G1 Art Paper 2 Portfolio | 2027 K126 Ten Screens

To survive G1 Art Paper 2, show how your ideas develop, not simply how polished your favourite picture looks. In the 2027 SEC G1 Art syllabus K126, Paper 2 is a school-authenticated Portfolio worth 60% of the subject. It is completed in 18 hours within eight weeks. Part A requires ten screens of selected visual materials for 35 marks, while Part B requires two artworks in different media for 25 marks. Your strongest starting move is to understand the separate requirements, collect genuine evidence and explain why your artistic choices changed as you learned.

There are two important distinctions. First, the ten Part A screens should show development through research, observation, experimentation and in-progress work, drawing on at least two art forms or media, one of which must be design. They are not ten identical final pictures. Second, the two Part B artworks must be separate from the works selected for Part A and use different media. The school authenticates the submission and the examining authority externally moderates the marks. Asking someone else to make the works, or passing off generated images as the candidate’s production, defeats the assessment.

Art can build observation, original visual thinking, communication, resilience and the ability to connect personal ideas with social and cultural context. Those skills may lead a young person to explore illustration, photography, creative media, design, museum education or broader communication roles, but no diploma or occupation is guaranteed. The G1 syllabus describes an attained subject level, not the learner’s future capacity. Students should continue preparing for Paper 1, the separate 90-minute art examination worth 40%.

Official reference: SEAB’s 2027 K126 G1 Art syllabus, particularly the scheme, Portfolio description and assessment criteria. Always follow the exact school assessment brief, authentication requirements, file specifications and copyright guidance. The examples below are independent conceptual teaching exercises, not assessed works or model submissions to copy.

The first actions that prevent portfolio problems

Confirm the candidate’s K126 registration and the school’s actual eight-week supervision schedule.
Create a simple inventory of existing authentic observations, journal pages, media trials and idea development.
Check that the selected ten screens include two or more art forms and media, with Design explicitly represented.
Plan the two distinct Part B artworks using different media, separate from what is selected in Part A.
Record sources respectfully, preserve real experiments and ask the teacher before altering assessed material or file presentation.
Protect Paper 1 preparation rather than assuming the 60% Portfolio makes the written exam irrelevant.

The precise 2027 K126 requirements

Component	Required work	Marks / weight / duration
Paper 1 Art Examination	Knowledge, visual analysis, concept sketch and explanation	40 marks; 40%; 1 hour 30 minutes
Paper 2 Part A — Visual Materials	Ten screens of selected genuine research, drawings, experimental documentation, in-progress work or art-journal spreads; two or more forms/media including Design	35 marks within the 60-mark Portfolio
Paper 2 Part B — Art Works	Two authentic artworks in different media, distinct from the artworks chosen among Part A materials	25 marks within the 60-mark Portfolio
Paper 2 overall	School-supervised/authenticated Portfolio; digital files to the supervisor under the announced specifications	60 marks; 60%; 18 hours within 8 weeks

The official criteria include interests, inspirations and influences; visual language; art forms and media; technical processes; artistic expression; and personal response. Think of those criteria as questions about what the learner noticed, investigated, made, revised and understood. A photograph of a completed sculpture may reveal its form, but without relevant accompanying evidence it does not show every meaningful decision behind the work.

How to use this guide

The ten screens · The two artworks · An eight-week plan · Original visual examples · Common questions

1. Treat the Portfolio as a learning record, not a gallery

A gallery highlights completed works. A learning Portfolio also shows investigation, attempts, choices and changes. Part A is a selected representation of developing understanding, not simply an arrangement of attractive finished products. A candidate should know why each chosen screen contributes something different.

A fictional study of neighbourhood wayfinding could include an observation drawing, photographs gathered with permission, experiments in icon simplification and a critique of readability. These stages connect a real communication question to artistic decisions. Ten copies of a finished sign would reveal less about development.

2. Understand the difference between the two parts

Part A contains the ten screens of Visual Materials and accounts for 35 marks. Part B contains two Art Works in different media and accounts for 25 marks. They are submitted in the required format but are not interchangeable; the actual Part B artworks must not be the same works selected in Part A.

A student may develop an idea through journal experiments and later complete a distinct artwork. The relationship between those activities can be explained, but the candidate must preserve the required separation. Follow the precise file and authenticity rules rather than assuming one photograph can count as every deliverable.

3. Recognise that ten screens are not ten random files

A selected screen should contain material worth seeing and a reason for being included. Research, sketches, documented trials and journal spreads can each be valuable, provided they are authentic and relevant. Selection means deciding which evidence most clearly demonstrates learning.

