Greek Art and Architecture OCR A2 Classical Civilisation

hi,

I'm taking the OCR A2 Art and Architecture paper for Classical Civilisation on 29th May and I'm really starting to panic about it!!

i was just wondering how people are going about revising for it and if there is a specific way that you need to answer the questions??

thank you!!

Heya. Same here, the sheer amount of things we have to know is a little worrying. D:
I've found that for learning the basics about the art- so names, dates, painters, etc- cue cards are really good. Also, for the temples I've found it helpful to draw out the ground plans from memory so I can recognise them if they appear.
As for the more detailed stuff like analysis: I make sure I have a basic 'run through' system for the commentary questions. So for things like sculptures I just analyse it from head to toe, if that makes sense. Then I also annotate images/take notes on important points.
The section I'm finding really hard to revise for is Sanctuaries- really hope it either doesn't appear, or I can do the other question!
As for answering questions, we've been told to just make sure to use lots of 'artistic language' and describe the artwork in relation to the question- so if the question was on conflict, you sort of say how aspects of the artwork make it appear violent/realistic depiction of war/etc. And then just the usual stuff like making sure to compare artwork (if applicable to the question), putting in dates and periods for AO1 marks and so on.

Hey,

I'm also doing the exam I find reading the green book by S. Woodford helps a lot! I'm worried about the sanctuaries too, is it me or is there not that much to write about them? Especially if they come up on the 50 marker (hopefully the second option will be a better alternative!)

Pretty sure we don't need to memorise dates either, as they took it out of the specification, so don't bother with that. You just need to be able to put them in the correct period I think.



Edit: what kind of language is "artistic language"? any words that we need to know in particular?

yes that book is great!! i find the other book on the architecture not very accessible though. I think that's why i struggle with the architecture side of the course. i think the good thing about the exam though is that there is so much choice so you wouldn't necessarily have to answer a question on sanctuaries

oh yeah i wasn't sure about the dates either! It probably helps but i doubt they would mark you down for it if you didn't put it in?

I think by artistic language they mean things like 'motion lines' and 'foreshortening' and other terms like that

do any of you know if you have to compare different pieces of art in the exam? i mean obviously if the question calls for it but i mean more in the essay questions, for example would you need to write stuff like 'sculpture A can be seen in this way. this is contrasted to sculpture B which shows this but similarly seen in sculpture C which shows this' (hope that makes sense! haha)

thank you both for the help by the way!!

I'm freaking out too, I find flash cards help a lot with memorising places and artists. Does anyone have any idea what topic may come up or any possible questions? I'm holding out for an architectural sculpture question myself so fingers crossed!

God, panic is setting in with art and architecture... how precise do we have to be with the dates? a few have mentioned not having to be that precise, though my teacher seems to think we have to be.

I'm steering clear of temples and sanctuaries personally!

Any other good revision tips, i've made cards...

Also, what's everyone else doing for the other module? I'm doing Virgil and the Iliad.

Does anyone have any idea what topic may come up or any possible questions? I'm holding out for an architectural sculpture question myself so fingers crossed!

I'm doing that too! literally have no idea where to start with revision for that one!!

I just printed out a past paper from january 2008 and noticed that one of the section A q's was on vases, but also, one of the section b q's was too. i was wondering if anyone knows whether answering both questions on vases would result in a deduction of points/ should i avoid doing that?
thanks

yes that book is great!! i find the other book on the architecture not very accessible though. I think that's why i struggle with the architecture side of the course.

Personally I think sanctuaries is good for the context question but only for part a). It might be good because the question of whether the parthenon or zeus at olympia always comes up. I found the Mary Emerson book really helpful for learning the temples and sancturies. It has less opinions in it than Woodfood so it is easier to read and it's better organised in chapters. I don't like the way Woodfood puts both pots and sculptures in the same chapters, I find it confusion. Good luck for Tuesday

...so, does anyone have any predictions of what can appear?
...also, if a sanctuary question pops out...can you draw diagrams?

I know! I think Virgil is gonna be worse than Art & Arch. It's so subjective, and you never know if you're writing the right thing I'm praying for a really high mark in A&A to compensate for any marks lost in the Virgil bit :/

Also, how are we supposed to look at the role of the gods in the Iliad if we barely see them? There's like 4 'books' of the Iliad we have to read according to the spec - how can we base an entire opinion on those! OCR


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...I've just finished my AS Classics, but this...is by far... The HARDEST Classic Civ exam (compared to Greek Tragedy, Odyssey and Iliad/Aenid). I just read Woodford (for entire unit) and Emmerson (sanctuary). I'm doing this whole thing in 1 year.