sarah from the Paris workshop here back in sunny Burkina Faso! I have a student who has a fascination with body art. Would a CS based on 3 images work; Edmaximus by Laolu Senbanjo-Nigerian...
- I shall ask her teacher if she can share the CS.
- In the PP yes (fully acknowledged of course)- this is definitely part of the learning process.
- Can you post Regina's CS so we can see all 3 components together?
- Hi Heather, I hope you doing wellCan the students put their copy of their master's drawing in their portfolio as part of the technical learning process? Would it be counted as Criterion A?
- Im well Greca, thank you! Yes, the changes are good ones....looking forward to rewriting the entire website ;)
- I agree - no CS and more art-making. How are you, Heather?
- No worries, Only the CS date has changed, the other submission dates are the same, IA 20th April PP 30th April
- its all working now, it was a tech upgrade site wide, so sorry for the inconvenience
- Helllo Heather,I hope you are doing well!I saw that CS is due by 15th of March for May 2023 candidates.Can we still submit PP and Exhibition till 20th of April 2023?Is it okay if I plan final exhibition in need of March 2023?Thank you,Neha
- Hi Heather,I just wanted to let you know that the external links are not working. When I click on them is says file not found and asks to leave a comment. I have tried with several different browsers to no avail! This is for all external links.
- there is a limit of 500 characters per text box including spaces.see page -
- Maybe it could be one of the CS pieces, you are the best one to advise as you know the material!
- What is the total word count for the text boxes for the exhibition?
- I appreciate your reply Heather that work published in news paper and magazine faced lots of criticism and still talk of the town. still it cant be the part of the CS
- Yes it is acceptable but I advise students to look at the criteria when choosing art works. If there is no published material and the work is difficult to analyze for function and purpose then best to avoid.
- Fixed! refresh page and try again. Sorry for that
- Hello Heather, I have a student who would like to use a screen shot from an animation film as one of the works of art for her comparative study. Is this acceptable?Much thanks, Elizabeth
- Hi, I was wondering if there is a problem with a link for "elements of drawing"? It says page not found, every time I click on it.
- The CS is assessed independently of the exhibition. For Criterion F HL students explore the relationship of their own to work to the selected pieces. This will most likely tie into their exhibition but not required.
- Hi Heather, Does the CS have to have some relationship to their exhibition topic?
- Absolutely not. The work can be in any media, or in the same media.
- Actually I would not advise using work that does not have published material. And bear in mind the CS is a comparison of art works, not artists or designers. The page on choosing art works has guidelines for choosing appropriate art workshttps://www.thinkib.net/visualarts/page/34078/choosing-art-works-to-compare
- Thank you for the reply actually there is fashion show which student attended she was inspired by the image and took the picture can she used that in her CS
- Good Afternoon,I had someone tell me that all the work has to have the same media is this accurate?
- Hi Syeda, only two pieces need to be from different cultural contexts. Im not sure what ramp walk scene is..
- Perfect, thanks.
- Hi Heatherone of my students pick 3 art work with almost the same cultural context in which 2 of them are photography and one is the scene from the ramp walk. can she pick the ramp walk scene.Actually she wanted to talk about the dowry issue...
- Yes you can say that if it helps ;)purpose may also include the artists intention
- Both of these forms, ceramics and textiles are 3D forms, (column 2), and printmaking is a 2D form (column 1). This meets the HL and SL requirements. Does this answer your question?
- Hola Heather, se puede decir entonces que la función y el propósito son casi lo mismo?. Ya se que en arte todo es relativo y matizable, pero como puedo guiar bien a mis alumnos?Gracias.Hello Heather, can it be said then that the function...
- Hi Heather, I just want to check the media requirements. I have a student who has created a ceramic piece and a textiles sculpture piece and printmaking. Will the examiner consider the ceramic piece and the textiles sculptural piece as...
- The student is meant to formulate their own ideas based on research and information gathered, not conjecture. If the background reading informs the work in a general sense then this kind of general bibliography is fine, if there is a...
- Hi Heather, I agree that this is very well written. I have noticed however, that only a small amount of the sources in the bibliography are cited in the actual essay. Should they be referenced within the text where they have informed what is...
