NES Art (503) Practice Tests

Competencies 0001–0002 make up about 11% of the test. They ask you to understand the elements of art; understand the principles of design.

• Competency 0001: Understand the elements of art. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of the elements of art (i.e., color, line, shape, form, texture, value, space); Analyze how the elements of art have been used to achieve specific effects or communicate ideas in given works of art; Compare and contrast ways in which the elements of art are used in two different artworks; Analyze the characteristics and qualities of the elements of art in a given work of art.
• Competency 0002: Understand the principles of design. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of design (e.g., balance, contrast, unity, variety, emphasis, harmony, repetition, rhythm, pattern, movement); Analyze how principles of design are used to achieve specific effects or communicate ideas in a given work of art; Compare and contrast how principles of design have been used in two different artworks. 6/11.

Competencies 0003–0008 make up about 33% of the test. They ask you to understand media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes used in drawing; understand media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes used in painting; understand media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes used in printmaking, and more.

• Competency 0003: Understand media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes used in drawing. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various media, tools, and technologies employed in drawing; Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various techniques and processes employed in drawing; Demonstrate knowledge of how the selection of particular media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes affects meaning or expression in any given drawing; Demonstrate knowledge of safety and the proper use and care of media, tools, and technologies used in the creation of drawings.
• Competency 0004: Understand media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes used in painting. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various media, tools, and technologies employed in painting; Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various techniques and processes employed in painting; Demonstrate knowledge of how the selection of particular media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes affects meaning or expression in any given painting; Demonstrate knowledge of safety and the proper use and care of media, tools, and technologies used in the creation of paintings.
• Competency 0005: Understand media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes used in printmaking. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various media, tools, and technologies employed in printmaking; Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various techniques and processes employed in printmaking; Demonstrate knowledge of how the selection of particular media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes affects meaning or expression in any given print; Demonstrate knowledge of safety and the proper use and care of media, tools, and technologies used in the creation of prints. 6/11.
• Competency 0006: Understand media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes used in sculpture. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various media, tools, and technologies employed in sculpture; Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various techniques and processes employed in sculpture; Demonstrate knowledge of how the selection of particular media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes affects meaning or expression in any given work of sculpture; Demonstrate knowledge of safety and the proper use and care of media, tools, and technologies used in the creation of sculpture.
• Competency 0007: Understand media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes used in photography, video/film art, multimedia arts, and design arts. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various media, tools, and technologies employed in photography, video/film art, multimedia arts, and design arts; Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various techniques and processes employed in photography, video/film art, multimedia arts, and design arts; Demonstrate knowledge of how the selection of particular media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes affects meaning or expression in any given work of photography, video/film art, multimedia arts, and design arts; Demonstrate knowledge of safety and the proper use and care of media, tools, and technologies used in photography, video/film art, multimedia arts, and design arts.
• Competency 0008: Understand media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes used in functional arts, such as ceramics, fiber arts, and jewelry. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various media, tools, and technologies employed in functional arts, such as ceramics, fiber arts, and jewelry; Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various techniques and processes employed in functional arts, such as ceramics, fiber arts, and jewelry; Demonstrate knowledge of how the selection of particular media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes affects meaning or expression in any given work of functional arts, such as ceramics, fiber arts, and jewelry; Demonstrate knowledge of safety and the proper use and care of media, tools, and technologies used in functional arts, such as ceramics, fiber arts, and jewelry. 6/11.

Competencies 0009–0014 make up about 33% of the test. They ask you to understand the purposes and functions of art in cultures and societies throughout history; understand how works of art and architecture relate to their historical context (e.g., political, social, religious, technological); understand how art from various cultures and historical periods influenced and was influenced by art from other groups and historical periods, and more.

