Investigation and Sources of Inspiration

More than copying

A sketchbook full of careful copies can still score badly. Why? Because the first assessment objective, AO1, does not reward copying - it rewards how you develop ideas through investigation. Across all six AQA titles, from fine art to photography, strong work starts by choosing good sources and questioning them. This module shows you how.

Source words

Four ideas run through AO1:

Two kinds of source

Both kinds are useful, and strong investigations use a mix of them.

Match each source idea

Show understanding

A teacher says your best page shows critical understanding of a designer. What have you actually done?

• Analysed and questioned the choices the designer made, and used them to shape your own idea
• Reproduced the design as neatly as you could
• Written the name, dates and nationality of the designer
• Explained that you really like the design

Investigate, do not copy

Here is the difference between a top grade and a weak one: critical understanding. It means you question a source - how was it made, what techniques were used, and above all why those choices, and what does the work communicate? Then you let those answers shape your own ideas. Copying shows skill; questioning shows understanding.

A strong investigation

Select the TWO habits that show a strong AO1 investigation.

• Drawing on both primary and secondary sources
• Asking WHY an artist chose a technique, not just what it is
• Tracing an image and adding no comment
• Using a single source you already knew well

Investigating a source

Put the stages of investigating a source into a sensible order.

• Select a source that genuinely interests you
• Record it by sketching, photographing or annotating
• Analyse how it was made and the techniques used
• Question why those choices were made and what they say
• Develop your own idea in response

Match each question

Spot the understanding

Tap the TWO notes that show real critical understanding, not just description.

• The rough brushmarks make the sea feel stormy, which I could use to show movement.
• The sharp repeated diagonals seem to build tension, so I might try that in my own work.
• This painting shows a boat on the sea.
• The artist was born a long time ago.
• I copied this picture exactly as it looks.

AO1 in words

AO1 rewards developing ideas through _____, not copying. A source you record firsthand, such as your own photograph, is a _____ source, while one made by someone else is a _____ source. Critical understanding means you _____ a source and use it to develop your _____ ideas.

Make the call

Make each investigation choice. Choose each time.

• You want a source that is personal and unique to your project. What is the best move?
• You have found an artist whose work interests you. What shows critical understanding?
• Your investigation only uses images from one website. How could you strengthen it?

Plan a critical analysis

Pick an artist, craftsperson or designer whose work interests you, and plan a short critical analysis using the prompts below. This is planning practice and is not auto-marked.

• Name the source and briefly describe the work in your own words
• Describe the techniques, materials or approaches you can see
• Question WHY those choices were made and what the work communicates
• Explain how this could inspire your OWN idea