This document contains examples of student work that have been assessed as achieving different grades - Excellence, Merit, and Achieved. The summaries describe key aspects of the works such as the development and clarity of ideas, control and range of media, technical skills, and how established practices have been used. For works to be considered of higher grades, summaries indicate they would need to show improvements such as more fluent and purposeful development of ideas, greater technical control and range of media, and deeper engagement with source materials.

1. 1
NCEA Level 1 - Visual Arts 2013
– AS90916
Examples of Candidate Work
These portfolios present evidence to meet the criteria consistent with The New Zealand
Curriculum, Learning Media, Ministry of Education, 2007, relating to the following
strands in Visual Arts, Level 6: Understanding the Arts in Context; Developing Practical
Knowledge; Developing Ideas; Communicating and Interpreting.

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Excellence

3. 3
This exemplar has been verified as sitting comfortably towards the
higher end of the Excellence grade range.
The candidate has shown the ability to comprehensively manage and develop ideas in an individual
and unique manner. The submission is systematic and clearly develops and clarifies ideas with
fluency. There is also an extensive range of media (charcoal, pencil, paint, collage) and multi-field
conventions (photography, printmaking, sculpture) explored which have been appropriately and
successfully integrated with the development of ideas.
The thorough and varied drawing in of ideas coupled with a large range of media leads to a Julien
Pacaud-like aesthetic of mixing collage and paint over the two panels. Paint and collage are used to
develop ideas using traditional, post-modern and pop-culture techniques. New concepts and ideas
are continually being clarified and regenerated and the final works on panel two offer an opportunity
for “more to come”.
This exemplar has been selected as an excellent example of a growing trend within the sector of a
multi-field approach using appropriate conventions and accessible technologies to suit the students’
own ideas.

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5. 5

6. 6
This exemplar has been verified as sitting comfortably towards the
higher end of the Excellence grade range.
The submission represents a very specific genre with a very particular focus on the heroine; and of
control and seduction. It is informed by traditional DC comic heroes (e.g. Superwoman and
Batman), and graphic novels.
The candidate illustrates a narrative based around Batman characters using framing devices, heavy
black outlines, and flat colour verses harsh tonal modelling, all typical conventions of the genre.
The candidate deliberately begins with a limited colour palette and simple, closely cropped graphic
imagery as a statement of intent, and continues to develop and clarify ideas across the two panels,
building on a highly skilled repertoire of rendering and modelling techniques in both dry and wet
media. The candidate manipulates compositional elements with strong colour combinations, while
keeping true to the tight parameters of the established practice.
While the relief woodblock prints on the bottom of panel one do not show quite the same degree of
fluency as other works, the method and style are a totally appropriate way of working within this
genre and offer a depth and variety of ideas, regenerated in the last work on panel two.
This exemplar was selected because it represents a truly unique body of work, clearly located in the
very popular comic and graphic novel genre. From the outset, the individual and related works
combine to form sequences of ideas which show evidence of clear in-depth decision-making and
comprehensive fluency.

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9. 9
This exemplar sits within the middle of the Excellence grade range.
While the candidate has worked within the parameters of a structured programme there is clear
evidence of decision-making within the body of work and ideas are systematic and fluent. Using
a variety of mediums and techniques the candidate has developed, extended and clarified their
ideas at an excellence level. This submission also demonstrates a strong printmaking focus.
The initial pencil and pen drawings demonstrate a high standard of wet and dry media use, and
the cut out black paper stencil, influenced by Lonnie Hutchinson, shows very competent control
and attention to detail. The traditional weaving, with printed textures within the weaving are
influenced by Alexis Neal. The colour variations and textures are vibrant, and the successful use
of positive and negative has been fluently executed.
The drypoints at the bottom of panel one and the chine-collé print at the top of panel two, show
in-depth understanding and fluent control of the respective techniques.
The final painting and reduction print extend and clarify earlier Pasifika and Māori imagery
together with symbols and text from a pop cultural and local context with a high degree of
confidence. There has been a deliberate decision to limit the colour palette, which has helped to
integrate the imagery and techniques throughout the submission.
For this exemplar to show some improvement within the Excellence grade this candidate could
have addressed the large size of some of the works, such as the weaving (panel one) and final
painting (panel two) to allow for a greater emphasis on the early drawings, and possibly
introduced some analytical works to inform the final painting and print.

