Drawing as a Recording Skill
AO3 is all about recording what you see and think. Learn how drawing and written annotation work together to record ideas and observations, and what makes annotation strong rather than just padding.
Justify the choices, the way you are assessed
Free interactive practice on the decisions the assessment actually asks you to justify.
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What does recording mean?
In art, an assessment objective is a skill you are marked on. There are four of them, and AO3 is the one about RECORDING your ideas, observations and insights. You record in two ways: by drawing what you see, and by writing notes, called annotation, beside your work. This module shows how both work together.
Recording words
Four terms run through this objective. Learn them first.
Two ways to record
AO3 asks you to record in two ways that support each other.
Match the term
- AO3
- Recording
- Observational drawing
- Annotation
- The objective for recording ideas and observations
- Capturing what you see and think
- Drawing from a real object in front of you
- Written notes beside your work
Which objective?
Which assessment objective is the one about recording ideas and observations?
- AO3
- AO1
- AO2
- AO4
Make annotation count
Annotation is marked, so it must do real work. Weak annotation only describes, such as saying This is a drawing of a shell. Strong annotation records a decision and the reason for it, such as I used heavy tone here to show the deep shadow. Aim to record your thinking, not to fill space.
Match the drawing skill
- Line
- Tone
- Texture
- Proportion
- The edges and outlines of a shape
- The light and shadow that show form
- How a surface looks or feels
- The correct size of parts against each other
Ways to record
Which TWO of these count as recording for AO3? Choose all that apply.
- Observational drawing
- Written annotation
- Mounting a final piece
- Leaving the page blank
Record what you see
Put the steps of recording an object in order.
- Look closely at the real object
- Draw what you actually see
- Annotate the decisions you made
- Refine the study using what you noticed
What AO3 asks for
AO3 is the assessment objective about _____. It has two forms: drawing and written _____. Drawing from a real object in front of you is called _____ drawing. Strong annotation records your _____, not just a description. Using _____ in a drawing shows the light and shadow on an object.
Spot the strong annotation
Tap the TWO notes that are STRONG annotation, recording a decision.
- I used charcoal here to capture the soft shadows.
- I changed the angle to balance the composition.
- This is a drawing of a shell.
- A picture of a cup.
Which technique?
Which drawing technique records the light and shadow that show the form of an object?
- Tone
- Line
- Texture
- Proportion
Strong or weak?
For each note a student writes, decide whether the annotation is strong or weak.
- A student writes: I used cross-hatching to build up the darker tones. Which is it?
- A student writes: This is my drawing. Which is it?
- A student writes: I chose a soft pencil because it blends more easily for skin. Which is it?
Explain how to record
Explain how an artist records ideas and observations for AO3, using both drawing and annotation, and say what makes annotation strong.
- Explain what AO3 recording means
- Describe how drawing is used to record observations
- Explain what makes annotation strong rather than weak