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Key Facts: Desenho A (Prova 706) Exam

706

National exam code for Desenho A

EduQA Informação-Prova 2026

150 minutes

Duration: 150 minutes (+ 30 minutes tolerance)

EduQA Informação-Prova 2026

0–200

Scoring scale; admission minimums are set by institutions (never below 95)

JNE/DGES Guia Geral de Exames 2026

€0 / €3

Free for on-time students in compulsory education; €3 per exam in other cases

JNE/DGES Guia Geral de Exames 2026

EduQA

Exam papers prepared by EduQA, I. P. (successor to IAVE)

Decreto-Lei n.º 105/2025

Portugal's Exame Nacional de Desenho A (706) is a 12th-grade national exam prepared by EduQA (formerly IAVE): 150 minutes (+ 30 minutes tolerance), scored 0–200. This free bank offers 100 English-language multiple-choice questions on drawing media and techniques, perspective, the human figure, tonal values, colour and composition, drawing processes and contemporary art.

Sample Desenho A (Prova 706) Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Desenho A (Prova 706) exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In the standardized European pencil grading scale (Conté / Koh-i-Noor system), what physical formulation distinguishes a 6B graphite pencil from a 6H graphite pencil?
A.A 6B pencil contains a higher proportion of kaolin clay binder to graphite, producing a harder core that maintains a sharp point for fine technical lines.
B.A 6B pencil incorporates synthetic wax emulsions that make its marks completely waterproof and impervious to erasure.
C.A 6B pencil contains a significantly higher proportion of graphite to kaolin clay binder, yielding softer, darker, and more smudgeable marks.
D.A 6B pencil is manufactured from amorphous carbon black mixed with gum arabic, whereas 6H contains crystalline natural graphite.
Explanation: Pencil cores are manufactured by firing a kiln mixture of powdered crystalline graphite and kaolin clay binder. Pencils graded 'B' (Black) contain a high ratio of graphite to clay, making the lead soft, rich, and capable of deep tonal deposits that blend easily. Conversely, 'H' (Hard) pencils contain a high proportion of clay, producing a dense, rigid core that deposits minimal graphite and leaves faint, precise, indentation-resistant marks.
2How does vine charcoal (carvão vegetal / fusain) fundamentally differ in physical composition and drawing behavior from compressed charcoal (carvão prensado)?
A.Vine charcoal contains binders and gives the deepest, most permanent blacks.
B.Both are identical; the names refer only to the stick's shape.
C.Vine charcoal has no binder and erases easily; compressed has binder.
D.Vine charcoal is water-soluble and used mainly for washes.
Explanation: Vine or willow charcoal (carvão vegetal) is created by slowly baking raw twigs in airtight kilns without any synthetic or organic binders. Because it lacks a binder, its carbon particles rest loosely on the surface tooth of the paper, allowing effortless wiping, dusting, and erasing. Compressed charcoal (carvão prensado), by contrast, is pulverized charcoal mixed with a binder (such as gum tragacanth or wax) and pressed into rigid sticks, yielding intense, permanent, velvety blacks that deeply penetrate the paper tooth and resist simple erasure.
3In Renaissance and Baroque master drawing, what natural pigment defines sanguine (sanguínea), and how was it traditionally deployed in the 'trois crayons' technique?
A.A red ink applied with a quill pen for outlines only.
B.A pigment made from cinnabar, used mainly in illuminated manuscripts.
C.A red iron-oxide chalk, often combined with black and white chalk on toned paper.
D.A brown wash made from cuttlefish ink.
Explanation: Sanguine (sanguínea) is a warm, reddish-brown natural drawing chalk derived from iron oxide-rich earth containing hematite. During the Renaissance and Baroque eras, master draftsmen (such as Leonardo da Vinci, Rubens, and Watteau) perfected the 'aux trois crayons' (three chalks) technique, executing drawings on midtone tinted paper (papel de meia-tinta) using black chalk for structural contours and deep shadows, sanguine for warm fleshy midtones, and white chalk for luminous highlights.
4What primary binding agent distinguishes soft pastels (pastel seco) from oil pastels (pastel oleoso), and how does this affect their blending behavior?
A.Soft pastels use oil and wax; oil pastels use gum and are powdery.
B.Both use the same binder; they differ only in colour range.
C.Soft pastels have little binder and are powdery; oil pastels use oil and wax and are creamy.
D.Soft pastels are water-based paints sold in tubes.
