Design - Question 7
Question 7 tests your knowledge and understanding of designs you have studied on the course.
- Your response should be based on one design you have studied.
- You will be asked to explain two elements relating to your selected design work and to explain how social, cultural and/or other influences impacted on the design work.
- This question is worth 10 marks.
- To gain full marks, you must respond to all of the prompts in the question and make ten relevant, fully justified points.
- You must give a balanced response as there is a maximum of four marks available for each question prompt.
You can prepare for this question by learning about:
- consideration of The purpose of a design. For example, the function of a chair is to be sat on. The function of packaging is to contain and protect the contents.
- use of materials and/or technology
- use of techniques
- working methods
- consideration of aesthetics
- consideration of style
- consideration of The group of people a product is made for.
- use of one visual element from line, tone, colour, texture, shape, form, pattern
- impact of social, cultural, and/or other influences
There are many influences which can impact on design works, including:
- other designers/design movements
- local, national and world events
- different cultures and popular culture
- their environment
- living conditions and personal circumstances
- family and community
- politics
- belief
- gender
- health and wellbeing
- technology
- developments in other areas, eg science, literature, music
You could begin your response by stating which design work you have selected, for example:
I have selected the Chrysler Building by William Van Alen from 1930.
Another way to introduce your selected design work is to give a heading:
The Wassily Chair by Marcel Bruer
You must refer to the specific selected design throughout your response. If you discuss other works or the designers’ work in general you will not gain marks. You cannot be awarded marks for giving biographical information which you have not related to the impact on selected design work.
Information given must be factually correct. Marks cannot be awarded for points which contain incorrect information. Your comments must show that you have studied the design work.
Compare the following examples:
Lalique designed the Dragonfly corsage for the catwalk. It was designed to appeal to women of all ages.
= 0 marks
The Dragonfly corsage was designed specifically for the famous French actress, Sarah Bernhardt. The exotic style and the large scale of the one-off piece reflected her charismatic personality.
= 1 mark
