My GCSE art exam starts on Wednesday and does anyone have any tips to:
A) Stay sane throughout the exam
Managing not to die of boredom
C) Keeping focused
D) Finshing the piece in 10 Hours

Thanks,
Ceri

I don't have anything to offer, but just to say GOOD LUCK, Ceri.

Nor do I, so good luck!

Car Expert

Thanks KatyJay and CE. . I'm nearly ready I think.... My worry is that I'll run out of paint.

Good luck Ceri!

Some of my arty friend have theirs then and I think that they're allowed Ipods... Or radio or something..though that might just have been mocks.

Dead stupid question here - do you have to provide your own paint? Or does the school provide it? And if the school does, can't you ask for more if you run out?

i was worried about the exact same things coming up to my exam.. but trust me, for some reason they just stop being an issue once you get in there!
well.. that's apart from the finishing inside 10 hours bit! have to watch your clock with that one.. if you have a really nice teacher, they sometimes let you get away with running over slightly if you say that your paint wouldnt dry enouh to carry on, so you lost a lot of time that way(or something similar)... but i wouldnt reccomend risking it if you don't have to!
anyways.. realy good luck, try not to stress, and enjoy it!!
sian x

It is advised that during year 10/11 that you buy your own equipment, so that can continue with coursework/exam prep at home. The teacher has told the people who are expected to get higher grades to buy their own better quality stuff. So, throughout teh art course i have brought: a pack of goaches, a pack of oil pastels, a pack of pencil crayons and a set of drawing pencils (mind you, I never paid full price for them!)
So, if I run out of paint, I'm doomed as once you start painting with sort/brand of paints you have to carry on. I'm trying to persuade my friend to let me use her paints (the paints the same) if I run out (she is using oil pastels and apparently, I'm better at painting).

Yr-Hobbo- like saying "I need to get this section done in this hour?"

iPods are allowed, definitely, all my friends had them. You'll be focussed - don't worry. Just keep reminding yourself that it's an important exam. If you apply yourself right from the start then hopefully you'll keep focussed as you have lots to do and you'll finish in time

Oh, and good luck!!

Wow, you are starting early - at our school the art exams are around the 24/25th April. I can't give any specific advice, just GOOD LUCK!

Good luck!

I'm sure you'll be fine, Ceri! Good luck!

You can take ipods in, because that was the first wuestion that was answered when we were making our gcse choices last year.

Good luck!

OOOh.... I remember those 10 hours (about ten years ago now!) My only tip is that it's important to take the time to think as well as draw/paint/whatever it is you're doing... I spent a good hour at the end of the first day thinking about what I could do on the second day and what other supplies I could bring in to improve my painting (our theme was food & drink so I brought in loads of food wrappers for reference)... I must admit I spent a good part of the second day daydreaming too though! And stop when you've finished - it's so tempting to try and use the whole time and overdo it!

Good luck!!

Thanks everyone! I've just spent 10 hours today trying to finish off these 4 study sheets. Eeeep not long to go now.... My school started the prep around half term, so our offical 6 weeks ends on wednesday, the the exam starts.

We've been given 6 weeks to think of an answer to a question. I chose teh heading "vintage", so I am drawing old teddies and shoes. I've been told I should know what I should be doing for the ten hours. *gulps*

2 evenings of prep to go The downside to this art exam is that I miss double music

can you not try and map out your time on a piece of paper, so like this:

1st hr: try to draw basic picture onto canvas
2nd hr: paint this bit:

etc.

I dunno really, i don't take art but it would seem like something i would do. Like in our terminal task for music, i set aside 5 mins for choosing the key, and setting out the paper and all those variables etc: then 5 mins for each 2 bars after that and that left 5 mins to add my musical notation stuff... i realise that that was a short exam but the principle is the same... know what you are doing for how long. Its a good principle for every exam. Good luck!

I did my exam last year...

The advice I offer is if you are allowed a CD player or mp3 player take one - you may really need it!

Take lots of supplies - make sure you have everything before you start so you don't have to keep getting up, or asking people to bring things.

Get ALL the prep done before the exam - don't do it inbetween days because honestly you will be too tired.

Draw everything out really carefully - take as long as you need! I'd say most people take 1/2 hours to get everything perfect!

And possibly the most important thing to let you know is the examiners do not penalise you for not finishing - as long as they can see where it is going! I finished and got an A* and my friend didn't even get half way through and got an A* too!

Above all though HAVE FUN! Its great to have the day just to paint - much better than having lessons!

Best of luck

Becky x x x

Lol weird coincedence, mine starts on Thursday - despite the fact we have a techer training day on Friday and everyone else will be off.

Thanks everyone

Our art teacher is not letting us use MP3 players . I spent my first two hours on my piece today- all I did was paint thing white. I've already run out of white paint

I finshed my preparation tuesday evening, to be told this morning that we have until next wednesday, and an extra 2 hours!! .

Hopefully I'll finish....

Ceri

P.S Only 8 more hours of art...EVER...woooo