Calling all the art students and art teachers to join my online workshop on Component 2 (ESA) Art & Design Igcse 0400 for Oct/Nov 2025 exam papers! If you are looking for more ideas for each question, this workshop is for you! 5th July, Saturday 2025
Please see the details on the poster below.
Dear all,
I hope this message finds you well, wherever you may be.
Today, I’m excited to share a piece from a former student’s work, specifically a grade B sample for Component 2 from Oct/Nov 2022 exams. The theme she chose was "The Journey," and she creatively incorporated vintage items that hold personal memories. All the photos were from her primary resources.
Please take a moment to view the samples below.
Wishing you all a wonderful day ahead!
Hello everyone,
I am excited to share the work of Vrinda, a former student of mine, with all of you. Thank you, Vrinda, for giving me permission to post your work on my blog.
I am delighted to showcase her achievement in the Art & Design IGCSE syllabus 0400 for the June 2025 exams, where she earned a good overall percentage of 74% and achieved a Grade B.
Vrinda's Component 1, titled 'Resonance,' scored 62% (B); for Component 2, she chose 'Glass Containers,' which also scored 61% (B). Her total marks were 123, resulting in an overall percentage of 74%.
You did it, Vrinda! Your dedication and hard work are commendable, especially considering our initial concerns about time management and overall quality.
To my blog visitors, I hope Vrinda's samples will be a valuable resource for your research. If you choose to share these samples on social media or incorporate them into your lessons (for teachers), please ensure you credit this blog. Thank you.
Component 1 'Resonance'
Dear all,
I am pleased to share valuable insights and suggestions regarding Component 1 of the IGCSE Art & Design 0400 syllabus.
I understand that teachers and students often face challenges in selecting a suitable topic or theme for their Coursework. A common and effective strategy is to draw inspiration from past ESA Component 2 questions, which can significantly ease the process of choosing a theme for Component 1.
Below, I have compiled a list of ESA Component 2 questions from 2020 to 2024 that can serve as potential topics for Component.
ESA Past Year Questions as Topics for Component 1 (IGCSE 0400) 2020-2024
June & October 2020:
June & October 2021:
June & October 2022:
June & October 2023:
June & October 2024:
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Additional Suggestions for Component 1 Topics:
Nature;
Figures/People/Portraits:
Building:
Man-Made/Still Life:
Interpretative Theme:
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I hope this quick sharing helps you navigate ideas for your upcoming Art & Design IGCSE 0400 batch. Remember, Component 1 requires a longer time commitment, so plan wisely and pace your expectations to complete it before the release of Component 2 questions.
Have a great day ahead, and Happy Chinese New Year to those celebrating!
Dear all,
Today, I am sharing a technique you can explore in your preparatory work. As you are required to explore appropriate media and techniques (as mentioned in AO2 Explore), pen drawing is an approach that you can experiment with for one (or two) of your subject matters.
Don’t limit yourself to only black pens. You can suggest or demonstrate the use of various pen colors to your students, as long as they align with your visual intention for the work.
Conduct research on the various lines you can experiment with in pen drawing. There are different types of pens, such as ballpoint pens, gel pens, and fountain pens.
Try out different strokes, shading techniques, line thicknesses, and fine lines that you can produce when using pens as your tools.
Emphasise some of the Elements of Art, such as Line, Texture, and Value, in your work. Annotate your experiments and explorations using pens as part of the technique applied to your work.
Continue developing ideas using pens; if pen exploration is one of your favourites, consider applying these techniques to some parts of your final piece.
Below, I share some student work using pens. I have blurred other areas so that you can focus on the pen techniques in the preparatory work.
I hope this sharing helps. Have a great day ahead!
Recording Primary Resources: A Guide for Art Educators
Primary resources play an important role in a student's research and development in the early stages of their artistic journey. Encouraging students to collect, visit, or observe subjects firsthand is essential. They can document their findings through drawing, photography, or note-taking. Bring objects you or your students have gathered into the art room whenever possible.
The attached photos illustrate how I train my Year 8 students to gather primary resources (subject matter pictures) as they enter my classroom. This hands-on approach helps them develop a keen eye for detail and a deeper understanding of their subjects.
In addition to Year 8, I teach Year 9 to Year 11 students. I consistently emphasize the importance of taking their own photos and referring to primary resources, especially from Year 8 to Year 9. This practice ensures they gain valuable experience capturing high-quality images for their references. This training will prepare them to pursue Art & Design IGCSE in Year 10 and beyond.
To excel in photographic art, students should be familiar with the seven basic elements: line, shape, form, texture, colour, size, and depth. As a photographic artist, understanding and applying these elements can significantly enhance the composition and convey the intended meaning of your photograph.
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I am deeply committed to 21st-century learning, particularly the 4Cs: Creativity, Critical Thinking, Collaboration, and Communication. I believe this photoshoot session will encourage students to work together to achieve excellent photo outcomes. While each student will use their own photo for reference, gathering objects, models, or items inherently applies the 4Cs to their learning experiences.
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I hope this sharing helps you in planning and guiding your students towards meeting IGCSE requirements.
Wishing you a great day ahead!
