A Level Art and Design Topics by Exam Board: Full List

A Level Art and Design – currently offered by AQA (opens in a new tab), Pearson Edexcel (opens in a new tab), OCR (opens in a new tab) and WJEC (Eduqas (opens in a new tab) in England and CBAC (opens in a new tab) in Wales) – is split into six or seven specialisms (titles), depending on your exam board. You’ll need to revise one or more areas of study for your chosen title.

This article includes an official and complete breakdown of the topics you need to revise for A Level Art and Design. We’ve summarised the subject content from each exam board to show you exactly what you need to know, and how you can use topic lists for effective revision.

Key Takeaways

• AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR and WJEC (Eduqas in England and WJEC in Wales) all currently offer A Level Art and Design

• Avoid revising unnecessary content by only looking at your exam board’s specification

• Use topic lists to create a revision plan and organise your research

Why It's Important to Know Your Exam Board

Although subject content often overlaps across exam boards, each exam board has a different syllabus. This means that the same subject can be taught very differently in one exam board compared to another, with varying topics, skills and assessment methods.

Knowing exactly which topics your exam board covers means you can create a focused revision plan. You won't waste time studying content that won't be tested, and you'll know exactly what to expect when it comes to exams.

AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR and WJEC (Eduqas in England and WJEC in Wales) all currently offer A Level Art and Design. Ask your teacher if you’re not sure which exam board you’re using.

AQA A Level Art and Design Topics (7201)

Choose from one of the following titles and one or more areas of study:

1. Art, Craft and Design

• A range of 2D and/or 3D processes and media

• Work in two or more specialisms from titles 2-6
  
  

2. Fine Art

• Drawing, painting and mixed media

• Sculpture, ceramics and installation

• Printmaking, moving image (video, film, animation) and photography
  
  

3. Graphic Communication

• Interactive media and multimedia, including web, app and game design

• Advertising, packaging, branding and communication

• Print and illustration

• Motion graphics, film and television
  
  

4. Textile Design

• Fashion, costume and interior design

• Digital, domestic, constructed, art and installed textiles, including wallpaper

• Printed and/or dyed fabrics and materials
  
  

5. Three-Dimensional Design

• Ceramics and sculpture

• Exhibition, interior, product, environmental, architectural and 3D digital design

• Design for theatre, television and film

• Jewellery/body ornament
  
  

6. Photography

• Portraiture and experimental imagery

• Landscape photography (working from the urban, rural and/or coastal environment)

• Still life photography (working from objects or from the natural world)

• Fashion photography, documentary photography and photojournalism

• Moving image (video, film, animation), multimedia and photographic installation

The table below shows what comes up in each Art and Design component:

Pearson Edexcel A Level Art and Design Topics

Choose from one of the following titles and one or more areas of study:

1. Art, Craft and Design (9AD0)

• A range of 2D, 3D and time-based processes and media

• Work in two or more specialisms from titles 2-6

2. Fine Art (9FA0)

• Painting and drawing

• Printmaking and sculpture

• Lens-based image making

3. Graphic Communication (9GC0)

• Advertising and branding

• Illustration and information design

4. Textile Design (9TE0)

• Textiles for interiors

• Fine art textiles and fashion textiles

5. Three-Dimensional Design (9TD0)

• Spatial and product design

• Design crafts

6. Photography (9PY0)

• Film-based and digital photography

• Film and video

The table below shows what comes up in each component:

OCR A Level Art and Design Topics

Choose from one of the following titles and one or more areas of study:

