CBSE Class 12 Fine Arts Syllabus 2026-27

FINE ARTS Subject Code: 049 TO 052 Class XII (2026-27)

Arts can broadly be classified into the Visual, Literary, and Performing Arts. It involves innovative and imaginative ways of expression in different forms using a variety of material and media.

NEP 2020 helps students to utilize various aspects and forms of art and culture as the basis for learning concepts across subjects. A part of the thrust on experiential learning, art-integrated education, embedded in classroom transactions, not only creates joyful learning but helps in imbibing the Indian ethos through the knowledge of Indian art and culture.

Art in School Education addresses the Goals and Competencies for every student to find diverse ways of persisting and solving problems. We not only create an artwork, but also enjoy the experience of viewing and responding to many forms of cultural expression. When they create artwork together and work collaboratively, they recognize one another's strengths and develop deeper connections with the world around them. Such a process nurtures empathy, appreciation, cooperation, and trust, all of which are fundamental for developing social and human values, such as ahimsa, love, compassion, friendship, and peaceful co-existence. As a common language, the Arts bring people together and lead them to develop acceptance, understanding, and mutual respect

Art classes involve three important processes—making artwork, thinking creatively in the Arts, and appreciating all forms of artistic expression down the ages. This immersive experience of producing art improves cognition, leaving a positive and long-lasting impact on the development of aesthetic sensibilities, expression, imagination, observation, crafting skills, creativity, and students' overall confidence in their own abilities.

Aims

Through Art students should be able to connect with their culture and appreciate the diversity of artistic expressions. For an effective Art Education programme, schools must aim to achieve:

1. Joy in exploring and creating artwork: This would mean gaining a variety of aesthetic experiences and deriving joy from all forms of art.
2. Imagination and creativity: Acquiring and applying creative thinking and artistic capacities through experimentation and sustained practice in the Arts is at the heart of Art Education.
3. Empathy and sensitivity: Meaningful experience in the Arts has great potential to nurture empathy and sensitivity towards the expressions of others.
4. Understanding of connections with other disciplines: The Arts teaches appreciation of beauty in nature and the observation of details and patterns. This approach to the understanding of disciplines makes for aesthetic experiences in themselves.

e. Sense of belonging: Through artistic engagement, students will find connections

to their own culture and traditions, as well as learn an appreciation for India's multicultural diversity and knowledge of contemporary artists and art practices.

1. Development of Aesthetic Sensibilities: Students should be able to describe the characteristics of things they find beautiful, do subjective interpretations, assess the aesthetic qualities of artwork based on the commonly accepted criteria in the Arts and expand their 'tastes' by participating in art processes.

Art Education deals with developing creativity, aesthetic sensibilities, cultural literacy which familiarizes them with significant events, figures, and works of literature, that have shaped a society and had a lasting impact on its development. This is done through the knowledge of various forms of Visual Arts

Practical & Theory

Art education at Secondary stage focus on giving Emphasis on Process, and not just Product

Artistic processes, such as ideation, creation, presentation, response, review, and making connections, ensures development of cognitive, affective, psychomotor, socio-emotional, and language while learning the Arts as thinking, making, and appreciation processes are fundamental to Art Education.

Thinking processes refer to a wide range of cognitive activities while working in the Arts. The first is the process of generating ideas and innovating while creating artwork. The second is understanding and applying the elements of various Art forms (point, line, shape & form, colour, shape tones, texture, space.)

The third is inquiry and critical probing into art practices and aesthetic experiences. The fourth is to attempt newer, reasonable interpretations while working in the Arts. The fifth is to connect the Arts with other knowledge as well as one's own experiences.

Making processes are related to the execution and production of artwork. These processes engage the mind and body for expressing ideas and feelings. This includes use of materials, tools, and other resources. The making processes also focus on exploring techniques, refining skills, and practicing creative improvisation while producing artwork.

