Graphics Practice

Graphics Practice: Learning objectives, indicators of progression, and teacher guidance (PDF, 52 KB)

Graphics practice refers to the creative application of drawing and design knowledge and techniques to develop conceptual outcomes that address a brief, or a technological outcome of a graphical nature.

You can either provide the brief or have students develop the brief as part of their practice.

Quality outcomes resulting from graphics practice rely on:

the selection of appropriate and well-executed drawing techniques
presentation methods that allow conceptual designs to be communicated effectively.

Initially, students learn to apply drawing and design knowledge and techniques to visually communicate design ideas when developing conceptual outcomes to address a brief, through generating, testing, and evaluating design ideas.

After that progress the learning so that students undertake critical analysis of a conceptual outcome against the brief to ensure justify its potential fitness for purpose.

Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Demonstrate ability to explore and develop design ideas by applying visual communication and design techniques in response to a brief	Demonstrate ability to apply design knowledge and drawing techniques to develop, review and refine design ideas to address a brief, and compose a presentation of a design	Demonstrate ability to explore, develop and extend design ideas by integrating specialist visual communication and design knowledge and techniques in response to a brief
To support students to to explore and develop design ideas by applying visual communication and design techniques in response to a brief, at level 6, teachers could do the following. Provide opportunity for students to develop design knowledge and a range of drawing techniques that can be used to address a brief. Provide opportunity for students to explore, generate, and refine design ideas informed by principles of aesthetics and function. Provide opportunity for students to develop design ideas to a conceptual design informed by research and testing. Provide opportunity for students to incorporate design judgements when developing design ideas and undertaking ongoing evaluation during the development of a conceptual design. Provide opportunity for students to present conceptual designs to an audience that visually communicate the details of design ideas in response to the design brief. Provide opportunity for students to evaluate conceptual designs against the brief informed by audience feedback.	To support students to apply design knowledge and drawing techniques to develop, review and refine design ideas to address a brief, and compose a presentation of a design, at level 7, teachers could do the following. Provide opportunity for students to understand how design elements are characterised in different design movements and eras. Provide opportunity for students to generate, develop and communicate design ideas informed by appropriate research and relevant testing and the identified design characteristics of a design movement or era. Provide opportunity for students to use presentation techniques that draw on compositional principles (for example, proximity, alignment, hierarchy, use of positive and negative space), graphic modes (digital, photography, animation, conventional sketching and drawing methods) and media (pastels, collage, card and digital media, marker pens) to present design ideas and conceptual outcomes. Provide opportunity for students to review and refine design ideas that incorporate specialist spatial design knowledge (materials, processes, sustainability, environmental considerations such as climate, aspect, light) and graphic techniques (architectural drawings, renderings, modelling) for inside and outside spaces in response to a brief. Provide opportunity for students to review and refine design ideas that incorporate specialist product design knowledge (materials, processes; sustainability; joining, fitting, fasteners, ergonomics, anthropometric data) and graphic techniques (component drawings, sectioning, animation, renderings, modelling) in response to a brief. Provide opportunity for students to incorporate design judgements in the development and ongoing evaluation of design ideas into a conceptual outcome. Provide opportunity for students to explore a range of communication techniques to determine suitability for presenting design outcomes to different audiences. This should include opportunity to understand and use a variety of compositional principles, graphical modes, and media. Guide students to effectively use visual communication techniques to present conceptual designs to an audience to detail design ideas in response to the design brief. Guide students to evaluate conceptual designs against the brief informed by stakeholder and wider community feedback.	To support students to explore, develop and extend design ideas by integrating specialist visual communication and design knowledge and techniques in response to a brief, at level 8, teachers could do the following. Provide opportunity for students to experiment and explore ideas through providing abstract or esoteric starting points and ongoing contexts. Provide opportunity for students to generate, develop and communicate design ideas informed by research beyond the design situation (such as not obviously connected to the design situation) and using relevant testing including modelling (2D and 3D physical and virtual mock-ups and models, animations, prototypes) and graphic techniques. Provide opportunity for students to use presentation techniques that draw on compositional principles (proximity, alignment, hierarchy, use of positive and negative space), graphic modes (digital, photography, animation, conventional sketching and drawing methods) and media (pastels, collage, card and digital media, marker pens) to present design ideas and conceptual outcomes. Provide opportunity for students to review and refine the aesthetic and functional qualities of a spatial design that incorporates specialist spatial design knowledge and tools (for example, ergonomes, mock-ups, market research, virtual modelling) and graphic techniques for inside and outside spaces, in response to a brief. Provide opportunity for students to review and refine the aesthetic and functional qualities of a product design, incorporating specialist product design knowledge, and tools (ergonomes, mock-ups, market research, virtual modelling) and graphic techniques, in response to a brief. Guide students to respond and reflect upon design judgements in the development and ongoing critiquing of design ideas into a conceptual outcome. Provide opportunity for students to match presentation format and construction procedures through consideration and selection of presentation techniques, viewer needs and the nature of the design outcomes being presented, and communicate design outcomes to an audience in response to the design brief. Provide opportunity for students to evaluate conceptual outcomes against the brief, informed by wider conditions and factors related to the context, and justify how the outcome addresses identified opportunities and constraints.
Students are able to do the following. Explore and refine design ideas by considering possible alternatives. Integrate principles of aesthetics and function, and design judgements, in a coherent and connected way to develop design ideas. Convincingly communicate design ideas visually in accordance with the context specified in the design brief.	Students are able to do the following. Explore and refine design ideas that draw on spatial design knowledge. Explore and refine design ideas that draw on product design knowledge. Make design judgements on the positive and/or negative aspects of aesthetic and functional features of the design in response to the brief. Review and refine well-considered design ideas that incorporate specialist spatial design knowledge progressing towards an outcome. Review and refine well-considered design ideas that incorporate specialist product design knowledge progressing towards an outcome. Use presentation techniques, and the application of compositional principles, modes and media, to effectively present visual information.	Students are able to do the following. Explore diverse contexts beyond and within design situations to identify. opportunities for potential design solutions. Use modelling and graphic techniques to explore and refine design ideas as potential solutions for situations communicate a variety of design ideas as potential solutions for the situation. Explore the possibilities of a range of potential design solutions within a design situation and the interrelationships that exist between them. Produce visual presentations that skilfully use compositional principles, modes, media, and presentation techniques to communicate a design outcome to the viewer. Explore design contexts to identify opportunities and constraints for refining a product and/or spatial design. Clarify design ideas through an iterative refinement process that draws on specialist product and/or spatial design knowledge. Communicate product and/or spatial designs that are justified against identified opportunities and constraints.
AS91068 Design and Visual Communication 1.35 Undertake development of design ideas through graphics practice Standards & Assessment	AS91341 Design and Visual Communication 2.34 Develop a spatial design through graphics practice AS91342 Design and Visual Communication 2.35 Develop a product design through graphics practice AS91343 Design and Visual Communication 2.36 Use visual communication techniques to compose a presentation of a design Standards & Assessment	AS91627 Design & Visual Communication 3.30 Initiate design ideas through exploration; AS91628 Design & Visual Communication 3.31 Develop a visual presentation that exhibits a design outcome to an audience; AS91629 Design & Visual Communication 3.32 Resolve a spatial design through graphics practice; AS91630 Design & Visual Communication 3.33 Resolve a product design through graphics practice Standards & Assessment (draft)