In an unrelated classroom practice exercise, arrange fifteen genuine sketches into a coherent visual story and select ten that show different stages. Ask whether a new viewer can understand how the idea developed without being told the entire history. Remove repetitive material, not uncomfortable evidence of improvement.

4. Include Design as a required media area

The K126 scheme requires the Visual Materials to represent two or more art forms and media, one of which must be Design. A student concentrating only on observational drawing should check how their authentic learning addresses that requirement. Design is about purposeful visual choices, not simply adding a decorative label.

Consider a fictional community noticeboard. Design material may show attempts at layout, hierarchy, typography and user readability, whereas another medium could reveal colour or expressive form. The actual school brief determines what is permissible; a teacher should confirm the selection.

5. Demonstrate a second meaningful art form

The second art form or medium should add real exploration rather than a nominal change. A learner might investigate photographic framing, collage, printmaking or another suitable art process as permitted. The point is understanding how different forms and techniques communicate an idea.

In general practice, compare a line drawing of a playground with a photograph taken from an unusual viewpoint. The two may emphasize different qualities. Ask which visible evidence explains the difference, and why that medium was chosen. It is not necessary for every medium to say the same thing.

6. Research with a question rather than collect pictures

Gathering a large folder of internet images is not the same as studying an artistic problem. Begin with a question about an audience, material, form, story or personal concern, then search for information that helps answer it. Use sources appropriately and acknowledge relevant influences.

If the subject is public seating, observing the shape of benches can support form and design thinking. Random fashion photographs without a connection are less useful. Select what reveals a genuine research decision, not what looks visually expensive.

7. Make observations before designing a response

Observation builds a relationship between the world and artistic decisions. A learner can draw an object, record its spatial features, compare colours or notice how a person uses a place. Such direct encounters may produce more personally relevant ideas than copying generic templates.

Suppose a school corridor sign is difficult to see from one entrance. Observe its position and visual hierarchy, then sketch two different ways the information might be organised. The research question is about visibility, not a claim that the current sign is universally bad.

8. Distinguish influences from copying

Artists learn by examining other works, but respectful influence does not mean reproducing another artist’s image and presenting it as original. Source acknowledgement and a personal investigation are especially important when photographs and digital material appear in a school Portfolio.

Make a study chart naming one aspect of an influencing work—perhaps layering, contrast or negative space—and explain how a new experiment explores the idea differently. Copying a complete image without attribution or meaning shows less independent development than a smaller personal test.

9. Preserve the evidence of experimenting

An experiment might test a material, composition, process or visual arrangement. Its outcome need not be successful in a commercial sense. A trial that reveals a practical limitation can help the learner make a better decision later, provided the observation is accurate.

A printed pattern may look clear at large scale but become confusing when reduced. Record the two versions and explain what changed. The result is useful because a future design decision can be traced to a real comparison.

10. Avoid rewriting the past as uninterrupted success

Candidates sometimes erase or hide every unsuccessful attempt to make their Portfolio appear talented. Yet meaningful development often involves discovering that an approach was unclear, unsuitable or hard to control. Honest evidence can make revision intelligible.

A learner who first chooses a crowded composition and later simplifies it can show why the second approach communicates more clearly. Falsifying older pages or inventing observations would undermine authorship. Select relevant evidence without pretending mistakes never occurred.

11. Develop a clear visual language

Visual language includes line, tone, colour, form, texture, scale and their relationships. The best materials show how choices express a particular idea, not merely whether technical vocabulary appears in captions.

For a fictional poster, heavy dark lines might create one visual hierarchy while sparse thin lines create another. Describe exactly what the viewer notices in each. The candidate can then explain which approach better serves the stated communication purpose.

12. Explain contrast using observable differences

Contrast is useful when visual qualities differ, such as light and dark or large and small. It is not enough to write that an image is contrasting; identify what is contrasted and what that relationship accomplishes.

An imagined screen includes orange directional arrows against subdued grey surroundings. The student’s annotation could explain that this directs the reader’s attention to an exit route. The effect should be linked to visual evidence, rather than to a universal rule that orange always means urgency.

13. Let composition carry meaning

Where a figure sits, how much space surrounds it and which elements overlap can affect interpretation. Composition may support personal expression or practical communication. A learner should explore relationships rather than arranging elements randomly.

In a practice drawing about isolation, compare a single small figure placed at the edge with several closely grouped figures near the centre. A meaningful explanation would describe the spacing and possible effect without claiming to know the feelings of a real person represented.

14. Use media for their strengths and limitations

A material may produce a particular line, surface or physical effect while also having constraints. Ink, photography, collage and three-dimensional work are different ways of making meaning. Technical processes should serve intent rather than impress through complexity.

A student might use cut paper to explore overlapping shapes or photography to explore shadows. If a chosen medium makes the intended meaning difficult to communicate, a changed approach can demonstrate learning. The school must supervise any assessed media work involving safety risks.

15. Document technical processes accurately

Evidence of technique should describe what was actually done and how the material behaved. A visual record of testing, revisions and appropriate tool use helps the reader understand the learning process. It should not be embellished with invented steps.

For non-assessed practice, record a change in print contrast between two trials. Label dates and relevant materials. If a trial fails, describe that plainly. The teacher’s authentication and submitted-artwork requirements govern actual examination records.

16. Learn what personal response means

Personal response is not necessarily an emotional confession. It can be a relevant connection between observation, interest, choices and the eventual artwork. A personally meaningful subject should still be communicated through clear visual evidence and respectful treatment of others.

A pupil may care about a quiet space in school and explore it through photographs, sketches and design arrangements. Ask what specifically drew their attention and how the visual work developed. The response becomes more convincing when the learner can explain those decisions.

17. Consider culture and context responsibly

Art can connect with cultures, places and history, but a student should not infer sensitive personal identities from appearance or copy cultural symbols without understanding. Respectful investigation includes accurate sourcing, asking appropriate questions and avoiding stereotypes.

In a study of neighbourhood visual culture, the learner may notice different shop signs and materials. The Portfolio can describe observable features without inventing the background of individual shopkeepers. Awareness of context should add accuracy rather than decorative claims.

18. Avoid personal-data problems in photographs

A photograph taken in a public setting may show people, signage or information not necessary for the artistic purpose. Follow school rules, permission requirements and respectful treatment of identifiable individuals. The need for original evidence does not justify intrusive recording.

If an experiment concerns the shadow pattern on a wall, frame the wall and shadow rather than unrelated customers nearby. A focused composition may even improve the artistic investigation. Privacy and thoughtful design can support one another.

19. Choose Part B artworks for genuinely different media

Part B requires two artworks in different media. A student should consider how each medium suits a distinct personal response while obeying the supervision and submission rules. Cosmetic changes of colour or title do not necessarily establish distinct media.

For unrelated early practice, compare a drawing and a simple sculptural form as different approaches to an idea. Discuss why each might communicate something the other does not. The actual assessed choices must remain the candidate’s decisions with teacher approval.

20. Keep Part B separate from selected Part A works

The syllabus explicitly states that Part B artworks must not be the same works as those selected for the Visual Materials. Students should audit their evidence to avoid double-submitting the same finished work as both a selected Part A item and a Part B artwork.

Use an inventory table listing each work, its medium, whether it appears in selected materials and its intended assessment role. Check uncertain situations with the school supervisor. A clear inventory avoids last-minute confusion and protects authenticity.

21. Make final works meaningful instead of merely large

A final work should connect artistic intent, process and suitable technical decisions. An oversized or elaborate piece can still fail to express a coherent response. The evaluation is not a contest to use the greatest amount of material.

Ask what the viewer might understand from the work and which choices support that understanding. A smaller carefully resolved piece may be more coherent than an ambitious but unfinished work, depending on the actual school brief.

22. Make technical learning visible without faking mastery

The Portfolio can demonstrate improved control of tools, techniques and composition. A learner need not pretend to be a professional artist; they should show what they actually learned and how they applied it. Authentic differences between early and later work can be educationally valuable.

Compare two genuine practice samples with the same aim. Name one technical change, one remaining limitation and one decision that improved the result. The language should follow the observable evidence rather than marketing claims about the student’s talent.

23. Know how presentation differs from evidence selection

A neat digital page is useful when it helps readers see the work, but layout polish cannot replace missing research or an unauthenticated artwork. Part A should be legible and coherent, not filled with repetitive graphic effects.

Design a simple grid for a practice journal screen using a title, one or two genuine images and short explanatory captions. Ask whether a reader understands the purpose and sequence. Use the exact official file and layout rules for assessed material rather than an arbitrary website template.

24. Write captions that explain change

A caption such as ‘my drawing’ adds little. A caption describing what was tested, what changed and why a later choice followed can connect evidence to development. Keep captions accurate and proportional rather than write an essay on every thumbnail.

A fictional note might explain that a larger symbol improved the readability of a sign in a paper simulation. If no actual test occurred, label it as an intended effect rather than a proven outcome. This distinction is part of responsible artistic documentation.

25. Understand the six official assessment criteria

The syllabus evaluates work through interests and influences, visual language, art forms and media, technical processes, artistic expression, and personal response. These areas are connected: research can inform a technique, a technique shapes the visible result, and that result communicates a personal idea.

Make a revision matrix using those six headings and identify which genuine evidence might support each. A work can address several criteria, but the candidate should not pretend every page proves every skill. Selection should reflect the actual work.

26. Respect the eight-week window

Paper 2 is completed in eighteen hours within eight weeks under classroom study conditions. Students should plan around the school’s actual supervised timetable, not assume they can extend the assessment indefinitely or submit an entirely home-produced portfolio.

A sensible non-assessed planning approach identifies research selection, media exploration, assessed production, checking and file preparation. Teachers determine the real sequence and authentication procedures. Leaving all decisions until the final supervised session creates avoidable pressure.

27. Manage the eighteen hours with clear decisions

A lengthy project can feel overwhelming if the learner never decides which evidence and artworks matter. Develop an agenda for each authorised session: the question being addressed, the intended activity and what evidence should remain afterward.

In general practice, reflect after a session: did the student learn something about media, form or audience? If not, the next session should address that gap. This reflection is not permission to manipulate assessment records after the fact.

28. Ask the supervisor about authenticity early

The school authenticates the candidate’s work, and external moderation follows. Students should ask before using externally produced imagery, digital edits or materials whose origin might be unclear. They should never assume that an adult’s retouching is harmless simply because it improves presentation.

A candid discussion of what the pupil created, what was referenced and which school rules apply is easier early than after submission. General advice can clarify vocabulary and skills; assessed production must remain genuinely the candidate’s own.

29. Check file naming, citations and submission rules

The examination authority supplies instructions for file naming, in-text citation, format and file size. Those may matter as much as creating the work if the file cannot be accepted or attributed correctly. Follow the released current-year instructions instead of copying an old blog’s settings.

Create a private checklist of which files are needed, whether each has the correct role, and which sources require acknowledgement. The school submission system and supervisor determine the authoritative technical requirements.

30. Keep Paper 1 alive while finishing the Portfolio

Paper 1 remains 40% and requires art knowledge, visual analysis and a concept sketch with explanation. Students who concentrate only on portfolio presentation may become less confident interpreting an unfamiliar image under time pressure.

Set aside short, non-assessed exercises describing line, composition and visual intent in a new photograph or poster. A few focused minutes can maintain literacy without competing with the school’s authentic assessed sessions.

31. What parents can do without producing the work

Parents can help by arranging safe transport if relevant, discussing why an observation interests the student and supporting sleep, routine and practical needs. They should not photograph a substitute finished artwork, edit its visible characteristics or write authenticity claims in the candidate’s name.

The most useful home question may be, ‘What did you change after discovering that the first approach didn’t communicate clearly?’ This encourages reflection while allowing the learner to own the process and subsequent choice.

32. What tutors can do outside assessed work

A tutor may teach observation, visual description, composition and art vocabulary through unrelated practice tasks. They can provide feedback on general habits and encourage independent thinking without taking over the student’s official Portfolio.

A helpful non-assessed exercise asks the student to compare two layouts and justify a decision. The actual coursework artwork, school-supervised processes and assessment documentation should not be prepared by the tutor or presented as original student work.

33. Use difficulty to find the correct next lesson

A disappointing portfolio checkpoint could reflect weak research, unclear personal intent, narrow media exploration, insufficient technical practice or simply misunderstood requirements. Those weaknesses are different and require targeted responses.

Ask the learner to explain a current decision, point to supporting visual evidence and identify what remains uncertain. Work on that specific skill in permitted general practice rather than telling the pupil they lack artistic talent.

34. Connect visual skills with wider futures

Visual literacy, design thinking and the ability to communicate through images can matter in creative media, advertising, photography, illustration, exhibitions, digital product work and community arts. Students may develop interests they have not yet imagined at the beginning of upper secondary.

Still, no one G1 Art result establishes eligibility for every diploma, higher education course or profession. Institutions may consider the complete SEC record, portfolios or interviews. Families should verify current requirements when applications become real.

35. Finish with a genuine, readable submission

Before submission, check that Part A contains the ten required screens and relevant media diversity, Part B contains two distinct artworks in different media, and all files represent the candidate’s actual work. Confirm the school’s procedure and keep the supervised deadline visible.

A successful portfolio is not a perfect story of effortless talent. It is an authenticated collection that lets another person understand what the learner explored, chose, made and learned within the stated requirements. That is worth approaching with calm precision.

Original decision exercises for stronger Portfolio thinking

1. A beautiful screen has no research

One candidate fills an entire screen with a highly polished final image but provides little evidence of how the idea was developed. Which relevant observations, influences or media trials would actually help a reader understand the decision?

On an unrelated practice theme, identify the requirement, the actual evidence and the decision a learner can own. Then change one fact and explain whether the appropriate selection or artistic response would change. Do not turn the practice text into assessed work.

2. The second art form is missing

The chosen Part A materials all use one drawing process. How can the student review genuine work to address the requirement of two or more art forms and media, including Design?

3. The same artwork is selected twice

A completed print appears among Part A selected materials and is also nominated as a Part B artwork. Which explicit separation requirement has been overlooked?

4. A work is attributed to the wrong maker

An attractive web image is included without acknowledgement and described as the pupil’s own. What must be corrected about source use and authorship?

5. A trial failed but changed the idea

A first mock-up did not communicate the intended route clearly, leading to a new sign layout. Why might the unsuccessful trial be important developmental evidence?

6. Ten screens contain the same content

The candidate exports ten nearly identical photographs. How could selection emphasise meaningful differences instead of filling a screen count?

7. The art form changes but the idea disappears

A student changes from photography to collage but cannot explain how the second medium contributes. What question about purpose and visual meaning should be revisited?

8. The audience cannot understand the visual

A public display is visually striking but visitors cannot locate the relevant instruction. What evidence of audience needs should inform design choices?

9. A process photograph is staged later

An adult recreates a supposed studio moment for the candidate and presents it as authentic coursework evidence. Why does this undermine authentication?

10. The caption claims a result never tested

A student writes that a new symbol doubled readability without conducting a comparison. How should expected benefits be distinguished from measured outcomes?

11. The portfolio media look too similar

The candidate proposes two Part B artworks with different colours but effectively the same media. What actual medium requirements should be checked with the supervisor?

12. The digital file cannot be opened

A beautiful submission is exported in an unsupported format. Why must file naming, size, citations and format be checked against current instructions?

13. Paper 1 has been abandoned

A learner focuses completely on the 60% Portfolio while ignoring short analysis and concept-sketch practice for the 40% examination. What balanced study routine would be more realistic?

14. The child equates G1 with limited creativity

A current grade or syllabus label is interpreted as an unchangeable limit on future artistic development. Which genuine skills and later prerequisites should instead guide the discussion?

15. The school says a material is not approved

A candidate wants to use a risky tool because a hobby video recommends it. How should school-approved processes, safety and supervision affect the decision?

Common questions about the 2027 G1 Art Portfolio

Is Paper 2 really 60% of K126?

Yes. It is worth 60 marks, with 35 for Part A selected Visual Materials and 25 for Part B Art Works.

How many visual screens are required?

The official 2027 assessment scheme specifies ten screens, following the examination authority’s detailed submission instructions.

Must Design appear in Part A?

Yes. The selected visual materials must explore at least two art forms and media, one of which is Design.

Can the two final artworks be in the same medium?

No. Part B requires two artworks of different media.

Can the Part B works be the exact same works as selected Part A materials?

No. SEAB explicitly requires them to be separate.

How long is the Portfolio assessment window?

Eighteen hours of classroom study conditions within eight weeks.

Can an independent tutor create the work?

No. The school authenticates the candidate’s original assessed material. General skills coaching is different from doing the work.

What should the ten screens reveal?

Relevant research, visual thinking, experiments, in-progress work and personal development, not only decorative completed pictures.

Are portfolio marks checked beyond the school?

Yes. Paper 2 is internally assessed by the school and externally moderated by the examining authority.

Does G1 Art guarantee a place in a creative course?

No. Programme admission is based on the complete student profile and the receiving institution’s requirements.

Official references and next learning steps

Independent educational guidance, October 2026. All scenarios are fictional and must not replace the candidate’s work or the school’s authenticating processes. The official K126 and current examination instructions govern marks, files, supervision and eligibility.

How to survive G1 Art? | Paper 2 Portfolio, Ten Screens and Two Authentic Artworks