Overview
The Resolved Artworks (RA) is a core assessment task for SL students in the IB DP Visual Arts course, weighted at 40% of the final grade. It asks students to present a curated body of five resolved artworks, accompanied by a written rationale that communicates their artistic intentions, decision-making, and process of realization.
This task is about more than technical finish. It’s about resolution: the point where concept and form come together in a body of work that communicates meaning, intention, and coherence.
🔹 At Art-Ed Hub, we help students approach this task with both freedom and clarity.
Coherence doesn’t mean repetition. Students can show variety across media, themes, and styles as long as the works are connected by a clear curatorial thread and thoughtful intention.
Understanding the Assessment Objectives
The RA is assessed using three key assessment objectives: Resolve, Synthesize, and Curate. These objectives guide the creation, selection, and articulation of the artworks and supporting rationale.
| Assessment Objective | What It Looks Like in Practice |
|---|---|
|
Resolve |
The artworks demonstrate strong technical execution and artistic control.
Focus: How well have your ideas been realized through form and media?
Prompt: “Does your work show clarity, completion, and intention?” |
|
Synthesize |
Each artwork shows a meaningful integration of concept and form. Across the body of work, connections between artistic choices, context, and intention are clear.
Focus: How do your artworks speak to one another and to your overarching intention?
Prompt: “What ideas hold your work together?” |
|
Curate |
The selection and presentation of the artworks and rationale is intentional, coherent, and communicative.
Focus: How do your choices as curator shape what the audience understands and experiences?
Prompt: “What do these five works say when viewed together—and why these five?” |
The Role of the Rationale
Students must submit a written rationale (up to 700 words) that:
- Presents their artistic intentions and the overall meaning of the body of work
- Reflects on key technical, stylistic, and conceptual choices
- Articulates the connections among the five artworks
- Demonstrates how their intentions evolved through the process
More than a justification, the rationale is a window into the student’s thinking. When written clearly and thoughtfully, it transforms the five artworks from a set into a narrative.
What’s Included in This Sample
This RA sample includes:
- A full submission of five resolved artworks
- A student-written rationale, aligned with top band expectations
- Teacher commentary addressing each assessment objective
- A student-friendly assessment sheet for classroom use
- A visual breakdown of the RA rubric
This sample shows what’s possible when students are given the space to make meaningful work, and the tools to present it clearly, confidently, and with curatorial care.
Sample
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Assessment
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More IB Samples
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AP (Artist Project)
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