MADE IN KINGSWOOD 2 018
DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY
A RT
Through teaching design, the department aims to enlighten students to real-world manufacturing and design decisions. There is no perfect solution only a series of decisions and compromises that lead the process to its final iteration. The design projects are unique and individual to each student and the in-depth analysis and understanding of the problem allows the students to produce prototypes which consider the needs and wants of the client and user as well as the manufacturing and production of products in industry. The breadth of skill and diversity this year highlights the individualistic approach of each student and the academic successes are down to their hard work and enthusiasm for the subject. The career paths of design, engineering and architecture continue to be popular and we wish them well as they move forwards in their education.
The Farnworth Art Centre, generously housed in a magnificent three storey building, continues to facilitate and encourage creativity within Fine Art. The department’s ethos is to promote individual curiosity and to provide a balanced art education for all pupils at Kingswood School. All pupils in Years 7 and 8 undertake a foundation course which covers the fundamentals of the subject whilst developing skills and confidence. Pupils learn the importance of seeing and recording through the experimental use of line, tone, mixed media, colour and three dimensions. At Year 9, pupils have the opportunity to work in much smaller groups exploring aspects of drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpture. At GCSE level pupils follow the AQA Fine Art specification. A-Level pupils follow the OCR Fine Art specification and are encouraged to take risks and develop as artists. Academic achievement continues to remain exceptionally high and the numbers of pupils studying Art related courses post A Level is very healthy.
BARNEY BROWN
STEPHEN BROWN
CH A R LOT TE My work is a documentation of my life, through the people I meet and views I express. Through portraiture and photography I aim to capture moments that could be forgotten. My intention is to explore how people are perceived, both through how they see themselves and how others view them. Identity is at the centre of my work. I intend to portray a narrative through my portraits and more recently, my installation work which invites the viewer to see everyday life through my eyes and experience the processes and documentation behind my work. I aim to push the boundaries of traditional art and create a sense of nostalgia, perhaps as a time capsule into my personal life.
A LFIE I have enjoyed designing and creating a variety of products over the A Level course, which has allowed me to have freedom and express myself. With my major product this year, I have aimed to channel my client’s passion for Music, designing a product to store records using modern manufacturing techniques and materials not normally associated with furniture. My AS brief for an unconventional bike rack focused on a practical outcome which allowed the user to store all types of cycling equipment in a domestic environment to celebrate the bike.
ZOE I have always had a great interest in Product Design, not just for its aesthetic benefits, but also in the design methods used which, in turn, influence people’s thoughts and feelings for a collection of materials. My design ideas are aimed to reflect on society’s tastes; thus my A Level project is a modern development on a Scandinavian design, which I have represented by adding bright colours to make the design pop.
K ATIE My artwork provides me with an opportunity to portray the effect humans’ actions have on the world, and the people who are less fortunate than themselves. Through the exploration of Still Life, my work has investigated the class structure within society; ranging from the highly wealthy to the very poor, as well as exploring my own personal childhood. My current work investigates issues of the Environment, by focusing on the current state of the Earth’s seas. I use a mixed media approach, combining photograms, printmaking, drawing, airbrushing and found objects.
LE A-SOPHIE My interest in portrait photography has inspired my artwork over the last two years, creatively exploring both pre and post production effects. I have used a mixed media approach to express my intentions through the use fabrics and accessories. Experimenting with installation art, I have looked closely at the ways in which others can perceive things differently, focusing especially on creating pieces that are physically interactive. Being able to see the deeper meaning behind my pieces has also become increasingly important in my artwork. I aim to challenge society’s norms and demonstrate to others that things can quickly change from being transparent to apparent.
TOM My work originally stems from a practical point of view. Over the past two years, I have tried to reflect my passion for business in creating pieces in DT that reflect this. My project has been designed for both practical use, as well as focusing on aesthetics. This is due to my personal experience of living in Kenya and seeing first-hand how people there enhance the practicality as well as the aesthetics of products. DT has given me the opportunity to analyse, prepare and manufacture, all essential skills in what I wish to go on and study.
JA SPER Placing image and emotional response with equal importance, my landscape painting focuses on engaging with the viewer on a visual and emotional level. I have recently developed this process to incorporate narrative in order to embellish the scene further, drawing on inspiration from the Post-Impressionists who were able to transport the viewer with a bold approach to colour and application. I have been exploring technique including the thickness of paint, atmospheric distortion, experimenting with scale for impact and storytelling through the composition. My latest work has also been influenced by digital artists who combine the benign and the fantasy to enhance the landscape, which has led me to paint landscapes embellished by their own stories.
A NDR EI My artwork commences with conceptual questioning of the outcomes of ‘Art’. The initial work from the coursework submission is focused on the meaning behind the outcome, the narrative, more than the outcome itself. Heavily inspired by the notion of ‘Transformation’, my final series of sculptures deals with the dramatic changes in use of materials within a single composition. My most recent work investigates the use of subtle narrative, allowing me to express my disagreements with elements of modern society through my portraiture.
INDI A Having lived abroad for the majority of my childhood, I have developed a strong interest in travelling and the importance of experiencing new cultures. In my artwork, I have captured the concept of travel through my use of abstract mixed media to express memories and my personal view of the world. I aspire to share my experiences with viewers and to provoke an emotional response of nostalgia in their own memories. Through the combined use of photography, sewing and etching, I have incorporated small glimpses of my own experiences within my artwork.
