Question 1: Describe the use of colour in a famous landscape painting by an Impressionist artist. How does the artist's colour choice influence the overall mood?

Answer: The Impressionist artist uses vibrant, bright colours with visible brushstrokes to capture natural light and atmosphere. This creates a lively, uplifting mood and emphasizes the fleeting effects of light on the landscape.

Question 2: Compare the use of form and structure in a Cubist artwork with that of a traditional realistic painting. Highlight key differences.

Answer: Cubist artwork breaks down objects into geometric shapes and presents multiple perspectives simultaneously, creating a fragmented appearance. Traditional realistic paintings depict subjects with accurate proportions and perspectives, aiming for lifelike representation.

Question 3: Identify three techniques commonly used by Abstract Expressionist artists and explain how they contribute to the emotional impact of their work.

Answer: Techniques include spontaneous brushwork, bold use of colour, and gestural marks. These convey raw emotion, energy, and immediacy, creating an intense emotional response in viewers.

Question 4: Sketch a simple design for a contemporary sculpture that explores themes of movement and balance. Use annotations to explain your choices.

Answer: A dynamic, asymmetrical form with flowing lines that suggest motion. The base is stable, but the upper sections extend outward, creating a sense of balance through counterweights or tension. Annotations should describe how the form conveys movement and stability.

Question 5: Describe how a Renaissance artist might have used light and shadow to create a sense of depth in a portrait.

Answer: The artist uses chiaroscuro, contrasting light and shadow to model the face, making features appear three-dimensional. Light is focused on the face, with shadows adding volume and depth to contours.

Question 6: Compare the approach to portraiture in Baroque art with that in Modern art. What are the main differences in style and intent?

Answer: Baroque portraiture emphasizes dramatic lighting, rich detail, and grandeur to evoke emotion and status. Modern portraits often experiment with abstracted forms, minimal detail, or unconventional compositions to challenge traditional representations and explore identity.

Question 7: Identify one technique used by Surrealist artists to create dream-like or fantastical images. Explain its effect.

Answer: Surrealists often use juxtaposition—placing unrelated objects together—to create uncanny, dream-like scenes, provoking curiosity and subconscious associations.

Question 8: Sketch a design for a decorative pattern inspired by Art Nouveau motifs. Include flowing lines and natural forms.

Answer: A correct sketch would feature sinuous, flowing lines, stylized natural elements such as flowers or vines, and a balanced, harmonious composition.

Question 9: Compare the use of symbolism in a Gothic stained glass window with that in a modern abstract painting.

Answer: Gothic stained glass uses religious symbols and iconography to convey moral and spiritual messages. Modern abstract paintings may use shapes and colours symbolically, but often do so more ambiguously, inviting personal interpretation.

Question 10: Draw a concept for a public mural that tells a community story. Include key visual elements and themes.

Answer: A successful sketch would depict a large scene with recognizable figures or symbols representing community history, with clear focal points and thematic elements like unity or diversity.

Question 11: Explain how the use of scale and proportion can influence the viewer’s perception of a sculpture or painting.

Answer: Larger scale can evoke awe or dominance, making the viewer feel small or humbled. Unusual proportions can create a sense of distortion or surrealism, affecting how the viewer interprets the subject's importance or emotional state.