GCSE Art and Design Topics by Exam Board: Full List

GCSE Art and Design has up to seven different titles, including Fine Art and Photography. Each title has different areas of study (topics), such as painting for Fine Art. 

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) all offer GCSE Art and Design. This article includes an official and complete breakdown of all GCSE Art and Design topics by exam board. We’ll show you exactly what you need to know for the exam, and how you can use topic lists for effective revision.

Key Takeaways

• GCSE Art and Design topics (areas of study) depend on your chosen title

• Titles include Art, Craft and Design, Fine Art, Graphic Communication, Textile Design, Three-Dimensional Design and Photography

• OCR and WJEC Eduqas offer an additional Critical and Contextual Studies title

• 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 CBAC in Wales) all currently offer GCSE Art and Design. If you’re not sure which exam board you’re using, check with your teacher.

AQA GCSE Art and Design Topics (8201–8206)

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

1. Art, Craft and Design (8201)

• Use various processes, tools and techniques to present your work

• Work in areas of study from two or more titles from 8202–8206

2. Fine Art (8202)

• Drawing, painting and mixed media

• Sculpture, installation and land art

• Lens-/light-based media

• Photography and the moving image

• Printmaking

3. Graphic Communication (8203)

• Design for print and signage

• Advertising, branding and package design

• Illustration and typography

• Interactive design (including web, app and game) and multi-media

• Motion, exhibition and communication graphics

4. Textile Design (8204)

• Art, printed, dyed and constructed textiles

• Fashion and costume design

• Illustration and surface pattern

• Stitched and/or embellished textiles

• Soft furnishings and/or textiles for interiors

• Digital and installed textiles

5. Three-Dimensional Design (8205)

• Ceramics and sculpture

• Jewellery and body adornment

• Architectural, interior and environmental/landscape/garden design

• Exhibition, 3D digital and product design

• Designs for theatre, film and television

6. Photography (8206)

• Portraiture, experimental imagery and installation

• Location and studio photography

• Moving image: film, video and animation

• Fashion photography, documentary photography and photojournalism

The table below shows what comes up in each component:

Pearson Edexcel GCSE Art and Design Topics (1AD0–1PY0)

Choose from one of the following six titles and its areas of study:

1. Art, Craft and Design (1AD0)

• Use various 2-D and 3-D media, materials and techniques to present your work

• Work in areas of study from two or more titles from 1FA0–1PY0

2. Fine Art (1FA0)

• Drawing, painting and mixed media

• Sculpture, installation and land art

• Lens-/light-based media and printing

3. Graphic Communication (1GC0)

• Advertising and package design

• Communication graphics

• Design for print and signage

• Illustration and typography

• Interactive design (including web, app and game) and multi-media

4. Textile Design (1TE0)

• Constructed, digital and installed textiles

• Stitched and/or embellished textiles

• Printed and dyed fabrics

• Fashion design and soft furnishings

5. Three-Dimensional Design (1TD0)

• Ceramics and sculpture

• Jewellery and body adornment

• Architectural, interior and product design

• Environmental/landscape design

• Design for theatre, film and television

6. Photography (1PY0)

• Documentary photography and photojournalism

• Location and studio photography

• Experimental imagery and installation

• Moving image: film, video and animation

The table below shows what comes up in each component:

OCR GCSE Art and Design Topics (J170–J176)

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

1. Art, Craft and Design (J170)

• Use various processes, tools and techniques to present your work

• Work in areas of study from two or more titles from J171–J176

2. Fine Art (J171)

• Drawing, painting and mixed media

• Sculpture, installation and land art

• Lens-/light-based media and printing

3. Graphic Communication (J172)

• Communication graphics

• Design for print and signage

• Advertising and package design

• Illustration and typography

• Interactive design (including web, app and game) and multi-media

4. Photography (J173)

• Documentary photography and photojournalism

• Location and studio photography

• Experimental imagery and installation

• Moving image

5. Textile Design (J174)

• Constructed, digital and installed textiles

• Printed and dyed fabrics

• Fashion design and soft furnishings

• Stitched and/or embellished textiles

6. Three-Dimensional Design (J175)

• Design communications

• Architectural, interior and environmental/landscape design

• Exhibition and product design

• Design for theatre, film and television

• Jewellery and body adornment

• Ceramics and sculpture

7. Critical and Contextual Studies (J176)

• Artists, craftspeople and designers 

• Genres, movements and popular culture 

• Themes, concepts and ideas in art, craft and design 

• Contemporary art, craft and design and designed objects

• The human form and still life

• Landscape and natural forms

The table below shows what comes up in each component:

