Painting & Drawing - Projects

What will the course cover?

Term 1: September to December
Non-representational art: The act of painting

You will encounter different approaches to making abstract paintings while developing and extending your knowledge and understanding of painting techniques and materials. Research and take inspiration from the work of abstract artists and explore their visual language. Examine major themes in non-representational art, including: colour, texture, gesture and concept. Investigate impasto, hard edge, colour field painting, gestural mark making and mixed media. Learn how to develop your own abstract images, explore different painting techniques and find ways to increase your confidence of and mastery in abstract painting.

As the course progresses you will gain in depth experience and specialist knowledge needed to progress towards professional personal practice. Depending on your personal choice, this could be a portfolio collection demonstrating your creative skills for further study.

The subject matter you work from and the level of abstraction can be open and set by you, but you will have gained many ideas from the tutor lead activities. In addition you can also collect imagery (internet and magazines) to work from. Outcomes will vary according to the individuals’ aims and experience.

Advanced students will be able to take techniques and extend their possibilities through further experimentation or application to the specific project. Second term (January- March):

The interior

Atmosphere, light and dark, windows, inside – outside, figures? Story?

You will take inspiration from artists who have worked with interior space such as:
Bonnard’s late interiors, Henri Matisse, Edward Hopper, De Hoch, Vermeer, Richard Hamilton etc. Third term (April- July):

Interpreting Landscape – Cityscapes

Space , scale, perspective, vastness, panoramic views, structure, abstract, horizontals and verticals, composition

Artists who you will be studying include:
George Shaw, Frank Auerbach, David Heffer, Julian Opie, Cezanne, Constable, Turner etc.

You will have the opportunity to fully realise your own creative vision and experience through making a series of works based on your chosen landscape.

In the final stages of the term you will have the opportunity to present an exhibition of your work.

What will I achieve?

Contextual influences
Develop your knowledge of how historical and contemporary artists inform and inspire your work. You will achieve this by researching and recording information in your sketch book and relating this to your own work. This includes study visits to galleries and museums.

Visual recording
Learn the ability to select and record in your sketch book from a range of sources

Presenting work
Experiment with different techniques to present your own work professionally

Materials, techniques and processes
Develop your skills and understanding of materials, techniques and processes associated with fine art

Ideas and Concepts
Broaden and deepen your knowledge and understanding of creative thinking across contemporary and historical art in order to inform your own practice

Generating fine art ideas
Develop your fine art ideas. To do this, you will research examples of concepts and subjects and experiment with your own ideas for your work

Developing and realising ideas
Develop your skills and understanding in selected ideas for development. Learn to use initial research to produce creative work by exploring dynamic working practices and methodologies