THEO Improvements in technology and environmental awareness over the last 10 years has enabled different, complex yet organic designs to be built. These advances, such as 3D printing, are capable of producing both aesthetically pleasing and a productive use of space for a decreased cost to consumers. From experiencing poor housing and living conditions, from first hand cultural trips, I have seen how these modern techniques could change the lives of people living in such conditions, motivating me to study architecture, focusing on affordable housing.
H A R RY During my time studying Design at Kingswood I have developed a variety of skills and knowledge which I have used to make both my AS and A Level projects. Eileen Gray influenced my AS major project, especially her ‘Transat’ chair, which I found both unique and inspirational. In Year 13, I visited the London Design Museum, where the architecture heavily influenced the design of my lamp, which was my A2 major project.
ELL A Throughout my time doing DT, I have enjoyed working with furniture. During the AS Year, I focused on Scandinavian design, heavily influenced by the designer Tom Raffield. The chair which I produced was a low steam bent lounge chair, using planed Ash. Within my work I aim to create visually striking pieces, almost sculptural in aesthetics, but fully functional. I am looking forward to going on to further my design knowledge next year during an Art Foundation course at Trowbridge.
ELL A I push the boundaries between the preconception of ‘art’ and the physical construction of an object, and whether or not people perceive my outcomes as ‘art’. My passion is the abstraction of forms, whether it be in two or three dimensions. I enjoy developing a single idea to its limit, producing a concept to be developed into an artwork. Key influences throughout my A Level course have included Mark Rothko and Howard Hodgkin, who have had a huge impact on both the way I work and think within the boundaries of art.
JA MES I have always been interested in Engineering especially exploring how form and function combine to make products that people want to purchase. My coursework this year reflected this in my working Slot Car, which I manufactured using modern manufacture techniques such as 3D printing. Last year, I designed and made a Chess Set looking into a more accurate and detailed design on a smaller scale than my previous makes. I aim to carry forward all the skills which I have learnt in DT into a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
A NNA Throughout DT A-Level I have been able to develop and refine my design and manufacturing skills. My AS project allowed me to focus on the needs of a specific client with arthritis and investigate inclusive design so that I could make my product best suited for them. My A2 project was much more focused around creating functional yet aesthetic furniture for the young professional market. This involved researching into the Mid-Century Modern design era to gain inspiration for my designs. I am sure that the CAD, manufacturing and design skills that I have learned from the variety of projects that I have undertaken in DT will help me greatly in my future engineering studies.
K I A NA My work is based around the human figure and how it can be inventively portrayed through drawing and painting. I have presented the figure in many ways using many different types of media, such as acrylic and oil paint, charcoal, PVA glue prints and graphite powder. I find it so interesting and inspiring how each individual person is so completely different. My artwork explores how the appearance of the human body varies in shape, colour, texture, and size.
A LICE Sustainability was the main theme running through both my AS and A2 projects. My AS camping stove focused on how to make a stove more energy efficient and with better use of sustainable materials. My A2 project utilised the strength and lightweight aspects of cardboard and used them to make a sturdy and multifunctional piece of home furniture from a material not normally used in a domestic setting much like the wiggle chair by Frank Gehry. This involved using CAD software, which helped me to create and visualise the interlocking structure. I gained useful CAD and manufacturing skills and the importance of the whole design cycle. This will undoubtedly help me with a future in engineering and my particular interest in sustainable energy.
EDWA R D DT has influenced me massively both in and out of school, with school products ranging from bedside tables to lamps, as well as teaching me skills such as welding and metalwork, which I have been able to apply to life on a working farm. DT has taught me key skills when manufacturing and designing products. The ability to self-evaluate and acceptance of the need for redesigning of products, as well as the constant improvement and development of ideas and designs. This will become key as technological advancements allow previously impossible prototypes to become possible.
PATR ICIJA Throughout this year in DT I have explored street fashion as I’ve developed an interest in textiles. I’ve explored a range of new techniques, pattern making whilst using paper templates, handling the sewing machine with more precision and using the model to make adjustments to the clothes that I’ve made: dungarees and a jumper.
PATR ICIJA I have an obsession for fashion design and how garments are constructed. Creatively combining textiles with colour and contrasting or complimentary textures is a really thrilling experience. My work explores the use of various lost and found items, parts of broken electronics, threads, plastics and fabrics. I have experimented with the creation of garments, mainly influenced by Russian Constructivism. I love to create fashion pieces that range from unwearable sculptures, runway fashion and ready to wear fashion. My recent work based on narrative, allowed me to analyse different materials and joining methods in context.
A LE XI A My aim throughout my DT A Level was to create statement pieces for the home, taking into consideration the clients’ requirements and personal needs. My chair at AS allowed me to look into the anthropometric data of children, meaning my product had restrictions on the sizing that I could use. The products I have made over the two years have focused on simplicity, whilst remaining aesthetically pleasing. The coffee table made this year started as a product that included complex joints. This required me to explore the maths behind how the shapes and angles would fit together. The skills gained within DT during my time at Kingswood and knowledge of how a product goes from an initial idea to manufacture and then completion is a key part of engineering, and something which I will take with me through to my Apprenticeship next year.
SELENE I am interested in investigating the relationship between the combination of surfaces, textures and the human figure. My work has developed throughout the two-year course, initially experimenting with the manipulation of materials to create new forms. This was based on natural objects documented through photography and was created by melting, burning and creating jewellery sculptures. My current work explores figurative painting, which continues to experiment with creating transparent layers and textures by applying different concentrations of paint and ink within the pieces.