leaving cert art coursework examples

Art - Higher

Unlike most other subjects, only 30% of your final grade is based on a written exam in June.

The Art History course is huge and covers many topics but there is lots of choice on the paper, so hone in on the sections that you enjoy or are good at. The remaining marks are given based on a practical coursework exam in May, which includes life sketching, still life or abstract composition and design or craftwork. 

Higher Level Art History Course Content

• Appreciation - Architecture and Renovation
• Appreciation - Fashion/Clothing & Jewelry Design
• Appreciation - Film Studies
• Appreciation - Gallery Visit
• Appreciation - Graphic Design
• Appreciation - Product Design
• Appreciation - Public/Street art
• Early Christian Ireland - Manuscripts
• Early Christian Ireland - Metalwork
• Early Christian Ireland - Stonework
• Europe - Gothic & Romanesque Architecture
• Europe - Impressionist
• Europe - Medieval
• Europe - Post Impressionism
• Europe - Renaissance
• Europe - Romantic Period
• Europe - Surrealism/Cubism
• Generic Qs - Categories
• Generic Qs - Movements
• Ireland - Georgian Architecture and Arts
• Ireland - Modern Artists and Designers
• Ireland - Romantic Period
• Pre Christian - Bronze Age
• Pre Christian - Iron Age
• Pre-Christian - Burial and monastic sites

Ordinary Level Course Content:

• Europe - Gothic Architecture
• Europe - Neoclassical
• Europe - Post Impressionists
• Europe - Surrealism / Cubism
• Pre Christian - Burial and monastic sites

How is Art Assessed?

The Art assessment is made up of three components; the written exam (30%), the practical exam (20%), and the practical coursework (50%)

The written exam for art is 2 and a half hours long, and tests your ability to critically and creatively analyse artwork and your understanding of Visual Studies.

The practical examination takes place within 5 hours of a single day. Students will have to create a second realised work, based on the same ideas and work of their overall coursework project.

The practical coursework is the largest component of the assessment. Students are required to produce a realised work from a stimulus. This is done over an extended period of time. In this time students produce one piece of work and plan for the realisation of their second piece that is done during the practical examination. Students should focus on skills such as life drawing, drawing from imagination and use of primary sources.

Future Careers with Leaving Certificate Art

Design, Architecture, Interior Design, Web Design, Animation, Graphic Design, Photography

Download the Leaving Cert Art Syllabus 

Download the Leaving Cert Art Chief Examiner's Report (2013) 

Download Advice for teachers and students

Past Papers

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SimpleStudy® Subject Guides

Leaving certificate art exam & revision.

The Leaving Certificate Art Exam is the final test for students studying Art as part of their Leaving Cert. Art is a very demanding subject in Ireland's Leaving Cert, but it is mixed and rewarding for those interested in a creative career. Ireland's Leaving Cert Art Course has three parts; an Imaginative Composition or Still Life Artwork: worth 37.5% of the final grade; a Themed Design or Craft Work Project, worth another 37.5% of the final grade; and a written Paper Exam on History & Appreciation of Art, worth the remaining 25% of the grade. SimpleStudy offers exclusive revision tools and learning resources for Leaving Certificate Art, Including Revision Notes, Past Exams, Quizzes, Timed Questions by Topic, and other unique features usually reserved for private schools or expensive tutors.

SimpleStudy® H1 Revision Notes

Leaving cert art notes.

Leaving Cert Art Revision Notes; study beautiful, concise and carefully curated learning materials. SimpleStudy’s LC Art Notes are broken down into curriculum focused topics, already highlighted, and structured for easy recall in an exam environment.

SimpleStudy® Past Papers

Leaving cert art exams.

Art Exams; Easily study years of LC Art Past Papers and marking schemes. Build custom Art Exams or Tests from previous Art exam questions with marking schemes for each answer. Studying Art exam papers, marking schemes and building custom exams is effective & easy with SimpleStudy.

SimpleStudy® Questions by topic

Leaving cert art questions.

Leaving Cert Art Questions; Explore LC Art state exam questions. SimpleStudy’s Art questions are divided by topic, timed, and offer a marking scheme for each question. Easily study previous Art questions, pick your topic, and simulate the exam environment with our unique timer for each Art question.

SimpleStudy® Quiz by topic

Leaving cert art quizzes.