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This exemplar has been verified at the very beginning of the
Excellence grade range.
The theme of costume, including dresses, bags and shoes, reflects a successful programme
targeted towards a female audience. This candidate has clearly used established practice to
support the successful development and clarification of their own ideas in this context.
Within a structured programme, the candidate has a clear understanding of conventions used by
Tracy Williams, Lisa Milroy and David Salle, and these have been used appropriately to inform
the work. The generative drawings are fluent, and inform new works which build on ideas and
re-contextualise them over the two panels. A deliberate colour palette is used. Repeated
outlining and overlaying of collaged imagery, along with the juxtaposition of monotone verses
colour, provides cohesion for submission.
The two successful prints on panel one, influenced possibly by Tracy Williams, explore texture
and mark-making using a variety of compositional devices. The motifs and textures are then
integrated into the painting on the bottom of panel one and onto panel two using colour washes,
flat tonal paint, mixed media and hand-cut shapes to demonstrate form and flat space in a
similar style to David Salle. The two large works on panel two, while taking a risk as two A2
works, show sufficient development and clarification of ideas within each work to sit this
submission within the Excellence range.
For this submission to sit more comfortably within the Excellence grade range there would need
to be more evidence of a more consistent fluency in the use of paint medium, greater attention
to observational detail, and the opportunity to extend ideas further by selecting and ordering a
variety of formats in support of a depth and breadth of ideas.

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15. 15
This exemplar has been verified at the very beginning of the
Excellence grade range.
The submission is a good example of a body of work sitting just at the cusp of Excellence
because of some inconsistent fluency issues and particular design conventions not being fully
understood.
The candidate has used a bank of photographic images to appropriately generate and develop
ideas throughout a series of four briefs in an attempt to promote a cosmetic and jewellery line.
There is evidence of a strong crisp corporate style seen throughout the two panels with Bauhaus,
Carson, and Brody influences, especially in the poster and invitation briefs where the
juxtaposition of image and text work well together.
The use of the jewel like geometric forms, and the use of blue and gold reflect the elegant
Egyptian theme of the promotional material. The candidate has explored the conventions of text
and image layering in a variety of ways, with some briefs more successfully integrated and
clarified than others. The billboard brief on the bottom of panel one is perhaps the weakest link
in the submission, requiring a more cohesive approach to the concept and development of ideas
and the extension of those ideas into the subsequent briefs.
For this exemplar to sit more comfortably within the Excellence grade range, this candidate
could have devoted more time to editing, selecting and ordering of work such as allowing more
space for a greater number of concepts and development works within the given briefs, and
showing a richer depth and breadth of ideas. The candidate could also have demonstrated a
clearer relationship between one brief and the next.

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Merit

19. 19
This exemplar sits at the very top of the Merit grade range.
The candidate initially uses a still life theme and soft wash backdrops to intentionally set up a
rural context of landscape forms, into which Māori and farming iconography are integrated.
The work of Gordon Walters and Shane Cotton is clearly influential as established practice in
support of the development of ideas. The candidate has purposefully and successfully used
layering, as seen at the bottom of the first panel and throughout the second panel. The grid,
change of scale and positive/negative patterning have also been developed and integrated well.
The candidate has shown consistent control of a range of media throughout the submission with
evidence of fluency in some areas, particularly on the second panel where the technical
understanding of textured layered paint surfaces is apparent.
For this exemplar to move into the Excellence range the candidate would need to render the
subject matter with greater accuracy and consistency and improved tonal modelling. There is
also a degree of repetition within the use of imagery, which while purposeful in its intent could
possibly have been extended further by using a greater variety of images to draw from.

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This exemplar has been verified in the middle of the Merit grade
range.
The submission is a good example of a body of work using photographic and design
conventions to generate and develop ideas. The candidate has produced a series of four briefs to
promote an outdoor music festival.
The generative photographs appear to be the students own which is to be commended and some
of the imagery, such as the shape of the ukulele, has informed new works purposefully. This can
be seen in the invitation brief on top of the second panel. There has been a variety of approaches
used, possibly from Brody and Carson to Sagmeister and Walsh. While ideas show a fairly
limited shift they systematically develop across both panels. There has been an attempt to select
and order work with purposeful decision-making throughout the given briefs, such as the use of
the repetitive vertical and horizontal linear formatting.
Within the field of Design there is evidence of a balance of photography, planning drawings,
and constructed forms. The selection of suitable texts and cropping has also been used
appropriately. Throughout the submission the colour scheme sits well with the situation, and
context and the desaturation of colour to create contrast between image and text is effective.
For this exemplar to move closer to the Excellence range the candidate would need to
demonstrate a greater fluency and depth of design ideas, particularly on panel two. Also the
candidate needs to resolve issues of title text and body text with greater clarity in the final
double page spread.

