Top Arts 2026

Research and exploration

Milla researches two artists that related to the ideas she was interested in exploring, before selecting the photographic series 24 Hour Psycho by Petra Collins. She considers the ideas conveyed in the selected artwork and issues relating the artwork, such as ‘the female gaze’ and emotions. Milla presents the research in an annotated visual report, using appropriate art terminology and the language of the Interpretive lenses. Milla analyses the ideas and issues explored by the artist in her artwork. She considers how they responded to ideas and issues in their artworks, and the influence of their personal life experiences on their practice.

Exploration and experimentation

Milla uses a written brainstorm to respond to her research of an artist. She explores the ideas communicated by the artist in their artworks and begins to develop several ideas on how she could respond to artworks, ideas and related issues. Milla also considers how she could use Collins’ style and approach in her own practice.

Exploration and experimentation

Milla then begins to experiment with materials focusing on the selected subject matter of portraiture. She uses critical annotations and makes explicit use of the Interpretive Lenses to evaluate her experiments.

Experimentation and development

Milla documents her ongoing exploration and experimentation using photography as a new art form to develop her idea. She considers lighting, composition and the facial expression of her model.

Research, exploration, experimentation and development

Milla provides critical and evaluative annotations of her experimentation. She documents both ideas and the decisions she made regarding the use of techniques and materials. Milla also identifies the need for further research to help achieve her intended outcomes. She makes effective use of photographs and sketches to visually document her thinking and learning.

Research and exploration

Milla documents her ideas and how she intends to respond to the ideas and issues related to the researched artwork. She decided to write a statement of intention to clarify her thinking, allowing her to focus on her personal experiences associated with the cultural issues surrounding societal impositions placed on femininity.

Experimentation and development

Milla settles on a portrait in oils, in response to the ideas and practice of Petra Collins. She researches techniques to refine her understanding of the material, techniques and processes she could apply to her artwork, before beginning the final artwork. Milla presents evidence of her experimentation with materials, techniques, and processes to develop and resolve a visual language. She uses visual and written documentation that shows evidence of the development and refinement of the artwork. She documents the process, describing the steps taken to achieve her intention. Milla applies appropriate Interpretive Lenses and evidence of the critical evaluation of her visual language.

Experimentation and development (cont.)

Milla settles on a portrait in oils, in response to the ideas and practice of Petra Collins. She researches techniques to refine her understanding of the material, techniques and processes she could apply to her artwork, before beginning the final artwork. Milla presents evidence of her experimentation with materials, techniques, and processes to develop and resolve a visual language. She uses visual and written documentation that shows evidence of the development and refinement of the artwork. She documents the process, describing the steps taken to achieve her intention. Milla applies appropriate Interpretive Lenses and evidence of the critical evaluation of her visual language.

Resolution, Evaluation and Reflection

Milla documents the resolution of her artwork. The work is evaluated and the visual language explained in the critical annotations. Milla goes on to reflect on the way the artwork responded to her research and explicitly applies appropriate Interpretive Lenses to the discussion of the finished artwork.

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Reflection and Evaluation

Milla documents the feedback that was received from the critique. She considers how the use of the Creative Practice, ideas, techniques, skills and visual language could be further developed in Unit 3 Outcome 2. Milla provides a summary what she learnt from the feedback received after the critique to clarify her approaches for Unit 3 Outcome 2.

Reflection and Evaluation (cont.)

Milla documents the feedback that was received from the critique. She considers how the use of the Creative Practice, ideas, techniques, skills and visual language could be further developed in Unit 3 Outcome 2. Milla provides a summary what she learnt from the feedback received after the critique to clarify her approaches for Unit 3 Outcome 2.

Reflection and Evaluation

Milla documents the feedback that was received from the critique. She considers how the use of the Creative Practice, ideas, techniques, skills and visual language could be further developed in Unit 3 Outcome 2. Milla provides a summary what she learnt from the feedback received after the critique to clarify her approaches for Unit 3 Outcome 2.

Research, exploration, experimentation and development

Milla seeks new ways to respond to the ideas and issues she explored in Unit 3 Outcome 1 and conducts further research as inspiration. She applies and manipulates selected materials, techniques and processes to develop personal responses and a visual language using the Creative Practice.

Experimentation, development, reflection and evaluation

Milla continues to develop her skills with oil painting, returning to her earlier portrait subject matter. Milla’s documentation of the experimentation and refinement of materials and techniques is supported through comprehensive critical annotations that evaluate her art works and the processes she used to make them.

Experimentation, development, reflection and evaluation (cont.)