- I responded to your question on the previous page ;)
- This depends on how the student choses to display it- is it a triptych? I think it may be so, in which case she would consider it as one piece and use the additional supporting photos to show details.
- Hello Heather, I have a student creating three artworks all the same size and they are part of a series related to metamorphosis. Each will show a different stage of growth, can they each count as individual pieces towards the required number...
- I have a student making a set of three in a series, each showing a transformation and progression based on her concept. Each is on its own canvas. Do they each count as one work of art towards fulfilling the requirements for the exhibit?
- Great! Thank you Heather
- Usually its an "introduction" to the 3 art works and maybe an overview of the topic if there is one.Look at this example in the student galleryhttps://www.thinkib.net/visualarts/page/39611/amy-hl-cs or thesehttps://www.thinkib.net/visualarts/page/43996/isabella-comparative-study-hlhttps://www.thinkib.net/visualarts/page/32130/anastasia-cs-hlhttps://www.thinkib.net/visualarts/page/31316/sofie-h-cs-hl hope...
- Hello Heather, would you please guide me to a first slide example, or maybe explain to me how it should look like? What should the title be like? I guess "Comparative study" and a student's code is not enough, right? What should I advise my...
- Thank you Gulsah, please send me your email and I will be in touch about sharing a folder on google drive.
- Of course not, but acknowledge the source!
- Dear Heather, What do I need to do to submit one of my students' CS? She got a 7 on Visual Arts in May 2022.
- Hi Heather, I have a student who is using The creation of Adam hand gesture in one of her PP outcomes. However, the style and paintong technique is different. Would the student be penalized on it?
- No penalty... just the examiner is not obliged to look at screens beyond the maximum.
- Hi Anna, I will direct you to the page on ethical expression which includes IB guidelines: Nudity is acceptable, but explicit sexual imagery is not. Your student's work is probably just fine, but you may have to be the judge.
- Hi Heather, A student wants to know what the penalty would be for having an extra screen. I have spent some time trying to explain the work HAS to be exactly this length. I did promise the student I would ask. Thank you for any help you can...
- Hello, I am not really sure where to ask this question so I hope it is ok here. I have a student whos work is focused in part around life drawing and the human form. She has asked me about doing a photoshoot based around these ideas. I can...
- Thanks for confirming. I will reduce the images to that size, please keep an eye out for an email from me. Thanks again!
- That is up to the student. They can decide how to display and whether the pieces are separate or form a dyptich. This is justified in the curatorial rationale.
- one is sufficient ;)
- Hola! en realidad mi pregunta es sobre los estudiantes de HL, deben hacer tres obras para comparar con las tres seleccionadas o sólo una? Una vez mas gracias por tu ayuda!
- Good morning Heather, This course will be the first time that you value AI, I am a little nervous, among other doubts I wanted to ask you if I have a student who has two pieces that, being ideas that are opposed and because of how she has...
- If I understand your question karla, the HL students dont have to create works to compare but rather they compare what they have already done with any of the works chosen for the CS,You might find this page helpful-
- Ok, thank you very much!
- I am so ready for a change, I sure wish it were sooner, with the proposed time frame for the new guide we would be with this current guide for 9 or 10 years, yikes!
- Hola! quisiera saber si los estudiantes de HL deben realizar tres obras para compararlas con las obras seleccionadas o es solamente una que compara con las seleccionadas? Muchas gracias por la información!
- Its still a few years away but yes, I think it is going in the right direction. ;)
- Hi Heather!I am thrilled that the CS is no longer part of the assessment...I always felt as though it took up more classroom time than the 20% grade value, and it was redundant in many ways to the PP and between certain criteria within the...
- Its hard to say without seeing the context and how she manipulates the image. Are there copyright issues? Does she understand the difference between copying and artistic appropriation? Artistic appropriation means intentional borrowing...
- She may include a brief comparison of the formal elements and F&P of the two works by the same artist but the focus should be on the contrasting cultural comparison
- certainly in the process portfolio, including the historical and cultural background. I think if she wishes to include Ikebana in her exhibition she would need to take it a step further. I could see this working, maybe borrowing aspects and...
- Thanks for letting other teachers know how this works :)
- That will depend on the nature of the project. Be clear in stating this is a collaborative work and acknowledging which aspects of the work the student created, referring to both process and concept.