Leaving Cert Art Quizzes; Unique LC Art quizzes designed for each topic. Practice multiple choice LC Art quizzes built to replicate short form exam questions. Pick an Art quiz, answer each quiz question, and review your results; check what answers you got, how long the quiz took you, and try to beat your high score.

SimpleStudy® Essays

Leaving cert art essays.

H1 Leaving Cert Art Essays; study perfect Art sample Essays. Concise and curated for specific LC Art Essay questions. SimpleStudy’s LC Art essays allows you read full Essays for key exam questions. Review exclusive Art essays and get full marks in your Leaving Cert Art Exam with Simplestudy’s sample Essays.

Leaving Cert Art topics to explore

Stone age art (7000bc - 2000bc), bronze age art (2000bc - 500bc), the iron age art (500bc - 500ad), early christian art (from 432ad), paul cézanne (1839-1906), claude monet (1840-1926), vincent van gogh (1853-1890), pablo picasso (1881-1973), appreciation - architecture and renovation, algebra topic.

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Leaving Cert Papers, News, Notes, Tips and Resources

Higher Level Exam Papers

2019 – Source 2019 – History 2018 – Source 2018 – History 2017 – Source 2017 – History 2016 – Source 2016 – History 2015 – Source 2015 – History 2014 – Source 2014 – History 2013 – Source 2013 – History 2012 – Source 2012 – History 2011 – Source 2011 – History 2010 – Exam 2010 – Source 2009 – Exam 2009 – Source 2009 – Craftwork 2008 – Exam 2008 – Source

Ordinary Level Exam Papers

2019 – Source 2019 – History 2018 – Source 2018 – History 2017 – Source 2017 – History 2016 – Source 2016 – History 2015 – Source 2015 – History 2014 – Source 2014 – History 2013 – Source 2013 – History 2012 – Source 2012 – History 2011 – Source 2011 – History 2010 – Source 2010 – Exam 2009 – Exam 2009 – Source 2009 – Design 2008 – Exam 2008 – Source 2007 – Exam 2007 – Source

Higher Level Marking Schemes

2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007

Ordinary Level Marking Schemes

Learn & Explore

Leaving cert art resources.

Click here to download an interactive PDF file with lots of online art resources from Crawford Art Gallery for Leaving Certs.

We are keen to support teachers and students, if you have a specific question about an exhibition please feel free to contact us.

(0)21 490 7857 [email protected]

Emmett Place, Cork, Ireland T12 TNE6 Tel: 021 480 5042 [email protected]

Art Class Enquiries

Exhibitions Visit Learn & Explore The Collection

Events Partnerships Café Shop

History About Venue Hire Contact

Opening Hours N.B. Last entry is 15 minutes before closing Monday–Saturday 10.00am–5.00pm* Thursday until 8.00pm

Sundays and Bank Holidays 11.00 am – 4.00pm

© 2024 www.crawfordartgallery.ie

Students taking the leaving Certificate examination in 2023 will be following the new revised course. The course requires students to research, create and respond to their own art and the work of other artists.

Exam Structure

Practical coursework Project 50%

Practical invigilated examination 20%

Visual Studies Written examination 30%

The Art course for Leaving Certificate consists of two parts. The Coursework (practical) and Visual Studies (Art History). 

Imaginative composition/Still life and the craft. Students will complete a coursework project. They will explore a theme, document their research, produce a range of drawings made from primary sources, produce development (planning) pages for two finished pieces. They will realise one finished piece during this body of time and the second finished piece will be completed during a 5 hour invigilated examination.  

Visual Studies

Students will complete a written examination on Visual studies based on their thoughts, knowledge, and observations of work by professional artists and imagery in wider visual media.   This subject would suit a student who is experimental, enthusiastic, resilient, independent, imaginative, and organised. Time management, listening skills and communication skills are extremely important for this subject.

Assessment and results and other points

The number of students receiving H1 and H2’s has increased in recent years. The art history will be assessed with all other written papers during the LC exams. All the practical work will be assessed by a visiting examiner. The time frame for the practical work is 10 weeks from Jan onwards in 6th year. It clearly states on the circulars from the Department that all the work should be done in school and parents and students should not be concerned that the project will eat into the other subjects time.   It is also a much better system for students who work slowly of have great difficulty performing under pressure as now the work is progressive rather than exam based. Students who are preparing a portfolio for Art College will find that the new revised syllabus will benefit and work in their favour, and some of their classwork may be viable in their portfolio. For pupils who are studying architecture or related courses -  Art and DCG is an excellent combination. Overall the new course encourages greater individuality and creativity.

