Visual Art is a subject that promotes teaching and learning through art, craft and design. For adolescents and young adults, this involves becoming familiar with and applying the elements of art and principles of design, and the knowledge and skills associated with these processes, their histories and their contemporary practices. Visual Art also recognises and rewards a number of different forms of intelligence, including emotional intelligence; it develops personal qualities of expression and empathy.

Visual Art is ambiguous; there is no single \’correct answer\’ in Visual Art: The subject promotes divergent thinking and develops the learner\’s ability to interpret, make judgements and express opinions on a work. It also promotes respect for the work and the opinions of others.

The specification for Junior Cycle Visual Art focuses on the students’ practical and cognitive engagement with art. Students will be enabled to progressively improve their skills as an artist/craftsperson/designer in a space that is safe for them to explore ideas and diverse processes both creatively and imaginatively. This can be achieved through the interconnected strands of the disciplines of art, craft and design. A student will experience learning in each of these three strands as they progress through their junior cycle.

Junior Cycle Visual Art Assessment:

The complete Coursework in 3^rd year for Visual Art is worth 100%. All students sit Visual Art at Common Level.

Students begin their CBA2 (Classroom Based Assessment 2) from September to December. In December of 3^rd Year students begin their Coursework for the State Examination Commissions. Students have until May to complete a Visual Art Sketchpad and Two Artefacts (for example a painting and a clay sculpture).