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WASSCE · 21 topics

Art and Design Foundation

G3N tutors you through the full WASSCE Art and Design Foundation syllabus offline — from ART Across Time, Design History, The World Around US and more — with adaptive lessons, instant quizzes and exam-ready summaries.

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Syllabus

What you’ll cover in Art and Design Foundation.

The complete topic outline G3N teaches, mapped to the WASSCE curriculum.

Year 1

7 topics
ART Across Time
  • Analyse indigenous Ghanaian artworks in terms of materials and methods, and their sociocultural contexts for creative expression in art and design.
    • Record and analyse the major indigenous Ghanaian Art periods and artworks in terms of materials, methods of fabrication, uses, and socio-cultural relevance.
    • Describe the contributions of the major indigenous Ghanaian Art periods and artworks to the Art History of Ghana.
    • Identify and explain the role of materials in the environment as basic media for creative expression in indigenous Ghanaian Art.
  • Apply knowledge in the identification and analyses of African art and culture in terms of materials and methods, and their unique sociocultural contexts for creative expression in art.
    • Research and record myths and legends in major indigenous African cultures and their artworks, including examples from Baule, Asante, Fulani, Mossi, Bambara, Baganda, Zulu, Bini, and Massai cultures.
    • Evaluate the impact of indigenous artworks on African cultures.
    • Analyse and explain the contributions of indigenous African art to global art.
  • Analyse the histories of Ancient and Classical art in terms of form and content, from Prehistory to the 18th century.
    • Describe the art of major ancient cultures with timelines, including China, India, Mesopotamia, Persia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Meso-America, and Oceania.
    • Analyse the impact of artworks from ancient cultures on modern global art.
    • Discuss the contributions of ancient art to emerging art traditions such as installation, performance, augmented reality, and Non-Fungible Token (NFT) art.
Design History
  • Analyse design histories in ancient cultures, as well as human and material conditions that supported formative designs.
    • Explain design concepts in ancient cultures, including how religion, politics, and socio-cultural activities inspired different design forms.
    • Categorise social and material conditions that produced designs in ancient cultures.
The World Around US
  • Communicate how sensory perceptions translate into visual literacy in response to the environment and cultural products.
    • Explain various sensory perceptions and how they are received individually.
    • Differentiate between sensory perception and cultural awareness.
    • Analyse and explain visuality, meaning-making, and art and design production in relation to art and design.
  • Articulate and contextualise different world views, modern cultures and objects in relation to the environment as a product of art and design production.
    • Explain how design concepts influence the design characteristics of objects.
    • Differentiate between tradition, culture, and worldviews in terms of design.
    • Analyse and explain visuality, meaning-making, and design production in relation to art and design.
Making Judgements
  • Analyse artistic forms and content to conduct art appreciation.
    • Identify and categorise elements and constitutions of artistic content and forms.
    • Analyse the combination of artistic form and content to make artistic decisions.
Design Thinking and Composition
  • Apply elements and principles of art and design and design thinking to generate ideas visually, materially, spatially, and experientially in response to given societal problems using natural objects from the immediate environment.
    • Identify and discuss the key elements and principles of art and design.
    • Describe how the elements and principles of art and design are used to generate ideas for artworks.
    • Identify and discuss key elements and stages of the design thinking process.
Colour Theory and Application
  • Use knowledge of colour schemes to interpret real-life situations in response to societal problems.
    • Identify and explain colour schemes and the mood they express.
    • Analyse pigment colours and colours of the spectrum.
    • Analyse and explain the use of pigment colours, spectrum colours, and environmental ideas in the creation of artworks.
Relation of Forms
  • Design and create art and design works by relating basic contours and forms in the environment using modern and digital approaches.
    • Create and display drawings that relate basic contours and forms in the environment using conventional and non-conventional materials.
    • Compose appropriate tonal values and hues for forms in drawing.

