PAU Technical Drawing Applied to Plastic Arts and Design II

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About this exam

Technical Drawing Applied to Plastic Arts and Design II is the second-year technical drawing subject in Spain's Bachillerato arts pathway, and its PAU (EBAU) examination is the paper that university-bound art and design students sit to have the subject counted in their admission score. It matters most to candidates aiming at Fine Arts, design, conservation and restoration, architecture-adjacent art degrees, or any programme where spatial reasoning and graphic precision are weighed. The paper is practical rather than encyclopaedic: expect to construct and reason with plane geometry (tangencies, conics, transformations), to move between 3D objects and orthographic multiviews, to build axonometric and perspective images, to apply normalisation and dimensioning conventions, and to analyse proportion and composition. A final strand asks you to use drawing as a design tool rather than as an end in itself. Preparation works best as sustained hand practice: keep a construction workbook where every exercise is solved with compass and straightedge and annotated with the reasoning, not just the result. Time yourself on full problems, because the pressure in this exam comes from clean, accurate construction under a clock. The administering university publishes the current structure, timing and scoring rules each year, so always check its official PAU page before planning.

What you'll study

Common questions

About PAU Technical Drawing Applied to Plastic Arts and Design II preparation

What is this exam actually for?

It is the PAU/EBAU paper for the second-year technical drawing subject in the arts Bachillerato. Sitting it lets the subject count toward your university admission score for art, design and related degrees, provided the university you apply to weights it for that programme.

How is the exam structured?

Expect a mix of short theory or reasoning items and longer graphic problems solved on paper with instruments: constructions, multiview work, axonometric or perspective tasks and applied design exercises. The exact number of questions, optionality and weighting change, so confirm the current structure on the administering university's official PAU page.

How long do I get, and what is the pass mark?

Timing and the minimum score are set and republished each year by the organising university, so no fixed figure should be assumed. Check the official PAU documentation for your region and year before you plan exam-day pacing; the paper is normally tight enough that speed comes from practised construction, not from rushing.

Can I retake it if I do badly?

Yes in principle: PAU papers can normally be resat in later calls, and the better mark is the one that counts, within the validity period. The number of calls, deadlines and how long a mark stays valid are administrative rules that vary by region and year, so verify them with your university's admission office.

How difficult is it compared with the first-year subject?

The difficulty is not more theory but more integration. First-year work isolates constructions; here you must chain them inside a single problem, keep the drawing clean, and finish on time. Candidates who lose marks usually do so through construction imprecision, missing auxiliary lines or unfinished layouts rather than through ignorance of the concept.

In what order should I study the topics?

Start with plane geometry and instrument accuracy, since every later block depends on it. Then descriptive geometry and multiviews, which train the 3D-to-2D translation. Add axonometric and perspective once projection is solid, then normalisation and dimensioning, and finish with composition analysis and applied design problems under timed conditions.

What are the most common ways candidates lose marks?

Faint or doubled construction arcs, missing centre and tangent points, unlabelled vertices in multiviews, wrong line types between visible and hidden edges, dimension lines that contradict the drawing, and perspective work with inconsistent vanishing points. Examiners reward legible, traceable construction, so keep every auxiliary line visible and thin.

What should I bring and how should I set out my sheet?

Bring a compass, set squares, graduated ruler, sharp pencils in two grades, eraser and a fine liner for final lines. Lay out each problem in its own bounded area, keep construction lines light and final outlines firm, and label views and key points. Confirm the permitted materials on the official instructions, as rules on calculators and sheet format can change.

Is this page affiliated with the exam board?

No. This is independent study material written for candidates searching for the subject; it is not produced, endorsed or approved by any university, ministry or examining body. Always treat the official PAU documentation for your region and year as authoritative for structure, timing, scoring and materials.