EXPLORATION PROPOSAL CONTENT

The VCE Studio Arts Study Design clearly defines the key knowledge and skills for the individual exploration
proposal. You must include all of the key knowledge and skills when developing your individual exploration proposal.
These include:
Conceptual possibilities (including an explanation of the ideas to be explored)
An explanation of the focus(theme) and subject matter to be explored
The art form(s) to be explored
The sources of inspiration to be investigated, analysed and interpreted in relation to your individual ideas
The aesthetic qualities (elements, principles, mood) to be explored in relation to your own ideas
The materials and techniques to be explored and how these support the communication of ideas
An explanation of specific materials and techniques that have been used (including any specific constraints)
The inclusion of a plan (tasks and deadlines)
Use of appropriate art language and terminology

So how to start?
You have developed a brainstorm of ideas of a range of topics and themes that you now
need to structure into a written presentation.
Give yourself headings to establish clear concepts.
Use bullet points to start before establishing your ideas
Use these ideas to explain your ideas and intentions
Define your PASSION
Under this heading explain how and why you are passionate about your theme / idea / concept.
Explain how your idea developed. Eg; I was inspired by my trip to Byron Bay or by a magazine story I read
or a movie I saw.
Talk here about your inspirations artists or art movements, books or whatever it was that kicked off
your passion for your idea.
If you have no artist inspiration go to the Art room libraries & look at art books or art journals, or hop
on the internet and find someone whose work you relate to. This is essential research remember you
are an Art student.
The artist or movement you love could have inspired you because you love the colour the artist has used
or you believe the painting style is unique or you think the subject matter is innovative and powerful.
Whatever it is, always explain and elaborate on your thoughts. This is called annotation. This is important.
Saying you think something is great is not enough. Tell us why you feel it is powerful give examples and
comparisons. It helps to have a conversation about your feelings. If no one else is around then talk to
your pet cat, record yourself and play it back listening to what you have said or write your subconscious
stream of thought. Search for the deeper meaning as to why you feel this interest / passion it will be
there in your head somewhere - believe me.
Under the heading of PASSION it is important to sell your idea get others excited.
If youre not passionate about this, how can you make it interesting?
Prove your AUTHENTICITY
Under this heading explain how your theme relates to your own life experience. How it affects your
emotions and your mind/intellect.
What does this mean? The heading authenticity makes you question the relevance of your theme / idea /
concept in relation to YOU as an individual. It encourages you to think about the emotional and
intellectual connection and understanding you have of your selected theme.
A common mistake amongst VCE Art & Studio students is to select a theme which you are not equipped
to fully explore you chose it because it seemed like fun at the time. In order to produce a strong and
convincing work brief and folio you must select a theme or idea which is connected to your life and will
carry through the whole year. If the theme is closely related to the student it is much easier to explore
fully. If it is a subject close to your heart, your life or your mind you will never run short of ideas.
For example do NOT select themes unless you are convinced the theme is relevant in some way to your
own life. Try to avoid the generalisation topics
Authenticity is about relevance and meaning. Make sure your theme is closely related to your life.

