BTEC Level 2 First Art and Design

Unit 2 2D visual
communication

Unit overview Credits: 5 Cert Ext Cert Dip

This unit enables you to introduce the wide range of media and mark-making styles associated with 2D
techniques and processes such as drawing, painting, printmaking and photography. You will support the
development of your learners’ knowledge, skills and understanding in using media and mark-making in the
production of design ideas, concept boards, presentation boards and final pieces. These skills underpin
every other unit: you will return to them throughout the whole course, developing them within assignments
related to all specialist areas of art and design.
Being able to communicate ideas in a visual way is an essential skill for all artists and designers although
styles of working, materials and techniques used may vary. Throughout this unit, it is important that you
encourage your learners to make use of different starting points and try out a range of options. This will
support them in communicating their ideas effectively using materials and mark-making styles suitable for
their chosen specialty and end purpose.

On completion of this unit, learners should:

LO1 be able to use 2D mark-making techniques
LO2 be able to communicate design ideas using 2D visual communication techniques
LO3 be able to use formal elements in 2D visual communication

Unit contents
The scheme of work for this unit (page 6) links to the following resources to help you deliver Unit 2.

L01 L02 L03

Lesson plan LP2 LP2

Activity sheet AS1 AS2 AS1

AS3 AS4 AS2
AS4

Stretch and support E1 E1 E1

E2 E2 E2
E3

Student book SB2.1 SB2.3 SB2.5

assignment activities SB2.2 SB2.4

PowerPoint PPT2 PPT2 PPT2

Video V2 V2 V2

All of these resources, apart from the student book assignment activities, can be found on the
accompanying At Work CD-ROM, as well as an editable version of the scheme of work, and answers to
questions in the student book.

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Unit 2 2D visual communication BTEC Level 2 First Art and Design

Links to other units

This unit links to a number of other different units within this art and design qualification, as shown below,
and provides opportunities to cross-reference and combine assignment work for these units.
• Unit 4 Using ideas to explore, develop and produce art and design
• Unit 5 Building an art and design portfolio
• Unit 7 Working with graphic design briefs
• Unit 8 Working with photography briefs
• Unit 9 Working with fashion design briefs
• Unit 10 Working with textile briefs
• Unit 11 Working with 3D design briefs
• Unit 12 Working with interactive media briefs
• Unit 13 Working with visual arts briefs
• Unit 14 Working with 3D design crafts briefs
• Unit 15 Working with digital art and design briefs
• Unit 16 Working with accessory briefs
• Unit 17 Working with moving image briefs
• Unit 18 Working with site-specific briefs

Assessment
The assessment process
All tasks set within projects should be are linked to specific assessment criteria so that learners can begin to
develop the skills, knowledge and understanding required. Interim and final assessment points should be
built into the scheme of work so that learners are able to discuss their work with their peers and their tutors,
receive feedback on their progress and construct SMART action plans on how to develop and extend their
projects. Interim assessments can take place in a number of ways and should be supportive to the learner.

Evidence for assessment

Evidence for assessment can take several forms, depending on the individual learner’s approach, for
example:
• presentation
• display
• whole class discussion
• mind maps
• sketchbook review
• one-to-one discussion
• small group discussion.
For final assessments learners should have the opportunity to show you what they have produced and
discuss their work. It is a good idea to encourage them to take photographs of their work as it develops (e.g.
record all layers of a painting and drawing to evidence new media and mark-making added or stages of a
print, recording how the stencil is made and then used) and make notes of technical terms and the range of
2D mark-making they have used so that they record all stages of assignments.
For some level 2 learners, it may be appropriate for evidence to be in the form of annotations, evaluative
comments and witness statements from discussions rather than relying on written notes throughout.

Meeting the grading criteria

For a learner to achieve a pass grade you need to see evidence of primary and secondary source starting
points for assignments through collected imagery, photographs or drawings produced, along with studies
and samples of techniques and materials used. Learners need to have used 2D mark-making techniques
and formal elements (such as line, tone, colour, composition) and develop design ideas in response to a set
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BTEC Level 2 First Art and Design Unit 2 2D visual communication

theme. It is a good idea to encourage learners to make use of a sketchbook although work could be
produced on loose sheets. Learners should be encouraged to keep all of their work and present everything
they have done for assessment.
You also need to ensure that learners are working safely, and provide evidence of this (perhaps through
tutor observation records or witness statements). Safe working practices are assessed at pass level.
To achieve a merit grade, learners need to be able to extend the pass standard and demonstrate effective
use of 2D mark-making techniques. Examples of effective use of 2D mark-making techniques include using
directional mark-making to describe the surface of an object, making use of a range of tonal media to
illustrate the 3D form of a building, or using light and dark areas to convey the surface texture and formal
structure. Learners also need to communicate their ideas effectively and consistently. To evidence this,
visual design development sheets would be supported by notes and designs extended from the pass
criteria by exploring a wide range of media.
For a distinction grade learners need to demonstrate imaginative mark-making and independence in the
production of their work. Independent work could be demonstrated by learners further developing their
work as homework activities and also in their choice of experimenting with combining different media and
layering materials, producing large scale work or generating lots of ideas. There needs to be evidence of
evaluating both the design ideas and the formal elements used within written, visual notation. Learners
working at distinction level will have made use of their notes to extend the design ideas. Being able to
explain what they have done as verbal, written or visual notation, evaluate how they produced it and discuss
what worked and what could be improved is a great way for a learner to meet the distinction criteria.
Within your scheme of work you should build in opportunities for learners to work independently and
extend set tasks through self-directed time or homework so that they are able to fully achieve the D1, D2
and D3 criteria.