- Hi Heather, thank you for your answer! I have another one- a student just asked me can she print and use a photograph (a self-portrait) of a music group star, published on their official Instagram page? If yes, how this should be cited- do...
- Hi Heather, If the pupil worked with only 2 artists from different cultural backgrounds, should she compare the 2 different pieces from same artist also?
- Dear Heather,I have a student who would like to practice the Japanese art of flower arrangement, Ikebana. Do you think this art form would be accepted by the IB? Should she only do it as part of her process portfolio or could she possibly include...
- Just to let you know, so the coordinator simply clicked on the IBIS platform, carry on one component, the IA, and we uploaded the other EA. It's possible to do so for any subject. I hope not to have other retake sessions though!
- Hi Heather, We have two students who collaborated on a project. What should the documentation look like in the process portfolio?
- it depends on how much of the original image is uses, fragments generally do not infringe copyright issues but if a piece is largely derived from another persons work than this should be acknowledged. Otherwise citation could be "various magazine...
- Examiners should refer to the assessment criteria no matter what medium: Application and manipulation of the chosen media, technical competence, and understanding of formal qualities.
- I'm struggling with understanding academic honesty and what can and can't students do in collage art in the IB? I know that all the magazines/newspapers should be cited properly if used in the final artworks for the exhibition. Can we use pages...
- Thanks you so much
- Hi Heather,I have a student who loves digital drawing and painting. How does IB evaluate and assess screen based work? For example, if they do a landscape painting using traditional materials such as paint on canvas versus a digital painting...
- I know... its disconcerting. I wish there was a way of getting better examiner feedback to understand why.
- thats fine, the cultural differences are sufficient.
- Sounds like you better not heed that advice! ;)
- Thank you! I don't need this contact any longer...I just found the subject report, it has the 2022 grade boundaries and a 50 is a 4.Though I was so surprised about how this year's CS examiners applied the markband rubric, some students were...
- Can HL students use their Comparative Study piece as a piece in their Exhibition?
- Hi Heather,1Year1 student of mine is selecting artworks for her CS, she has selected from 3 different cultural backgrounds and from 3 different artists, but two of the artworks fall within 5 years of time period. Is this a problem? 2All...
- Thank you Heather, the same person told me the students had to have at least one drawing in the exhibition too so I am now just nervous to give the wrong advice. that's very helpful, thank you!
- Hi Anna, I think maybe this person was confusing the CS and the PP. The function and purpose and cultural context are for the CS.read the criteria for critical investigation ( B) in the PPhttps://www.thinkib.net/visualarts/page/23519/critical-investigationNo...
- No I dont... the personnel is always changing ! Try asking on IB answers, they should be able to provide you with the correct contact.
- yes it received an A - it says in first paragraph :) ciao Donique!
- No sound is assessed, mostly because of copyright issues, seehttps://www.thinkib.net/visualarts/page/11766/sound-in-ib-artProcess for PP can include stills, no links or embedded videosHope this helps
- I dont see the IBIS screen the same as a teacher does, can any teachers weigh in on this for Nicola?
- Hi, sorry if this has been answered somewhere already. I have had a past HOD tell me that artist links/analysis in the PP have to include function and purpose, cultural context and biography. I know from the subject report that the biography...
- Hello again, Do you know of a particular person our IB office should contact regarding the May 2022 examination session? Thank you!
- Thank you! be well!
- Hi Heather! Thanks for uploading this. I am wondering if this student received an A for this essay? Just nice to know as I am going to start reading the drafts of my students and it's always helpful to have some sort of standard. Thank you!
- Hi Heather,One of my student wants to make a video for the exhibition. I don't know more than that: 5 min and 500 mb upload and the video format. But what about the process for PP? And copyrights for music ecc.? The guide doesn't say more..
- Hi Heather, in the past, teachers were required to review each student's uploaded exhibition submissions before marking. The IBIS site looks totally different this year, my students have nowhere up upload their photos or their texts. My coordinator...
- I know, the language is a bit abstruse. I think we can assume that "fully articulates" means the student "explains the reasoning" behind the display.
- Between 2021 and 2022 the difference was only one point for Cs and PP, same for EX, if you feel the grade received was incorrect, can you try contacting IB assessment centre?
