New Curriculum Second Term Visual Arts examination for SS 1

Class: SSS 1
Term: Second Term
Subject: Visual Arts
Time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
Total Marks: 70

SECTION A: OBJECTIVES (40 Marks)
Instruction: Answer ALL 40 questions. Each question carries 1 mark.

1. A student wants smooth tonal transitions in a pencil study. Which technique is most appropriate? (a) Apply identical heavy marks to the whole page    (b) Use random hard outlines on every surface    (c) Control pressure and blend marks carefully where suitable    (d) Erase the light source entirely
2. A student notices a solvent container left open beside a heat source. What is the safest immediate response? (a) Move it closer to the heat so it dries faster    (b) Keep people clear and notify the supervisor for safe isolation of the hazard    (c) Hide the container behind fabric    (d) Continue painting without warning anyone
3. Why is a single directional light useful for beginning life study? (a) It makes highlights, shadows and volume easier to observe    (b) It makes every object look flat    (c) It guarantees the model will never move    (d) It eliminates all reflected light
4. A poster’s orange headline must stand out against a blue field. Why can the choice be effective? (a) The colours always have equal brightness    (b) Both colours occupy the same position on the wheel    (c) The contrast removes the need for legibility checks    (d) Complementary contrast increases visual emphasis
5. A sphere is lit from the upper left. Which sequence of tonal features is plausible? (a) Cast shadow in the exact centre of the light source    (b) Darkest tone always facing the lamp    (c) Uniform highlight over the entire surface    (d) Highlight at upper left, graded midtone and darker side away from the light
6. An artist draws a road receding into the distance but keeps both road edges parallel on the page. What revision improves perspective? (a) Make the distant road wider than the foreground    (b) Move the horizon outside the scene without reason    (c) Add identical-sized vehicles at every distance    (d) Direct their apparent recession toward a common vanishing point
7. A school lacks commercial print blocks. Which locally available item could serve as a suitable experimental stamp after safe preparation? (a) An unwashed hazardous container    (b) A jagged rusted metal fragment    (c) A clean carved soft-foam surface    (d) An electrical plug connected to mains power
8. A learner draws a corridor with door frames that remain equally large in the distance. Which correction best supports one-point perspective? (a) Increase distant frame heights beyond the foreground    (b) Draw every depth line vertically    (c) Place all frames on one foreground plane    (d) Reduce the apparent size of distant frames as they recede
9. The correct step in dealing with broken glass among clay scraps is to ________. (a) isolate the area and use the designated supervised disposal procedure    (b) place it in a fellow pupil’s bag    (c) leave it for the next class    (d) pick through the glass with bare hands
10. A peer critic calls a painting ‘balanced’ but gives no evidence. Which explanation would improve the critique? (a) Name the most expensive pigment    (b) Describe how visual weight is distributed across the composition    (c) List the painter’s personal hobbies    (d) Repeat the adjective more loudly
11. A class assesses a cluttered studio before a practical session. Which method is most systematic? (a) Focus only on the colour of warning labels    (b) Identify hazards, estimate likely harm and agree on controls    (c) Assume a room used previously must be safe    (d) Move every hazard to an unmarked cupboard
12. The main reason artists use linear perspective in a drawing is ________. (a) suggesting spatial depth on a flat surface    (b) constructing a physical clay mould    (c) selecting complementary pigments    (d) measuring the cost of paper
13. A still-life arrangement contains three overlapping fruits. Which spatial cue should the drawing preserve? (a) Equal apparent size regardless of position    (b) Occlusion showing which fruit is in front    (c) A separate horizon through each fruit    (d) Identical outlines with no overlaps
14. A vanishing point is located where ________, according to one-point perspective. (a) all cast shadows physically begin    (b) the strongest colour is necessarily placed    (c) the subject touches the paper    (d) parallel receding lines appear to meet in the picture
15. Why does correct art terminology improve a practical critique? (a) It allows specific discussion of techniques, effects and revisions    (b) It replaces close observation with memorised labels    (c) It makes drawing skill unnecessary    (d) It prevents different interpretations entirely
16. A student makes every fold of a cloth equally dark. What would improve realism? (a) Ignore the folds closest to the light    (b) Vary values according to the direction and strength of the light    (c) Add unrelated decorative lines to every fold    (d) Remove every transition between tones
17. A designer mixes blue and yellow pigments to obtain a green family of hues. This is an example of ________. (a) additive mixing of coloured light    (b) a change in paper texture    (c) complementary contrast only    (d) subtractive pigment colour mixing
18. An improvisation project uses recycled cardboard. What is the most important planning consideration? (a) The material’s strength and suitability for the planned form    (b) How quickly it can be discarded after use    (c) The assumption all recycled items are safe without checking    (d) Whether the cardboard has the brightest packaging
19. A painter builds a scene using broad opaque patches, while another uses transparent overlapping layers. What difference is being described? (a) The number of frames in a gallery    (b) The authors’ ages    (c) Application techniques that affect opacity and colour depth    (d) The legal ownership of the canvases
