WAEC syllabus 94/waec-visual-art-syllabus
WAEC Visual Art Syllabus

PREAMBLE

The syllabus is intended to provide candidates with the opportunity to demonstrate the extent of their aesthetic awareness, emotional and visual development through self-participatory creative activities.

OBJECTIVES

To assess these qualities efficiently, candidates should be able to respond to questions which seek to evaluate their:

(a)        Development of deep sense of observation, analytical and expressive skills through a variety of self-participatory art activities.

(b)        Knowledge and skills in the use and maintenance of art tools, equipment and materials.

(c)        Level of appreciation of values and qualities of different works of art, including indigenous material culture.

(d)       Understanding and creative application of design elements and principles.

(e)        Knowledge of the history and branches of Art.

(f)        Knowledge and appreciation of the relationship between African Art and Western Art.

(g)        Understanding of the meaning, significance and role of art in socio-economic development and self-reliance.

(h)        Understanding and application of indigenous and modern technology in art.

(i)         Creative skills in the improvisation of local materials and resources.

(j)         Understanding of the relevance of art in other subjects areas.

(k)        Level of exposure to careers in art.

SCHEME OF EXAMINATION

The examination consists of three compulsory papers, Papers 1, 2, and 3. Papers 1 and 2 will be a composite paper to be taken at one sitting. They will focus on general knowledge in art, i.e. elements and principles of art, branches, processes, history and appreciation of art, as well as creative design processes. These will also involve tests on the use and care of art tools and materials. The test in art history will cover both the traditional and contemporary Art of West African countries. It will also cover pre-historic art, ancient Egyptian art and European (Western art). The section on art history covers specific periods and regions and it is important that candidates should have adequate understanding of the beliefs and attitudes that influenced artists in their work.

Paper 1: This paper will contain forty multiple choice objective questions to be taken in 50 minutes for 40 marks.

Paper 2: This paper contains eight essay-type questions put into three sections, Sections A, B and C. Candidates will be required to answer four questions chosen as follows: one question from Section A, two questions from Section B and one question from Section C.

The areas of the syllabus to be covered by the sections of the paper are:

Section A:         General Knowledge in art;

Section B:         Art of West Africa;

Section C:          Pre-Historic art, Ancient Egyptian art and Western Art

Paper 3: The paper will have three sections, Sections A, B and C; all of which must be taken. The sections will be taken at different sittings.

Section A - Drawing

This section will contain three alternative questions, namely drawing from objects, nature or life, from which candidates shall answer questions from one alternative only in 3 hours for 100 marks. The instruction for this section will be given to schools two weeks before the date of the examination. This is to enable them to obtain the required materials before the day of examination.

Section B - Creative Design (2 - Dimensional)

This part will contain six questions, two each on graphic design, textiles design and picture-making, from which candidates will attempt one only in 3 hours for 100 marks. The question paper will be given to candidates at least 2 weeks prior the examination, but the art work must be executed on the examination day under WAEC supervision.

Section C - Creative Design (3 - Dimensional)

This part will contain four questions, one each on sculpture, product design/modeling, ceramics and crafts. Candidates will be required to execute one only within six months of the examination year

DETAILED SYLLABUS

PAPERS 1 AND 2

General Knowledge in Art

(a)        Nature and branches of Art and careers in art;

(b)        Visual awareness, understanding and appreciation of Art elements, their forms, characteristics and functions e.g. line, colour, space, shape, form, texture, etc.;

(c)        Principles of Art – creative application of art and design principles e.g. balance, rhythm, proportion, harmony, emphasis, variety, etc.

(d)       Perspective – meaning and type e.g. aerial, linear (angular/parallel) and foreshortening.

(e)        The knowledge of production, use and care of art/craft tools and materials e.g. brush, pencil, colour, palette, easels, etc;

(f)        Art and craft terms e.g. tie and dye, biscuit ware, silhouette, relief, chiaroscuro, sfumato, aperture, etc;

(g)        The inter-relationships of the arts e.g. music, visual art, dance, drama and literary arts.