• Competency 0009: Understand the purposes and functions of art in cultures and societies throughout history. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of the purposes and functions of art in various cultures of Africa, the Near East, and the Middle East from ancient times to the present; Demonstrate knowledge of the purposes and functions of art in various cultures of Asia and Oceania from ancient times to the present; Demonstrate knowledge of the purposes and functions of art in various cultures of Central and South America from ancient times to the present; Demonstrate knowledge of the purposes and functions of art in various cultures of Europe from ancient times to the present; Demonstrate knowledge of the purposes and functions of art in various cultures of North America from ancient times to the present.
• Competency 0010: Understand how works of art and architecture relate to their historical context (e.g., political, social, religious, technological). Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of how works of art and architecture from various cultures of Africa, the Near East, and the Middle East from ancient times to the present relate to their historical context; Demonstrate knowledge of how works of art and architecture from various cultures of Asia and Oceania from ancient times to the present relate to their historical context; Demonstrate knowledge of how works of art and architecture from various cultures of Central and South America from ancient times to the present relate to their historical context; Demonstrate knowledge of how works of art and architecture from various cultures of Europe from ancient times to the present relate to their historical context; Demonstrate knowledge of how works of art and architecture from various cultures of North America from ancient times to the present relate to their historical context. 6/11 Understand how art from various cultures and historical periods.
• Competency 0011: Understand how art from various cultures and historical periods influenced and was influenced by art from other groups and historical periods. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of how art from various cultures of Africa, the Near East, and the Middle East from ancient times to the present influenced and was influenced by art from other cultures and historical periods; Demonstrate knowledge of how art from various cultures of Asia and Oceania from ancient times to the present influenced and was influenced by art from other cultures and historical periods; Demonstrate knowledge of how art from various cultures of Central and South America from ancient times to the present influenced and was influenced by art from other cultures and historical periods; Demonstrate knowledge of how art from various cultures of Europe from ancient times to the present influenced and was influenced by art from other cultures and historical periods; Demonstrate knowledge of how art from various cultures of North America from ancient times to the present influenced and was influenced by art from other cultures and historical periods.
• Competency 0012: Understand the distinguishing characteristics of art from various cultures. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of the distinguishing characteristics of art from various cultures of Africa, the Near East, and the Middle East from ancient times to the present; Demonstrate knowledge of distinguishing characteristics of art from various cultures of Asia and Oceania from ancient times to the present; Demonstrate knowledge of distinguishing characteristics of art from various cultures of Central and South America from ancient times to the present; Demonstrate knowledge of distinguishing characteristics of art from various cultures of Europe from ancient times to the present; Demonstrate knowledge of distinguishing characteristics of art from various cultures of North America from ancient times to the present.
• Competency 0013: Understand similarities and differences among art forms or artworks from various cultures and historical periods. Skills tested: Analyze the similarities and differences in how the elements and principles of art are used in artworks from various cultures and historical periods; Analyze the similarities and differences in how tools, media, techniques, and processes are used in artworks from various cultures and historical periods; Demonstrate knowledge of how similar themes or subjects have been treated by artists from various cultures or historical periods; Compare and contrast the use of visual symbols in artworks from various cultures and historical periods. 6/11.
• Competency 0014: Understand ways in which visual images may influence current societal issues. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which the works of contemporary artists reflect, play a role in, and influence present-day culture; Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which visual images shape worldwide responses to societal developments or historical events; Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which visual images in popular media and advertising influence culture and society; Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which cultural and social ideas, themes, and concepts (e.g., individual identity, community, power, authority, feminism, environmentalism) are reflected in works of art; Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which changes in culture and society have influenced how viewers respond to given works of art. 6/11.

Competencies 0015–0016 make up about 12% of the test. They ask you to understand aesthetic concepts; understand critical analysis and interpretation of artworks.

• Competency 0015: Understand aesthetic concepts. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate vocabulary used in aesthetic responses; Demonstrate knowledge of aesthetic concepts and processes in addressing aesthetic questions.
• Competency 0016: Understand critical analysis and interpretation of artworks. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate vocabulary used in art criticism; Apply critical processes to describe, analyze, interpret, and evaluate works of art. 6/11.

Competencies 0017–0018 make up about 11% of the test. They ask you to understand connections between visual arts and other disciplines; understand careers and opportunities for lifelong learning in the visual arts.

• Competency 0017: Understand connections between visual arts and other disciplines. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of how ideas, themes, and concepts in the visual arts are expressed in other arts disciplines (i.e., dance, music, theater); Analyze how developments in visual arts and other arts disciplines have influenced each other throughout history; Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which the visual arts and other arts disciplines may be combined to express ideas or themes; Analyze ways in which concepts and themes in other disciplines (e.g., language arts, math, science, social studies) have been explored through the visual arts; Analyze how developments in the visual arts and other disciplines have influenced each other throughout history; Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which the visual arts and other disciplines may be combined to express ideas or themes.
• Competency 0018: Understand careers and opportunities for lifelong learning in the visual arts. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of the innovative thinking and creative problem solving used in various arts-related careers; Demonstrate knowledge of how career skills taught in the arts (e.g., teamwork, use of technology, communication skills) are essential in the global economy; Demonstrate an understanding of career opportunities in the visual arts; Identify the skills and preparation required for careers in the visual arts; Recognize how various professions require creative thinking skills developed through the study of visual art (e.g., medicine, law, urban planning, environmental design); Recognize opportunities for lifelong learning and expression through the visual arts. 6/11.