Aragón PAU Artistic Drawing II exam-day guide
Aragón PAU Artistic Drawing II · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Official photo ID (DNI, passport, or equivalent)
Bring the original document, not a photocopy. Invigilators check identity against the enrolment record. If your ID is expired or the name does not match your registration, confirm with the provider (the Universidad de Zaragoza coordinates PAU in Aragón) before exam day.
Exam admission slip / enrolment receipt
Print or download the document your school or the coordinating university issues after enrolment. Some centres only require the ID, so confirm with the provider which document is actually checked at the door.
Graphite pencils in several grades (e.g. 2H, HB, 2B, 4B/6B)
Drawing II tasks usually mix precise line work and tonal shading. Carry at least two of your most-used grades sharpened, plus a sharpener and sandpaper block or cutter.
Eraser types: soft vinyl, hard/plastic, and a kneaded eraser
A kneaded eraser lifts graphite without damaging paper and is useful for lightening tone; a hard eraser gives crisp edges. Test all of them on the same paper you will use in the exam.
Drawing supports you are used to (paper or card, appropriate weight and grain)
Check the format and paper type the exercise asks for in the official instructions. If the centre supplies paper, confirm with the provider whether you may bring your own; do not assume.
Dry colour media allowed by the instructions (coloured pencils, pastels, etc.)
Confirm with the provider which media the current call permits. Wet media, sprays and fixatives are commonly restricted in exam rooms; verify before relying on them.
Drawing board/clipboard and fixing clips or tape
A rigid support and low-tack tape keep the sheet stable. Masking tape is usually safer than strong adhesive; check whether tape is permitted on the sheet.
Rulers, set square, and compass if the exercise involves geometry or perspective
Confirm with the provider whether technical drawing instruments are allowed for the specific option you plan to answer.
Wristwatch (no smart features)
Exam rooms may not have a visible clock. A plain watch lets you manage the time budget for the timed drawing.
Clear water bottle and a small snack
Confirm with the provider whether food and drink are allowed at the desk; keep any bottle unlabelled and transparent.
Leave prohibited items at home: phone, smartwatch, notes, pre-drawn sketches
Bringing unauthorised material, even switched off, can lead to disqualification. Confirm with the provider the exact list of banned items for your centre.
Plan your route and arrival time
Locate the assigned building and room in advance. Arrive with a margin; confirm with the provider the cut-off time after which entry is refused.
Plan the day
Re-read the official instructions for the current call and confirm which exercise options are offered and which media are allowed; check with the provider if anything is ambiguous. Do one full timed rehearsal under exam conditions (same paper, same media, same duration), then review where you lost time.
Inventory your materials against the checklist. Replace worn erasers, sharpen pencils, and confirm the paper you will use matches the format the exercise requires. Do not introduce a new medium or tool this late.
Practise the two or three most likely task types at moderate intensity: observational drawing with tonal structure, compositional studies, and any geometric or perspective work. Focus on blocking-in speed and proportion checks rather than finish.
Pack the bag completely and place it by the door. Prepare ID and admission documents in a separate folder. Confirm transport and the room location. Stop heavy practice; a short warm-up sketch is enough.
Sleep a full night. Avoid last-minute cramming of theory; the exam rewards controlled execution and time management more than memorised facts.
Eat properly, arrive early, and re-check that the folder holds ID and admission documents. Keep the bag light and free of any prohibited item. Once seated, lay out tools in a fixed order so you never search for them mid-drawing.
Read every instruction and the scoring criteria carefully, note the required format and medium, and choose the option you can execute most reliably. Write your name and details exactly as instructed before starting.
Make light construction lines: overall proportions, placement on the sheet, main axes and value masses. Decide the composition and the light direction before committing to tone.
Build from general to specific: establish the largest shapes and value relationships, then refine edges and details. Step back periodically to check proportion and contrast at a distance.
Strengthen focal contrast, clean construction lines if the brief requires it, and check the sheet against the stated criteria. Reserve the last few minutes to hand in correctly and confirm any signature or label required.
Rules to check
Bring original photo ID and the enrolment or admission document; identity is checked against the registration record. If your documents do not match, confirm with the provider before exam day how to resolve it.
Mobile phones, smartwatches and any connected device must be switched off and stored out of reach, or left outside as the centre directs. Confirm with the provider the exact policy and the consequences of a breach.
Only materials permitted by the current official instructions may be on the desk. Confirm with the provider whether fixatives, wet media or sprays are allowed, and never bring pre-prepared drawings or reference images.
Follow the invigilator's instructions on seating, start and end times, and handing in. Writing after the stop signal or continuing to draw is typically penalised; confirm the exact rule with the provider.
Breaks and leaving the room are at the invigilator's discretion and usually supervised. Confirm with the provider whether breaks are permitted and whether time is added.
Scoring follows the published criteria for the exercise: composition, proportion, spatial representation, tonal or colour handling, technical control of the medium, and adherence to the brief. Read the criteria in the instructions and address each one explicitly.
Work must be your own and produced during the exam. Any suspicion of copied, pre-made or third-party material is handled under the applicable academic-integrity procedure; confirm the details with the provider.
If you need adaptations (extra time, separate room, specific materials), request them through the official channel well before the exam; confirm with the provider the deadlines and the documentation required.