Art of West Africa

Knowledge of traditional Art of West Africa, the basic concepts (e.g. animism, fetishism and mythology): art forms, geographical location, characteristics, underlying beliefs and the sacred and secular functions of art. A general knowledge of contemporary artists and art educator, their works, style, media, materials and contribution to the development of art.

Ancient Traditional Art

 

 

Cameroon

-

Bamileke

Dahomey (Now Benin Republic)

-

Fon

Gambia

-

Wollof, Mandinka, Jola

Ghana (Formerly Gold Coast)

-

Ashanti, Fante, Ewe, Frafra

Guinea

-

Kissi

Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)

-

Senufo, Baule

Liberia

-

Dan and Ngere

Mali

-

Dogon, Bambara

Sierra Leone

-

Mende, Sherbro

Upper Volta (Now Burkina Faso)

-

Mossi, Bobo, Kurumba

Nigeria

-

Benin, Ife, Nok, Igbo-Ukwu,

 

 

Esie, Owo, etc.

Modern Traditional Art

 

 

Oshogbo art, Ashanti and Ewe Kente, Modern Benin art, Winneba pottery, Abuja pottery, Ntoso adinkra, Bida brass works, calabash carving, Enyiresi basketry, Mbari mud sculpture, weaving, leatherwork, wall decoration, indigenous Decorative Motifs.

Contemporary

(a)        Art institutions (art schools, art galleries, arts centres, museums). Various departments responsible for art and culture, Art organizations, e.g INSEA (International Society for Education through Art), NSIAD (Nigeria Society of Industrial Artists and Designers), Ghana Artists Association, Ghana Craftsmen Association, Ghana Arts Council, GAT (Gambia Art Teachers Association), NAAC (National Association of Artists and Craftsmen) SNA (Society of Nigerian Artists), NSEA (Nigerian Society of Education through Art), Ona Art Movement of Artists, Ulli Art Movement, The Eye Society.

Cultural festivals (their artistic significance e.g. costumes, symbols, objects, masks, body decorations, wall decorations, etc).

(b)        Outstanding contemporary West African Artists: their training, style, achievements and contributions to the development of art.

Pre-historic, Ancient Egyptian and Western Art

(a)        Pre-historic (Earlyman’s Art 20,000 – 2000BC) (Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic stone Ages) beliefs, materials, characteristics and functions;

(b)        Ancient Egyptian art 11,000 – 7,000 BC (Old, Middle and New Kingdoms) beliefs, styles and functions;

(c)        Greek Art - Periods and charctreristics;

(d)       Medieval Art – Features, media and characteristics

19th Century Art

(a)        Impressionism - Artists - Paul Cezanne, Claude Monet, Edouard Manet, Georges Seurat.

(b)        Post Impressionism (late 19 century)- Artists - Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin etc.

Renaissance Art

Early, Low and High Renaissance Art – Artists: Giotto, Donatello, Masaccio, etc.

Medieval Art: Features (characteristics).

Greek Art: Periods (Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic), characteristics and artists.

20th Century Art

Cubism: Influence of African Art and Artists - Pablo Picasso, George Braque.

Paper 3

Part A - Drawing

This paper will seek to test candidates’ ability to observe, analyse and accurately depict natural and man-made objects. It will also test their ability to represent the structure and forms of the human figure.

The paper has three alternatives:

(a)        Drawing from Objects.

(b)        Drawing from Nature.

(c)        Drawing from Life.

Works can be rendered in pencil, pastel, charcoal, pen and ink or poster/water colour. Candidates should attempt one alternative only. All alternatives carry equal marks.

(a)        Drawing from Objects

The aim of this alternative is to test candidates’ ability to observe and interpret a group of arranged objects as a total composition. It will require a drawing of a group of man-made objects. The work may be carried out in relation to the surroundings or the part of the room in which the objects are placed. The drawing may include objects such as old radio sets, parts of cars, bicycles, machines, bottles, etc.

