Art and Design

Join our Level 6 Advanced Portfolio Preparation course in Visual Arts, a dynamic project-based experience tailored for students seeking an exciting and individual portfolio. This course equips you for progression to HNC or degree courses in visual art areas. Throughout the course, you'll build your portfolio through a series of experimental projects that explore personal and cultural ideas. Our dedicated tutors, with a diverse range of specialisms, will provide critiques and support to enhance your work technically, conceptually, and critically.

If you have a real passion for visual arts and are willing to advance your skills, you're in the right place. Organisational and time-management skills are essential for this intensive course, helping you construct a diverse portfolio tailored to your chosen progression route.

To excel in this course, you should be an engaged and motivated individual, open-minded, and excited to experiment with unfamiliar techniques. We welcome applicants with various backgrounds, who may be experienced through:

• successful completion of Access to Art and Design at Ayrshire College or a similar introductory college course
• other formal qualifications, e.g. Higher or Nat 5 Art

Applicants will be invited to an interview where they will be expected to show their suitability for this course by…

• showing a portfolio of your artwork
• being prepared to discuss your work, ideas and influences

Other factors that could support your application can include…

• a strong personal statement
• experience of art clubs and groups

Apply now and prepare to showcase your suitability for this course through a portfolio presentation and discussion of your work, ideas, and influences during an interview. Further guidance on the interview process and portfolio requirements will be provided following the submission of your application.

Working in 2D, 3D and digital media you’ll develop work for your portfolio, while gathering ideas and experimentation in vibrant, tactile and personal sketchbooks.

In 2D portfolio projects, you will experience…

• Printmaking
• Painting
• Mixed media
• Life drawing
• Expressive drawing

3D portfolio project will explore…

• Ceramics
• Sculpture
• Installation

Contemporary art project encompasses…

• Conceptual art
• Digital media
• Video and sound

Throughout the course, projects will be underpinned by exciting and relevant workshops in visual research, contextual awareness, communication and critical discussion.

Students who make the most of this course and construct an expansive and expressive portfolio have the opportunity to progress to our HNC Art and Design programme or potentially to degree courses within visual art areas, e.g. Glasgow School of Art, Edinburgh College of Art, Duncan of Jordanstone in Dundee, Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen, Edinburgh Napier University or Perth College.

Or you may wish to explore your future career options including: Self-Employed Artist, Practising Artist, Community Arts, Youth Arts Worker, Jewellery Designer, Art Therapist, Photographer, Teacher.

You will develop your ability across a range of Art disciplines, techniques and mediums. As well as important Meta-Skills and soft skills that will allow you to enhance your academic and career prospects.

You may have the opportunity to be involved in community projects, live briefs and external exhibitions in gallery spaces.