Further Progression

Art can be great preparation for any career that requires fine motor skills, presentation skills, an eye for aesthetics and creative thinking. There are many diverse possibilities –  Artist, , architect, product designer, interior designer, packaging designer urban designer/town planner, set designer, industrial designer, illustrator, art therapist, fashion designer/dressmaker, surgeon, teacher, advertising director, photographer, animator, concept artist, web designer, television/film producer, editor, museum curator, special effects makeup, photo journalist, curriculum writer, art critic, arts administrator, arts and cultural planner, courtroom artist, stylist, art dealer, art supplies retailer.

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LC Art 2023 - Important Information

Important information in relation to Art for Leaving Certificate 2023, have been released.

The documents have been published on the SEC Website @  www.examinations.ie

• Exam Information
• Project and Practical Coursework

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Leaving Certificate exam paper: Art History

In recent years, the Leaving Certificate exams have seen adjustments by the State Examinations Commission due to a reduction in teaching hours as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Exams are subject to change again in the coming years, so it is important that students are aware of what to expect. In this article, you will understand to the best of our knowledge what to expect from the upcoming Art History examination, how to find and use reliable revision resources, including revision guides, practice questions and mark schemes.

Click on one of the links below to jump to that section

• Art Leaving Certificate exam adjustments

Studying for Leaving Cert Art History

Art leaving certificate study materials, frequently asked questions, the art leaving certificate exam.

The recent exam adjustments have may only impact your Art History written paper so speak to your teacher about any specific adjustments for your year group. The Art History paper has historically consisted of three sections:

• Section I: Art in Ireland
• Section II: European Art 1,000AD - Present
• Section III: Appreciation of Art

Students will have a broad choice of questions in the examination however; in order for candidates to demonstrate their understanding of the syllabus, they will be required to answer questions from different sections of the exam paper. You must check with your teacher or the State Examinations Commission on how many answers you will be required to give. This may vary from year to year as assessment arrangements change.

You will be required to write an essay in response to each question. You will not be required to answer any short-answer questions. However, you will need to demonstrate your understanding of key terminology, definitions, and historical context. You may be required to provide a sketch as part of your response.

You are being examined on your knowledge and critical thinking. You will need to practice analysing art through the ages and provide thorough context behind the artworks. In order to succeed in this subject, you will need to work on your art history skills throughout the course. Here are some study tips to help you succeed:

• Visit art Galleries, museums and other in-person visual displays of art throughout the course. Consider the context behind both contemporary and historical pieces. Also, consider the composition .
• Practice life sketching under time pressure - you may be required to sketch in your written examination, so practice quick sketches, perhaps when you are out and about.
• Learn key terminology - get used to using appropriate visual and critical terminology to communicate your understanding of the context.
• Make yourself familiar with famous artists and artworks from all three exam paper categories (Irish Art, European Art and Appreciation of Art). Artworks and artists may come up year after year.
• Practice past exam questions - Many artists and artworks will come up time and time again. Practicing questions will ensure that you are prepared.
• Use mark schemes - you will learn how to correctly structure your answers and identify the components of top-mark answers.
• Refer to sample answers in your revision material. Since you will be writing long answer questions, it is vital that you understand how to structure your essay to achieve the highest marks possible. Example answers will help you with good structure and tone.

Unlike practical art examinations and coursework, you will primarily need to study for the written Art History examination rather than practice your artistic skills. The benefit of this is that there are plenty of resources at your disposal to help you prepare. Schoolbooks.ie offers a variety of study materials that closely follow the Leaving Certificate Art specification.

We can offer a complete revision guide for your Art History final exam. In addition to this comprehensive Art History revision guide, we also offer an Art History textbook and a New Appreciation of Art revision guide

Less Stress More Success - Leaving Cert - Art History

Expert exam tips and advice.

Highlights key information. In-context exam questions. Concise revision.

Breakdown of the exam. Past questions & guidance.

Examples of sample answers fully analysed.

Appreciating Art - New / 3rd Edition (2021)

Illustrated timelines.

Up-to-date content.

Introduction to Visual Studies, detailed diagrams, photos and artworks with compositional analyses.

Chapter Reviews.

Free eBook.

History and Appreciation of Art

Course covered in detail.

Key terminology.

