Content of Art, Craft and Design: Combined Specialisms (H600) — Overview — OCR A-Level Art and Design

The OCR A-Level Art and Design Combined Specialisms (H600) component requires students to integrate two or more disciplines, such as fine art, graphic communication, textiles, or three-dimensional design, into a cohesive body of work. This overview covers the assessment objectives, project structure, and the importance of contextual research and personal response, preparing students for the non-exam assessment (NEA) and written exam.

The OCR A-Level Art and Design Combined Specialisms (H600) is a two-component qualification: Component 01 (Personal Investigation) and Component 02 (Externally Set Task). The Personal Investigation is a non-exam assessment (NEA) worth 60% of the total A-Level, comprising a portfolio of practical work and a 1000-word personal study. The Externally Set Task is also an NEA, worth 40%, where you respond to a chosen theme from a paper set by OCR, culminating in a 15-hour supervised period of sustained work.

The 'Combined Specialisms' title means you must integrate two or more disciplines from the endorsed titles, such as fine art, graphic communication, textiles, three-dimensional design, or photography. This integration must be evident throughout your work, not just in the final piece. You are expected to explore the connections between the specialisms, using the strengths of each to enhance your creative outcomes. For example, you might combine graphic design with textiles to create a fashion brand identity, or combine fine art with digital media to produce interactive installations.

Assessment is based on four objectives: AO1 (Develop ideas through investigations, demonstrating critical understanding of sources), AO2 (Refine work by exploring ideas, selecting and experimenting with appropriate media, materials, techniques and processes), AO3 (Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to your intentions), and AO4 (Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and demonstrates understanding of visual language). You must address all four objectives in both components, and your work should show a clear journey from initial research to final outcome, with evidence of risk-taking and refinement.

• →Synthesis of specialisms: The seamless integration of two or more disciplines to create a cohesive body of work, where each specialism informs and enhances the other.
• →Assessment Objectives (AOs): The four criteria used to mark your work – AO1 (developing ideas), AO2 (refining), AO3 (recording), AO4 (presenting). You must address all four in both components.
• →Personal Investigation: The NEA component (60%) that includes a practical portfolio and a 1000-word written personal study, allowing you to explore a theme of your choice in depth.
• →Externally Set Task: The NEA component (40%) where you respond to a theme set by OCR, with a 15-hour supervised period to create your final piece.
• →Contextual research: Investigating artists, designers, cultures, and historical movements to inform and inspire your own work, demonstrating critical understanding.

• Evidence of work in at least two specialisms in each component.
• Demonstration of all four assessment objectives (AO1, AO2, AO3, AO4).
• Integration of practical and critical/contextual study.
• Evidence of drawing skills appropriate to the chosen specialisms.
• Use of a range of processes and techniques using traditional and/or digital media.
• Clear identification and acknowledgement of all source material in a bibliography.
• Related study must be a guided minimum of 1000 words.
• Standard of work must be consistent with individual specialist titles.

• 💡Ensure the related study is clearly identifiable and separate from the contextual research embedded in the practical portfolio.
• 💡Use the 'best-fit' approach when applying marking criteria.
• 💡Select and present work carefully to ensure evidence of all assessment objectives is clear.
• 💡Ensure the related study establishes the overarching principles of the specialist area.
• 💡Use the 15-hour supervised time for the Externally set task to independently realise intentions.
• 💡Tip 1: Start your project with a clear theme or concept that genuinely interests you. This will sustain your motivation and allow for deeper exploration. Avoid clichéd themes like 'identity' or 'nature' unless you can find a unique angle.
• 💡Tip 2: Use a wide range of sources for contextual research, including contemporary artists, historical movements, and even non-art sources like science or literature. This shows breadth and depth of understanding.
• 💡Tip 3: Document your process meticulously, including failures and dead ends. Examiners want to see how you refine your ideas, so don't be afraid to show experiments that didn't work – they are part of the journey.

• Failing to work in at least two specialisms.
• Lack of integration between practical work and the related study.
• Insufficient evidence of drawing skills appropriate to the specialisms.
• Inadequate acknowledgement of source material.
• Failure to demonstrate all four assessment objectives across the submission.
• Misconception: 'Combined specialisms means I can do two separate projects and just put them together.' Correction: You must integrate the specialisms throughout your project, showing how they influence each other. A portfolio with two unrelated projects will not meet the requirement.
• Misconception: 'The written personal study is just a description of my work.' Correction: The personal study must be a critical analysis of your own work in relation to other artists, showing a clear understanding of context and your own intentions. It should be a coherent essay, not a diary.
• Misconception: 'I don't need to do any written work in my sketchbook; the final piece is all that matters.' Correction: The sketchbook is a key part of your portfolio and must show evidence of research, experimentation, and analysis. Annotations and written evaluations are essential to demonstrate AO1 and AO3.

1. 1Week 1: Choose your theme and initial specialisms. Conduct broad contextual research, creating a mind map and mood board. Identify 3-5 artists or designers who combine similar specialisms and analyse their work in depth.
2. 2Week 2: Begin practical experiments in your first specialism, using the research as a springboard. Document your process in your sketchbook, annotating your decisions and linking back to your sources.
3. 3Week 3: Introduce your second specialism, exploring how it can be integrated with the first. Try combining techniques, e.g., using photography to inform a textile design. Evaluate the results and refine your ideas.
4. 4Week 4: Develop your final outcome, ensuring it synthesises both specialisms. Write your personal study, linking your practical work to your research and explaining your intentions. Review your portfolio against the AOs to ensure all are addressed.

• 📋Question Type 1: 'Analyse how an artist/designer of your choice has combined two or more disciplines.' This requires you to discuss specific examples and explain the impact of the combination. Practice by writing short analyses of different artists.
• 📋Question Type 2: 'Evaluate the importance of experimentation in developing a personal response.' This asks for a reasoned argument, using your own work as evidence. Prepare by reflecting on your own experiments and how they shaped your outcomes.
• 📋Question Type 3: 'Discuss how contextual factors (e.g., social, cultural, political) influence the work of artists working in combined specialisms.' This requires you to connect art to its wider context. Research artists who address social issues in their work.
• 📋Question Type 4: 'Explain how you would develop a project from a given theme, integrating two specialisms.' This is a planning question. Practice creating project plans that show a clear sequence of research, experimentation, and final outcome.