(b)        Drawing from Nature

 

            The purpose of this alternative is to get candidates to make a study of natural objects to bring out the beauty of their forms and/or the nature of their growth. This may require the study of a branch which may include flowers, foliage, fruits and vegetables. It may also be the study of rocks, bones, insects and birds, shells and other forms including fish, crustacean, skeleton etc.

(c)        Drawing from Life

            The aim of this alternative is to test candidates’ ability to observe and depict accurately, the structure and form of a living person. The model (male or female) is to be posed in an attitude which will be described. The figure must be drawn as may be instructed.

Part B - Creative Design (2 – Dimensional Art)

This Part contains six questions, two each on graphic design, textile design and picture making and candidates are to attempt one question only. It seeks to test candidates’ ability to visualize ideas and situations, sense of critical observation, originality and imagination in communicating personal vision in 2-Dimensional art forms.

Graphic Design

Questions in graphic design will test candidates’ sense of design, organizational ability and technical proficiency in the execution of the under-listed areas:

(i)         Lettering and Poster Design. This includes: The design and layout of a brief notice requiring formal lettering, which may be in Roman, Gothic or any other formalized characters; creation of pictorial posters with suitable lettering; lettering and layout appropriate for purposes such as greeting cards, formal invitations and book jackets, logo types, emblems, symbols, labels, wall hangings etc.

(ii)        Book Illustration – This include story and text illustrations in books, magazines and newspapers.

(iii)       Printmaking – This includes linocut, woodcut, yam print, stenciling, screen printing and others.

(iv)       Package Design – e.g. wrappers, cereal packages and record (CD) jackets etc;

(v)        Computer Graphics – Designing any of (i – iv) with the use of computer software e.g. CorelDraw, Adobe Photoshop etc.

Textile Design

Designing a piece of material such as cotton, or silk, dyed in a pattern as in batik, tie and dye or printed as in block or screen printing. The piece should be at least two metres in length and unsewn. This section will also involve the following:

(i)         Appliqué – shaped fabric pieces sewn on a foundation fabric to form a Design or pattern.

(ii)        Tapestry – a piece of fabric with a woven pattern or picture used as wall hanging, upholstery, etc.

Picture-Making

Questions on picture-making are meant to test candidates’ creative sense, ability and technical proficiency in the execution of the under-listed areas:

(i)         Painting – Creating illustrative composition of ideas (themes) from everyday life or imagination, using suitable medium. This shall include Mural.

(ii)        Photography – the art of producing pictures with camera. The purpose of this aspect is for candidates to be able to demonstrate basic knowledge and creative skill in shooting and printing of pictures from a variety of subjects such as:

Portraits

-

human compositions

Landscape

-

rocks, hills, anthills, buildings, street scenes, etc.

Seascape

-

beach scenes, streams, waterfall, dams etc.

Nature

-

plants, leaves, flower foliage, twigs, fruits, etc.

Pets

-

cats, dogs, birds etc.

Experimental photography with simple forms of photo tricks e.g. photo grams and image distortion in printing etc. is encouraged.

(iii)       Mosaic – making picture with small pieces of regular shaped coloured materials e.g. glass, paper or tile stuck onto a surface.

(iv)       Collage – making pictures by synthesizing a variety of irregular shaped materials like cloth, pieces of paper and other objects onto a surface.

Part C - Creative Design (3 - Dimensional)

This part is aimed at evaluating candidates’ sense of originality and imagination in communicating personal ideas and vision in 3-Dimensaional art forms. Candidates may use clay, papier-mâché, wood/plywood, cement, fiber-glass, Plaster-of-Paris, paper (including embossed/texturized card-board, chip-board and straw-board) etc.

Sculpture

This may be rendered in clay, metal, wood, papier-mâché, cement, etc. All works rendered in clay must be fired.

Product Design/Modeling

Designing and producing models of industrial products, such as automobiles, phones, bottles, cosmetics, etc.

