This key knowledge in Unit 3 AoS 2 focuses on the application of materials, techniques and processes in the actual making of artworks — moving beyond experimentation to deliberate, purposeful use in service of resolved artworks.
These three terms are closely related but distinct:
| Term | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | The physical substances used | Lino block, oil-based ink, Japanese paper |
| Techniques | The specific methods of application | Relief cutting, inking with a roller, rubbing to print |
| Processes | The ordered sequence of actions | Cutting the block → inking → registering → printing → signing the edition |
In practice, materials, techniques and processes are always discussed together because each depends on the others.
The choice of specific art form determines which materials and techniques are available and appropriate. Students must demonstrate knowledge of:
Painting
- Ground preparation (canvas, board, paper; priming with gesso)
- Paint types and their properties: oil, acrylic, gouache, watercolour, tempera
- Application techniques: brush, palette knife, sponge, pouring, dripping
- Layering approaches: glazing (transparent layers), impasto (thick application), mixed media integration
Printmaking
- Surface preparation (lino, wood, zinc/copper plate, screen mesh)
- Image-making techniques (cutting, etching, drawing on stone/plate)
- Inking and printing procedures
- Edition production and numbering
Drawing
- Dry media: graphite, charcoal, conté, pastel
- Wet media: ink, watercolour wash
- Support selection (paper weight, texture, tone)
- Tonal and mark-making techniques
Ceramics
- Clay body selection and preparation
- Hand-building and wheel-throwing methods
- Kiln firing stages: bisque, glaze/glost
- Surface treatments: glazing, slip decoration, sgraffito, burnishing
The making process involves ongoing decision-making:
- when to stop developing an area and move on
- when a technique is not achieving the intended effect and must be changed
- how to resolve technical problems without losing the aesthetic quality sought
- when an artwork is sufficiently resolved
These decisions should be documented in the Visual Arts journal as they occur.
Every material and technical choice produces specific aesthetic qualities:
APPLICATION: “I chose oil paint for this work because its extended working time allowed me to develop the subtle tonal gradations in the figure’s skin without the edges drying before I could blend them, producing the soft, almost photographic quality I was seeking.”
KEY TAKEAWAY: In VCE AME, material and technique choices are never neutral — they determine what aesthetic qualities are achievable and what communicative effects are possible. Always justify your choices in terms of their outcomes.
EXAM TIP: If asked to “discuss the materials, techniques and processes used to make your artwork,” structure your response in order: name the material, explain its properties, describe the technique used, describe the process, and state the aesthetic quality produced. One paragraph per major material is a useful structure.