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This has been verified in the middle of the Merit grade range.
The black paper stencil cut outs, influenced by Lonnie Hutchinson, demonstrate competent
control of media and techniques and clearly show attention to detail, however the generative
pencil drawings are inconsistent in the control of wet and dry media.
The traditional weaving, with printed textures within the weaving, are very well executed and
have a real depth and rich colour to them, and are one of the highlights of this submission.
The drypoints at the bottom of panel one, while uneven in technical control, and the chine-collé
print at the top of panel two, show understanding and sufficient overall control of the respective
techniques.
The final painting and reduction print integrate and clarify earlier imagery and patternmaking
together successfully and overall control of media is evident in the final painting and reduction
woodblock. However the inconsistent attention to observational recording and sensitivity of
mark-making in these final works - and across the two panels - has held this submission in the
middle of the Merit grade range.
For this exemplar to move closer to an Excellence grade this candidate would need to
demonstrate more purposeful clarification of ideas by extending them further, either by re-
ordering the current format, or by making smaller works to inform larger works. Greater fluency
in the handling of media and techniques across both panels is also required.

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This submission has been verified at the lower end of the Merit grade
range
A well-structured programme, and the clear use of established art-making conventions has
enabled this candidate to develop and extend ideas effectively.
The candidate has produced a systematic body of work, which reflects a surrealist theme with
direct reference to selected New Zealand artist models as source material. The initial landscapes
are developed by integrating symbols and letters, flora and fauna and figurative elements in grid
like formats similar to those used by John Pule.
The linear aspects from panel one reoccur in panel two in a more solid format such as the hills
and bridges. Shapes have also been explored and extended, i.e. shapes in space, objects within
shapes. Colours have become more saturated throughout the second panel.
The introduction of the personification of the lion at the top of panel two, fits within the
surrealist genre. It would have been beneficial for the candidate if this idea had been further
integrated and clarified in the final works.
The range of media and techniques used, show sufficient control for Merit at the lower end as
seen in the tonal modelling of the sky, sea and faces, and the crisp edges when defining form.
For this exemplar to sit more comfortably within the Merit grade range this candidate would
need to show more sustained control over a range of media particularly on the first panel, and
progress ideas with greater purpose throughout the submission.

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31. 31
This exemplar has been verified at the very beginning of the Merit
grade range.
The candidate is working within a pop cultural context, using silhouettes, flat colour stencils
and collaged war imagery to explore a sense of identity and nationalism. Ideas may have been
influenced by such artist models as Lichtenstein, Gilbert and George and Kelcy Taratoa.
Ideas have a degree of intention in their development but struggle to maintain consistency. The
student does attempt to use simple smaller works to inform larger more finished works;
however there is a sense that a number of the works could be interchangeable and others
investigated further. What holds this submission together and offers it some sense of purpose is
the choice of the contrasting colour palette throughout the two panels and the integration of
symbolic imagery and patternmaking.
A variety of media is evident such as crayon, pencil, ink, collage and relief print. The flat
painted areas are reasonably well executed and although the tonal areas show graduation, there
are areas which show unfinished blending of colour, i.e. the bottom of panel one and the last
work on panel two. The early pencil and crayon drawings on panel one also require greater
control of blending to create convincing landscape forms.
For this exemplar to sit more comfortably in the Merit range there would need to be a more
consistent control of a range of media. The body of work would need to be more systematic by
extending initial ideas more purposefully and clarify new ideas more visibly.

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Achieved

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This exemplar has been verified at the higher end of the Achieved
grade range.
The submission represents a body of work based on the New Zealand landscape, flora and
fauna, and iconic local buildings interspersed with kowhaiwhai motifs.
Ideas have been generated from initial mixed media drawings of stylised birds and simple
landscapes, which have informed new work again and again throughout the folio. There are
areas within the submission that show a systematic approach (bottom of panel one and top of
panel two), but elsewhere the evidence of purpose is inconsistent. Therefore the selecting and
ordering of work, while at times systematic, holds it at high Achieved.
The introduction of the rectangular grid and the graded vignette are compositional devices that
are revisited frequently and the kowhaiwhai motif has been integrated into the landscape and the
bird images. The second panel shows evidence of established practice being explored, i.e. Don
Binney, Shane Cotton etc.
The candidate has appropriately used a range of media and techniques, integrating them into the
making of new works in a variety of ways, such as collaged cut-outs and blended acrylic paint.
For this exemplar to move towards a Merit grade, more control would need to be employed over
the range of media, and greater shifts would need to be made in the integration of patterning and
imagery placement. There also needs to be more purposeful relationships demonstrated between
phases of working.

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This has been verified in the middle of the Achievement grade range.
The submission uses the theme of clothing and adornment in a still life context relying on
several pieces of women’s’ clothing and accessories.
Within a clearly structured programme and a consistent layout of work, the initial drawings
inform new works which build on ideas and re-contextualise them over the two panels.
Established practice is evident, and the conventions borrowed from the work of Tracy Williams
and David Salle have clearly been heavily relied upon. A deliberate colour palette holds the
submission together.
The initial paint and pencil drawings show recording of subject matter and tonal modelling at an
Achieved level and this continues throughout the submission. The following two successful
prints explore texture and mark-making using a variety of compositional devices. Motifs and
textures are further developed and combined in the painting on the bottom of panel one and
onto panel two. The candidate continues to use wash, flat tonal paint, mixed media and hand-
cutting shapes in a variety of ways to demonstrate ideas around form and flat space.
For this sample to move towards a Merit grade, more control would need to be employed over
the range of media, and the integration of patterning and imagery would need to show a greater
shift.
For this exemplar to move closer to the Merit grade this candidate would need to show a
greater consistency of media control, recording of subject-matter and the development of ideas
with more purpose across two panels.