Appreciation processes begin with the exposure to a wide range of art forms, artists, and their practices through structured Art sessions or through the local environment and culture. This develops an awareness of how the Arts communicate a variety of expressions. Furthermore, the process reveals how these expressions are interpreted differently by every individual. While viewing Art, one also needs to consider the social, historical, and contextual background of an artwork and its viewers. Responding to art also requires the ability to describe aesthetic experiences and share personal interpretations or viewpoints. The capacity to assess artwork and develop aesthetic judgement is also an important part of the appreciation processes. All these processes are interlinked and cannot be addressed in isolation if a meaningful and complete art learning experience is desired.

A student may offer any one of the following courses:

1. Painting (Code No.049) OR
2. Graphics (Code No.050) OR
3. Sculpture (Code No.051) OR
4. Applied Art-Commercial Art (Code No.052)

The following art terminologies for all the four subjects are prescribed for reference and general enrichment.

Shadanga: "Roopabhedah- The knowledge of form

Six limbs of Indian Painting and proportion, including the difference

between forms Pramanan- Measurement and structure

Bhava- Expression and emotion

Lavanya-Yojanam Sadrishyam- Aesthetic composition and

grace in art Varnakabhangam- Use of colour

2 Fundamentals of Visual Arts The seven Elements Point, line, shape & form, colour, tones,

texture and space. The seven principles Unity, harmony, balance, rhythm,

emphasis, proportion and contrast

3 Media of Composition Sketching, drawings in vertical, horizontal

format in two and three dimensions using

Drawing, Technique Style foreshortening, perspective, eye level,

fixed point of view, vanishing point, ratio-

Materials proportion. Still-life, landscape, anatomy,

abstraction and stylization. Transparent

and opaque techniques using various

kinds of locally available materials such

as Paper or Surface - Cartridge, Canvas

and Hard- board, handmade Sheet

Colours-Charcoal, Soft Pastels, Oil

Pastels Crayons, Natural Colours, Earth

colours Pencil, Water, Acrylic, Poster,

Inks etc.. 4 Painting Paintings, Wall-Mural, Collage, Mosaic,

Fresco, Installation Art, New and Digital

art etc.

5 Sculpture Relief and round sculpture, modeling with

clay, terra-cotta, carving in wood, stone,

bronze casting, plaster of paris and metal

welding, 3D Printing etc.

6 Graphics Linocut, relief printing, etching, lithography, silkscreen printing, offset

printing.

7 Applied Art – Commercial Calligraphy, Book cover design and Art illustration, cartoon, poster, Advertisements, newspaper and magazine, animation and printing processes, photography, computer- graphic, digital art, hoarding and Television, letter press and offset

printing

8 Portfolio Assessment Sketch file, artworks done during the Method entire two year related to the subject chosen by the student: Painting, Applied

Art, Graphics, Sculpture.

Art portfolio

The Art Portfolio will consist of a compilation of all art works, from sketch to finished product. The submission would include original artworks reflective of gradual improvement.

Step by step development of the work will be assessed in all units.

At least one artwork should be based on Experiential Learning and Art Integration Arts integration cannot be a replacement for dedicated Art classes in the school curriculum.

Components of a Portfolio:

Timeline based completion of artworks.

<math>\bullet</math> Research based artworks promoting Folk and Contemporary Art and Artists.

Resources and materials based on newness and local availability

• Study of connections with Indian Artists and art movements.

Creating Art with Aesthetic Sensibility.

Developing personal artistic style.

Art centric studies (e.g. artworks based on Observation and Imagination)

Portfolio based on the creative thinking and may include all varied forms of Artistic Expression.

• Evaluation of final work that develop aesthetic judgement

Any kind of personalized creative addition in relation to artwork

Profile of Learners Growth Values and Attitudes Rubric. The learner develops the ability to:

Respect, appreciate and demonstrate an open mind towards the artistic expression of others.

Appreciates the commonality, interconnectedness, and diversity of aesthetic sensibilities across Indian and global Art practices and cultures.

Acceptance, Adaptation, Exploration and Experimental based creative learning.

Be sensitive towards other's creations

Be ready to research and transfer his/her learning to their own art