Aragón PAU Artistic Drawing II study plan
Aragón PAU Artistic Drawing II · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Graphic expression and representation: line, shape, texture, and value in artistic drawing & Drawing techniques and media: graphite, charcoal, ink, pastel, and mixed media
Trace and then freehand-copy ten contour drawings of simple objects, isolating line quality from shading
Build a value scale of nine evenly stepped grays in graphite and repeat it in charcoal to compare tonal range
Produce six texture swatches from direct observation of surfaces such as wood, fabric, stone, and metal
Draw the same still-life object three times using line only, then value only, then texture-led mark-making
Your checkpoint
A sketchbook spread with a nine-step graphite value scale, a nine-step charcoal value scale, six labelled texture swatches, and three comparative studies of one object
Form and volume: light, shadow, modelling, perspective, and three-dimensional representation & Graphic expression and representation: line, shape, texture, and value in artistic drawing
Construct one-point and two-point perspective grids and place five boxes accurately on each
Render a cube and a cylinder under a single directional light, marking cast shadow, core shadow, and reflected light
Draw a draped cloth from observation, mapping the fall of light across changing planes
Correct three earlier drawings by re-establishing horizon line and vanishing points
Your checkpoint
Two perspective grid sheets with five plotted solids each, plus one fully modelled charcoal study of drapery with labelled light zones
Color: theory, mixtures, chromatic relationships, and expressive use & Form and volume: light, shadow, modelling, perspective, and three-dimensional representation
Mix a twelve-hue colour wheel in gouache or acrylic and match each hue to its complement
Produce value and saturation ladders for three chosen pigments
Paint one still life in a limited palette of three colours plus white, keeping light and shadow consistent
Compare a warm-light and cool-light version of the same object to explain colour temperature shifts
Your checkpoint
A colour workbook page with a twelve-hue wheel, three pigment ladders, and two small still-life paintings showing warm-light and cool-light variants
Composition: balance, rhythm, proportion, scale, and spatial organization & Graphic expression and representation: line, shape, texture, and value in artistic drawing
Analyse five master drawings by diagramming their balance, focal point, and directional rhythm
Produce four thumbnail compositions of one subject, each using a different balance strategy
Enlarge the strongest thumbnail to A3 while preserving proportion and negative-space relationships
Test scale by redrawing the composition at two sizes and judging which holds together
Your checkpoint
A comparison sheet of five diagrammed master compositions plus four thumbnails and one A3 resolved composition of your own subject
Artistic drawing analysis and commentary: reading images and works of art & Composition: balance, rhythm, proportion, scale, and spatial organization
Write a structured commentary on one drawing, covering medium, composition, light, and expressive intent
Build a personal vocabulary list of at least twenty analytical terms and apply each in a sentence
Annotate three works with arrows identifying compositional devices and colour strategies
Present a five-minute spoken commentary on one work without reading from notes
Your checkpoint
One 400-word written commentary with an annotated image reproduction and a term glossary of twenty applied entries
Drawing techniques and media: graphite, charcoal, ink, pastel, and mixed media & Form and volume: light, shadow, modelling, perspective, and three-dimensional representation
Complete a timed twenty-minute study in each of graphite, charcoal, ink, and pastel on the same subject
Combine ink wash with pastel in one mixed-media study and document the layering order
Render a reflective or transparent object, capturing both surface and underlying form
Evaluate which medium best served which subject and record the reasoning
Your checkpoint
Four timed medium studies of one subject, one mixed-media piece with a process note, and a written medium-comparison table
Creative process and project: sketch, study, and development of a graphic proposal & Artistic drawing analysis and commentary: reading images and works of art
Generate fifteen thumbnail sketches for a personal graphic proposal from a single theme
Develop three thumbnails into A4 studies with notes on decisions made at each stage
Collect at least five visual references and write a short rationale for each
Select one direction and produce a final A3 artwork with preparatory studies attached
Your checkpoint
A project folder containing fifteen thumbnails, three A4 development studies, a reference sheet with rationale, and one finished A3 work
Creative process and project: sketch, study, and development of a graphic proposal & Graphic expression and representation: line, shape, texture, and value in artistic drawing & Color: theory, mixtures, chromatic relationships, and expressive use
Refine the final artwork, correcting value structure, colour harmony, and compositional balance
Complete two timed exam-condition pieces of ninety minutes each on unseen prompts
Assemble a portfolio of twelve selected works with brief self-assessment notes
Rehearse a short commentary on your own final piece, justifying technical and expressive choices
Your checkpoint
A curated twelve-piece portfolio with self-assessment notes, two timed exam-condition drawings, and a final refined A3 work
Milestones
Week 2: Can you place a solid correctly in two-point perspective and label cast shadow, core shadow, and reflected light without reference? If not, repeat the week 2 modelling drills before moving on.
Week 4: Do you hold a consistent nine-step value scale, a twelve-hue wheel, and four distinct compositional thumbnails? These are the foundation for everything in weeks 5 to 8.
Week 6: Have you completed a timed study in all four core media and written a reasoned comparison? This confirms technical breadth before the project phase.
Week 8: Is the portfolio complete with twelve selected works, two timed pieces finished within ninety minutes, and a rehearsed commentary? This mirrors the exam's practical and analytical demands.