Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Establish studio practice and produce initial body of work
6–8 weeks (daily or near-daily studio practice)
Establish a consistent studio practice over a minimum of six weeks, working in your primary medium. Produce an initial body of work (minimum eight completed pieces or studies) exploring a single sustained inquiry — a question, material, or formal problem you are investigating. Document each session in a studio log.
Proof required
Submit: (1) photographs of your eight pieces with brief titles and dates, (2) studio log covering all sessions (date, duration, what was made, what was discovered or resolved).
What gets checked
- Eight pieces are present, dated across minimum six weeks — not produced in one weekend
- Studio log covers all sessions with specific observations — not just 'made work'
- Pieces are connected by a single sustained inquiry, not eight unrelated experiments
Common mistakes
- Practice is inconsistent — large gaps between sessions mean the inquiry loses momentum
- Studio log is retrospective — written at the end of the week from memory rather than in-session
- Each piece explores a different question — sustained inquiry is replaced by variety
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
Masteryfor the dedicated
What a verifier looks for
- Check dates on pieces — minimum six weeks of production, not work produced in a short burst
- Verify studio log covers all sessions with specific notes — retrospective logs are easily identified by uniform writing style
- Ask student to identify the inquiry they are pursuing — inability to name it specifically shows practice has not been focused
Develop practice through artist research and material exploration
2–3 weeks (2 hrs/day)
Research a minimum of three artists whose practice is relevant to your inquiry (not just artists you admire generally — specifically relevant to the question you are pursuing). For each, write an artist response (minimum 200 words) explaining how their work informs your practice. Conduct at least two material experiments in response to your research.
Proof required
Submit: (1) three artist research responses (minimum 200 words each, with image references), (2) photographs of two material experiments produced in response to research, (3) a note (minimum half page) explaining what changed in your practice after this research.
What gets checked
- Artist responses are specific to your inquiry — not general appreciation
- Material experiments are documentably in response to research — the connection is explicit
- Practice change note identifies at least two specific influences on subsequent work
Common mistakes
- Artist research is biographical rather than practice-focused — 'Rothko was born in Latvia' rather than 'Rothko's use of scale creates...'
- Material experiments are unrelated to research — the connection between reading and making is not demonstrated
- Practice change note is vague — 'it inspired me' without specifying what changed in the work
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
Masteryfor the dedicated
What a verifier looks for
- Check artist research responses are practice-specific — biographical summaries don't demonstrate critical engagement
- Verify material experiments are visibly in response to research — ask student to explain the connection
- Ask student: what did you try that didn't work, and what did you do next? Inability to describe failure in the experiments suggests they were superficial
Present practice to tutor critique and produce reflective statement
1–2 weeks (including critique session)
Present your body of work and artist research to your tutor or a practicing artist in a sustained critique session (minimum 30 minutes). Document specific challenges raised about your work and practice. Produce a reflective practice statement (minimum 400 words) articulating your inquiry, your approach, and what the critique revealed.
Proof required
Submit: (1) critique session record (date, reviewer, specific challenges raised — minimum half page), (2) reflective practice statement (minimum 400 words).
What gets checked
- Critique record documents specific challenges to work and practice — not 'the tutor liked the pieces'
- Reflective statement articulates a specific inquiry — not a general statement about art
- Reflective statement responds to critique — not written before the session
Common mistakes
- Critique session is too short to generate real challenge — 10-minute feedback is not a sustained critique
- Reflective statement is written before the critique — not shaped by what was challenged
- Statement describes what the work looks like rather than what inquiry it pursues
Resources
Foundationstart here
What a verifier looks for
- Verify critique session was minimum 30 minutes — shorter sessions don't generate the depth needed
- Check critique record documents specific challenges, not general feedback
- Ask student: what is the central question your practice is pursuing? If they can't articulate it in one sentence, the reflective statement needs more work
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