CCSA High School VISUAL ARTS ASSESSMENT RUBRIC REV16
Name:
Indicators/
Descriptor for
Portfolio Pieces
Composition:
The plan placement and
arrangement of the elements
art and principles of design in
an artwork.
(Refer to definitions below)
Skill/Technique:
Refers to the ability to render/
draw objects with a level of
authenticity, realism and
proportion.
(Refer to definitions below)
Student Voice:
The act of conveying mood,
sentiment, feeling, spirit and
character in artistic execution;
measures student’s ability to
create expressive powerful
works that clearly reflect the
student’s original point of view.
(Refer to definitions below)
Craftsmanship:
Level of attention to the
finished product and
presentation of the artwork;
measures the student’s effort
and ability to create works that
demonstrate pride of
workmanship.
(Refer to definitions below)
Excellent
5 4
The plan, placement and
arrangement of the
elements of art is excellent.
The application of the
design principles in the
piece is excellent; the
composition is extremely
original/innovative.
Rendering is excellent and
use of materials, tools and
mediums is excellent as is
technique and attention to
detail. Excellent selection
of medium/materials for the
piece.
Excellent use of expressive
qualities that expertly
communicate student’s
point of view; unique, out
of the box.
Excellently crafted;
impeccably clean, free of
unintended marks,
smudges, blotches,
wrinkles, rips and eraser
marks.
Skillful
The plan, placement and
arrangement of the
elements of art is skillful.
The application of the
design principles in the
piece is skillful; the
composition is somewhat
original/innovative.
Rendering and technique
are skillful applied, as is
attention to detail. Objects
may lack authenticity.
Skillful choice of medium/
materials for the piece.
Very good use of
expressive qualities that
effectively communicates
student’s point of view;
somewhat original
Skillfully crafted and mostly
clean, few unintended
marks, smudges, blotches,
wrinkles, rips and/or eraser
marks.
Adequate
3 2
The plan, placement and
arrangement of the elements of
art is adequate. The
application of the design
principles in the piece is good;
the composition is
conventional/predictable.
Rendering and technique are
adequate. Technique
demonstrates little attention to
detail. Objects lack
authenticity and look like drawn
from memory not from
observation. Adequate choice
of medium/material for the
piece.
Adequate use of expressive
qualities though student’s point
of view is somewhat vague;
conventional/predictable.
Adequate craftsmanship;
somewhat unclean, unintended
marks, smudges, blotches,
wrinkles, rips and/or eraser
marks are present.
1 of 4
Grade:
Inadequate
The plan, placement and
arrangement of the elements
of art is inadequate. The
application of the design
principles in a piece is
inadequate; the composition is
imitative/predictable.
Rendering and technique are
inadequate. Technique does
not demonstrate attention to
detail. Objects lack
authenticity and look like
drawn from memory not
observation. Poor choice of
medium/material for the piece.
Inadequate use of expressive
components, the expressive
qualities do not clearly
communicate the student’s
point of view is very vague;
imitative/predictable.
Inadequate craftsmanship;
unclean, unintended marks,
smudges, blotches, wrinkles,
rips and/or eraser marks are
present.
Date:
Unsatisfactory/
Incomplete
1-0
There is no consideration
to the plan of the
composition. The
composition is unoriginal/
unimaginative and/or
taken from copyright and/
or published source.
No skill/technique evident;
no attention to detail. Did
not use medium/material
correctly. Copyright and/
or published image used
as resource.
Use of expressive
qualities is not evident;
piece does not
communicate the
student’s point of view;
unoriginal/contrived.
Taken from copyright and/
or published source.
Unsatisfactory
craftsmanship; messy with
many unintended marks,
smudges, blotches,
wrinkles, rips and/or
eraser marks.
Copyright and/or
published image used as
resource.
 CCSA High School VISUAL ARTS ASSESSMENT RUBRIC REV16 2 of 4
Name: Grade: Date:

REQUIRED Composition Skill/Technique Student Voice Craftsmanship Total

ELEMENTS: 5 4 3 2 1 0 5 4 3 2 1 0 5 4 3 2 1 0 5 4 3 2 1 0
Self-portrait
From Observation

