Hurtwood House School

At Hurtwood House we encourage the individual to embrace art as a means of self-expression, freedom, life and imagination.

Art is the desire to create, to make sense of the world and oneself. Since the dawn of civilisation man has tried to capture the images if his surroundings and used a variety of media to accomplish this. Art is the communication of ideas, information and emotions, whether through drawing, painting or any other material that will leave a trace or a mark. At Hurtwood we believe that all students can, through careful guidance and demonstrations, be taught a broad range of Art and Design techniques including the basic skills of drawing, painting and observation. We have high expectations of our students and this is reflected by the excellent examination results that have been achieved and the high percentage of students that gain access to Foundation and Degree courses in Art and Design. Over the past five years 180 of the 186 students entered for the A Level Art and Design examination have been awarded grade A passes. Last year six of our students were commended by the examination board as having achieved the highest marks possible.

At Hurtwood House we encourage pour students to develop their own ideas in an adventurous, inquiring and experimental manner. However, we realise that they first need to have a good clear understanding of a broad range of techniques and approaches to the subject. The first term resembles an Art Foundation course. Many people say that they find it hard to draw and wish that they were “better at it”. This sort of comment reveals a preconceived notion about what constitutes a “good” drawing. Are you seeking more accuracy with scale and form or perhaps a truer likeness? Do you want to create more mood and atmosphere? Or are you interested in the exciting possibilities of mark making? We believe that there is no secret formula or special talent needed to learn the skills and techniques of drawing. Our students develop their own personal style and technique through an exciting teaching program that emphasises individual experimentation, risk taking and the element of learning from our “mistakes”. All of the teaching staff are practising artists who enjoy working alongside the students clearly demonstrating all the processes and procedures involved with each new technique.

The Art department consists of four specialist well equipped studios situated in an idyllic location. An artist needs to be inspired by his surroundings and the studios provide a lively, stimulating and vibrant atmosphere for lessons. Groups are kept to a sensible size, usually about eight students in a class; this insures that everyone receives individual attention. Visits are arranged to London Galleries and exhibitions and to Art Colleges. Our aim is to give all our students a sound basic education in Art, so that they are able to take A-Level in their stride and be fully prepared for the next part of their careers. Each year many of our students gain admission to major prestigious Art Colleges and Universities both in the United Kingdom and abroad.

In the first term students will gain knowledge and understanding in all of the following:

• How ideas, feelings and meanings can be conveyed and interpreted in images and artefacts.
• Awareness of the basic elements of Art and Design, such as shape, colour, line, tone and texture.
• Using knowledge and understanding of the work of others to develop and extend thinking and inform their own work.
• Recording experiences and observations, mainly in visual form; undertake research and gather appropriate information.
• Learning skills in the areas of painting, drawing, mixed-media, sculpture, land art, printmaking, digital photography and Photoshop.
• Using sketchbooks.

It may seem strange to ask the question "what is a sketchbook?", because there are many different ideas about what the word means. The range of interpretations can be confusing and off-putting. Sketchbooks should be both enjoyable and serious. They require a degree of commitment from the beginner that may be quite daunting at first. Perhaps the white pages look too pristine, or what about mistakes? The most common cause for concern is the assumption that sketchbooks are full of drawings and that you have to be “good” at drawing to get started. What should be in a sketchbook? Regular sketchbook users always seem to take the practice for granted: it’s often a habit that has become second nature – so easy and comfortable that the book over time becomes an old friend and its loss can be devastating. Sketchbooks can contain a variety of working methods, but the most useful personal books are centred on first-hand observation and investigation. This offers insight, understanding and knowledge that can be referenced in the future. Simple drawings and annotations can contain more information than a snapshot and are therefore more useful than photographs. The regular use of a sketchbook offers a good opportunity to go back and review your own development over time. The sketchbook underpins each unit of work.

The Art studios are very much a centre of creativity and self-expression and we have an “open house” policy that allows students to work there during afternoons and activity periods. Life classes are held for two weeks during the first term each year. At the end of the year all students exhibit their work for assessment. Private Views are also held at the end of the course when parents and friends are invited to view the artwork.

The A-Level examination is based on four units:

Unit 1 – Portfolio
Unit 2 – Externally-Set Assignment
Unit 3 – Personal Investigation
Unit 4 – Externally-Set Assignment

It is not easy to know if you have the ability to be a successful A-Level artist. Obviously, a good GCSE pass in Art and Design and an enthusiasm for the subject are useful pointers, but Art teachers often feel that “gut feeling” is the best gauge for artistic ability and sometimes this is not realised until the student has started the course. It is a subject that will suit you if you think you have individual creativity and you are able to express this in your work. You should also have an independence and determination to put in long hours on projects that demand a high level of commitment.

Students studying Art and Design at A-Level have a choice of two routes into Higher Education. The normal route is by taking a one-year Foundation Course which would be on offer at Art College. The other route is by applying through UCAS to a University or Art College for a place on a BA Hons Art and Desin course in a chosen specialist area of study. There is also the option of many Universities to combine Art with other subjects in a modular degree programme.

Students intending to take any Art and Design course would be well advised to visit Universities and colleges who have exhibitions of work on display and are willing to talk to prospective applicants about their courses. In the Autumn term we arrange visits to both the City and Guilds of London Art College and Wimbledon College of Art and Design to meet both staff and students and view the facilities.  This gives the students a good yardstick by which they can evaluate other institutions that they might visit.

All our students are given comprehensive help and advice on the diverse range of options available, with filling out application forms, writing personal statements and compiling portfolios.

Whichever route of application you decide on, you will need to prepare a portfolio of your work. In fact most courses accept applicants mainly on the basis of the portfolio that is presented. Portfolios should not only include school projects, but also samples of work completed by you on your own initiative, such as sketches, drawings and notebooks on subjects that you are personally interested in. Art Colleges require 25 A1 sheets of mounted work in a portfolio.