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This has been verified in the middle of the Achievement grade range.
The submission represents a body of related works deriving imagery from the local environment
and other still life objects, the crafts of tuku tuku weaving, stencil cut outs and makes references
to Pasifika patternmaking.
Within a clearly structured programme, ideas are presented in an orderly development over the
two panels. The initial cut out pencil and pen drawings and the vertical positive and negative
stencil cut out, influenced by Lonnie Hutchinson, and the traditional weaving piece inform the
strong positive/negative intent of the drypoints and the chine-collé woodblock on the top of
panel two. The final painting and reduction print integrate earlier images and motifs reasonably
successfully.
The candidate has used an appropriate range of media within drawing, printing and painting.
However the application of the different media and techniques are inconsistent. The recording
of subject matter and compositional decisions do sit comfortably within the Achieved grade
range.
For this sample to move towards a Merit grade, this candidate would need to show more control
over the range of media and techniques used, and advance the development of ideas with more
purpose from panel one to panel two.

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44. 44
This has been verified in the middle of the Achievement grade range.
The candidate has produced a body of work which reflects a surrealist theme using a regional
landscape background for the most part, onto which personal symbols, birds and exotic animals
are placed and integrated.
Ideas have been driven by a well-structured programme, and the clear reference to established
practice. While there is direct reference to established practice on the bottom of panel one, the
strong compositional influence and media use has not been developed or used to advantage in
later works on panel two.
The inconsistent use of wet media and the recording of subject matter on the first panel and in
the final large work on panel two are of concern.
The decision has been made to divide the final work in two; however it reads as one work. It is
always a risk to devote such a large area of a panel to one work; unless there is a considerable
shift forward of new ideas and improved media use within the work to justify this decision.
In this submission’s favour is the use of collaged symbols and motifs and framing devices,
which have been integrated to develop ideas, especially at the top of panel two. This justifies
this submission sitting in the bottom third of the middle of the achieved range.

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47. 47
This exemplar has been verified at the very beginning of the
Achieved grade range
The candidate uses a simple still life theme, Māori iconography and landscape forms to inform
new work and is operating at the cusp of the low end of Achieved.
The body of work, made up of individual and related works, develops and combines ideas
appropriately. The initial pencil drawing of the still life objects are then re-worked by adding
Māori and landscape motifs reasonably successfully. The candidate continues to develop these
ideas at the bottom of the first panel and onto the second panel by introducing a range of paint
and drawing techniques, such as coloured pencil wash, and the scraping and layering of paint in
a gestural manner.
While there is clear evidence of established practice with the use of compositional conventions
borrowed from artists like Shane Cotton, the development of ideas is limited. The narrow focus
on the centralisation of large objects on very similarly composed backgrounds, and only three
large works on the second panel, really limits the development of ideas.
For this exemplar to sit more comfortably within the Achieved grade range, this candidate
would need to demonstrate clearer shifts in the development of ideas and apply media and
techniques with a greater level of competency.

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49. 49

50. 50
Not Achieved

51. 51
This exemplar has been verified at the very top end of Not Achieved
This portfolio does not present sufficient evidence to meet criteria consistent with The New
Zealand Curriculum, Learning Media, Ministry of Education, 2007, relating to the following
strands in Visual Arts, Level 6: Understanding the Arts in Context; Developing Practical
Knowledge; Developing Ideas; Communicating and Interpreting.
The submission represents a body of related works, however there is a lack of sufficient
evidence across the two panels to meet level six of the curriculum.
The candidate has made an attempt to use imagery to tell a simple narrative of the effects of
substance abuse and how it affects the choices one makes in life. There is some evidence of
developing ideas, which nearly meets the standard criteria for Achieved. Although there is
evidence of very limited development across the two panels there are also some works that
appear to be quite unrelated.
The use of media application and process needs to be informed by established practice to meet
the standard. While there is evidence of a variety of media used, (pencil, photograms, clay,
collage and paint), and some ability to shade with paint in one work on panel two, there is
insufficient recording of subject matter, use of wet media and established practice at level six of
the curriculum for an Achieved grade.
For this submission to move into the Achieved grade range the candidate would need to
demonstrate sufficient evidence of appropriate recording and use of media across a greater
number of works.

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