The Leaving Certificate Exam
ORDINARY AND HIGHER LEVEL

You'll be required to answer four exam papers in all, totaling 400marks:
1) Imaginative Composition OR Still Life (2 1⁄2 hours - 100marks)
2) Craftwork (this is the poster project) (5 hours - 100 marks)
3) Life Sketching ( 1 hour - 50marks)
4) History and Appreciation of Art (2 1/2 hours- 150marks)

1. Imaginative Composition or Still Life
A descriptive passage which you can visualise as either an imaginative composition or a still-life. The paper is given 1 week before the exam so that you may collect any necessary objects mentioned for the still-life. Alternatively for the imaginative composition select a subject which appeals to you from any part of the descriptive passage. You can use any quick drying medium.

2. Craftwork (poster)

Students get the exam paper 1 week before the exam. You will produce a preparatory A2 page (ie researched images and lettering along with your own sketches). This page is brought into the exam and submitted along with an A2 "developent page", created during the exam time, and the final poster. The developement page works as a link between your perparatory page and your final poster. Lettering accounts for almost 50% of the marks on this paper.

3. Life Sketching
Two sketches of the model in a specific pose. The first will be a pose of 15 minutes. The second will be a more fully worked drawing taking approximately 30 minutes. Colour may be used.

4. History and Appreciation of Art
This is the written paper, it is 37% of the overall art exam. The exam comes in 3 sections, students must answer 1 question from each section. 10% of marks allocated for illustrating your answer.
Section I: Art in Ireland (from Prehistoric times to the present)
Section II European Art (from 1000 A. D. to the present)- includes American artists.
Section III General Appreciation including gallery visit question.