Personal Study: A2 Art & Photography
What is the Personal Study?
Be a minimum of 1000 words (short and punchy is better than drawn out and
draining).
Focus on a specific artist / photographer or art movement.
Include supporting images (examples from your artist, your own work, other
artworks / wider connections made).
Be related to your coursework (Unit 3).
Be personal, informative and inspiring.
Be a labour of love (and a pleasure for others to pick up and look at. And read,
obviously).
Your writing should reflect your creative nature: Provide subtle insights into your
thinking, provoke interest; tempt curiosity. Use quotes and challenging questions to
engage the reader.
Here are some practical suggestions:
Give it a punchy title
A decent title will set out your focus in a concise, ambitious and punchy way. A two-part
title or question might help. For example:
Liar! Jeff Wall, photography and truth
Modernism, Abstraction and the work of Barbara Hepworth
Painting portraits: Jonathan Yeo and Me
The Human Figure: Sizing up Euan Uglow
Write an introduction that leaves the reader wanting more…
Your introduction should explain your interest in the subject and the personal connection
that you have to this. Use it to narrow down your focus and make it more specific. For
example: “I am choosing to focus on… (Artist / art movement) because…it astounds me
how…/ I find it fascinating that…/ I’m curious to know why…/I hope to show / share /
highlight / discover…”. Aim to draw the reader in with each step.
Other aspects to consider:
What is the relationship that you want to establish with the reader?
For example, do you have a deep understanding of this subject that you will share?
– Is your tone that of an expert sharing insights? Or, alternatively, is the reader on a
journey of discovery with you? – Are you using an investigative question at the start
that you then set out to answer?
Introducing key aims or investigative questions
For example: “I’m particularly interested in how moving to the coast influenced the
work of Barbara Hepworth; living by the sea has had a big impact on my own creative
development…” Doing this will also help when it comes to writing a conclusion,
planting markers to revisit.
The meat in the sandwich
In this main section you might wish to:
Focus on specific artworks – analyse and unpick these in depth, in relation to your
own work and experiences.
Reference wider contexts – this might include other works (by your chosen artist,
yourself, or relevant others), or other significant moments, events, or connections –
for example, of personal, historical or cultural significance (see below)
Include explanatory illustrations – for example, overlaying artworks with
explanatory graphics / text to support your insights.
Consider where to place most emphasis – for example focusing on TECHNICAL,
VISUAL, CONCEPTUAL or CONTEXTUAL analysis. (You might cover all of these but,
for example, if your focus for the year has been developing observational and
technical skills with painting, conceptual insights might be less relevant).
An example of a student making her own connections between artists, and across time and
place
Writing your thoughts
When writing personal opinions there is a danger that these can be too simplistic. Consider
the progression in the points below:
Your initial reaction – informed by instinct, taste, likes and dislikes, interest in /
relevance of subject matter.
This can offer valuable insights when justified E.g. “I like this because…”. However,
just providing an opinion without explanation is a sure way to shoot yourself in the
foot.
A basic / superficial understanding of wider contexts. This might demonstrate
growing understanding but can be even more dangerous: “I’m interested in Cubism
because I like how Picasso’s artworks are made up of cube-like shapes”; “I like Pop
Art because it uses bright colours and film stars”. Not good; quiet despair.
Based on a deeper understanding / complex grasp of wider contexts –
demonstrating a confident stance and justified, well-informed opinions: “I’m
interested in Cubism, particularly how the depiction of multiple viewpoints –
stimulated by Cezanne’s explorations of form – revolutionised…”; “I’m interested in
how Pop Art emerged as a response to Abstract Expressionism, it strikes me as a
mischievous movement that counter-balanced…”
From an alternative perspective – Perhaps more of an expectation at degree level,
but are you able to place yourself in sombody else’s shoes? For example, can you
argue or justify an alternative viewpoint e.g. from a feminist, modern, or post-
modern perspective? “Whilst appreciating Rothko’s intent to provoke with his
Seagram Restaurant commission, I can imagine a dining capitalist might have been
entirely less sensitive to the sense of claustrophobia he envisaged…”
Concluding your essay
This is an opportunity to:
Summarise your study and show the benefits of doing it.
Revisit your introduction – specifically the aims or investigative questions set out at
the start. (You do not need to have definitive answers though; reflective, new,
unanswered questions can have value too).
Summarise key findings that have come from your research and analysis.
Offer reflective, personal opinions on your research, and how this has shaped your
own practical work.
Share thoughts on potential opportunities for future exploration – themes / artists /
experiments you might explore if given more time.
Include a short reflection on the process of the study itself – the research and
thinking skills that you have developed.
No need to cover all of these in your limited word count. Identify the insights that resonate
most; don’t let your hard work whimper out in these final stages.
Including a bibliography
This details any resources that you have used for your essay, including websites, books,
articles and videos. Try to list these as you go along rather than having to back-track. Set it
out like this:
Author – put the last name first.
Title – this should be underlined and in quotation marks.
Publisher - in a book this is usually located on one of the first few pages.
Date – the date/year the book/article was published.
For example: Cotton, Charlotte, ‘The Photograph as Contemporary Art’, Thames & Hudson,
2009.
Can I put a bow on it? How best to present your essay
Your personal study can be creatively elaborated on, and some schools go to town on this.
Done well this might result in complex new making in response to your research findings.
But there is a danger that practical responses at this point can seem ‘bolted on’, plain
rushed and superficial. Before we get to any bells and whistles it’s best to complete a
straightforward formal essay.
Suggested format:
Word-processed and double-spaced.
All imagery should be clearly referenced within text (e.g. Fig. 1 and then image
labelled with Artist name, title, date)
An appropriate cover, thoughtfully designed with imagery, the essay title and your
name
Ring bound with acetate cover and card back
Photo book presented and thoughtful.
