Visual Diary Production

St Leonard’s College Art students can choose to move on to VCE Art Creative Practice Units 1-4 or the IBDP Visual Arts. In both courses you are required to present your creative process, creative and critical thinking, and creative practices in a visual diary. The outcomes outlined below align with VCE ACP Unit 1 but also develop appropriate skills for IBDP Visual Arts.

The top two areas outline the research, exploration, development and experimentation, refinement and resolution, and the reflection and evaluation that collectively contribute to your ‘body of work’. The third area outlines and guides you on the requirements of documenting all of the above in your visual diary, providing evidence of your creative process.

1. Artists, Artworks and Audience

Key knowledge

  • the practices of artists from different periods of time and cultures
  • the use of the Structural Lens and the Personal Lens to analyse and interpret artworks
  • the use of personal opinions and points of view about artworks
  • the ways artists use visual language to communicate ideas and meaning in their artworks
  • terminology used in discussion of artists and their artworks

Key skills

  • analyse and discuss the practices of artists from different periods of time and cultures
  • apply relevant aspects of the Structural Lens and the Personal Lens to analyse and interpret artworks
  • formulate and justify personal opinions with reference to artworks and related sources
  • analyse and discuss how artists use visual language to communicate ideas and meaning in their artworks
  • use appropriate art terminology and references to a range of sources in the discussion of artists and their artworks

2. The Creative Practice

Key knowledge

  • methods used to experiment with and explore materials, techniques and processes using the Creative Practice
  • ways to develop personal visual responses by investigating the practices of artists
  • the use of visual language to communicate ideas of personal interest
  • inherent properties of materials and their use in a range of art forms
  • the use of materials, techniques and art forms to make personal visual responses
  • ways the relationships between the artist, the artwork and the viewer or audience communicate meaning in artworks
  • the use of the Structural Lens and the Personal Lens to interpret meaning in visual responses

Key skills

  • experiment with and explore materials, techniques and processes using the Creative Practice
  • investigate the practices of artists to develop personal visual responses
  • use visual language to communicate ideas of personal interest
  • explore and experiment with materials, techniques and processes in a range of art forms to make personal visual responses
  • explore how the relationships between the artist, the artwork, and the viewer or audience communicate meaning in artworks
  • apply the Structural Lens and the Personal Lens to interpret meaning in visual responses

3. Documenting and Reflecting on the Creative Practice

Key knowledge

  • methods used to document and evaluate the use of the Creative Practice
  • approaches to making and presenting visual responses that communicate ideas of personal interest
  • the use of critical and reflective thinking throughout the Creative Practice
  • methods used to reflect on and evaluate visual language (ideas and messages expressed through imagery and forms as created by the artist’s individual artistic practice)
  • methods used to evaluate the use of materials, techniques and processes in personal visual responses
  • the use of the Structural Lens and the Personal Lens in annotations to analyse and reflect upon visual responses

Key skills

  • document and evaluate the use of the Creative Practice, using written and visual documentation
  • analyse and reflect upon ideas of personal interest communicated in visual responses
  • use and document critical and reflective thinking throughout the Creative Practice
  • document and evaluate the development of visual language
  • document and evaluate the materials, techniques and processes used to make personal visual responses
  • apply the Structural Lens and the Personal Lens in annotations to analyse and reflect upon visual responses

Examples of visual diary pages

Students are encouraged to explore the visual diary examples on the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria) Top Arts site.

A range of folios can be found under the Exhibiting Artists images: Example Folios

This one is a comprehensive presentation: 2024 Art Creative Practice Visual Diary

While the above video refers to VCE Art, the presentation of the content, key skills and knowledge is still relevant.

Browse through the video above to develop ideas and approaches to the presentation of your visual diary. The emphasis is on the content, not how pretty it is. No marks are awarded for its aesthetic presentation. You are encouraged to develop your own visual strategies to emphasise both your artistic style and interests and communicate your response to the key skills and knowledge.