Explain your D I R E C T I O N
Under this heading explain and discuss all of the following areas.
A clear description of the kind of materials you intend to investigate and trial materials are the
items required to paint / construct / or develop your art works. These may include drawing
materials like pencils, pastels, paint, charcoal, ink or watercolour.
The techniques you intend to explore in your folio may include the various painting techniques
such as the use of impasto or glaze. You may be exploring various photographic techniques,
photomontage or collage. Clearly set out your intentions. Do not muddle them all into one
paragraph. One idea per paragraph be clear.
Describe the art form you wish to explore eg; painting, photography or printmaking. Discuss the
style you intend to experiment with and develop eg; abstraction, realism or expressionistic.
Discuss the Elements and Principles of Design which relate to your artwork. The elements are
colour, tone, texture, line, shape / form. The principles are space, contrast, unity, repetition,
scale, movement and balance.
Write an explanation of the aims you intend to achieve. Discuss with me about possible solutions.
These are examples to help you
Conceptual possibilities and ideas to be explored
In this criterion, you are required to develop and explore a range of ideas and concepts that relate to your theme.
Example
Conceptually there are many different paths that I would like to
explore in relation to insects, as they relate to us in so many ways.
When I encounter an insect, I see them as a complete set of moving
layers, interconnecting and moving over each other. I hope to
explore the psychological and physiological responses that humans
encounter when they are faced with an insect such as Dynastes
Hercules.
It would be fascinating to explore the way that insects have
influenced our day to day life. I am also interested in exploring the
many patterns and layers of shell on an insects exoskeleton. I
would also like to explore the concept of rebirth that comes with
adaptation and exposure to harsh habitats and experiences.

Explain the focus and subject matter to be explored

Subject matter is defined as the subject of an artwork and the objects contained within the artwork. The choice of
subject matter can be a theme, a topic or a concept. Subject matter can cover a vast range of ideas. Some examples
include still-life, portraiture, landscape and the human figure. There are many possibilities for you to consider when
deciding the subject matter for your design process. You are encouraged to research artists by visiting galleries,
reading art journals/magazines (including A2 in Saturdays The Age newspaper) and viewing various art programs,
such as Artscape (ABC) to engage with contemporary thinking and practice.
Example
My focus and subject matter throughout the design process will be based on my immediate environment. I
plan to focus on where I live, St Kilda. I always have had a connection with the environment. Throughout
the design process, I will focus on the urban landscape, architecture and the people of St Kilda.

The art form(s) to be explored

The choice of art form(s) needs to be clearly defined in this criterion.
Art forms include painting, printmaking, sculpture, drawing, photography, multimedia, textiles and ceramics.
Identify why you have chosen this art form. Link your art form to your intent and theme, mention its ability to
enhance aesthetic qualities (such as tone, texture, time). What are the special properties of your art formFor sculpture this may be form and volume....
For glass it could be fragility, strength and transparency.

Example
The choice to work in film and photography was obvious to me. After studying Media as a Unit 3/4 last year,
I was inspired to continue with this art form in Studio Arts. I feel that I have the resounding knowledge and
filmmaking skills to epxlore my ideas fully. The decision to explore my theme through photography stems
from my love of the frozen image. I adore the intimacy of black and white photography, the ability to
capture and preserve a single moment in time. I feel passionate and comfortable with both art forms.
An example from Charlotte
Transformation is something that really intrigues me, helps me understand and form sometimes, conclusions
of how society and culture works and my place within it. Transformations of people and places from day to
night and what happens in between is the most interesting aspect of this idea. This is one of the influencing
factors in my decision to explore photography and the electronic moving image that I believe will best
highlight and depict movement and change.

Sources of inspiration and how this relates to the your own ideas
Sources of inspiration include artists, exhibitions, galleries, novels, films, personal experiences, newspapers, articles
and journals. You are advised to include at least two artists as inspiration in your exploration proposal. It is
important that you discuss how these sources of inspiration relate to your own ideas.
Below is an example from Camilla C
Example
My artistic influence is derived from many different artists such as Daniel Zeller. Zeller's intricate and finely
detailed work represents an aspect of illusion in the space around us. This will be a strong factor in my
exploration of the topic. Zeller's work evokes a sense of mystery and confusion through the use of detail. It
represents an area of space that, from a distance, may appear quite empty; however, upon closer inspection
it is finely detailed. This is a technique and an aesthetic quality that I would like to explore throughout the
design process.
Example
Bands such as TV on the Radio, PNAU, The Presets, Nada Surf, Arctic Monkeys and The Wombats are
hugely influential to my work, not only because I intend to include them in my films, but they also act as
triggers for thought processes that lead me to some of my best ideas.
Aesthetic qualities to be explored in relation to the student's own ideas.
In this criterion, you are required to discuss how various art elements and design principles will be employed to
create an aesthetic quality. It is important to consider what you want the viewer to feel when looking at your work.
Is the work intended to be pleasing to the eye, confrontational, thought-provoking, ambiguous or challenging? Once
you have decided on the aesthetic qualities, you will need to consider which of the art elements and design principles
will enhance this.
Example
Aesthetically, I am aiming for my work to exude a sense of menace and ambiguity. I want my work to be
visually challenging as well as unsettling for the viewer, opening up the possibility of multiple meanings. To
achieve this, I will explore various art elements and design principles such as tone, colour, shape, balance
and space. Colour will be restricted to a monochromatic palette of dark shadows and light. This will
hopefully capture a sense of ambiguity and uncertainty. Shapes will be undefined and fairly organic in
nature and placed in asymmetrical compositions to create an unsettling atmosphere. Both negative and
positive space as well as enclosed and empty spaces will be employed to heighten the mood of the work.