- Ok - Thanks - that was my though.
- Absolutely love these. What a great way to inspire unique and individualised work. Thanks for sharing.
- My problem is with the phrase 'fully articulates', I am unable to imagine what is meant by this and I cannot find an example of a rationale that has scored a 3 at HL. If fully 'articulates' means fully consider, which it doesn't, but put that...
- Hello Heather! I hope all is well, I have a question regarding the overall grade boundaries.I based my predicted scores on the 2021 grade boundaries...quick confirmation question.For example, there was a student that received 50 total marks...
- My thoughts are... there are so many artworks in the world.....
- It means that the student writes in the rationale about how they have arranged and displayed the works in the given space with consideration for the viewer experience ;)
- A student of mine wants to use stills from "Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse" for one of her CS artworks. Thoughts?
- Dear Heather,"The curatorial rationale fully articulates the relationship between the artworks and the viewer within the space made available to the student."What does this mean?Thank you,Marcus
- Thank you!
- Yeah I will try to talk with the coordinator tomorrow and avoid a similar situation again (previous coordinator suggested it)
- Hi Julia, yes Performance is an accepted art form. Have you seen this CS example?https://www.thinkib.net/visualarts/page/31234/ruby-cs-sl
- I have not encountered this particular situation. Can you check on IBIS that the IA upload is the same as the last time? You may need to contact the IB assessment centre if you have further issues. Good luck!
- Hi Heather, Is performance acceptable for the comparative then? The format is a still image for some of the art I suppose this can be analysed its more Marina Abramovic and her Rhythm O that might be harder to break down...
- Hello Heather, I think I made a mistake, not clear with the coordinator last year. The candidate wanted to redo only two components, the EA. We wanted to keep the IA and it seems possible but now IBIS asked me to upload it but says it has been...
- hmmm, although a case could certainly be made for the differences between these artists backgrounds I would choose works with stronger cultural distinctions to avoid misunderstanding by an examiner.
- I think it is fine to give them this kind of detailed feedback, but not necessary. The form is used for IB purposes to authenticate student work but you may find it useful to use it as a kind of progress report.
- For the CS there is no art making forms requirement, thats only for the PP. I think it sounds like a potentially interesting comparative study.
- It is an interesting premise. I think it may be best to document and present the work as a collaborative project, and each takes credit for their own photos. Read the page on collaborative work https://www.thinkib.net/visualarts/page/8572/collaborative-projectsin...
- You can certainly show your students the essays here
- SL students should work with at least two art-making forms from separate columns of the table.
- Hi Heather,I have a question about "cultural context" within the comparative study. My student wants to use two artists that were born in the U.S. but one spent most of his life in Europe and overseas and currently resides in England....
- Good Morning Heather, a questions came up today with my manager. My students are working on their Comparative Study and have completed Criteria A Formal Analysis on all 3 artworks on their own following the guidance I gave them at the beginning....
- Hi HeatherI have a student that wants to do a comparative on Ai Wei Wei 'Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn' 1995, Marina Abramovic 'Rhythm O' 1974 and Senga Nengudi 'Masked Tapping' 1978/79 will these fall under one of the three art-making forms?...
- Hi, I have one more question. I have two students who went together to a refugee center in Bucha, Ukraine. They took one camera that they managed to borrow. They shared the camera and each got photographs of the same people. These were people...
- Hello McReynolds, are we allowed to download the EE examples from InThinking to show it to our students? Regards, Neha
- Hello McReynolds, I am confused about SL pp. To meet the table of art making form, should SL students choose two techniques from All three columns Or any of two columns? Regards,Neha
- You would always need to upload the IA even for one student, but i Im thinking if this is a retake maybe they already have your marks and comments?. Im afraid I cant help with IBIS but do let me know how you resolve. I hope the results...
- Many Thanks Heather, that is really helpful and she like this idea. For her other two chosen artworks she's thinking Boyles world series; image of map and made artwork inspired by the map in front of...pic below and Julie Mehretu (third painting...
- Hello Heather, this is a silly one maybe, but if you have only one candidate, it's my case in this November session (a retake), does IBIS ask you to upload the IA? I entered PG already and final IA but I do not see the sample request and therefor...
- Thanks!