WJEC Eduqas GCSE Art and Design Topics (C650QS–C656QS)

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

1. Art, Craft and Design (C650QS)

• Use various processes, tools and techniques to present your work

• Work in areas of study from two or more titles from C651QS–C656QS

2. Fine Art (C651QS)

• Drawing, painting and mixed media

• Lens and light-based media and printing

• Sculpture, installation and land art

3. Critical and Contextual Studies (C652QS)

• Artists, craftspeople and designers 

• Genres, movements and popular culture 

• Themes, concepts and ideas in art, craft and design 

• Contemporary art, craft and design and designed objects

• The human form and still life

• Landscape and natural forms

4. Textile Design (C653QS)

• Constructed, digital and installed textiles

• Printed and dyed fabrics

• Fashion design and soft furnishings

• Stitched and/or embellished textiles

5. Graphic Communication (C654QS)

• Communication graphics

• Design for print and signage

• Advertising and package design

• Illustration and typography

• Interactive design (including web, app and game) and multi-media

6. Three-Dimensional Design (C655QS)

• Architectural, interior and environmental/landscape design

• Exhibition and product design

• Design for theatre, film and television

• Jewellery and body adornment

• Ceramics and sculpture

7. Photography (C656QS)

• Documentary photography and photojournalism

• Location and studio photography

• Experimental imagery and installation

• Moving image: film, video and animation

The tables below show what comes up in each component:

WJEC CBAC GCSE Art and Design Topics (3610QS–3615QS)

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

1. Art, Craft and Design (3610QS)

• Use various processes, tools and techniques to present your work

• Work in areas of study from a title or titles from 3611QS–3615QS

2. Fine Art (3611QS)

• Drawing, painting, printing and textiles

• Mixed and lens-based media

• Sculpture, installation and land art

3. Textile Design (3612QS)

• Constructed, digital and installed textiles

• Dyed fabrics and soft furnishings

• Fashion and surface print design

• Stitched and/or embellished textiles

4. Graphic Communication (3613QS)

• Advertising, branding and packaging design

• Information design and concept art

• Illustration and typography

• Interactive media and motion graphics

5. Three-Dimensional Design (3614QS)

• Architectural, interior and environmental/landscape design

• Exhibition and product design

• Design for theatre, film and television

• Jewellery and body adornment

• Ceramics and sculpture

6. Photography (3615QS)

• Darkroom, studio and fashion photography

• Documentary photography and photojournalism

• Experimental imagery and installation

• Moving image: film, video and animation

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 relevant areas of study for your title into a checklist. Use the traffic light system (opens in a new tab) to identify weaker areas, and work on those first. Focus on both understanding the concepts and developing your practical and technical skills in each area.

Organise your research

Group your notes and practical work by theme or concept. Keeping your work organised will make it much easier to create a clear and comprehensive portfolio.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

No. You only need to revise selected areas of study from your chosen title, e.g. Fine Art or Photography. Art, Craft and Design students work in two or more titles, or at least one under WJEC CBAC.

Note that revision for this subject is more about practical work and 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 Eduqas offer an additional title of Critical and Contextual Studies (although OCR has decided to stop offering this title, with a final first teach date of September 2026 and a final assessment opportunity of June 2028).

How do I know which topics I struggle with most?

Check which past papers 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 1 for WJEC CBAC), you’ll create your own portfolio based on a starting point (such as a theme, brief or scenario) of your choice.

Component 2 (Unit 2 for WJEC CBAC) provides a range of externally set briefs rather than topic-based questions. You’ll choose one brief related to your chosen title, which you’ll then give a personal response to.

Final Thoughts

Using topic lists to structure your GCSE Art and Design revision means you'll know exactly what to focus on, and how to allocate your research and practice time to each area of study.

Bookmark or print this page, and use it as your roadmap. Work on each of your selected areas of study, practise answering past paper questions, and persevere to improve your knowledge and skills for the assessments.

References

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

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

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

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

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

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