Ceramics

Ceramic wares such as jugs, flower vase, bowl, etc which a candidate has either moulded, hand-built or thrown on the wheel or any other object such as a toy animal or figure. Clay works must be fired.

Crafts

This shall include:

(i)         Basketry: the making of mats, chair, hat, stool, bag, macramé or other useful objects designed and woven or plaited in cane, raffia, etc.

(ii)        Jewellery: the design and construction of ornaments with metals, beads, plastic, shells, seeds, etc.

(iii)       Calabash Decoration: Designing and decorating calabash using various method.

General Note on Paper 3C

The project work in Paper 3C (3-Dimensional design) should be executed within 6 months of the examination year. Notes, diagrams and working drawings must be submitted along with the finished projects. These constitute 10% of the total marks obtainable.

SUGGESTED READING MATERIAL

S/NO.

AUTHOR

TITLE

PUBLISHER/YEAR

 

 

 

 

1.

Amenuke, S.K.,

General Knowledge in Art for

Ministry of Education,

 

B. K. Dogbe et al

Senior Secondary Schools

Accra, Ghana

2.

E. H. Gombrich

The Story of Art

Phaidon Press Limited

 

 

 

 

3.

Hellen Gardner

Art Through the Agers

Harcourt, Brace & World,

 

 

 

N.Y. 1980

4.

Kofi Antubam

Ghana’s Heritage of Culture

 

 

 

 

 

5.

Bernard S. Mayers

Art & Civilization

McGraw Hill, New York

 

 

 

 

6.

Harlow

Art History inAfrica

Longman Group Limited

 

 

 

 

7.

Robert Clement

The Art Teacher’s Handbook

Century Hotchinson

 

 

 

Limited, London

8.

Harry Stemberg

Composition

Grosset & Dunlop New

 

 

 

York

9.

Maurice De Samsmarez

Basic Design: The Dynamics

Studio Vista Limited,

 

 

of Visual Form

London

10.

Harold Osborne

Art of Appreciation

Oxford University,

 

 

 

London

11.

Henry Pluckrose

The Book of Crafts

Evans Brothers Limited,

 

 

 

London

12.

Werner Gillon

A Short history of African Art

Pengium Books Limited,

 

 

 

Harmondsworth, U.K.

13.

Whitfield

Beginning Pen lettering

Gina and Company Ltd,

 

 

(Book 3)

London.

14.

Ayisi, Eric, O.

An Introduction to the Study

Heinemann, 1972

 

 

of African Culture

 

15.

Beier, Ulli

Art in Nigeria

London, Cambridge

 

 

 

University Press, 1960

16.

Olaosebikan, W.A.

Cultural & Creative Arts: A

Ibadan: Evans

 

 

Source Book for Teachers

 

17.

Underwood, Leon

Bronzes of West Africa

Transatlantic Art 1968

 

 

 

 

18.

Wangboje, S. J.

A Textbook on Art for Senior

Evans Brother (Nig.) Ltd,

 

 

Secondary School

1982

19.

Frank Willett

Ife and the History of West

Thames and Hudson, 1967

 

 

African Sculpture

 

20.

Pat Oyelola

Nigerian Crafts

Macmillian 1981

 

 

 

 

 

George Talabi

Art Teaching in African

Heinemann Educational

21.

 

Schools

Books, Ibadan

22.

Frank Willett

African Art

Thames and Hudson

 

 

 

 

23.

Ibrahim Banjoko

Cultural and Creative Arts

 

 

 

 

 

24.

Emu Ogumor

Certificate Art for Junior and

University Press 2007

 

 

Senior Secondary Schools

 

25.

Uzoagba, I. N.

Understanding Art in General

African First Publishers

 

 

Education

Ltd, 2008

26.

Filani Kunle

Patterns of Culture in

Symphony Books 2005.

 

 

Contemporary Yoruba Art

 

JOA/bao*

 

 

 

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