Black and white line drawings help with exam sketches.

Revision questions.

Art leaving Certificate past exam papers

The best way to prepare for this written exam is by practicing exam questions before the final exam, this is especially important if you are new to written examinations. Practice exams are designed to help you prepare and make sure you know what to expect on exam day.

You can find past exam questions and mark schemes in the Schoolbooks.ie revision guides, such as in the New Appreciation of Art or the Less Stress, More Success revision guides. Alternatively, or once you have completed these and you need more practice, you can access past paper questions online here . Your exam may be different to the exam papers you have practiced online, so make sure to speak to your Art History teacher about what to expect from your specific examination paper.

How long should an art history essay be for the Leaving Certificate?

Answers to the essay questions on the Art History exam should be between 600 and 1,000 words. However, markers will be looking for quality over quantity. For this reason, you should look at our breakdown and analysis of example answers to understand what markers will be looking for and how to structure your essay.

What percentage is H1 in leaving certificate?

To get an H1 (top band grade) in a Leaving Cert for Art, the percentage boundary is between 90 and 100%. To achieve this, Leaving Certificate students should use a variety of study techniques and materials and make sure they are applying what they learn in a practical way. Refer to mark schemes and sample answers in your revision to make sure you understand the requirements for top band answers.

Related pages

Leaving Certificate exam paper:Design & Communication graphics

Leaving Certificate exam paper: Geography

Leaving Certificate exam paper: Agricultural Science

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Patricia Crowley teaches the new Leaving Cert Art course. She has over 30 years teaching experience. As well as preparing students for the written exam in Visual Studies, she also supports students with their Art practical course work.   Patricia’s …

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Senior Cycle Art

Welcome and thank you for visiting the PDST Art section. The PDST Art team provide high-quality professional development and support that empowers teachers and schools to deliver the best possible education for all students. This site is designed to give you information about a range of supports and professional development services provided by the PDST.

If you have not registered with the PDST Art team and would like to keep up to date with the latest news and information please register your details here . 

Follow us on Twitter to stay up to date with all the latest news  @PDST_Art 

To avail of school based support for Art:  Follow this link to our online form

The Art Teachers Association of Ireland (ATAI) supports Art teachers through their network of branches throughout the country. Details of events can be found on their website .

National Seminar Day 5

The PDST are delighted to continue with the delivery of face-to-face facilitation with National Seminar Day 5 for Art Teachers, commencing on 20th March 2023. The full schedule is available on the attached flyer and at https://pdst.ie/onlinebooking . 

This seminar day will give teachers the opportunity to:

Reflect on their engagement with the Specification to date

Explore the development of learning through effective questioning

Examine assessment methodologies and approaches to planning responses

Explore the development of research, communication and reflective skills

Examine how student engagement and participation can be enhanced

Consider opportunities to expand on the range of Areas of Practice

To avail of this CPD please ensure you are registered with the PDST.

https://pdst.ie/onlinebooking

Assessment Arrangements For Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate Examinations 2023

Please find the link below.

Senior Cycle Art information can be found on page 11

Visual Art Junior Cycle information can be found on page 81

https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/50564-leaving-certificate-2023/#assessment-arrangements-for-junior-cycle-and-leaving-certificate-examinations-2023

PDST presentation at the ATAI National Conference 2022

The following 9 minute video briefly outlines the material that was covered during the Leaving Certificate Art National Seminars to date:  https://youtu.be/MWoX0hzTWM8

Learning to Look: An online introduction workshopVisual Thinking Strategies (VTS)

The PDST in collaboration with Arts in Junior Cycle, Dublin City Council, The LAB Gallery, and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) are delighted to offer an elective online Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) introductory workshop.

This facilitated workshop will uniquely provide teachers of all subjects and disciplines with an opportunity to respond to and discuss an image in a collaborative online space. This online experience will model how VTS supports visual literacy, evidencing observations, engaged discussion and collaboration.

For more information and to register please click here .

Blended Learning 

This is an interactive resource which aims to support teachers when engaging in a blended approach to teaching, learning and assessment. This website offers some practical suggestions and case studies to highlight the various ways teachers can use blended learning approaches in their daily practice. 

https://www.pdst.ie/blendedlearning

The contact person for SC Art is Catherine Begley 14 Joyce Way, Park West Business Park, Nangor Road, Dublin 12 Email: [email protected]

https://youtu.be/MWoX0hzTWM8

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