Art and Design - Level 1
Start Date: 1st September 2026
- Length 1 year
- Study Full-Time
- Location Rye Hill Campus
Qualification Gained
Level 1 BTEC Introductory Diploma in Vocational Studies (Art and Design)
Levels ExplainedMore about the course
Fall back in love with learning and study this fun Art and Design course.
Level 1 Art and Design is the perfect course if you are interested in studying in and progressing into the creative industries. Whether you weren’t able to study or gain an Art and Design GCSE at school or if you weren’t able to achieve your English or maths, this is the course for you.
At Newcastle College you’ll have a hands-on experience as you learn about and develop skills in painting, 3D design, textiles, ceramics and illustration.
You will develop digital skills on our in-house Mac labs and engage in an exciting art-based practise in creative studios inspired through regular trips to museums and galleries across Newcastle.
Our tutors are working artists who will help you discover your own artistic voice in a supportive environment, where there is no such thing as a wrong answer.
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Art and Design at Newcastle College
What can I do with a qualification in Art and Design?
Daily tasks:
- Produces works on commission basis for clients.
- Markets and sells finished work directly to customers.
- Liaises with writers and publishers to produce book illustrations.
- Uses artistic skills to restore damaged artworks.
- Approaches managers of galleries and exhibitions in order to get finished work displayed.
- Builds up composition into finished work by carving, sculpting, etching, painting, engraving, drawing, etc..
- Prepares sketches, scale drawings or colour schemes.
- Selects appropriate materials, medium and method.
- Onceives and develops ideas and ways of working for artistic composition.
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Daily tasks:
- Observes and manages intellectual property issues.
- Specifies materials, production method and finish for aesthetic or functional effect, and oversees production of sample and/or finished product.
- Submits design to management, sales department or client for approval, communicates design rationale and makes any necessary alterations.
- Prepares sketches, designs, mock-ups and storyboards for consideration by theatre/film director or client.
- Prepares sketches, designs, patterns or prototypes for textiles, clothing, footwear, jewellery, fashion accessories, set props, wigs, ceramics, plastics, motor vehicles, domestic appliances and engineering products.
- Undertakes research to determine market trends, production requirements, availability of resources and formulates design concepts.
- Liaises with client to determine the purpose, cost, technical specification and potential uses/users of product.
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Daily tasks:
- Manages health and safety and carries out design stage risk assessments.
- Evaluates and advises on refurbishment, recycling and deconstruction of buildings.
- Administers contracts and certification and manages project handover.
- Monitors compliance with design, statutory and professional requirements, undertakes stage inspections.
- Prepares and presents design proposals and manages and coordinates design team.
- Advises on environmental, regulatory and legal requirements and assesses environmental impact.
- Advises clients on methods of project procurement and forms of contract.
- Develops construction project briefs and design programmes.
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Daily tasks:
- Writes reports for funding bids and planning authorities and acts as expert witness.
- Examines accident 'backspots' to improve road safety.
- Assesses schemes to manage traffic such as congestion charging and parking controls.
- Forecasts the impact on traffic and transport of new developments (e.g. shopping centre).
- Records, monitors and reports progress.
- Identifies defects in work and proposes corrections.
- Regularly inspects and monitors progress and quality of work, ensures legal requirements are met.
- Hires and may supervise site staff, establishes temporary site offices, takes delivery of materials.
- Plans work schedules for construction projects based on prior discussion with architects, surveyors etc..
- Assembles information for invoicing at the end of projects.
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Daily tasks:
- Checks that completed work conforms to specifications.
- Issues development permits as authorised.
- Surveys land and property uses and prepares report for planning authority.
- Liaises with engineers and building contractors regarding technical construction problems and attends site meetings on behalf of architect.
- Prepares building plans, drawings and specifications for use by contractors.
- Investigates proposed design with regard to practicality, cost and use.
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Daily tasks:
- Measures, cuts, pins, sews and trims fabrics to make curtains, cushions, loose covers and similar soft furnishings.
- Replaces covering, padding, webbing or springs to repair upholstered furniture.
- Encases bed springs and padding with selected covering material by hand or machine stitching and fits castors where required.
- Operates machine to compress padded spring assemblies and inserts them into mattress covers.
- Pins sections of coverings together, joins by sewing and inserts trims, braids and buttons as required and fits upholstery unit to frame.
- Pads springs and secures padding by stitching, stapling, tacking, etc..
