Sao Tome and Principe Ensino Secundário - Oficina de Artes (Arts Workshop)

This course is designed to develop students' artistic skills and knowledge, combining theoretical and practical learning experiences. The curriculum emphasizes experimentation and project-based learning, encouraging students to explore various art forms and develop their own artistic methodologies.

Course Structure

The Oficina de Artes program is structured around six core learning units, categorized into three main areas:

A. Diagnostic Area (Foundational Themes): These units establish a baseline understanding of artistic principles and practices.

• Unit 1: Plastic Language and Structural Elements of Visual Language: This unit explores the fundamental elements of visual communication, including signs, symbols, and iconic language. Students learn to analyze and interpret artworks, identifying the structural elements that contribute to their expressive qualities.
• Unit 2: Materials, Supports, and Instruments: This unit examines the origins and composition of various artistic materials, including graphite, charcoal, pastels, clay, plaster, paper, colored pencils, crayons, India ink, gouache, watercolors, oils, acrylics, and natural pigments found in Sao Tome and Principe. Students gain practical experience working with these materials and learn about their specific properties and applications.
• Unit 3: Techniques of Expression and Representation: This unit focuses on developing students' ability to read and analyze different artistic techniques. Students experiment with various methods of expression and representation, considering the creative process as a space where physical and conceptual constraints intersect.

B. Artistic Project (Ongoing Questions): These units guide students through the process of developing and executing artistic projects.

• Unit 4: Project and Object: This unit introduces different concepts of artistic projects, emphasizing their multifaceted nature. Students learn to analyze the genesis of an object and experiment with different phases and approaches to project formulation. They develop skills in structuring and presenting their projects.
• Unit 5: Expressive Representation and Rigorous Representation of Forms and Space: This unit focuses on developing students' skills in two- and three-dimensional representation. Students explore techniques for expressive and rigorous representation of space and forms, including modeling and modulation of space. They also learn to understand and test the communicative functionality of different types of iconicity.

C. Areas of Project Development and Realization: This unit allows students to apply their knowledge and skills to specific artistic disciplines.

• Unit 6: Areas of Project Development and Themes and Degrees of Project Realization: This unit provides students with the opportunity to specialize in a chosen area of artistic practice, such as drawing, painting, sculpture, graphic design, equipment design, photography, videography, or intervention in cultural spaces. Students develop methodologies for project conception, planning, design, and execution, deepening their research, conception, and representation skills. They also master the necessary techniques and technologies for project development and present their completed projects to the school community.

Methodology

The Oficina de Artes program emphasizes a practical and experimental approach, encouraging students to explore both conventional and unconventional techniques. The program promotes research, analysis, and synthesis of collected data, fostering a balance between imaginative expression and rigorous communication. Field research and the use of everyday materials are encouraged, alongside the exploration of traditional artistic techniques.

Assessment

Assessment in Oficina de Artes is continuous and formative, focusing on both the learning process and the final products. Students are evaluated on their theoretical and practical knowledge, their ability to apply knowledge to new situations, their engagement in individual and group activities, their research and experimentation skills, their mastery of representation techniques, their creativity, and their overall artistic development. Self-assessment is also encouraged as a means of promoting self-awareness and reflection on the learning process.