NSSCAS Art and Design 8251 study plan

Set up a sustained-project sketchbook with a written project intention, a mind map of at least 12 linked ideas, and a dated page index

Draw 15 observational studies from primary sources (objects, figures, interiors) at 10-20 minutes each, recording viewpoint, lighting and scale notes beside each

Annotate every study with two sentences on what was observed and one question it raises for the project

Photograph and log all primary-source references in a contact sheet with location, date and permission notes

Test four media (e.g. graphite, ink wash, collage, digital) on the same observed subject to compare handling and surface behaviour

Record process notes for each medium covering drying time, layering limits, opacity and correction methods

Produce three experimental surfaces (toned ground, textured support, primed board) and evaluate which suits the project intention

Select two media combinations to carry forward and justify each choice in 100 words

Analyse three artists or designers whose methods connect to the project, describing formal decisions (composition, mark, colour, scale) rather than biography

Write a 150-word comparative analysis placing two of these practitioners side by side on one specific formal concern

Extract three transferable techniques from the research and trial each in a 20-minute sketch

Cite every source with artist, title, date, medium and where it was viewed or read

Develop three distinct compositional directions from the week 1-3 research, each as a small tonal thumbnail series of at least four variants

Draw 10 sustained observational studies at 45-60 minutes, pushing accuracy of proportion, perspective and tonal range

Produce one large-scale (A2 or equivalent) observational drawing that resolves light, form and edge control

Write a mid-project review identifying the strongest direction and the evidence supporting it

Interpret an externally set theme by generating three independent starting points, each with a written rationale linking to personal research

Build a contextual strand that positions the chosen theme against one cultural, historical or social context, with specific examples

Complete six preparatory studies in 90-minute sessions that test composition, colour and scale for the timed outcome

Draft a timed-plan specifying support size, media, drying and clean-up allowances for a 10-hour supervised outcome

Rehearse the timed outcome in two 5-hour blocks under exam conditions, stopping at the time limit regardless of completion

Control and refine one chosen process to a repeatable standard, documenting mixes, ratios and drying intervals

Photograph both rehearsals and annotate where time was lost against the written plan

Revise the timed-plan with concrete adjustments to sequence, scale and media handling

Consolidate the sustained project by resolving the strongest direction into a final outcome of appropriate scale

Select and sequence portfolio pages so that research, experimentation and resolution read as one sustained investigation

Write concise connective annotations that explain each decision and each rejected alternative

Run a full timed rehearsal of the external assignment outcome and finish it within the limit

Audit both submissions against the assessment objectives, listing evidence page by page for each objective

Repair any objective with thin evidence by adding one targeted study or annotation

Finalise presentation: consistent labelling, titles, dates, media notes and secure binding or mounting

Write a short reflective statement summarising the investigation, its context and what was resolved