Overview
The Art-Making Inquiries Portfolio (AIP) is a core assessment task in the IB DP Visual Arts course, weighted at 40% for SL and 30% for HL. It provides evidence of a student’s creative and conceptual development over time, shaped through inquiry, contextual research, experimentation, and artistic reflection.
🔹 At Art-Ed Hub, and in line with IB guidance, we recommend constructing the AIP at the end of the course, once resolved artworks have been completed.
This enables students to look back with clarity, select works with intention, and reflect authentically on their journey, rather than building a portfolio from a checklist.
Throughout the course, students develop one or more lines of inquiry that guide their exploration. These inquiries are supported by generative statements, contextual references, and personal reflection, allowing students to grow an authentic voice and artistic identity. The AIP captures that journey, structured explicitly around the assessment objectives.
Understanding the Assessment Objectives
The AIP is assessed using four key objectives: Curate, Investigate, Generate, and Refine. These assessment objectives are not just for the final portfolio; they provide a framework for teaching and learning throughout the course.
Teachers are encouraged to work with these objectives from the outset, helping students develop the skills, habits, and language they’ll need to articulate their process with confidence and integrity.
| Assessment Objective | What It Looks Like in Practice |
|---|---|
|
Curate |
A coherent, intentional selection of works that communicate the student’s evolving ideas and artistic identity.
Focus: How do your chosen works form a meaningful narrative?
Prompt: “What role does each piece play in telling the story of your artistic development?”
|
|
Investigate |
A thoughtful exploration of materials, artists, and ideas demonstrating contextual understanding and influence.
Focus: What informed your choices?
Prompt: “How did other artists, techniques, or cultural ideas shape your work?”
|
|
Generate |
Original and relevant ideas rooted in personal experience or broader cultural/contextual themes.
Focus: What ideas matter most to you, and how do you express them?
Prompt: “Where do your ideas come from, and how do you develop them visually?” |
|
Refine |
Evidence of risk-taking, revision, and growth: showing how the student’s process evolved through feedback and self-evaluation.
Focus: How has your work developed over time?
Prompt: “What changed, and why? What did you learn along the way?”
|
What’s Included in This Sample
This AIP sample includes:
- A full student portfolio built through authentic inquiry
- Teacher commentary addressing each of the assessment objectives
- A student-friendly assessment sheet to support reflection and clarity
- A visual overview of the AIP rubric for use in teaching and self-assessment
These resources have been created with care to honour the student’s voice while offering clear, structured support for teachers navigating the new course.
Sample
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Assessment
This content is for Art-Ed Hub members
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More IB Samples
AP (Artist Project)
CS (Connections Study)
RA (Resolved Artworks)
