Developing Artist Responses

Lesson Details

• Subject: Art and Design
• Level: A-Level (Year 12)
• Duration: 95 minutes
• Class Size: 16 students
• Curriculum Reference: AQA A-Level Art and Design – Assessment Objectives (AO1, AO2, AO3, AO4)

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Lesson Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

1. Refine their first artist response by developing their technical and conceptual understanding. (AO1, AO2)
2. Plan a second artist response through a timed rough sketch and annotation. (AO3)
3. Demonstrate understanding of what makes a strong artist response through recall and discussion. (AO1)
4. Articulate their conceptual direction through a written statement of intent for homework. (AO4)

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Lesson Breakdown

Starter Activity (10 mins) – Artist Response Expectations

• Teacher-Led Discussion: Ask students to recall the key elements of an artist response. Encourage them to think about:
  • How does an artist response go beyond copying?
  • What are the expectations in terms of media, composition, and concept?
  • How and why do we personalise an artist response?
• Think-Pair-Share: Students discuss their answers with a peer before contributing to a whole-class discussion.

Teacher’s Role: Use questioning to stretch students’ thinking (e.g., "How can we push an artist response further to show originality?").

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Main Task: Refining Artist Response 1 (45 mins)

• Student-Led Work: Learners continue their first artist response, implementing feedback and refining their techniques.
• One-to-One Feedback:
  • Teacher circulates to engage in discussions about student progress.
  • Use probing questions such as:
    • "What challenges are you facing in replicating this artist’s style?"
    • "How are you adapting this response to make it personal?"
    • "Does your response effectively communicate your concept?"
• Encouraging Experimentation:
  • Suggest refinements in terms of composition, media application, or mark-making techniques.
  • If students are struggling, encourage them to try two variations to test their ideas.

Assessment Focus: AO1 (Developing ideas through artist references) and AO2 (Refining skills and techniques).

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Timed Planning Task: Sketch and Annotate Artist Response 2 (15 mins)

• Task Brief:
  • Students will produce a rough plan for their second artist response.
  • This should include:
    • A sketch of their intended piece.
    • Key annotations explaining composition, materials, and conceptual links.
    • A reflection on how it develops from their first response.
• Time Constraint: 15 minutes – encourage quick decision-making.
• Whole-Class Reflection (5 mins): Ask a few students to share their plan and explain their choices.

Assessment Focus: AO3 (Recording and developing ideas through annotation and sketching).

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Plenary (10 mins) – Progress Check & Discussion

• Quickfire Discussion: Ask students to briefly reflect on their progress today.
  • What refinements did they make?
  • What challenges did they overcome?
  • What is the next step in their artist response journey?
• Peer Feedback: Encourage students to swap and give constructive feedback on each other’s artist response developments.

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Homework – Statement of Intent (AO4)

• Task Brief:
  • Students must write a statement of intent outlining the concept they are exploring, following the template on Google Classroom.
  • This should cover:
    • How their artist response connects to their broader theme.
    • The reasoning behind their artistic choices (media, colour, technique).
    • How they plan to develop their work further.
• Submission Deadline: Next lesson.

Assessment Focus: AO4 (Presenting a personal and meaningful response).

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Differentiation & Stretch and Challenge

For Students Who Need Support:

• Encourage the use of visual prompts and structured sentence starters for artist response annotations.
• Provide step-by-step guides or exemplars for refining their work.
• Allow extra one-to-one feedback during the first task.

For High-Attaining Students:

• Challenge them to subvert or reinterpret their chosen artist’s style rather than replicating it.
• Ask them to create a mood board or colour study to refine their plans further.
• Encourage deeper conceptual explanations in their annotations.

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Assessment & Progress Checks

• Formative Assessment: Ongoing questioning and one-to-one feedback throughout the lesson.
• Peer and Self-Assessment: Reflection and peer discussion during plenary.
• Summative Assessment: Statement of intent as written homework submission.

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Resources & Equipment

• A3 sketchbooks
• Artist reference images
• Variety of drawing/painting materials
• Fine liners/pens for annotation
• Google Classroom for homework submissions

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Teacher Reflection Post-Lesson

• Did students effectively refine their first artist response?
• Were students able to independently plan their second artist response in the given time?
• How well did students justify their artistic decisions through discussion and annotation?
• What adaptations might be needed for the next session?

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Final Thought

This lesson encourages students to think critically and personally engage with their artist responses, rather than simply imitating. Through teacher questioning, time constraints, and peer discussion, students will push their creative boundaries while developing both technical and conceptual confidence.