International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB) Group 6: The Arts (Visual Arts) Syllabus

What is the difference between positive and negative space in a composition?

Positive space is the area occupied by the subject/figures; negative space is the empty area surrounding and between subjects. Deliberate use of negative space can define shapes and create balance.

Distinguish 'chiaroscuro' from 'sfumato'.

Chiaroscuro is the strong contrast of light and dark to model three-dimensional form. Sfumato is the soft, smoky blending of tones and edges with no harsh outlines, famously used by Leonardo da Vinci.

What is iconography in art interpretation?

The study and identification of the symbols, themes and subject matter in artworks and their conventional meanings — for example, recognising a lamb as a symbol of Christ in Christian art.

Distinguish 'iconography' from 'iconology' (Panofsky's levels).

Iconography identifies the conventional subject matter and symbols depicted; iconology is the deeper interpretation of the intrinsic cultural, social and philosophical meaning behind that imagery within its historical context.

Name and briefly describe three of the main relief printmaking and intaglio techniques.

Relief (e.g. woodcut/linocut): ink sits on the raised surface, cut-away areas print white. Intaglio (e.g. etching, engraving): ink is held in incised lines below the surface. Lithography (planographic): printing relies on the chemical repulsion of grease and water on a flat plate.

What is the difference between etching and engraving in intaglio printmaking?

In engraving the lines are cut directly into the metal plate with a burin (mechanical). In etching, the plate is coated with an acid-resistant ground, the design is drawn through it, and acid bites the exposed lines (chemical).

In painting media, contrast the properties of oil paint, acrylic and watercolour.

Oil: slow-drying, blendable, rich depth, oil binder. Acrylic: fast-drying, water-based polymer, flexible and versatile. Watercolour: transparent, water-soluble pigment, relies on the white of the paper for luminosity.

What does 'medium' (plural media) mean in art, and how does it differ from 'technique'?

Medium is the material or means used to make a work (oil paint, bronze, charcoal, video). Technique is the method or manner in which that medium is handled (impasto, glazing, hatching).

Define 'impasto' and 'glazing' as oil-painting techniques.

Impasto applies paint thickly so brush or knife marks stand off the surface in relief. Glazing applies thin, transparent layers of paint over a dried layer to build luminous depth and modify colour.

Describe the lost-wax (cire-perdue) casting process for bronze sculpture.

A model is made in wax, encased in a heat-resistant mould, and heated so the wax melts and runs out, leaving a cavity. Molten bronze is poured into the cavity; once cooled the mould is broken away and the metal finished.

What are the three main hand-building techniques in ceramics?

Pinch (forming with fingers from a ball of clay), coil (building walls from rolled ropes of clay), and slab (constructing from rolled flat sheets). Throwing on a wheel is a separate, machine-assisted method.

In ceramics, what is the difference between bisque firing and glaze firing?

Bisque (biscuit) firing is the first firing that hardens raw clay into durable, porous bisqueware. Glaze firing is a later, usually hotter firing that melts the applied glaze into a glassy, sealed surface.

Distinguish additive from subtractive sculpture processes.

Additive sculpture builds form by adding material (modelling clay, assemblage, welding). Subtractive sculpture removes material to reveal form (carving stone or wood).

Define the Renaissance and give its approximate dates and a key characteristic.

The European Renaissance (c. 1400-1600) was a 'rebirth' of classical Greco-Roman ideals, marked by naturalism, linear perspective, humanism, and balanced harmonious composition. Key figures include Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael.

What characterises Baroque art and roughly when did it flourish?

Baroque (c. 1600-1750) is marked by dramatic movement, intense light-dark contrast (tenebrism), theatricality, emotional intensity and grandeur. Key artists include Caravaggio, Rembrandt and Bernini.

Define Impressionism, its period, and two defining features.

Impressionism (c. 1860s-1880s, France) captured fleeting effects of light and atmosphere using loose, visible brushstrokes, plein-air painting and pure unmixed colour. Key artists: Monet, Renoir, Degas.

What is Cubism and who pioneered it?

Cubism (early 1900s), pioneered by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, fragmented objects into geometric facets and depicted them from multiple viewpoints simultaneously, rejecting single-point perspective. Phases: Analytic and Synthetic Cubism.

Define Surrealism and its central aim.

Surrealism (1920s onward), led by André Breton, sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind, presenting dreamlike, irrational juxtapositions. Key artists: Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, Max Ernst.

What distinguishes Abstract Expressionism?

A mid-20th-century American movement emphasising spontaneous, gestural mark-making and large-scale non-representational canvases expressing emotion. Includes action painting (Pollock) and colour field painting (Rothko).

What is Pop Art and name two leading figures?

Pop Art (1950s-60s) drew imagery from mass/consumer culture, advertising and comics, often using bold colour and commercial techniques. Leading figures: Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein.

Define 'avant-garde' in the history of art.

Art (or artists) that is experimental, innovative and ahead of its time, deliberately challenging established conventions, traditions and accepted aesthetic norms.

What does 'curatorial practice' refer to in IB Visual Arts?

The skills and decisions involved in selecting, organising, arranging and presenting artworks for an audience — including choosing a coherent body of work, sequencing, spacing, lighting, and writing interpretive text to communicate intentions.

In curating an exhibition, what factors should inform the arrangement of works in the gallery space?

Visual coherence and dialogue between works, flow and viewer movement, sightlines, spacing, scale relationships, lighting, thematic or conceptual grouping, and the overall narrative or experience for the audience.

What is an 'artist's statement' and what should it communicate?

A concise written text in which the artist articulates their intentions, concepts, processes and influences, helping the audience understand the meaning and context of the work without dictating a single interpretation.

Explain why considering 'audience and viewing experience' matters when making and exhibiting art.

The placement, scale, lighting and context shape how viewers physically and emotionally encounter a work; anticipating the audience's perspective, movement and interpretation helps the artist communicate intended meaning and create impact.

What is the difference between the 'function' and the 'meaning' of an artwork in interpretation?

Function is the purpose the work served or serves (devotional, decorative, political, commemorative, commercial). Meaning is the ideas, emotions or messages it conveys through its imagery and form. A work can have several functions and layered meanings.

Define 'formal analysis' of an artwork.

An examination focused on the visual elements and principles — line, colour, composition, space, texture, balance — and how they are organised, independent of subject matter or context, to understand how the work achieves its effect.

What four areas of analysis underpin a strong Comparative Study?

(1) Formal qualities (elements and principles); (2) Function and purpose; (3) Cultural significance/context; and (4) Comparison of the connections and differences between the chosen artworks (HL also connects to own practice).

Why must artworks in the Comparative Study come from different cultural contexts, and what does 'cultural context' include?

To develop critical understanding of how culture shapes art-making. Cultural context includes the historical period, geographic origin, social/political conditions, beliefs, traditions and the original audience and function of the work.

Distinguish 'representational', 'abstract' and 'non-objective' art.

Representational art depicts recognisable subjects from the real world. Abstract art simplifies or distorts real subjects so they are partly recognisable. Non-objective (non-representational) art has no reference to the visible world, using pure form and colour.

In developing technical competence, what is the value of experimentation and refinement in art-making?

Experimentation lets the artist test materials, techniques and ideas and learn from outcomes; refinement is the deliberate development and improvement of promising results toward a resolved work. Together they evidence growth and informed decision-making, which the Process Portfolio assesses.