Undergraduate Course: Contemporary Watercolours: An Introduction (LLLA07222)
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 introduces the students to a series of basic principles of watercolour, inks and gouache through a series of studio-based propositions. |
| Course description |
Academic Description
This course will introduce students to a sequential series of watercolour exercises, through personal and point-of-reference projects. Explored through a range of approaches and techniques, relevant to each medium, students will develop an understanding for the potential for watercolours, inks and gouache, discovering the qualities of each and how they can be worked both independently and in harmony with one another.
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:
- Introduction to the use of the sketchbook for recording, researching and evidencing work.
- Exploring the possibilities of Gum Arabic.
- Develop an understanding for colour and optical mixing.
- Exploring approaches and techniques to create texture.
- Introduction to working with ink, gouache and watercolours independently.
- Explore working wet into dry and wet into wet painting techniques.
- Introduction to working with resist techniques.
- Introduction to fusing ink, gouache and watercolours.
- Explore monochromatic tonal studies.
- Make site-specific observational studies (as required).
- Explore working with non-traditional drawing and painting tools.
- Develop works through a series of studio, point of reference and personal references.
- Introduction to composition and editing.
- Exploration of work on various surfaces.
- 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.
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.
This course will use Learn for support and assessment.
Typically all Art and Design 10 credit Short Courses are delivered as follows:
- Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 30 hours (10 x 3 hours per week)
- Directed Learning 30 Hours (10 x 3 hours per week)
- Independent Learning Hours 40 hours.
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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 a range of watercolour based strategies to routinely record, research and to make visual enquiries through the use of the sketchbook.
- Practice, skills and techniques (33.3%): Demonstrate a practical knowledge in employing a range of watercolour, ink and gouache techniques and approaches appropriate to developing personal ideas and resolved pieces.
- Selection, presentation and reflection (33.3%): Demonstrate an awareness of how to document, reflect, select, edit and present a body of work for presentation.
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Reading List
Suggested Readings
BLOCKLEY, J. 1987. Watercolour Interpretations. Collins.
WILTON, A. 1982 Turner Abroad: France, Italy, Germany and Switzerland. BCA.
HOCKNEY D. 2007. Hockney on Turner Watercolours. Tate.
Web Sources
http://www.tate.org.uk/about/projects/jmw-turner-sketchbooks-drawings-watercolours
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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,ink,gouache,introduction,colour mixing,optical mixing,texture |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Mr Oliver Reed
Tel:
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Kameliya Skerleva
Tel: (0131 6)51 1855
Email: |
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