Outgoing Course (Last Exams 2026)

There are pages that support Curriculum Planning,  Mapping a Course Outline, and Unit Planning as well as handy grading records and marksheets for Getting Organized.

What is your approach to teaching art? Structure and Freedom proposes open ended assignments, Teaching Visual Skills and discussion of key issues around Ethical Expression

For starting assignments that build skills and confidence and encourage a wide range of exploration have a look at some of these engaging Starting Strategies that many teachers love and have adapted to their own ways of teaching. And don't miss the Art Seeds, my favorite pages of the site ;)

Find out more about evolving role of AI in IB Education 

Course Components

Possibly the most visited pages of the site are in this section: Here you will find detailed discussion of each component with many sub pages per component

Part 1,The Comparative Study

Part 2, Process Portfolio

Part 3, The Exhibition,

What is the role of Visual Journal and how can it support the assessed components

The IB Core explores the core requirements of the IB Diploma:

• The Extended Essay, guidelines, criteria, advice, excellent examples!
• ToK in Visual Arts, many activities and and guiding questions
• CAS and the IB Learner Profile

Art Thinking

The Art Thinking section of this site focuses on critical thinking, looking at, reflecting on and responding to art, with many teaching activities to help build these "art thinking" skills. This includes Writing about Art,  Formal Elements of Art , Visual Analysis, Building Art Vocabulary , Referencing and Citing Sources,  Finding Information on Artists and using investigation and Research to support art making.

Also in this section are resources on Culture and Context and examples of how to include this in our teaching. Culture is addressed from a geographic point of view but also from a thematic angle, with examples within different cultural, social and contexts.

Cross Curricular Connections  are an interesting way to develop art work informed by other topics the student is studying.

Art Making

This key area of the site is devoted to ideas about art production ranging from Drawing to Alternative Photographic Techniques to Installation Art, with much more in between. The Art Making Forms table is introduced and divided into three parts, Two Dimensional Forms, Three Dimensional Forms , Lens-based, Electronic, Screen-based Forms.

Non traditional media are discussed in pages such as Beyond the Studio, Collaborative Projects,  Mad Materials and Emerging Media.

 The Art Seed Bank is a stimulating collection of independent art making activities for students, jump off points, invitations to create and to discover new artists.

Exhibitions and Curating

This section addresses visual communication both as viewer and creator. There are many practical activities for introducing and teaching Curatorial Practice and on curating and presenting work for exhibition.  Visiting Exhibitions provides tips and clear guidelines for visiting exhibitions with students.

I recommend browsing Selected Artists and Shows to have a look at selected artists and exhibitions, a way to get to know new artists, discover exhibitions you might not get to see yourself, and find useful related teaching activities.

Assessment

Everything you need to know about assessment and more!

E submission Guidelines, Group 6 Grade Descriptors, CAF Planning and Progress Form , Internal Assessment rubrics and discussion of the criteria for each component:  CS Assessment  , PP Asssessment  , Exhibition Assessment  -and handy charts for formative assessing , Self Assessment Rubrics  for students, Grade Boundaries and much more.

See Assessment Updates page for IB news or modifications.

Student Gallery

This student gallery includes a curated selection of inspirational student work across all three components. This is intended as a place where teachers can share best examples of student work once the work has been marked- with the students consent naturally. Please visit the page for info on how to submit your students work.

You can view slides from each student represented in the galleries, organized by component

Comparative Study Gallery

Process Portfolio Gallery

Exhibition Gallery

Resources and Inspiration

Although this might not be your first port of call, Reflections on Creativity and the psychology of creativity are a fascinating topic for anyone engaged in creative work, students or teachers. There are lots of fun, quirky resources here, Surrealist Games , Oblique Strategies , Your Taste is Killer, Nothing is Original ...  just to name a few.

There are resource pages on Visual Arts in Education, practical tips for Applying to Art School, and for Showing Film and Video ( have you ever seen A Brief History of John Baldessari?) and Guest Teacher Lessons by teachers like yourselves, sharing their areas of special knowledge.

Take a peek inside some Sketchbooks and Studios, and for a special focus on YOU visit the section on the Teacher as Artist and, why not, write your own Artist's Manifesto !