Foundation Diploma in Art and Design | Curriculum Area: Fine Art

The Foundation course at Central Saint Martins is based over two sites:

Archway and Kings Cross. From September 2017 all studio teaching sessions and technical workshop access will be at the Archway site. Use of library, learning zones, lecture theatres and digital print facilities will continue to be via the Kings Cross campus.

This course is part of the Access to HE and Progression programme.

There are two modes of study:

• The diagnostic mode allows you to spend time within each of the 4 curriculum areas before specialisation. This mode is best suited to students who are not yet certain of a particular subject.
• The specialist mode is for students who are confident of their future direction. This mode allows you to apply directly to one of the 4 curriculum areas.

The 4 curriculum areas are:

• 3-Dimensional Design and Architecture
• Fashion and Textiles
• Fine Art
• Graphic Communication Design

Each curriculum area is sub-divided into pathways. Please see curriculum area pages for further information about the curriculum areas and their pathway options.

Whichever mode you choose, over the first 10 weeks (Part 1 of the course) you will rotate through a series of projects that will ask you to experiment with a range of materials and processes that support ideas development within art and design. After this initial period of investigation and experimentation you will be guided, through tutorials and assessment, to the specialist pathway that best suits your interests and abilities.


Fine Art Curriculum Area

There have been countless attempts to define Fine Art and the role of the artist in society. The statements above are good examples that show the scope of this constantly developing debate. All of the statements are thought provoking and allow you to make up your own mind — Art itself does the same thing.

You will discover by engaging in the projects that Art is fundamentally related to representation, and more specifically related to representing the Abstract — that is anything indefinable, intangible, invisible and hard to locate in the world you experience.

The area will seek to support you in finding your own visual language or ‘voice’. It will further help you place this voice in relation to the work of other artists, through a consideration of the History of Art and regular critique and discussion.

The intellectual nature of the subject is the reason why next year you might study BA Fine Art alongside English, Philosophy, Science or other Humanities subjects. All Fine Art BA courses promote in you a level of independence, adaptability and resourcefulness that will stand you in great stead well beyond graduation.


Pathways

Painting

The Painting pathway is strongly determined by the medium of paint itself. You’ll learn and develop ways in which paint can be used and manipulated physically in relation to itself, to the surface on which it is applied and in relation to colour. In addition there is a thorough investigation of the language of the image and of other modes of representation.

You will be primarily based at Archway.

Within UAL, Painting students typically gain entry to CSM 2D or 4D, Chelsea BA Fine Art and Camberwell and Wimbledon Painting.


Sculpture

Sculpture investigates both the physical and temporal nature of the world — objects and materials (the stuff of the world), what happens when humans do something to these things (process and action) and physical space (site specificity, installation). Centre stage in Sculpture is that work develops by the act of you yourself doing/making the work. For this reason, if you are someone that has to make, and wants to use the workshops, you should choose this pathway.

You will be primarily based at Archway.

Within UAL, Sculpture students typically gain entry to CSM 3D or XD, Chelsea BA Fine Art and Camberwell and Wimbledon Sculpture


Fine Art Practice (1, 2)

The two Fine Art practice areas allow you freedom to move across media — between painting, photography, sculpture, film, performance and installation. If you are particularly interested in using lens-based media, or on going to Film School, you should choose this pathway.

You will be primarily based at King’s Cross.

Within UAL, Fine Art Practice students typically gain entry to CSM 4D and XD, Chelsea BA Fine Art, Drawing at Camberwell, Print & Time Based Media at Wimbledon and Photography at LCC. Some students also go on to study at the CSM Communication, Criticism and Curation course (CCC).
The Foundation Diploma in Art and Design runs for 32 weeks full time over one year and is divided into three parts.

Each part is made up of units and each unit has a credit value. Units are the basic building blocks of your course and can be described as a self-contained package of learning defined in terms of learning time. This includes taught time, independent study, access to resources, and assessment.

Each part is made up of 40 credits. Part 1 consists of 40 Level 3 credits and Parts 2 and 3 consist of 40 Level 4 credits each.
To progress to Part 2 you're expected to complete the units of Part 1 successfully.

To progress to Part 3 (i.e. Unit 7) you're expected to complete all previous units successfully. To be awarded a Foundation Diploma you must accumulate 120 credits in total. This means you'll need to complete all units of the course in order to gain the Foundation Diploma.

You're expected to attend Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 10.30am - 4.30pm, and occasionally on a Wednesday or Friday for workshop inductions and additional classes.


Course outline

The Foundation Diploma in Art and Design is designed to enable you to learn through discovery and exploration by engaging with projects, lectures and study visits. The foundation course is essentially a transitional experience in art, design and communication, preparing you for a place in higher education or for employment.

The wide range of specialist options reflects the progression opportunities available at degree level within the college and the university. The foundation course's pathways allow you to build a subject-specific portfolio in readiness for degree course applications.

• Part 1 - Learning Skills and Content

Through studio and workshop projects you'll be introduced to a range of materials and methods of working. You'll learn how to research and develop your ideas and how to evaluate and reflect on your progress.

• Part 2 - Development and Progression

The Foundation Diploma in Art and Design is designed to help you build a portfolio and to prepare you for interview to enter higher education and subsequent employment. Building on skills from Part 1 you'll integrate your research, ideas and methods of working to produce a body of work that allows you to analyse your interests and ambitions and to investigate directions to pursue.

• Part 3 - Project Proposal and Realisation

The focus of Part 3 is on further development of your individuality and independence as you propose and realise your final major project integrating planning, research, ideas, methods, evaluation and reflection. Your project is displayed in the foundation exhibition - open to the public, family and friends.

Developing your skills

Throughout The Foundation Diploma in Art and Design you'll learn new skills to enable you to progress successfully. These skills, which are also appropriate to higher education and employment, include the use of machinery and materials, presentation skills for articulating your ideas to your peers or at interview, and presenting your work in a portfolio or at an exhibition.

Most importantly you'll gain study skills in order to 'learn how to learn'. This kind of independent learning builds the self-motivation, commitment and initiative that allows you to develop your projects independently, guided by a supportive tutorial structure.