Explanation: Soft pastels (pastel seco) consist of pure mineral or organic pigments bound with a tiny quantity of weak aqueous binder such as gum tragacanth, methyl cellulose, or dextrin. When applied, they leave a dry, velvety, friable powder on the tooth of the paper that blends easily with stumps, fingers, or brushes. Oil pastels (pastel oleoso), created in the 1920s, combine pigment with non-drying mineral oils and wax binders, yielding a rich, buttery, water-repellent stroke that cannot be dusted away or erased with standard vinyl erasers.
5What is distinctive about Sol LeWitt's wall drawings (from 1968)?
A.They are copies of Renaissance frescoes made with modern materials.
B.They are spontaneous gestures made by the artist in front of an audience.
C.They are drawn by assistants following the artist's written instructions, so the idea is the work.
D.They are prints produced in large editions for the art market.
Explanation: LeWitt wrote sets of instructions (for example, numbers and types of lines) that others execute directly on the wall. Each realization can differ, but the work is the concept and its rules, a key idea of Conceptual Art: 'the idea becomes a machine that makes the art'.
6How does William Kentridge create his 'drawings for projection'?
A.He paints each frame in oil on separate canvases.
B.He prints digital drawings on transparent film.
C.He draws, erases and redraws in charcoal, filming each stage.
D.He projects photographs onto walls and traces them in ink.
Explanation: Kentridge works on a single large charcoal drawing, filming it, altering it by erasing and adding marks, and filming again. The traces of erasure remain visible, so the animation shows both movement and the memory of the drawing process.
7In works such as 'Desenho habitado' and 'Pintura habitada', how does the Portuguese artist Helena Almeida question the limits of drawing and painting?
A.By copying classical drawings with great technical precision
B.By painting abstract compositions with a palette knife
C.By using her own body in photographs that interact with lines and paint
D.By producing digital images generated by computer
Explanation: Helena Almeida (1934–2018) staged herself in black-and-white photographs, interacting with drawn lines (sometimes real threads) or blue paint applied to the image. The artist's body enters the work, blurring the boundaries between drawing, painting, photography and performance.
8When working with ink wash (aguada), what procedural distinction separates a 'wet-on-dry' application from a 'wet-on-wet' application?
A.Wet-on-dry gives soft, diffused edges; wet-on-wet gives crisp edges.
B.Both give the same result; only drying time changes.
C.Wet-on-wet is only possible with charcoal.
D.Wet-on-dry gives crisp edges; wet-on-wet gives soft, diffused transitions.
Explanation: In ink wash (aguada) technique, 'wet-on-dry' involves applying a brush loaded with diluted ink onto dry paper, resulting in well-defined edges, crisp structural boundaries, and consistent tonal saturation within the stroke. 'Wet-on-wet' entails wetting the paper surface with clean water prior to applying the ink wash; the liquid pigment spontaneously diffuses and bleeds across the capillary moisture film, yielding soft, cloudy transitions and atmospheric sfumato effects.
9What mechanical feature of a steel dip pen nib (bico de pena) allows a draftsman to modulate line weight (thickness) dynamically within a single stroke?
A.The pen's reservoir releases more ink when tilted.
B.A wider nib must be fitted for every change of thickness.
C.The thickness depends only on the paper's texture.
D.The flexible tines spread apart under pressure, widening the line.
Explanation: A steel dip pen nib (bico de pena) features a central slit terminating in a breather hole, flanked by two flexible metal tines. When the draftsman exerts downward pressure against the paper surface, the tines flex and separate, widening the gap through which capillary ink flows onto the paper, producing a broader stroke. Releasing pressure allows the tines to spring back together, immediately returning the stroke to a hairline width.
10What is 'A Line Made by Walking' (1967) by Richard Long?
A.A charcoal drawing of a path
B.A sculpture of steel rods laid on the ground
C.A line made by walking on grass, recorded in a photograph
D.An engraving of a map of England
Explanation: Long walked back and forth on grass until a straight line appeared, then photographed it. The work expands the idea of drawing: the line is made by the body's action in the landscape and survives as a photographic record.

