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VCE Stuff => VCE Arts => VCE Arts/Humanities/Health => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Visual Communication and Design => Topic started by: lalala1 on October 12, 2014, 04:58:42 pm

Title: Picking up unit 3 & 4? without unit 1 and 2??
Post by: lalala1 on October 12, 2014, 04:58:42 pm
I was wondering if I were to pick up unit 3 and 4 for year 12, would i struggle a lot? is the content based on unit 1 and 2 knowledge??  Because for subjects like Bm and psych you do not need units 1 and 2?

ps. i have not done any vcd subject before,   only did 2d art in year 10 !
Title: Re: Picking up unit 3 & 4? without unit 1 and 2??
Post by: shinymeowstic on October 14, 2014, 11:30:10 am
Hello!
I would highly suggest buying one of the VCD textbooks - there are a few of them, and read them during the school holidays to get the ideas and concepts fro units 1 and 2.
VCD requires a lot of terms and things to remember, I'd mainly suggest looking at design fields, the design process, principles and elements (if you've done studio arts or other arts subjects they're pretty much the same), as well as technical drawing (mainly orthogonals, as they have a LOT of rules).

I can give you a quick run down of what the course is like - first of all, you'll do a few small SAC and SAT tasks, and then a folio that is due in September. You can do your folio on anything you want, usually people tend to do logo designs, however it needs to be based in communication, environmental and/or industrial design. For example, my folio was to fit the brief of creating a cartoon cat character and a book cover for it. It requires 2 final presentations. I'd recommend finding other VCD students and looking at their folios. I can send you some photos of my folio once I get it back, if you'd like. I also recommend going to top designs to get inspiration!!

Overall I really enjoyed VCD. However, be wary of the exam, as its only one hour and a half and you have a LOT to do in the exam for that short time frame.
The main thing I struggle with is the technical drawing as I'm a more free based art student, but if you can get the basics of technical drawing down pat, you'll be fine.
You WILL need to study some units 1/2 stuff to get a good score for your SACs/SATs, but its possible and isn't too hard to do!
Title: Re: Picking up unit 3 & 4? without unit 1 and 2??
Post by: alexander15 on October 15, 2014, 01:52:12 pm
Hey!
I think that you should be fine. I was in the same boat this year, and am doing VCD without doing 1/2, so I speak from experience.
The subject is pretty straight forward, and the vast majority of the "theory" can simply be wrote learnt.
The initial SAC's combine to make on 25% of your study score, so you are able get used to the subject before you have to complete anything that will drastically effect your score.

Only advice i have is to have a look through a textbook, or even notes on here just to grasp the basics (i.e. elements and principles, drawing methods etc.). The majority of the things taught in 1/2 will be retaught in Unit 3. So you should be fine as long as you're organised :) 
Title: Re: Picking up unit 3 & 4? without unit 1 and 2??
Post by: lalala1 on October 18, 2014, 08:09:18 pm
thank you for replying :)  i  just don't know if i'll be to handle viscom in year 12 with all my other subjects. as it is a folio subject... i guess that was why i was put off from choosing an artsy subject.. everyone saying it is just so time consuming, and i obviously want to do well in other subjects as well. 
but i am hoping i can do 4 subjects next year, so possibly viscom will be replacing a subject,,  (if i really struggle with chem next year!)

also, did you guys pick the subject because it related to future jobs etc? or because you purely enjoyed it??
Title: Re: Picking up unit 3 & 4? without unit 1 and 2??
Post by: shinymeowstic on October 19, 2014, 12:30:11 pm
art subjects are really time consuming if you want to get a high score - as they're all marked down, you need to go REALLY well to get a good score.
i have no interest in doing communication design as a career, thanks to the subject aha. I found out I didn't like the structures and restraints that graphic artists are put under, so I'm doing a more fine arts based course as I prefer that much more.
I did enjoy it a lot though!!