Abstract Painting 1: Expressive Approaches (10 credit points)

Course Times & Enrolment

This course is currently unavailable.

Course Summary

This course will introduce students to a series of short projects explored through a range of painting approaches, considering scales, surfaces, materials and processes, atmospheres and mood to explore the space between representation and abstraction. Students will have the opportunity to develop their own work through using the course contact time and directed projects as a catalyst for new directions within their works.

Please note - this is a credit course and has an integrated digital component. All students enrolled on credit courses are required to matriculate through the university student system EUCLID. If you do not do so you will not be able to access information provided by your tutor nor will you be able to submit work for assessment. Please read our Studying for Credit Guide, Rules and Regulations for more information.

Course Details

Special Information

This course requires you to bring your own art and design materials. Most of these can be sourced and purchased in advance from any good art material supplier such as the Art Shop at ECA Lauriston Place Campus. Essential items not readily available will be provided during classes and you will be invoiced at the end of the course for items used. Listed below are the materials and equipment requirements for this course and an estimated cost. You are advised not to purchase any materials until you have received confirmation the course is running – usually 7 days before the start of the course. You will be guided by the tutor as to which materials you need to bring to classes each week.

Essential materials you will need to bring to the first class:

* Masking tape

* Sketchbook A4 or A3

* Set of Chalk pastels

* A set of Acrylic painting brushes

* One-sided card or Painting Paper.

* Range of Acrylic paints: Cadmium Red, Cadmium Yellow, Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean Blue, Black, White (at least 250ml pot), Yellow Ochre, Burnt Umber, (other colours as required during the course).

* Mixing Palette

* Palette Knife

* Sponge and rags

* A digital camera

Materials and equipment provided for students as part of the course and included in course fee:

* Monoprinting equipment

* Newsprint

* PVA Glue

Materials and equipment available for purchase during the course:

* One-sided card (painting surface)

Essentials materials and equipment students will need to provide themselves:

* Graphite Stick 4b

* Plastic rubber

* Masking tape

* Craft knife

* Sketchbook A4 or A3

* Set of Chalk Pastels

* A set of Acrylic Painting Brushes

* Newsprint & Cartridge paper (as required)

* Indian and/or Quink ink

* One-sided card or Acrylic Painting Paper

* Collage materials (to collect and use throughout the course)

* Range of Acrylic paints: Cadmium Red, Cadmium Yellow, Ultramarine and Cerulean Blue, Black, White (at least 250ml pot), Yellow Ochre, Burnt Umber, (other colours as required during the course)

* Mixing Palette

* PVA Glue or acrylic painting glazing medium

* Palette Knife

* Sponge and rags

* A digital camera

Additional recommended materials and equipment students can provide:

N/A

Content of Course

Over the class sessions the course will cover:

Introduction to the use of the sketchbook for recording, researching and evidencing work.

Develop a series of works derived through studio, point of reference, location-based and personal references.

Working with a palette knife

Working on various scales.

Employ the use of collage.

Exploration of colour palettes, exploring atmosphere and mood.

Exploration of composition, formats and editing.

Employing the use of mono-prints to aid the development of ideas.

Exploration of working on various painting surfaces and grounds.

Experimentation with non-traditional painting tools.

Use photographic references to support ideas and project themes.

A series of demonstrations and discussion relating to each of the exercises.

Introduction to a range of relevant artists.

Keep a log/blog during the period of the course to record learning, achievements and challenges.

Teaching method(s)

The teaching will be based and delivered in specialist art and design studios or workshops and will typically include a range of practical exercises, introductions to techniques, processes and concepts, and set projects which lead to more focused and personal exploration. Over the course, students’ progress will be monitored and supported by the tutor. Teaching will include practical demonstrations, one to one tuition, group discussions and critiques.

For work required to be undertaken after the class hours are complete, the course tutor will set students a ‘directed study plan’ which can be undertaken without the need for specialist workshops or access to models.

Directed study will include research into a range of suggested artists and their associated movements to engender a contextual awareness. Students are expected to demonstrate how their research has informed their work through annotated sketchbooks, a visual digital journal and practical outcomes.

The Directed Study Plan will include preparing evidence of research and practical work to form an appropriate presentation for assessment.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course, the student will be able to:

Research, context and ideas (33.3%)

Use a range of drawing and painting strategies to routinely record, research, making visual enquiries through the use of the sketchbook.

Practice, skills and techniques (33.3%)

Demonstrate a practical knowledge in employing a range of painting methods and approaches, appropriate to creating a range of expressive studies and resolved pieces of artwork.

Selection, presentation and reflection (33.3%)

Demonstrate an awareness of how to document, select and edit a range of paintings for presentation.

Sources

Core Readings

Suggested Readings

BANCROFT, S.C. & DEVANEY, E. 2015. Richard Diebenkorn. Royal Academy of Arts, London.

LAMPERT, C. 2015. Frank Auerbach. Tate Gallery Publishing Ltd.

SCHAMA, S. 2005, John Virtue London Paintings, National Gallery, London.

DAVEY. R. 2014. Anselm Kiefer. Royal Academy of Arts, London.

ALLTHORPE-GUYTON, A., TUCKER, M., LAMPERT, C. 2009. Ian McKeever (Histories of Vision S.). Lund Humphries

BERGER, J., 1972, Ways of seeing, London: BBC Books.

BAYRLE, T. 2002. Vitamin P: New Perspectives in Painting. Phaidon Publishing.

KHOROCHE, P. 1989. Ivon Hitchens forty-five paintings. Serpentine Gallery.

HAMMER, M. 1999. Graham Sutherland: Landscapes, War Scenes, Portraits 1924-1950. Scala Publishers Ltd.

DOIG, P. 207. Peter Doig (Contemporary Artists). Phaidon Press.

Web Sources

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh6QbJNvWZE

http://www.turpsbanana.com

www.nationalgalleries.org

Assessment

Details of the Art and Design assessment requirements can be found on the short course website. Please click on the following link for more information: Submission and Assessment Information

Studying for Credit

If you choose to study for credit you will need to allocate significant time outwith classes for coursework and assessment preparation. Credit points gained from this course can count towards the Certificate of Higher Education.

Queries

If you have questions regarding the course or enrolment, please contact COL Reception at Paterson's Land by email COL@ed.ac.uk or by phone 0131 650 4400.

Student support

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or health condition which may affect your studies, please let us know by ticking the 'specific support needs' box on your course application form. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in advance and in accordance with your rights under the Equality Act 2010. For more information please visit the Student Support section of our website.