Year 2

7 topics
ART Across Time
  • Identify and analyse modern Ghanaian artworks from the 1920s to 1985 in terms of materials, methods, and uses.
    • Identify and document modern Ghanaian artists and their artworks from the 1920s to 1985 in relation to materials, methods, and uses. Examples include Oku Ampofo, Amon Kotei, Theodosia Okoh, Kofi Antubam, Felicia Abban, Ablade Glover, Vincent Akwete Kofi, and Joyce J. Stuber.
    • Evaluate the contributions of modern Ghanaian artists and their artworks to the history of Ghana.
  • Analyse modern African art and culture from 1900 to the 21st century in relation to their peculiar sociocultural contexts and changes that occurred within the period.
    • Classify modern African art and the changes that occurred in art-making from 1900 to the 21st century in relation to materials, methods, and their sociocultural contexts.
    • Analyse the impact of modern African art and design works on society.
  • Employ knowledge to show the relationships between Western Modern Art from 1850 to 1950 and modern African art in terms of materials, imagery, and meaning.
    • List and explain modern art movements and periods within Western Modernity from 1850 to 1950.
    • Analyse the impacts of Western modern art on African art.
    • Discuss the relationship between Western Modern Art from 1850 to 1950 and modern African art with reference to materials, imagery, and meanings.
Design History
  • Articulate categories and origins of modern design concepts, theories, and schools.
    • Categorise and discuss major modern design concepts, theories, and schools, including examples from 20th-century Design Schools such as the Bauhaus.
    • Analyse social and material conditions that produced designs and products in the 20th century.
The World Around US
  • Analyse social conditions and production modes of cultural objects and representation in Ghana.
    • Identify and describe the origins of cultural objects in Ghana, including differences between anonymous art and attributed art.
    • Research materials and modes of production of specific cultural objects and how they reflect social conditions.
    • Analyse and explain social conditions as inspirations behind works of art and design.
  • Analyse cultural memory and the role materials in the environment play in memory formation.
    • Explain materials as a repository of cultural memory, using specific examples from Ghanaian communities.
    • Discuss regional materials as alternatives to privileged materials in art, distinguishing between privileged materials (bronze, gold, silver, oil colour, ivory) and regional alternatives (brass, aluminium, clay, wax, fibres).
    • Analyse art medium and scale in art production.
  • Analyse cultural identities in relation to the constitution of art and design objects, scale, and materials.
    • Identify and describe how the constitution of art objects, scale, and materials function as cultural identities.
    • Investigate the influence of culture and religion on material culture within local Ghanaian communities.
    • Analyse the relationship between medium, scale, and material choice in different artmaking contexts.
Making Judgements
  • Apply aesthetic theories in the assessment of cultural products.
    • Discuss various aesthetic theories and their backgrounds.
    • Analyse aesthetic theories and their contexts of application.
    • Apply aesthetic theories in the analysis of art and design works.
Design Thinking and Composition
  • Research and document art and design processes to generate ideas in response to social problems.
    • Design an infographic to illustrate the art and design processes.
    • Identify problems in the environment and design strategies to address them.
    • Design and execute prototypes as solutions to identified problems.
Colour Theory and Application
  • Use knowledge of colour relationships to create art and design works that incorporate and interpret Ghanaian colour symbolisms in response to cultural engagements.
    • Identify and explain colour relationships and symbolism in the various Ghanaian cultures.
    • Create art and design works using pigment colours and colours of the spectrum to reflect colour symbolisms in Ghana.
    • Prepare weaves from natural sources and use harmonious colours to create art and design works.
Relation of Forms
  • Create drawings of figurative, non-figurative, and abstract representations in their immediate environment using appropriate processes and available materials.
    • Create drawings of figurative and non-figurative representations found in the environment.
    • Compose appropriate treatments of constituent parts for forms of recognition and abstraction.
    • Design and create works with available modern industrial materials with appropriate processes.

