Zimbabwe Form 1-4 (O-Level) Expressive Arts

This syllabus covers various art forms, including drawing, painting, sculpture, graphic design, and others, fostering creative self-expression, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Form 1:

• History of Zimbabwean Art and Cultural Dynamics: Focuses on the history of art and cultural dynamics within Zimbabwean communities, exploring the role of art and artists in socio-economic and political development. Learners analyze art's historical and cultural significance, identifying symbols and visual elements in artworks.
• Creative Processes and Art Making: Introduces conceptual development, exploring various themes and creating design briefs. Learners identify elements and principles of design, learn about tools and media for expression, and practice health and safety in the studio. They create artworks in chosen media, focusing on drawing and exploring different themes.
• Art Appreciation and Aesthetic Awareness: Learners identify and apply elements of visual art (line, shape, color, form, texture, tonal value) and explore various line types, shading techniques, and perspective. They study Zimbabwean material culture, including artefacts used for communication, utilitarian, and religious purposes, and learn about renowned Zimbabwean artists and their works.
• Art and Technology: Explores the development of art technology in Zimbabwe during the pre-colonial era. Learners create art tools and materials inspired by pre-colonial technology and produce artworks using these tools. They are introduced to graphic design principles, including lettering, printing, color combinations, and layout, and create designs using art elements.
• The Business of Art: Introduces principles of art business and aspects of art administration. Learners explore various art business aspects, including sales, marketing, value addition, and costing. They also learn about intellectual property rights and the role of art in communication.

Form 2:

• History of Zimbabwean Art and Cultural Dynamics: Explores rock art in Zimbabwe, identifying locations of rock paintings and analyzing the themes depicted. Learners also study the role of museums and galleries in Zimbabwe's development.
• Creative Processes and Art Making: Further develops conceptualization, focusing on brainstorming and selecting themes. Learners explore various tools and media for expression, including pottery, drawing, painting, graphic design, textile design, and sculpture. They create preparatory models and artworks in chosen media, applying elements and principles of design.
• Art Appreciation and Aesthetic Awareness: Learners demonstrate understanding of elements and principles of design through artwork creation. They explore Zimbabwean stone sculpture, its origins, historical background, and the types of stones used.
• Art and Technology: Examines art technology in Zimbabwe during the colonial and post-colonial periods. Learners demonstrate knowledge of art technology and create graphic designs using animation, photography, crafts, and sculpture, applying design principles.
• The Business of Art: Expands on art business principles, defining terms like attribution, connoisseurship, patronage, curatorship, and evaluation. Learners analyze various art businesses in Zimbabwe and related commerce, describe value addition, and explore digital technology's role in art business. They also examine legal aspects of art and intellectual property rights.

Form 3:

• History of Art and Cultural Dynamics: Traces the development of art history in Zimbabwe and analyzes the influence of other African art forms. Learners evaluate the role of art in Zimbabwe's socio-economic and political development.
• Creative Processes and Art Making: Learners select themes, explore the creative process, and conduct artistic research projects. They apply elements and principles of design, use tools and media to develop individual styles, and produce artworks.
• Art Appreciation and Aesthetic Awareness: Learners use elements and principles of design to improve communication and expression. They study display design for exhibitions and explore Zimbabwean cultural content in art, appreciating multicultural diversity. They also differentiate between representational and non-representational art.
• Art and Technology: Investigates art technology in Africa, comparing developments with other regions. Learners apply design principles to graphic design projects, using animation, photography, crafts, and sculpture.
• The Business of Art: Defines art business terms, including attribution, connoisseurship, patronage, curatorship, and evaluation. Learners explore business models, value addition, and digital technology's impact on art business. They also examine legal and ethical aspects of art and intellectual property.

Form 4:

• History of Art and Cultural Dynamics: Introduces major art movements in world art history, including Egyptian, Greek, Renaissance, Impressionism, Expressionism, Cubism, and Abstract Expressionism. Learners analyze the characteristic styles of these movements and create artworks inspired by them. They also examine the role of art in socio-economic development.
• Creative Processes and Art Making: Learners conduct artistic research and engage in cross-disciplinary projects. They apply elements and principles of design, create works using upcycled materials, and explore specialized art production processes.
• Art Appreciation and Aesthetic Awareness: Learners refine their understanding of elements and principles of design, appreciating multicultural diversity in art. They explore the transition from representational to abstract art and create abstract artworks.
• Art and Technology: Learners trace the development of art technology worldwide, comparing it with African developments. They undertake a graphic design project, using appropriate tools and techniques, and develop an art technology portfolio.
• The Business of Art: Reviews art business principles, exploring various career paths and business models. Learners analyze legal and ethical aspects of art, value addition, and the role of digital technology. They also evaluate, appreciate, and consider the preservation of art collections. They also explore public art and its connection to national pride.