Milla continues to develop her skills with oil painting, returning to her earlier portrait subject matter. Milla’s documentation of the experimentation and refinement of materials and techniques is supported through comprehensive critical annotations that evaluate her art works and the processes she used to make them.

Experimentation, development, reflection and evaluation (cont.)

Milla draws several compositional sketches to document possible approaches that focused on and responded to several ideas and issues. She continues to provide comprehensive critical annotations that focus on her development of visual language.

Exploration, development and reflection

Milla focuses on feminine identity, alienation, and the approaches she could take to refine her visual language. She consolidates her thinking converging her ideas drawing upon the broad exploration and experimentation in her folio.

Unit 4 – Outcome 1 & 2 –
Critique presentation, reflection and evaluation

At the start of Unit 4, students conduct a critique where they reflect on the use of the Creative Practice in Unit 3 and what they might explore to develop and refine their Body of Work.

In her critique, Milla reflects on the feedback she received after the Unit 3 critique and how she will respond to it to expand her ideas in Unit 4. Milla discusses the artists that influenced her and inspired her own practice. She describes the ideas and themes she explored and the development of her visual language throughout Unit 3. Milla also describes her experimentation with materials and techniques and how she developed personal responses to communicate her ideas, using written and visual documentation to support the discussion. Milla provides her audience with specific questions to be answered during the critique.

Unit 4 – Outcome 1 & 2 –
Critique presentation, reflection and evaluation (cont.)

At the start of Unit 4, students conduct a critique where they reflect on the use of the Creative Practice in Unit 3 and what they might explore to develop and refine their Body of Work.

In her critique, Milla reflects on the feedback she received after the Unit 3 critique and how she will respond to it to expand her ideas in Unit 4. Milla discusses the artists that influenced her and inspired her own practice. She describes the ideas and themes she explored and the development of her visual language throughout Unit 3. Milla also describes her experimentation with materials and techniques and how she developed personal responses to communicate her ideas, using written and visual documentation to support the discussion. Milla provides her audience with specific questions to be answered during the critique.

Exploration, experimentation and development. Reflection and Evaluation, Interpretive Lenses and Visual language

Milla continues to develop her ideas and visual language, by documenting her research and annotating her drawings. Milla makes very effective use of both the Structural and Cultural Lenses to develop her visual language, with a focus on symbolism. Milla begins to consider symbolism and cultural context to refine an idea for a finished artwork and the resolution of a Body of Work.

Unit 4 – Outcome 1 & 2 –

Development, refinement, reflection and evaluation

Once Mila had developed the idea for a finished artwork; an oil painting on canvas, she set up a photoshoot to produce a range of images as reference for her final artwork. These are documented in her folio as a contact sheet, which she annotates before selecting the options that provide the most potential to resolve her intentions. Her selected preferences are printed at a larger scale and evaluated using critical annotations and appropriate art terminology. Milla effectively analyses structural aspects such as colour, tone, and symbolism to clarify her visual language. She identifies her decisions and selects one of these images as the reference for her final artwork.

Unit 4 – Outcome 1 & 2 –

Refinement, resolution, reflection and evaluation

Milla documents the refinement and resolution of her final artwork. She presents annotated photographs of the work in progress. These pages not only record her process but provide insight to her thinking through critical and evaluative annotations. Milla also justifies her decisions as she discovers the best way to resolve her artwork. Milla refines her use of the selected materials and techniques and visual language.

Unit 4 – Outcome 1 & 2 –

Refinement, resolution and presentation (Context)

In Unit 4 Outcome 1 and 2, students must consider the presentation and context of their Body of Work, and how their ideas and meaning are communicated to a viewer or audience.

While Milla considers the cultural and personal context of her work at various points throughout her folio, she evaluates them in her finished painting. Milla also considers how the context of location and the presentation of the art works, impact on the messages and meaning, conveyed by her Body of Work. She also considers how the presentation and context of the Body of Work has an influence on the issues she explored throughout Units 3 and 4. She discussed how her intended dialogue was achieved by presenting her Unit 3 and Unit 4 finished artworks together, resolving and connecting ideas across her Body of Work.

Unit 4 – Outcome 1 & 2 –

Resolution, presentation, reflection and evaluation

Milla provides an interpretation and evaluation of the finished artwork. She explains her intention and makes explicit use of each of the Interpretive Lenses to discuss her personal visual language, the issues she explored in her work, and the meaning that she intended to convey to an audience. Milla also critically evaluates the finished painting, discussing the challenges she encountered and how she responded to these to resolve the finished artworks. Milla refines her use of oil paint and her selected techniques in her final painting. She refines and resolves her visual language to effectively communicate personal ideas and intentions.