- Tacks and staples or otherwise secures webbing to furniture frame.
- Measures frame to be covered or examines drawings or other specifications and cuts material with shears, knife or scissors.
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What can I do with a qualification in Art and Design?
Artists
Daily tasks:
- Produces works on commission basis for clients.
- Markets and sells finished work directly to customers.
- Liaises with writers and publishers to produce book illustrations.
- Uses artistic skills to restore damaged artworks.
- Approaches managers of galleries and exhibitions in order to get finished work displayed.
- Builds up composition into finished work by carving, sculpting, etching, painting, engraving, drawing, etc..
- Prepares sketches, scale drawings or colour schemes.
- Selects appropriate materials, medium and method.
- Onceives and develops ideas and ways of working for artistic composition.
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Product, clothing and related designers
Daily tasks:
- Observes and manages intellectual property issues.
- Specifies materials, production method and finish for aesthetic or functional effect, and oversees production of sample and/or finished product.
- Submits design to management, sales department or client for approval, communicates design rationale and makes any necessary alterations.
- Prepares sketches, designs, mock-ups and storyboards for consideration by theatre/film director or client.
- Prepares sketches, designs, patterns or prototypes for textiles, clothing, footwear, jewellery, fashion accessories, set props, wigs, ceramics, plastics, motor vehicles, domestic appliances and engineering products.
- Undertakes research to determine market trends, production requirements, availability of resources and formulates design concepts.
- Liaises with client to determine the purpose, cost, technical specification and potential uses/users of product.
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Chartered Architectural Technologists
Daily tasks:
- Manages health and safety and carries out design stage risk assessments.
- Evaluates and advises on refurbishment, recycling and deconstruction of buildings.
- Administers contracts and certification and manages project handover.
- Monitors compliance with design, statutory and professional requirements, undertakes stage inspections.
- Prepares and presents design proposals and manages and coordinates design team.
- Advises on environmental, regulatory and legal requirements and assesses environmental impact.
- Advises clients on methods of project procurement and forms of contract.
- Develops construction project briefs and design programmes.
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Construction Project Managers and Related Professionals
Daily tasks:
- Writes reports for funding bids and planning authorities and acts as expert witness.
- Examines accident 'backspots' to improve road safety.
- Assesses schemes to manage traffic such as congestion charging and parking controls.
- Forecasts the impact on traffic and transport of new developments (e.g. shopping centre).
- Records, monitors and reports progress.
- Identifies defects in work and proposes corrections.
- Regularly inspects and monitors progress and quality of work, ensures legal requirements are met.
- Hires and may supervise site staff, establishes temporary site offices, takes delivery of materials.
- Plans work schedules for construction projects based on prior discussion with architects, surveyors etc..
- Assembles information for invoicing at the end of projects.
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Architectural and Town Planning Technicians
Daily tasks:
- Checks that completed work conforms to specifications.
- Issues development permits as authorised.
- Surveys land and property uses and prepares report for planning authority.
- Liaises with engineers and building contractors regarding technical construction problems and attends site meetings on behalf of architect.
- Prepares building plans, drawings and specifications for use by contractors.
- Investigates proposed design with regard to practicality, cost and use.
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Upholsterers
Daily tasks:
- Measures, cuts, pins, sews and trims fabrics to make curtains, cushions, loose covers and similar soft furnishings.
- Replaces covering, padding, webbing or springs to repair upholstered furniture.
- Encases bed springs and padding with selected covering material by hand or machine stitching and fits castors where required.
- Operates machine to compress padded spring assemblies and inserts them into mattress covers.
- Pins sections of coverings together, joins by sewing and inserts trims, braids and buttons as required and fits upholstery unit to frame.
- Pads springs and secures padding by stitching, stapling, tacking, etc..
- Tacks and staples or otherwise secures webbing to furniture frame.
- Measures frame to be covered or examines drawings or other specifications and cuts material with shears, knife or scissors.
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Good to know
How to Make an Application
College or Sixth Form. What's the difference?
16 to 18 Support
Student Life
What's happening?
December Open Event
Rye Hill Campus
Wednesday 3rd December 2025
5:00pm - 7:00pm
Newcastle College University Centre Open Event
Rye Hill Campus
Saturday 6th December 2025
9:00am - 1:00pm
Newcastle College University Centre Virtual Degree Event
Rye Hill Campus
Tuesday 9th December 2025
6:00pm - 7:00pm
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