In-person course
in Nottingham Maker & location details

Drawing as a Journey - Nottingham Trent University

Exercises in line drawing

Student's working from a life model

Description

This course will take you on a challenging creative journey, from observational drawing to life study and from drawing on location to more expressive mark-making techniques and creative approaches. You’ll create drawings and collages that demonstrate how you respond to new experiences and the environment around you, and uncover how your time in the UK can be expressed in art. The course is ideal for students from all disciplines; from beginners to more experienced students. It’s less about final outcomes and more about the creative journey you’re taking. At the beginning of the course, you’ll complete a series of observational drawing projects both in the studio and on-location around the city centre campus. Studio activities will be complemented with a visit to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and the Barbara Hepworth Museum to explore further the themes of drawing, shape, scale and texture in work by British artists. You’ll also have sessions working with a life model, and consider topics such as proportion, shading, foreshortening and methods of measurement. You’ll then be encouraged to experiment beyond the boundaries of these conventions, to experiment, reflect, and explore the fundamentals of energy used in drawing, and the resulting actions and gestures. Throughout the course, practical assignments will be underpinned by theory and art historical references. You’ll be set a short creative brief to respond to and, as the course and your work develops, you’ll begin to free your approach to drawing and mark-making using a variety of different tools and materials. During the course you will: • discuss the importance of drawing throughout history and how it remains relevant • learn how drawing is applied in the design world • practice drawing techniques used by professionals to convey 3D objects and spaces • look at the history of mark-making, from tribal crafts to contemporary design • complete exercises that experiment with tools and materials • explore mark-making using your senses, creating marks using rhythm and repetition • record drawing through movements from the miniscule to the full body stretch • learn how you can turn simple marks into more confident drawings. Towards the end of the course, you’ll apply the skills learnt to one or more final pieces that will reflect your personal interests and approach. This course is also part of the NTU Global Summer School which attracts undergraduate students from colleges around the world. What will I gain? By the end of the course, you’ll have a series of sketches and drawings in development, completed works, and lots of unique content to add to your portfolio. You’ll have a greater understanding of drawing and how it can improve your creative thinking, and the skills and knowledge to develop your work further.