20. A sketch of a cube viewed face-on uses one-point perspective. Which surfaces recede toward the vanishing point? (a) The depth edges extending away from the front face    (b) Only the decorative border    (c) The horizontal sides of the picture frame    (d) Every vertical edge of the front face
21. Which of these is NOT a safe art-studio hygiene habit? (a) Washing hands after working    (b) Keeping food away from workstations    (c) Eating beside exposed paint pigments and chemical materials    (d) Cleaning spills promptly under supervision
22. A posed figure changes position between observations. What is the best response? (a) Use quick gesture studies to capture the essential action before details    (b) Assume the pose can be reconstructed perfectly later    (c) Measure every strand of hair first    (d) Copy a completely different pose from a poster
23. An artist describes the foreground as ‘tonal’. What does tonal chiefly refer to? (a) The physical length of a brush    (b) The artist’s chosen signature    (c) Relationships of lightness and darkness    (d) The number of exhibition tickets
24. The contour of a jug appears wider than its real proportion. What should the artist check? (a) The thickness of the drawing board    (b) The sale price of the jug    (c) Relative width-to-height measurements from observation    (d) Only the colour of its label
25. A learner carves a flower into a bar of soap. Which sequence is most sensible? (a) Sketch the design, remove small amounts carefully and refine the relief    (b) Break the entire block before drawing    (c) Paint the surface before deciding on a form    (d) Cut deeply at random, then guess the design
26. Why should a safety poster combine clear symbols with brief instructions? (a) Only decorative quality matters in warnings    (b) It communicates the required action quickly and understandably    (c) It eliminates the need for proper training    (d) It allows all dangerous materials to be left unlabelled
27. A composition uses several neighbouring blue-green hues. What relationship is being exploited? (a) A neutral-only palette    (b) A complementary pair only    (c) A random mixture of unrelated values    (d) An analogous colour scheme
28. Why is ventilation especially relevant during some painting activities? (a) It helps reduce exposure to potentially harmful vapours and dust    (b) It makes all paints dry at identical speeds    (c) It guarantees that all materials are harmless    (d) It replaces protective equipment in every situation
29. The process of making a textured surface from cut and glued pieces is most accurately called ________. (a) perspective drawing    (b) life modelling from a posed figure    (c) tonal engraving alone    (d) collage when assembled as a two-dimensional composition
30. An art studio keeps blades loose among pencils. Which risk-control change is strongest? (a) Ask pupils to carry them between fingers    (b) Leave them on the edge of every desk    (c) Store sharp tools in designated protected holders with clear access rules    (d) Remove all safety instructions
31. Which approach best demonstrates controlled observational shading? (a) Draw shadows with no reference to lighting    (b) Render details before establishing proportions    (c) Build light-to-dark values gradually while comparing them to the subject    (d) Use identical heavy strokes everywhere
32. All these are consistent with constructing a one-point-perspective interior EXCEPT ________. (a) Mark a single vanishing point    (b) Establish a horizon line    (c) Project receding edges toward that point    (d) Make parallel depth edges converge at unrelated points
33. Which proposed adaptation best demonstrates creativity through improvisation? (a) Copy a dangerous process without supervision    (b) Present unmodified rubbish without a design intention    (c) Substitute unknown chemicals for standard glue    (d) Use cleaned discarded packaging to develop a planned relief or collage
34. Why might a printmaker test a plate before producing the final edition? (a) To guarantee that the subject never needs refinement    (b) To inspect transferred detail and correct registration or inking problems    (c) To replace all planning with guessing    (d) To avoid checking ink coverage
35. During a still-life session, a student draws a pineapple from memory rather than looking at it. Which learning opportunity is lost? (a) Using any colour in the work    (b) Observing the actual contours, proportions and surface texture    (c) Writing a title for the portfolio    (d) Choosing the size of the paper
36. In one-point perspective, lines describing depth generally appear to converge at ________. (a) two randomly selected corners    (b) one vanishing point on the horizon    (c) the centre of every foreground object    (d) the lowest edge of the page only
37. A classroom sketch places the horizon at eye level. If the observer stands higher, the horizon line generally appears ________. (a) invisible in all possible drawings    (b) higher in the picture relative to the scene    (c) always at the bottom of the page    (d) at every object centre simultaneously
38. An art tool has a loose handle but is still usable for a few minutes. Which decision is safest? (a) Lend it to an inexperienced pupil    (b) Increase force to compensate for the movement    (c) Stop using it and arrange repair or replacement    (d) Wrap the grip with wet paper and continue
39. The term ‘negative space’ describes ________. (a) an artist’s disapproval of a subject    (b) a painting with only black paint    (c) the area around and between depicted forms    (d) the lower edge of a sculpture
40. ________ describes the relationship of two colours positioned opposite one another on a conventional colour wheel. (a) complementary    (b) monochromatic    (c) identical in hue    (d) analogous

SECTION B: THEORY (30 Marks)
Instruction: Answer Question 1 and any other TWO questions. Each question carries 10 marks. Each sub-question carries 5 marks.

