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Drawing and Painting

Self-Directed Practice: Sustaining a Focus (Online) (20 credit points)

Course Times & Enrolment

This course is currently unavailable.

Course Summary

This course will develop students’ ability to explore and expand their personal studio practice by identifying and investigating areas of personal interest, which will sustain their art practice over the long term. Through a series of short projects and one longer personal project, this process of investigation will be supported by self-directed research and experimentation, supported by online individual tutorials and group critiques.

Students’ process, medium and techniques will be determined by the student’s individual personal areas of interest, supported by engaging with historical and contemporary artists to develop their critical awareness of contemporary art and deepen an understanding of the motivations for their own practice.

Evolving a personal visual language in tandem with developing a coherent body of work supported by a contextual awareness of modern and contemporary art practice is the primary motivation of the course.

Short 1:1 sessions with the tutor will be offered to students once a week within the times outlined below:

Mondays and Tuesdays 3.00pm to 4.30pm

Course Details

Pre-requisites for enrolment

Ideally students would have taken some level 7 courses or have previous experience.

Special Information

In addition to the course fee, students are expected to provide the following list of indicative tools, materials and equipment:

  • Sketchbooks, which can be either A5 / A4 / A3 size (more than one is advisable)

  • Notebook for ideas, items of interest, recording and analysing artists work.

  • Charcoal, pencils, eraser and other drawing materials such as ink

  • Masking tape

  • Card and cartridge paper of various sizes

  • Acrylic and/or oil paints

  • Range of brushes

  • Sponge, roller and rags

Content of Course

The course teaching is typically delivered online through weekly class sessions of around 1.25 hours with an additional 20 mins option per week to meet with your tutor.

Over the class sessions the course will cover:

1. A contextual understanding of modern and contemporary art though engagement with the work of other artists and art galleries (possibly through visits but online research if not possible).

2. A series of short projects students that will demonstrate the ability to undertake a variety of studio methodologies, such as working in multiples, mixed media, different scales etc.

3. Understanding the relevance of personal methodologies for the development of sustained self-directed practice.

4. Developing the capacity to expand and sustain critical and self-reflective research over the long term.

5. The development of a longer personal project to identify and focus personal interests to sustain art practice over the long term.

6. Working with others in a constructive and collaborative way.

7. Recognizing experimentation with process as a form of practice-based research.

8. The ability to initiate, develop and carry through projects from preliminary research through to completed work.

Teaching method(s)

Ideally you should have;

• An up-to-date web browser (Google Chrome recommended) 

• Microphone (ideally headset) and Webcam 

• Strong Internet connection

Teaching will be fully online 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 students taking a course for credit you will be required to undertaken work outwith the class, which your tutor will outline, including practical directed study activities and by keeping a reflective Learning Journal. Directed study will include developing further practical work alongside 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 and reflections made within a digital learning journal. 

Learning outcomes

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

  • Demonstrate a sustained and enquiring work ethic within a contemporary art context, employing independent strategies to document a range of visual ideas and research.

  • Demonstrate an inventive and exploratory use of a range of materials, methods and processes that is appropriate to developing a coherent and personal, visual vocabulary.

  • Evidence independent judgment to present a coherent, individual and focused body of research studies and resolved works, demonstrating discernment to document select and edit artwork to reveal its value.

Sources

Core Readings

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 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.