Materials and techniques to be explored and developed and how this supports the
communication of ideas
You are required to discuss the materials and techniques you plan to explore.
Examples of techniques include carving, modelling, casting, photomontage, intaglio and relief printmaking.
Examples of materials include paper, brushes, copper plates, palette knives, oil paints, gouache, charcoal and
watercolour

Example
I aim to experiment with a range of materials and techniques throughout the design process. Film requires a
range of materials, from the equipment needed during the filming process to the intricate programming of
the editing process. During the production process I will need a tripod, extra batteries and tapes. To edit my
film, I will use Premiere Pro. Premiere Pro will allow me to manipulate time and image to any desired effect
and will be effective when using a large number of sounds and images simultaneously. I would like to focus
largely on time manipulation, angles and shot sizes during both the production and post- production period.
Equally important are the props and models. I intend to work with interesting actors who can bring their
own experience to my exploration of adolescence. Subtle prop placement, costume and set decisions will all
be factors that I will need to consider.
Example
I will explore a range of materials and techniques throughout the design process. I plan on exploring various
drawing techniques- in particular, cross hatching, tonal rendering and contour line drawings. I will need to
experiment with a range of media, such as charcoal, ink, pastel, coloured paper, wood and canvas, and
possibly the introduction of found objects to create a textural effect that may make my work more
interesting.
Explain whether specific materials and techniques have been used due to specific constraints
This criterion encourages you to explain why you have chosen various materials and techniques and to discuss
various restrictions and limitations. Reasons will vary greatly; however, this process enables you to explain to the
assessor why you have chosen certain materials and or techniques and provide reasons for your decisions. this
criterion may not be applicable to every student.
Example
I plan to use silicon instead of latex to create my moulds as I believe I will be able to mass produce a greater
number of seed pods with the silicon mould. the silicon moulds last much longer that the latex and the detail
that can be achieved with a silicon mould is far greater. Ideally, I would love to set these seed pods in
bronze; however, due to financial constraints, this will not be possible. I then started to think about creating
transparent seed pods instead. The concept of clear seed pods started to sound fairly appealing. From this
constraint I have been able to come up with a better idea. I now plan to place some found objects into the
silicon moulds and set them in using transparent coloured resin.

The inclusion of a work plan

You are required to include a plan that clearly sets out how you will undertake the proposal.
There are many ways in which you may present your plan.

Use of appropriate art language and terminology

It is important that you use appropriate art language and terminology when writing your exploration proposal.
Reading other students' proposals will enable you to gain a better understanding of the language required.
Refer to the handouts you have been given.
Now after reading this information it is up to you to write up your Exploration Proposal and submitting your first
draft ASAP.
The sooner you have this sorted the easier your year will be as you begin to explore your ideas through trialling and
exploration of ideas.
Dont wait for it to happen . Make it happen
Remember .. if

you fail to plan you are planning to fail