Undergraduate Course: Contemporary Watercolours: Exploring Possibilities (LLLA07223)
Course Outline
School | Centre for Open Learning |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 7 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
Summary | This course focuses on sustaining a watercolour practice based on directed and independent research, developing and evolving enquiring approach to watercolour mediums to explore possibilities. |
Course description |
This course will allow students to develop and sustain a series of studies through personal, directed and site specific projects. Research shall begin by making the use of photography, observational drawings or 'found' source materials to create a series of exploratory studies. This work shall then form the foundations for developing a body of related works, employing a range of methods, approaches, scales and formats; challenging the possibilities for working with watercolours, inks and gouache.
Outline of Content
The course teaching is typically delivered over weekly class sessions of around 3 hours each and totaling 30 hours. Alternatively, the course can be delivered more intensely or as a block if required.
Over the class sessions the course will cover:
Developing skills within the sketchbook for recording, researching and evidencing work.
Developing skills for working with collage and watercolour approaches.
Developing the skills for using inks, gouache and other mediums with watercolour.
Employing and fusing a range of tools, materials and techniques.
Develop a series of works through personal and directed study references.
Developing the skills for work on various surfaces and coloured grounds.
Challenging conventions to paper formats and surfaces.
Make and employ site-specific observational studies (as required).
Use photographic references to support developing ideas and themes.
A series of discussions and group critiques based on each project theme.
Introduction to a range of relevant artists.
Keep a log/blog during the period of the course to record learning, achievements and challenges.
The Learning Experience
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.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Additional Costs | Unless otherwise stated, all students on this short course pay a published course fee per enrollment.
In addition to the course fee, students are expected to provide the following list of indicate tools, materials and equipment:
- A4 Sketchbook (at least 140gsm paper)
- An A3 watercolour pad (Hot Pressed around 190gsm)
- Paper: A range of papers as and when required from newsprint, printing paper such as South Bank, Bread and -
Butter paper. Watercolour Paper A2, NOT (cold pressed) and Hot Pressed between 190-250gsm.
- Small set of drawing inks (either acrylic or shellac based)
- Black Quink ink
- Indian Ink
- White ink
- Pencil 2b and 4b
- Graphite pencil 4B
- A small set of gouache
- A range of artist quality watercolours, (tubes for larger studies) such as,
- Cadmium Red, Cadmium Yellow, Ultramarine Blue, Lemon Yellow, Crimson, Cerulean blue, Payne¿s Grey,
Pans (for more select colours): sap green, violet, yellow ochre, burnt and raw sienna, Prussian blue.
- Chalk Pastels (and oil pastels as required)
- Gum Arabic
- Wax candle and Cling film
- Masking Fluid
- Gum Tape
- Clean 9mm-12mm A3 plywood board (for stretching paper)
- A set of watercolour brushes
- Sponge
- Mixing palette
- Water pot
- A camera
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Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Research, context and ideas (33.3%): Demonstrate an enquiring work ethic and range of personal strategies for recording and developing visual ideas and concepts, showing the beginning of an appropriate body of contextual research.
- Practice, skills and techniques (33.3%): Show a confident and enquiring use of a range of water-based mediums to explore relevant approaches and processes to create a body of coherent visual studies and resolved artworks.
- Selection, presentation and reflection (33.3%): Evidence appropriate judgement to document, select, edit and present a body coherent works, revealing its value and expressing ideas in a visual form.
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Reading List
Suggested Readings
ORMOND, R. 1970. John Singer Sargent: paintings, drawings, Watercolours. Phaidon.
SILLARS, L. 2011. George Shaw. Payne's Grey. Baltic
JENKINS, D.F. 2012. John Piper: The Forties. Philip Wilson Publishers Ltd.
WILTON, A. 1982 Turner Abroad: France, Italy, Germany and Switzerland. BCA.
NEWALL, C. 2014. John Ruskin. Artist and Observer. Paul Holberton Publishing, London.
BLOCKLEY, J. 1987. Watercolour Interpretations. Collins.
HAMMER, M. 1999. Graham Sutherland: Landscapes, War Scenes, Portraits 1924-1950. Scala Publishers Ltd.
JENKINS, D.F. & SPALDING, F. 2003. John Piper in the 1930s: Abstraction on the Beach. Merrell.
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Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills |
The ability to employ the use of the sketchbook to explore and develop lines of visual enquiry.
The ability to explore visual ideas through various practical drawing and painting techniques, methods and approaches.
The ability to make independent judgments on the selecting, editing and documentation of their work, showing an insight into critical context and reflective practice.
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Keywords | Watercolour,contemporary,location,site specific,observational,skills,ink,gouache,collage |
Contacts
Course organiser | Mr Oliver Reed
Tel:
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Kameliya Skerleva
Tel: (0131 6)51 1855
Email: |
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