AO3

‘Record ideas, observations and insights 

relevant to their intentions in visual and/or other forms’

 

Assessment objective 3 (AO3) 

is about recording your observations, experiences and ideas.

AO3 requirements

Record - Record your work by writing, drawing,

taking photographs, or taking cuttings from  

magazines.

Observe - Learn to look around you all the time. The closer you observe things, the more questions you'll think of. Asking questions helps with your 

understanding.

Explain - Write about what you think when you see a work of art, or use an interesting object. Or you could make a sketch of how you feel.

Make links - Make sure that what you put in your journal is something to do with your theme. For 

example, if you're working on portraits, materials about landscapes are not likely to be useful.

Choose your goal - Once you have a goal, AO3 should help you to reach it.

Always look carefully at the object you want to draw or photograph - to pick up on interesting tiny details. This is called first-hand observation.

Primary sources

Primary sources are the things you see yourself, and sketch or photograph yourself.

A section is when you concentrate on drawing just one part of your source.

A close-up is when you draw a small part in greater detail.

 

Work out scale by using your pencil. For example you could find the largest and the smallest object that you are drawing. Guess roughly how many of the smallest objects will fit into the largest one. This will help you to get an idea of scale.

 

 

Positive and negative space

Arrange what you are going to draw and try to remember the importance of positive and negative space. Positive space refers to shapes of the objects themselves. Negative space is the space between those objects.

Using a viewfinder to draw sections of a composition

Viewfinders are like small windows that allow you to observe a section (small part) of a bigger picture. Viewfinders can be used with paintings, drawings or photographs.

 

Remember:

You may find that after looking at something close-up like an avocado

skin it may inspire you to create something else.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Describing subject matter

The words you use to describe the subject matter

of a piece of art, craft or design work will depend on the individual work.

Below are lists of descriptive words that you could use:

Art

Figures - man, woman, child, groups of people, royalty, religious figures, families, people in love, people at war

Scenes - everyday life, worship, at war, working,

sleeping, posing, storytelling

Animals - moving, static domestic pets, groups

Objects - the still life, everyday objects, food and drink, plants, the landscape, personal belongings,

religious artefacts, symbols and signs

Abstract - colours, shapes, geometric, patterns, 

suggestive, mood, emotion, dark, light, powerful,

subtle

Craft

Purpose - sculptural, decorative, functional, vase, bowl, cup, plate, jewellery, necklace, bracelet, 

earrings

Patterns - symmetrical, abstract, geometric, symbolic

Shapes - Square, circular, long, tall, short, 

interlocking

Organic shapes - flowers, stems, petals, flowing,

curving, interlocking, curved

Design - lettering, text, signs and symbols

Design

Purpose - clothes, shoes, hats, jewellery, furniture,

houses and buildings, bridges, fabric, wallpaper, designs for print, logos, posters

Organic shapes - anatomical, flowers, stems, petals, flowing, curving, interlocking, curved

Shapes - abstract, curved, angular, straight, flat

Design - lettering, text, blocks, patterns

Human experience - memories, stories, myths and legends, religious, everyday

Site-specific - environmental, practical, scientific,

aesthetic