About the Desenho A (Prova 706) Exam

The Exame Final Nacional de Desenho A (prova 706) is a 12th-grade national secondary exam in Portugal. Since the 2025 reorganization of the Ministry of Education (Decreto-Lei n.º 105/2025), exam papers are prepared by EduQA — Instituto de Educação, Qualidade e Avaliação, I. P., which succeeded IAVE, and the exams are organized and graded under the Júri Nacional de Exames. Practical exam on the Aprendizagens Essenciais of Desenho A (10th–12th grades) in the domains 'Apropriação e reflexão', 'Interpretação e comunicação' and 'Experimentação e criação'. The 2026 exam is developed from the theme «Arte Contemporânea» and consists of constructed items: graphic expression with compulsory techniques and media, and written justification of the design process using visual-language vocabulary. The exam covers drawing media and techniques, perspective, the human figure, tonal values, colour and composition, drawing processes and contemporary art. It counts towards the subject's final grade and can be used as an admission exam (prova de ingresso) for higher education where a course requires it. This bank is an independent English-language multiple-choice study adaptation with 100 original practice questions. It is not affiliated with EduQA or the JNE and does not reproduce the official paper or its constructed-response tasks.

Exam sponsor: EduQA, I. P. (exam papers; successor to IAVE since 2025) with the Júri Nacional de Exames (JNE). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Practical exam on the Aprendizagens Essenciais of Desenho A (10th–12th grades) in the domains 'Apropriação e reflexão', 'Interpretação e comunicação' and 'Experimentação e criação'. The 2026 exam is developed from the theme «Arte Contemporânea» and consists of constructed items: graphic expression with compulsory techniques and media, and written justification of the design process using visual-language vocabulary.

Time Limit

150 minutes (+ 30 minutes tolerance)

Passing Score

Scored 0–200; counts 25% of the subject grade for internal students; admission-exam minimums are set by institutions (never below 95/200)

Exam / Certification Fees

€0 for on-time students in compulsory education; €3 per exam in other cases; €25 + €3 per exam if registering late

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

~23% of this bank

Light, shadow and tone

Chiaroscuro, tonal scales, hatching and modelling.

~18% of this bank

Colour and composition

Colour theory, schemes, balance and compositional structures.

~14% of this bank

Media and supports

Dry and wet media, papers and tools.

~14% of this bank

Perspective and space

Conical perspective, ellipses, reflections and anamorphosis.

~12% of this bank

Contemporary art and drawing

Expanded, performative and conceptual drawing and Portuguese contemporary artists.

~11% of this bank

The human figure

Proportions, contrapposto, foreshortening and gesture.

~8% of this bank

Drawing processes

Esquisso and esboço, transformation processes, texture and digital media.

Preparing for the Desenho A (Prova 706) Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Scored 0–200; counts 25% of the subject grade for internal students; admission-exam minimums are set by institutions (never below 95/200)
  • Assessment: Practical exam on the Aprendizagens Essenciais of Desenho A (10th–12th grades) in the domains 'Apropriação e reflexão', 'Interpretação e comunicação' and 'Experimentação e criação'. The 2026 exam is developed from the theme «Arte Contemporânea» and consists of constructed items: graphic expression with compulsory techniques and media, and written justification of the design process using visual-language vocabulary.
  • Time limit: 150 minutes (+ 30 minutes tolerance)
  • Exam / certification fees: €0 for on-time students in compulsory education; €3 per exam in other cases; €25 + €3 per exam if registering late Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Desenho A (Prova 706): Suggested Study Strategy

1Master graphite and charcoal grading: remember that 'H' pencils have harder leads with higher clay content producing lighter, precise lines, while 'B' pencils have softer graphite delivering rich, dark, easily smudged tones.
2Understand the mechanics of linear perspective: parallel horizontal receding lines converge at vanishing points located precisely on the horizon line (which always corresponds to the observer's eye level).
3Learn the classical proportion canons: about 7 heads (Polyclitus) to 8 heads (Lysippus and the academic canon), with the pubis at the midpoint of an 8-head standing figure.
4Distinguish between form shadow (sombra própria) on the object itself and cast shadow (sombra projetada) cast onto adjacent surfaces, noting how reflected light prevents form shadows from being absolute black.
5Apply Chevreul's law of simultaneous contrast: adjacent complementary colors enhance each other's perceived saturation and vibrance, while adjacent tones of differing values accentuate contrast at their boundary.
6Use the golden ratio and rule of thirds to establish dynamic compositional tension rather than placing key focal subjects in the dead center of the frame.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who prepares and grades the exam?

Since the 2025 reorganization (Decreto-Lei n.º 105/2025), exam papers are prepared by EduQA — Instituto de Educação, Qualidade e Avaliação, I. P., which succeeded IAVE. The exams are run in schools and graded under the Júri Nacional de Exames (JNE).

How is the exam structured?

Practical exam on the Aprendizagens Essenciais of Desenho A (10th–12th grades) in the domains 'Apropriação e reflexão', 'Interpretação e comunicação' and 'Experimentação e criação'. The 2026 exam is developed from the theme «Arte Contemporânea» and consists of constructed items: graphic expression with compulsory techniques and media, and written justification of the design process using visual-language vocabulary.

Is there a pass mark?

No single pass mark: the exam is scored 0–200. For internal students it counts for 25% of the final subject grade (CFD = 0.75 × internal grade + 0.25 × exam); for external candidates the exam grade is the subject grade, so at least 95/200 is needed. When used as an admission exam (prova de ingresso), each higher-education institution sets the minimum, never below 95/200.

How much does it cost?

Free for students in compulsory education who register on time and for internal students in the 1st phase; €3 per exam for 2nd-phase grade improvement, for external candidates (autopropostos) outside compulsory education and for external grade improvement; late registration costs €25 plus €3 per exam (JNE/DGES Guia Geral de Exames 2026).

What is the 2026 exam theme?

The 2026 Desenho A exam is developed from the theme «Arte Contemporânea». It is a practical exam with graphic and written items, using techniques and media indicated in the paper.

How does this practice bank relate to the official exam?

This bank is an independent English-language multiple-choice study adaptation with 100 original practice questions. It is not affiliated with EduQA or the JNE and does not reproduce the official paper or its constructed-response tasks. Use it to review content and concepts alongside official Informação-Prova documents and past papers.