How to deliver the unit

This is a great unit to deliver first on the course. Learners will have some experience of drawing and painting
and some knowledge of the range of media and materials that can be used and will feel comfortable
working with these.

Move on from drawing skills

New skills and styles of working can be introduced through drawing activities and then transferred into
printmaking, working on the computer and within photography for this unit and all areas of art and design
throughout the course.

Introduce real examples

The more visual examples you can show of other artists’ work the better. This will really help to get learners
started and could involve ex-students or tutors presenting their work, visits to galleries and museums,
PowerPoint presentations, videos or displays of work found within books or professional journals. These will
be great for you to reference and refer to within taught sessions and will enable learners to understand how
the range of skills and processes you work through can be used within final artwork.
Your scheme of work should begin with fast-paced time bound activities so that learners can engage with
the subject and begin to achieve some of the assessment criteria. Formal elements can be introduced
through the use of specialist materials, techniques and processes with time built in for discussion and
evaluation so that learners can begin to review their work, reflect on their progress and develop a specialist
art and design vocabulary. Learners should be encouraged to display their work and to discuss what works
well and is successful and what area of their work can be developed further. Emphasis should be placed on
what has been successful and learners should be encouraged to select strengths in others’ work so that
ideas and styles of working can be shared and developed in a supportive and productive atmosphere.

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Unit 2 2D visual communication BTEC Level 2 First Art and Design

A range of activities will need to be planned for each session to enable all learners to be supported,
stretched and to achieve. This could be through varying the scale of work required or adding to the range
of media used or through development activities which refine and develop skills. Learners will produce work
in lots of different ways and care should be given to support all learners and to enable them to develop
individual styles of working so that they can make informed decisions about their area of specialty.

Assignment ideas
1. Natural forms (fruit, vegetables, seed heads, rocks, shells, flowers, plants, trees, gardens, landscapes)
and man-made forms (DIY tools, kitchen utensils, townscapes, transport, furniture) are both good
starting points for assignments which meet all the assessment criteria. Both contain broad starting
points and opportunities for learners to collect and make use of both primary and secondary sources
through photographing imagery, collecting examples of artists and designers who use this subject
matter in their work and also bringing in objects to draw.
Formal elements such as line, tone, form and space are a great way to start and can be introduced
through drawing exercises and extended according to the level of each learner by introducing
additional printmaking, photographic, and painting media techniques and processes, and by
encouraging the learners to further explore composition and scale.
Both themes can be developed into a range of design outcomes such as accessories, surface pattern,
illustration, packaging, typography, jewellery, costume and print design as seen in the lesson plan.
2. The theme of architecture can also be used to cover all the assessment criteria. Learners can be tasked
with taking a series of their own photographs and collecting images of architecture and should be
encouraged to collect historical and contemporary examples and styles of building from different
countries and cultures. Learners could select an area of architecture they are interested in such as doors,
windows, churches, castles etc. Styles of mark-making and formal elements could be introduced to the
learners through the presentation of artists’ work such as John Piper, David Hockney or Claude Monet.
Learners could produce drawings through visiting buildings or working from found source material.
Design ideas could be produced for a range of outcomes including ceramic tiles, surface pattern prints,
theatre sets and animation.

PLTS
• There are opportunities for learners to demonstrate their independent enquirer and reflective learner
skills through carrying out visual research and within the review and evaluation of their work as it
develops throughout assignments.
• Creative thinker skills will be evidenced through the range of their idea development, making use of
techniques and within the final pieces.
• Effective participators and team worker skills will be evidenced by learners working in groups and
supporting each other with their ideas and also in presentations of their assignments.
• Self manager skills will be evidenced by the time management and organisation skills such as
completing set work, bringing objects into class and meeting all set deadlines.

Functional skills
• ICT functional skills can be developed and evidenced throughout this unit through the initial research
into artists and starting points and also in the final presentation of research, design ideas and final
pieces.
• English speaking and listening, reading and writing functional skills can be developed and
demonstrated by analysing different types of primary and secondary sources, annotating work, design
development and final ideas and evaluating assignments.

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BTEC Level 2 First Art and Design Unit 2 2D visual communication

Useful resources
The Tate Galleries www.tate.org.uk
This is a great resource for all areas of art and includes information about past and present exhibitions in
addition to information for learners and tutors with lots of useful facts and information which can be used to
extend your lessons.

The Design Museum www.designmuseum.org

This website includes an online resource of contemporary and historical designers with information about
their styles of working, materials used and who their work is for. It can be used to back up and give purpose
to your lessons.
For information about different styles of 2D mark-making, design ideas and final outcomes to feed into and
extend lessons look at the websites listed below:
• Illustration
ᔜ Lauren Child, www.milkmonitor.com
ᔜ Sara Fanelli, www.sarafanelli.com
• Textiles
ᔜ Claire Coles, www.clairecolesdesign.co.uk
ᔜ Alison Willoughby, www.alisonwilloughby.com
• Animation
ᔜ Nick Park, www.aardman.com
ᔜ Richard Bazley, www.bazleyfilms.com
• Graphic Design
ᔜ David Carson, www.davidcarsondesign.com
ᔜ Saul Bass, www.saul-bass.com
For information about safe working practices and how to use artist’s materials look at the websites listed
below:
• NSEAD Health & Safety, www.nsead.org/hsg/index.aspx
• Visual Arts Career Guide and Art Resources on the web, www.khake.com/page42.html
• Health & Safety in the Arts: Painting & Drawing Techniques, www.ci.tucson.az.us/arthazards/paint3.html
• Pastel Painting & Drawing Techniques, http://drawsketch.about.com/od/pastel/Pastel_Drawing_and_
Painting.htm
• Art Safety Training Guide, http://web.princeton.edu/sites/ehs/artsafety/index.htm

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