1. Art, Craft and Design (H600)

• A range of 2D and/or 3D processes and media

• Work in two or more specialisms from titles 2-7

2. Fine Art (H601)

• Portraiture and landscape

• Still life and human form

• Abstraction and experimental imagery

• Narrative and installation

• Working in a genre

3. Graphic Communication (H602)

• Image, signage and typography

• Illustration, advertising and packaging

• Layout and editorial design

• Experimental imagery and abstract approaches

4. Photography (H603)

• Portraiture and landscape photography

• Commercial and documentary photography

• Still life and editorial photography

• Photographic installation and the photographic process

• Moving image and animation

• Experimental imagery

5. Textile Design (H604)

• Garments/fashion and accessories

• Soft furnishings, printed and/or dyed textiles

• Constructed, expressive and digital textiles

• Textile installation

6. Three-Dimensional Design (H605)

• Craft or commercial ceramics/sculptures or sculptural commissions

• Commercial three-dimensional design, working for a client to create a three-dimensional item such as jewellery

• Design and/or construction for television, games or film

• Stage, environmental or architectural design and/or construction

• Experimental three-dimensional design (construction/montage/ assemblage)

• Body ornament (jewellery, fashion accessories, body painting and film or TV prosthetics)

• Product design, realisation and constructions in a range of materials

7. Critical and Contextual Studies (H606)

• Fine art and sculpture

• Design and craft

• Landscape, the human form and natural forms

• Still life and designed objects

• Architecture and the built environment

• Art theory, movements, styles and genres

• Curating exhibitions, art management and art in the community

• Cultural representations within art and design

• Multi-media, emerging technologies and their use in art

The table below shows what comes up in each component:

WJEC Eduqas A Level Art and Design Topics

Choose from one of the following titles and one or more areas of study:

1. Art, Craft and Design (A650QS)

• A range of 2D and/or 3D processes and media

• Work in two or more specialisms from titles 2-7
  
  

2. Fine Art (A651QS)

• Painting and drawing

• Mixed media, including collage and assemblage

• Performance and conceptual art

• Sculpture and installation

• Land or environmental art

• Printmaking: relief, intaglio, screen processes and lithography

• Film, television, animation, video, photography and digital media
  
  

3. Critical and Contextual Studies (A652QS)

• Practical and theoretical study of the human form in Art, Craft & Design presented in an audio-visual form

• Eras or movements such as Expressionism, Brit Art or Bauhaus documented as a series of gallery guides

• Aspects of contemporary practice such as digital imaging scripted as a TV documentary

• Environmental or political issues in Art exhibited as display boards or placards

• Relationships between image and text presented in PowerPoint or e-book format 

• Exploration of narrative art presented in a sketchbook or storyboard that includes extended commentary

• Use of symbolism and allegory investigated in an illustrated essay
  
  

4. Textile Design (A653QS)

• Fashion, accessories and costume

• Interior design and digitally or traditionally printed and/or dyed fabrics, garments and materials

• Constructed textiles (knitted, woven, embellished or combined with other materials) and textile installation
  
  

5. Graphic Communication (A654QS)

• Illustration, typography and editorial

• Advertising, branding and package design

• Computer graphics and design for print

• Animation and special effects

• Storyboarding, layout and bookworks

• Web, app, game and multimedia design
  
  

6. Three-Dimensional Design (A655QS)

• Ceramics and sculpture

• Jewellery/body ornament

• Exhibition and performance design

• Production and product design

• Interior, environmental, architectural and furniture design

• 3-D digital design, 3-D animation and puppet design and construction
  
  

7. Photography (A656QS)

• Photographing people and places 

• Still-life and fashion photography 

• Documentary photography and photojournalism

• Experimental imagery and photographic installation

• Moving image (video, film, animation) and digital imaging

The table below shows what comes up in each component:

WJEC CBAC A Level Art and Design Topics

Choose from one of the following titles and one or more areas of study:

1. Art, Craft and Design (1650QS)

• A range of 2D and/or 3D processes and media

• Work in two or more specialisms from titles 2-7
  
  

2. Fine Art (1651QS)

• Painting and drawing

• Mixed media, including collage and assemblage

• Performance and conceptual art

• Sculpture and installation

• Land or environmental art

• Printmaking: relief, intaglio, screen processes and lithography

• Film, television, animation, video, photography and digital media
  
  