Year 3

7 topics
ART Across Time
  • Apply knowledge of the characteristics of contemporary Ghanaian art and design works, artists/designers, and their exhibition strategies, and their effects on global cultural institutions and 21st-century Ghanaian culture.
    • Reflect and document contemporary Ghanaian art (2001 to the present) in terms of materials, fabrication methods, applications, and educational relevance.
    • Evaluate and explain the contributions of contemporary Ghanaian art and artists to the Ghanaian art scene, including artists such as Ibrahim Mahama, Amoako Boafo, Dorothy Amenuke, and Theresa Ankomah.
    • Analyse and explain the impact of contemporary Ghanaian art on the global artworld, including exhibitions at Biennales and Triennales.
  • Apply knowledge in the analyses of contemporary African artists, artworks, and their exhibition strategies, as well as impacts on global cultural institutions and 21st-century African cultural productions.
    • Categorise and explain contemporary African art in terms of materials, methods of fabrication, timelines, and sociocultural relevance.
    • Discuss the contributions of African contemporary art and artists to art institutions in Africa, such as Nubuke Foundation, Gallery 1957, BlaxTARLINES, and Museum of African Contemporary Art.
    • Analyse and explain the impacts of contemporary African art on the global artworld, including at international Biennales and Triennales.
  • Apply knowledge in the identification and analyses of general characteristics of contemporary artists, artworks, and exhibitions, and their impacts on global cultural institutions and 21st-century art.
    • Identify and discuss the major milestones of contemporary art from the 1980s to the present using a digital or manual timeline.
    • Analyse and explain the impacts of modern art on African art by comparing African Art and Western Modern Art in terms of context, materials, methods, and uses.
Design History
  • Examine and participate in debates on 21st-century design concepts and applications.
    • Analyse major design concepts in the 21st century, including emerging design concepts in smart and sustainable cities and environments.
    • Appreciate and make informed judgements in debates on 21st-century design, including how Computer Aided Design (CAD) can be used to create Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) solutions.
The World Around US
  • Appreciate and contribute to debates on material responsibility and emerging advocacy issues in art.
    • Categorise ethical issues associated with art and design, including gender and race, environmental concerns, animal rights, exploitation, social justice, affirmative action, and repatriation.
    • Discuss human-centred ethical issues in art and artistic responsibilities, including race and ethnicity, gender, disability, economic and cultural barriers, and child exploitation.
    • Reflect on material responsibility, environmental advocacy, and emerging issues such as alternative materials, pollution and environmental protection, animal rights, and responsible consumption.
  • Articulate technology as essential to the making of art and design in the 20th and 21st centuries.
    • Identify and explain various technology-based art and design works, including photography, film, video, and internet-based media.
    • Differentiate between 3D, 4D, and 5D art forms, and investigate simulated and virtual places such as the Metaverse, virtual museums, and gaming platforms.
    • Analyse and articulate Crypto and Non-Fungible Token (NFT) forms of art, including crypto-collectibles, cryptocurrencies, crypto-art, and blockchain art.
Making Judgements
  • Employ aesthetic questioning, formal analysis, historical analysis, and contextual analysis as vocabulary in art criticism.
    • Identify and explain various aspects of art criticism, including aesthetic questioning, formal analysis, historical analysis, contextual analysis, and audience judgement.
    • Analyse and articulate the stages and appropriate sequence of art criticism: aesthetic questioning → formal analysis → historical analysis → contextual analysis → audience judgement.
    • Apply art criticism to their own works and to art and design in general, using the hierarchy of sequence and relationships of the different aspects of criticism.
Design Thinking and Composition
  • Apply knowledge of Computer Aided Design (CAD) to design and execute projects in response to solving social problems.
    • Discuss the development of CAD and its impact on product design, including the distinctions between CAD and manual rendering.
    • Use two or more CAD software applications to design an artwork that addresses a problem in society.
Colour Theory and Application
  • Create artefacts using knowledge of colour schemes to interpret real-life situations in response to societal problems.
    • Identify and explain colour schemes and the mood they express, and distinguish between colour theory and colour scheme.
    • Analyse pigment colours and colours of the spectrum, including their functions in stage design and packaging.
    • Create artworks from ideas in the environment using pigment colours and colours of the spectrum to address societal problems.
Relation of Forms
  • Design and create artworks by relating basic contours and forms in simple objects in the environment using modern and digital approaches.
    • Organise and create drawings by relating basic contours and forms in simple objects in the environment using non-conventional materials and modern industrial approaches.
    • Compose appropriate tonal values and hues for forms of resemblance.
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