Art Scholarship Tests

[Bibliovore]

DD has been invited to sit two Art Scholarship tests next week. Does anyone have any experience of these?

Both require a portfolio of about a dozen pieces in various media, which we've put together (and for one school they looked at the portfolio before inviting to the test, so it must have made the grade).

However, in these actual tests (both 2 hours), what sort of thing can be expected? Are the DCs given a set time to complete a piece on a set subject (such as a still life) or is the timing freer? Are they allowed to come up with ideas of their own for subjects? Are they allowed to choose the medium (like pencils, charcoals, pastels, watercolours, ink pens etc), or does that tend to be prescribed?

Any insights gratefully received.

[CheerLeader2017]

Good luck!My DD had two different experiences:

A) submit portfolio beforehand, selected students invited for 1:1 assessment/interview with art teacher, comprising of a discussion of their work - ideas behind the compositions, choice of materials used, artist influence, exhibitions attended etc. Given some objects and told to arrange into a composition. Shown paintings/pictures and asked to comment. There was actually no painting or drawing involved.

B) students were divided into groups and worked around different tables with timed activity, including discussion of art, white objects still life pencil drawing (shade), fruit/vegetables still life with pastels (colour). A short list was comprised and students invited to submit portfolio and attend 1:1 interview with art teacher.

[Bibliovore]

Thank you Cheerleader.

I think in both of our DDs tests she will get a practical drawing element (so it won't be like the first one your DD took). I think they will talk through her portfolio most likely, get a sense of her knowledge of techniques and then do the practical bit.
First one tomorrow, so not long to wait to find out!

[Frosty2017]

Bibliovore
Did your dd sit the art scholarship tests already? If so I hope it went well and I'd be very interested to have some feedback, notably on the type of questions she was asked during the interview. Regarding the drawing examination, did she have time to complete her drawing? 1h30 or 2h sounds quite short.
Thank you!

[Bibliovore]

Frosty,
Yes DD has now sat both her Art scholarship tests. They were both very practical. In one case composing a series of objects and then sketching them in pencils. In the other, first a black-and-white sketch and then a colour sketch of fruit/vegetables. They had about two hours in each case. Also in both cases a one-to-one with an art teacher. This was basically going through her portfolio, talking about the techniques used for each piece and (in both cases) saying which was her favourite piece and why that was. There was nothing theoretical ("what do you know about Impressionism"), or anything about her favourite artists or galleries/exhibitions she might have been to. DD says there was plenty of time to finish her pieces.

[Frosty2017]

Great, thanks a lot, you've perfectly answered all my questions! I was wondering if she would be asked quesitons about the key art movements, but sounds like it's not the type of question they ask. We will focus on the portfolio then!