NCEA Level 3 Painting

The Level 3 Painting course will extend your art-making skills and the way in which you see and respond to the world.  Students are encouraged to honour and express their own culture as they develop their work, and to explore the cultural perspectives and experiences of others. 

This course is ideal for senior students currently studying art who are interested in further developing their creativity, painting and thinking skills.  The course focuses on drawing, painting, and related areas of contemporary art practice.

Students will explore and extend their skills in a variety of painting media, including watercolour, mixed media, gouache, open acrylics, oil paints, spray paints, paint pens, dyes, high-flow acrylics.  Digital painting and other approaches to contemporary art making, aligned with established practice can also be a focus.  

There are many exciting ideas, processes, materials and techniques that open up to be explored at this level of specialisation.  Students who already have strong skills in a particular painting media will have the opportunity to extend those skills into other media if they want to.  Level 3 Painting will support all students to take risks, extend and learn new skills, sharing knowledge together.  

There is no set theme of study in Year 13 Painting, each student will personally select an idea to explore and outwork in sequences of drawing and paintings.  You will refine techniques and ideas over the course of the year.  You will learn how to research your idea, deepen and expand your thinking and personal expression as you are guided through each phase of learning.  Students will extend themselves as artists by developing a strong art journal practice. Your learning and achievement is advanced by learning about visual ideas and artists' work from the past and present, and also by engaging in teacher and peer critique.  Students will learn to support others in the class to develop and extend their ideas.

This course enables students to evolve their individual approach to art-making in a way that supports and empowers personal creative expression.  You will make drawing and painting sequences that generate, analyse, clarify and regenerate ideas. You will study artists' works in order to extend ideas and produce new work using conventions appropriate to painting.  The course structure is designed to promote independent work habits and develop knowledge and skills appropriate to your own personal painting style, theme and interests.  

Visual Art equips students with transferable skills that can be used in a wide range of tertiary courses and careers, whilst studying a subject that inspires and excites. This course will develop skills such as communication, critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, the ability to research and analyse, adaptability, dexterity, patience, attention to detail, independence, and innovation.

Note: Students may take up to two of the NCEA Level 3 Visual Art courses offered: Design, Painting, Photography, Printmaking and Sculpture.

Below you can see examples from Level 3 Painting portfolios that were graded Excellence. Click the images to enlarge: