Step 6 - Final Copy
Have a think... are you ready?
You should have already created a careful (but not final) copy on A4 in the Ideation step which should show all the information that you will need to create your final piece.
Create your final copy. Take care of your work (e.g. when transporting, make sure you roll it up carefully and keep it out of the rain) and be careful with whatever media you are using (e.g. if you are using coloured pencils, keep them sharp while you are working and be extra careful when shading). If you have smudges on your work it can be difficult to remove them without damaging the piece so try not to create any smudges while you are working.
Remember, your school can only send two entries into the Festival of Music competition.
You will need to paste the completed Competition Entry Form to the back of your work if it is sent in to us.
See the rubric for this task under the Assessment tab. This task is due at the end of Week 1, Term 4.
- Have you got good quality paper (A3 portrait)?
- What art utensils will you use (e.g. paint, coloured pencil, crayon, collage)?
- Have you experimented with these utensils?
- Do you know how to use the utensils properly?
- Have you got access to these utensils?
- Have you double checked that the design you have in mind meets the design brief?
- Have you read Catherine's Design Commandments at the bottom of this page?
You should have already created a careful (but not final) copy on A4 in the Ideation step which should show all the information that you will need to create your final piece.
Create your final copy. Take care of your work (e.g. when transporting, make sure you roll it up carefully and keep it out of the rain) and be careful with whatever media you are using (e.g. if you are using coloured pencils, keep them sharp while you are working and be extra careful when shading). If you have smudges on your work it can be difficult to remove them without damaging the piece so try not to create any smudges while you are working.
Remember, your school can only send two entries into the Festival of Music competition.
You will need to paste the completed Competition Entry Form to the back of your work if it is sent in to us.
See the rubric for this task under the Assessment tab. This task is due at the end of Week 1, Term 4.
Common Mistakes - Catherine's Design Commandments
Here is a list of VERY common mistakes that students make when completing their final copy.
Read them. Understand them. Follow them!
THOU SHALT NOT USE NEW MEDIUM
Don't use an art medium (i.e. the tools that you use to create your design) that you have not experimented with. Don't decide to use oil pastels or paints last minute! You need to develop your skills in using these techniques and materials FIRST.
THOU SHALT NOT USE NEW IMAGES
Any image that you use on your final copy, you should have drawn before. It is easy to tell the difference between a student who has drawn a plane for the first time and a student who has thoroughly researched planes and drawn many of them. Show off your knowledge of the images by adding details! Even if you have a beautifully drawn picture and a perfect title and your design matches the repertoire well, your design will still not be used if you have drawn music notes incorrectly in the background. You need to be familiar with every single image you include on your page.
THOU SHALT PLAN IN PENCIL
Make sure you start lightly with lead pencil to map out your A3 page. You want to have an idea of where everything will go BEFORE bringing out the paints or the coloured pencils.
THOU SHALT IMPRESS WITH THY TITLE
Do your title FIRST, lightly with lead pencil. This is often the most detailed part of your design and it is important to get this part right. Remember - the only thing you can trace or copy on to your final piece IS the title. If you can trace and make it perfect, it will look a lot better than if you have done it freehand. Guess how many students complete their picture and then go to put their title on and don't leave enough space for the words they need... Lots. Don't be that student!
THOU SHALT NOT SCRIBBLE
Don't scribble when colouring large areas of the page. Use techniques to ensure your colouring is even (such as cross-hatching). You need to go all the way to the edges of the page, so you might want some scrap paper to put under the edges.
THOU SHALT MEASURE and USE THY RULER
If you want something in the centre of your page - you need to get a ruler and work out where that is.
DON'T GUESS. If you want a word to be in the middle of your page, you will need to measure the word BEFORE it goes on the page. Work out how much space you'll need on either side of the paper. If you need a straight line, do not freehand it! Get that ruler back out. You can freehand it over the ruler line if you want a softer line.
Read them. Understand them. Follow them!
THOU SHALT NOT USE NEW MEDIUM
Don't use an art medium (i.e. the tools that you use to create your design) that you have not experimented with. Don't decide to use oil pastels or paints last minute! You need to develop your skills in using these techniques and materials FIRST.
THOU SHALT NOT USE NEW IMAGES
Any image that you use on your final copy, you should have drawn before. It is easy to tell the difference between a student who has drawn a plane for the first time and a student who has thoroughly researched planes and drawn many of them. Show off your knowledge of the images by adding details! Even if you have a beautifully drawn picture and a perfect title and your design matches the repertoire well, your design will still not be used if you have drawn music notes incorrectly in the background. You need to be familiar with every single image you include on your page.
THOU SHALT PLAN IN PENCIL
Make sure you start lightly with lead pencil to map out your A3 page. You want to have an idea of where everything will go BEFORE bringing out the paints or the coloured pencils.
THOU SHALT IMPRESS WITH THY TITLE
Do your title FIRST, lightly with lead pencil. This is often the most detailed part of your design and it is important to get this part right. Remember - the only thing you can trace or copy on to your final piece IS the title. If you can trace and make it perfect, it will look a lot better than if you have done it freehand. Guess how many students complete their picture and then go to put their title on and don't leave enough space for the words they need... Lots. Don't be that student!
THOU SHALT NOT SCRIBBLE
Don't scribble when colouring large areas of the page. Use techniques to ensure your colouring is even (such as cross-hatching). You need to go all the way to the edges of the page, so you might want some scrap paper to put under the edges.
THOU SHALT MEASURE and USE THY RULER
If you want something in the centre of your page - you need to get a ruler and work out where that is.
DON'T GUESS. If you want a word to be in the middle of your page, you will need to measure the word BEFORE it goes on the page. Work out how much space you'll need on either side of the paper. If you need a straight line, do not freehand it! Get that ruler back out. You can freehand it over the ruler line if you want a softer line.
Go back to the Process Outline or go to the final step in the process, the Evaluation.