Still-life
From Observation

Human Figure
From Observation

Landscape
From Observation

Additional 1
From Observation

Additional 2
From Observation

Additional 3
From Observation

Additional 4
From Observation

Portfolio Total (160 points) A

 CCSA High School VISUAL ARTS ASSESSMENT RUBRIC REV16 3 of 4

Name: Excellent Skillful Inadequate Unsatisfactory/

4 3 2 Incomplete
1-0
Completely addresses Partially addresses the Does not address the Does not address the
Written Response the questions with a questions may lack a questions explicitly, questions. Writing is
supporting detailed supporting detailed although does so unclear.
explanation. Writing is explanation. Writing is tangentially. No supporting
clear and measured. somewhat clear and details in the explanation.
measured. Writing is somewhat
unclear.

Written Response Total (10 points) B

Portfolio/Written Raw Score (170 points) A+B/170=C C

On-site Excellent Skillful Adequate Inadequate Unsatisfactory/

50 40 30 20 Incomplete
Drawing 10-0
(100 Points)
Composition: The plan, placement and The plan, placement and The plan, placement and The plan, placement and There is no
The plan placement arrangement of the elements of arrangement of the elements arrangement of the elements of arrangement of the elements consideration to the plan
and arrangement of art is excellent. The application of art is skillful. The art is adequate. The application of art is inadequate. The of the composition. The
the elements and of the design principles in the application of the design of the design principles in the application of the design composition is
piece is excellent; the principles in the piece is piece is good; the composition is principles in a piece is unoriginal/unimaginative
principles of design in
composition is extremely skillful; the composition is conventional/predictable. inadequate; the composition and/or taken from
an artwork. original/innovative. somewhat original/innovative. is imitative/predictable. copyright source.
(Refer to definitions
below)

Skill/Technique: Rendering is excellent and use Rendering and technique are Rendering and technique are Rendering and technique are No skill/technique
Refers to the ability to of materials, tools and skillful applied, as is attention adequate. Technique inadequate. Technique does evident; no attention to
render/draw objects mediums is excellent as is to detail. Objects may lack demonstrates little attention to not demonstrates attention to detail. Did not use
with a level of technique and attention to authenticity. Skillful choice of detail. Objects lack authenticity detail. Objects lack medium/material
detail. Excellent selection of medium/materials for the and look like drawn from memory authenticity and look like correctly.
authenticity, realism
medium/materials for the piece. piece. not from observation. Adequate drawn from memory not
and proportion. choice of medium/material for observation. Poor choice of
(Refer to definitions the piece. medium/material for the
below) piece.

On-site Drawing (100 Points) D

C+D/2=FINAL SCORE
 CCSA High School VISUAL ARTS ASSESSMENT RUBRIC REV16 4 of 4

ALL ARTWORKS SUBMITTED MUST BE ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONS CREATED BY THE APPLICANT; PLAGIARIZED
ARTWORKS FROM COPYRIGHTED SOURCES WILL NOT BE SCORED
DEFINITIONS:
Each art submission is measured using four separate components: composition, skill/technique, student voice and craftsmanship.
Composition: The plan, placement and arrangement of the elements of art, and the application of the design principles in a piece; measures
student’s ability to affectively design the picture plane.
Skill and technique: Rendering and use of materials, tools and mediums; measures student’s knowledge, aptitude and ability to render with
authenticity, and make appropriate choices regarding materials, tools and mediums used for intended outcome/product.
Student’s Voice: The act of conveying mood, sentiment, feeling, spirit and character in artistic execution; measures student’s ability to create
expressive powerful works that clearly reflect the student’s original point of view and communicate.
Craftsmanship: Level of attention to the finished product and presentation of the artwork; measures the student’s effort and ability to create
artworks that demonstrate pride of workmanship.
Portfolio and On-site Drawing are weighted equally. The portfolio/written total is 170 points, and the onsite drawing total is 100 points;
these scores are averaged together.

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