3. Critical and Contextual Studies (1652QS)

• Practical and theoretical study of the human form in Art, Craft & Design presented in an audio-visual form

• Eras or movements such as Expressionism, Welsh Contemporary Sculpture or Bauhaus documented as a series of gallery guides

• Aspects of contemporary practice such as digital imaging scripted as a TV documentary

• Environmental or political issues in Art exhibited as display boards or placards

• Relationships between image and text presented in PowerPoint or e-book format 

• Exploration of narrative art presented in a sketchbook or storyboard that includes extended commentary

• Use of symbolism and allegory investigated in an illustrated essay
  
  

4. Textile Design (1653QS)

• Fashion, accessories and costume

• Interior design and digitally or traditionally printed and/or dyed fabrics, garments and materials

• Constructed textiles (knitted, woven, embellished or combined with other materials) and textile installation
  
  

5. Graphic Communication (1654QS)

• Illustration, typography and editorial

• Advertising, branding and package design

• Computer graphics and design for print

• Animation and special effects

• Storyboarding, layout and bookworks

• Web, app, game and multimedia design
  
  

6. Three-Dimensional Design (1655QS)

• Ceramics and sculpture

• Jewellery/body ornament

• Exhibition and performance design

• Production and product design

• Interior, environmental, architectural and furniture design

• 3-D digital design, 3-D animation and puppet design and construction
  
  

7. Photography (1656QS)

• Photographing people and places 

• Still-life and fashion photography 

• Documentary photography and photojournalism

• Experimental imagery and photographic installation

• Moving image (video, film, animation) and digital imaging

The table below shows what comes up in each unit:

How to Use Topic Lists for Revision

Create a revision plan

Print or write out the areas of study for your specialism into a checklist. Use the traffic light system (opens in a new tab) to prioritise weaker areas, and tick each area off as you revise. Seeing progress is really motivating, and it stops you from accidentally skipping anything important.

Organise your research

Group your artist profiles, contextual notes and material experiments by theme or technique. Keeping your visual research organised will make it much easier to write your personal investigation essay and construct your preparatory study.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to revise all A Level Art and Design topics for the exam?

No. You only need to revise one or more areas of study from your chosen specialism, e.g. Fine Art or Photography.

Note that revision for this subject is more about practical work and contextual research than traditional memorisation.

Are these topics the same across all exam boards?

Mostly; all exam boards offer Art, Craft and Design, Fine Art, Graphic Communication, Textile Design, Three-Dimensional Design and Photography. However, areas of study vary slightly, and OCR and WJEC offer Critical and Contextual Studies as its own title rather than just an area of study (unlike AQA and Pearson Edexcel).

How do I know which topics I struggle with most?

Check which past paper questions you find the hardest. You can then use the traffic light system to prioritise revising whichever areas you’re least confident in.

Do all topics come up in every exam paper?

No. For Component 1 (Unit 2 for WJEC CBAC), you’ll lead your own practical investigation into an idea, issue, concept or theme you’re interested in, supported by written material.

Component 2 (Unit 3 for WJEC CBAC) provides a broad list of starting points, themes and visual prompts rather than topic-based questions. You choose one prompt from the paper that aligns with your specialism, which you then develop into a personal project during the preparatory period and supervised exam.

Final Thoughts

Using topic lists to structure your A Level Art and Design revision means you'll know exactly what to research, practise and prioritise.

Bookmark or print this page, and use it as your roadmap. Work through the relevant areas of study for your specialism, tick them off as you go, practise answering past paper questions, and persevere to improve your knowledge and skills for both components/units.

References

• How to Use the Traffic Light System to Improve Your Marks (opens in a new tab)

• AQA A Level Art and Design (opens in a new tab)

• Pearson Edexcel A Level Art and Design (opens in a new tab)

• OCR A Level Art and Design (opens in a new tab)

• WJEC Eduqas A Level Art and Design (opens in a new tab)

• WJEC CBAC A Level Art and Design (opens in a new tab)