Drawing Practices 1: Marks and Mark-making (10 credit points)

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:

* Heavy weight Cartridge paper A1 or Bread & Butter Paper (from ECA Shop)

* Rubber

* Charcoal (willow and compressed)

* Quink black Ink

* White Acrylic Paint

* Acrylic Painting Brushes 4, 8, 12 (as a suggestion)

* ½" Household paint brush

* Clear oil bar

* Masking tape

* Chalk pastels

* Sketchbook A4 or A3

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

* Mono-printing plates and rollers

* Mono-printing inks

* Newsprint

* Mixing palettes

* Water Pots

Materials and equipment available for purchase during the course:

* One-sided card

Essentials materials and equipment students will need to provide themselves:

* Sketchbook A4 or A3

* Newsprint A2

* Heavy weight Cartridge paper A1 or Bread & Butter Paper (from ECA Shop)

* NOT Watercolour paper 300gsm A2

* Plastic Rubber (not putty)

* Graphite stick 4b and 6b

* Charcoal (willow and compressed)

* W&N Brown ink

* ½" Household paint brush

* Acrylic Painting Brushes 4, 8, 12 (as a suggestion)

* Indian Ink

* Black Quink ink

* White Acrylic Paint

* Clear oil bar

* One-sided card ( as required)

* Masking tape or brown framers tape

* Set of chalk pastels

* Craft Knife

* Collage materials and found drawing surfaces.

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 observational skills through a series of studio, point of reference and location-based references.

Explore the use of line, tone, light and mark-making.

Explore the use of negative space.

Consideration for composition, editing and selecting.

Working on location, employing the use of the sketchbook and appropriate materials.

Exploration of dry and wet drawing materials and approaches.

Introduction to mono-printing.

Exploration of working on various drawing surfaces and coloured grounds.

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 & Ideas (33.3%) Use a range of drawing strategies to routinely record, research and make visual enquiry through the use of the sketchbook.

Practice, Skills & Techniques (33.3%) Demonstrate a practical knowledge in employing a range of drawing approaches, methods and techniques, appropriate for developing ideas through to resolved pieces.

Selection, Presentation & Reflection (33.3%) Demonstrate an awareness of how to document, reflect, select, edit and present a body of work for presentation.

Sources

Core Readings

Suggested Readings

MASLEN, M., 2011, Drawing Project: an exploration of the language of drawing, London: Black Dog Publishing

NEW, J., 2005, Drawing from life: the journal as art, New York: Princeton Architectural Press.

KOVATS, T. 2005. The Drawing Book, a survey of drawing: the primary means of expression. Black Dogs Publishing.

DUFF, L. & SAWDON, P. 2008. Drawing – The Purpose. Intellect Books.

SCHEIDER, A. & GRISEBACH, L. 1994, Alberto Giacometti: sculpture, paintings and drawings. Munich ; New York, N.Y. : Prestel ; New York, N.Y., USA : Distributed in the USA and Canada by te Neues Pub. Co.

CRAIG-MARTIN, M. 1995. Drawing the Line: Reappraising Drawing Past and Present. Hayward Gallery.

Documentary Video

GRAHAM-DIXON, A. The Secrets of Drawing, BBC.

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.