Question 1 (10 Marks)
(a) A studio has open solvent, loose blades and a blocked doorway. Complete a three-hazard risk assessment and recommend two general safety practices. (5 marks)
(b) Design the message and layout of a safety poster and explain five choices that would make it effective. (5 marks)

Question 2 (10 Marks)
(a) Describe five steps for improvising a simple stamped or carved artwork from safe locally available materials. (5 marks)
(b) Explain these five terms in a studio critique: texture, negative space, tonal value, contour and composition. (5 marks)

Question 3 (10 Marks)
(a) Describe the differences between blending, cross-hatching, collage and printing, and give one suitable art task for any one of them. (5 marks)
(b) Refer to Figure B and give five labelled drawing instructions for a one-point-perspective street or corridor. (5 marks)

Question 4 (10 Marks)
(a) Describe the use of complementary, analogous and monochromatic colour schemes, with two examples of design effects. (5 marks)
(b) Explain five observable features that should guide a tonal life study of a posed model and still-life objects. (5 marks)

OBJECTIVE MARKING SCHEME (40 Marks)
Question 1 – ✅ (c) Control pressure and blend marks carefully where suitable
Question 2 – ✅ (b) Keep people clear and notify the supervisor for safe isolation of the hazard
Question 3 – ✅ (a) It makes highlights, shadows and volume easier to observe
Question 4 – ✅ (d) Complementary contrast increases visual emphasis
Question 5 – ✅ (d) Highlight at upper left, graded midtone and darker side away from the light
Question 6 – ✅ (d) Direct their apparent recession toward a common vanishing point
Question 7 – ✅ (c) A clean carved soft-foam surface
Question 8 – ✅ (d) Reduce the apparent size of distant frames as they recede
Question 9 – ✅ (a) isolate the area and use the designated supervised disposal procedure
Question 10 – ✅ (b) Describe how visual weight is distributed across the composition
Question 11 – ✅ (b) Identify hazards, estimate likely harm and agree on controls
Question 12 – ✅ (a) suggesting spatial depth on a flat surface
Question 13 – ✅ (b) Occlusion showing which fruit is in front
Question 14 – ✅ (d) parallel receding lines appear to meet in the picture
Question 15 – ✅ (a) It allows specific discussion of techniques, effects and revisions
Question 16 – ✅ (b) Vary values according to the direction and strength of the light
Question 17 – ✅ (d) subtractive pigment colour mixing
Question 18 – ✅ (a) The material’s strength and suitability for the planned form
Question 19 – ✅ (c) Application techniques that affect opacity and colour depth
Question 20 – ✅ (a) The depth edges extending away from the front face
Question 21 – ✅ (c) Eating beside exposed paint pigments and chemical materials
Question 22 – ✅ (a) Use quick gesture studies to capture the essential action before details
Question 23 – ✅ (c) Relationships of lightness and darkness
Question 24 – ✅ (c) Relative width-to-height measurements from observation
Question 25 – ✅ (a) Sketch the design, remove small amounts carefully and refine the relief
Question 26 – ✅ (b) It communicates the required action quickly and understandably
Question 27 – ✅ (d) An analogous colour scheme
Question 28 – ✅ (a) It helps reduce exposure to potentially harmful vapours and dust
Question 29 – ✅ (d) collage when assembled as a two-dimensional composition
Question 30 – ✅ (c) Store sharp tools in designated protected holders with clear access rules
Question 31 – ✅ (c) Build light-to-dark values gradually while comparing them to the subject
Question 32 – ✅ (d) Make parallel depth edges converge at unrelated points
Question 33 – ✅ (d) Use cleaned discarded packaging to develop a planned relief or collage
Question 34 – ✅ (b) To inspect transferred detail and correct registration or inking problems
Question 35 – ✅ (b) Observing the actual contours, proportions and surface texture
Question 36 – ✅ (b) one vanishing point on the horizon
Question 37 – ✅ (b) higher in the picture relative to the scene
Question 38 – ✅ (c) Stop using it and arrange repair or replacement
Question 39 – ✅ (c) the area around and between depicted forms
Question 40 – ✅ (a) complementary

THEORY MARKING SCHEME (Answer 3 × 10 = 30 Marks)
Question 1 (10 Marks)
(a) 5 marks: solvent 1, sharp blades 1, blocked exit 1, supervision 1, hygiene/ventilation 1.
(b) 5 marks: clear heading 1, appropriate icon 1, concise action 1, readable contrast 1, logical placement 1.
Question 2 (10 Marks)
(a) 5 marks: choose 1, clean/inspect 1, plan sketch 1, prepare safely 1, test/refine 1.
(b) 5 marks: one accurate contextual explanation of each term, 1 each.
Question 3 (10 Marks)
(a) 5 marks: four distinctions 4, task 1.
(b) 5 marks: horizon 1, vanishing point 1, receding lines 1, diminution 1, consistent verticals 1.
Question 4 (10 Marks)
(a) 5 marks: three schemes 3, two effects 2.
(b) 5 marks: proportions 1, contours 1, highlights 1, shadow 1, texture/overlap 1.