BTEC Art and Design Past Papers & Mark Schemes

BTEC Art and Design nurtures students' ability to generate, develop, and communicate ideas through visual and material practice, blending technical skill with critical and contextual understanding of art movements, practitioners, and design disciplines. Unit 1 — Visual Recording and Communication examines how artists and designers use mark-making, observational drawing, composition, and a range of media to record and communicate ideas. Students explore how different visual languages — from life drawing to digital illustration — serve distinct communicative purposes. Unit 3 — Specialist Study in Art and Design requires students to undertake independent research into a chosen area of art, craft, or design. This culminates in a written critical study (typically an extended essay or research journal) that contextualises the student's own creative practice within a broader cultural and historical framework. Both external units are supported by portfolio-based internal assessment. The 24 resources include written papers, set task guidance, and marking criteria documents.