How to improve Art GCSE sketchbook?

My past 2 mock exams I got a 5 in my mock, and my sketchbook is currently valued at a 6. All my other grades are a 7 and the rest are 8/9s and honestly a 5 isn't good enough for me. I understand it's a pass but I've put so much time and effort into my sketchbook, and I'm going to put even more time into working on my art 'skills' this holiday, but I'm genuinely exhausted from trying so hard but still getting the same grade. Lots of people keep telling me to spend more time on art still, but with the amount of breakdowns I've had because of it, I don't think it would be the wisest idea. Any advice on how to improve would be appreciated :smile:

Reply 1

Eyebrow

5

Add in loads of writing and annotations, they bring in loads of marks. A lot of people say the writing is more important than the actual art work. Also, do lots of experiments with your work and do double the work they set. If you are told to do a double page, do 4 pages with different experimenting. Hope this helps!

Reply 2

rain909505

OP

2

Original post by Eyebrow

Add in loads of writing and annotations, they bring in loads of marks. A lot of people say the writing is more important than the actual art work. Also, do lots of experiments with your work and do double the work they set. If you are told to do a double page, do 4 pages with different experimenting. Hope this helps!

I'll try and get some more pages done for each part, I tend to do maybe an extra page if i do a double page. I think my main issue is the skill of my art (practically nonexistent in my eyes), but I do enjoy the writing element of art luckily so I'll do some more of that. Thanks for your help, I've actually been trying to improve my colour pencil drawings + experimenting with combining those and watercolour this morning.

Reply 3

Eyebrow

5

Original post by rain909505

I'll try and get some more pages done for each part, I tend to do maybe an extra page if i do a double page. I think my main issue is the skill of my art (practically nonexistent in my eyes), but I do enjoy the writing element of art luckily so I'll do some more of that. Thanks for your help, I've actually been trying to improve my colour pencil drawings + experimenting with combining those and watercolour this morning.

Find an area of art in which you're best and then just try to improve it more. I am also doing art and I also think I am not very good but just keep trying, your art probably looks better to other people then it does to you. Good luck!

Reply 4

Muttley79

20

Original post by rain909505

My past 2 mock exams I got a 5 in my mock, and my sketchbook is currently valued at a 6. All my other grades are a 7 and the rest are 8/9s and honestly a 5 isn't good enough for me. I understand it's a pass but I've put so much time and effort into my sketchbook, and I'm going to put even more time into working on my art 'skills' this holiday, but I'm genuinely exhausted from trying so hard but still getting the same grade. Lots of people keep telling me to spend more time on art still, but with the amount of breakdowns I've had because of it, I don't think it would be the wisest idea. Any advice on how to improve would be appreciated :smile:

There's a lot of examples on the internet

I don't know if it's changed since I did it but when I was doing GCSE art it was all about 'experimentation'. People have a tendency to be perfectionist with sketchbooks but the examiners really liked to see trial and error and people reflecting on what worked and what didn't. We were explicitly banned from ripping pages out of our sketchbook that hadn't turned out like we wanted.

Don't just pad your book for the sake of it or rush through it but definitely make use of it to experiment with different media and techniques, the examiners love to see it.