Extended drawing for artists and makers

What is the course about?

The City Lit drawing year, Extended drawing for artists and makers, is designed for the experienced drawing student or arts practitioner who wants to develop their personal approach to drawing and enhance their art practice. Drawing in its widest sense will be explored, from drawing as communication of ideas, working drawings as preparation for creative art projects and drawing as a practice in its own right.

In the first 2 terms tutors from different art disciplines will deliver short challenging projects and exercises to broaden your understanding and use of drawing as a vital and exploratory tool, and as a reliable companion and starting point for understanding the world around you. You will look at the work of contemporary artists who use drawing as the main or essential component of their work, and explore the possibilities of what is considered drawing in the art world today.

The final term will focus on personal project realisation. The group will be set a specific project and by selecting drawing methods and approaches, you will work towards presenting a final piece or pieces of personal work to present as both an online and a public gallery exhibition.

What will we cover?

- Drawing using a wide range of techniques and media
- A variety of approaches to using drawing to record, imagine, visualise, transform, narrate and develop through a series of practical projects
- Ways of developing your own, individual creative process through drawing using the anchor of a given project
- The process of visual research, research development, experimentation, idea development and final piece realisation
- How contemporary practitioners use drawing as a medium for communication, giving form to ideas or expressing thoughts and feelings

This course concerns contemporary practice and debate. As such you can expect to be stimulated and challenged by some of the ideas and images discussed.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

- Problem solve using different approaches to drawing via the projects set
- Work with a variety of sources and techniques to make more individual drawings
- Understand how to use drawing as a tool with learned skills to feed and enhance your art practice
- Consider cross-disciplinary drawing practices in furthering your creative options
- Appreciate the emerging content of your drawings and evolve them accordingly
- Critically appraise your output and begin to define future areas of interest
- Understand the wide approach to drawing in the work of contemporary arts practitioners.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This course is for intermediate and advanced students, artists and makers in all the creative arts with some drawing experience. It is not a course for beginners. You should have already completed the City Lit drawing course modules 1 and 2, or possess similar demonstrable experience.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

You will be taught through a series of practical projects, demonstration, handouts, one to one tutoring and group discussion and reviews.

You will be expected to have an interest in the wider arts and crafts world and attend exhibitions outside of the class (subject to social distancing measures and public health guidance). Some independent home study will be encouraged such as personal ideas research and development in the form of sketchbook and/or note keeping.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

You will need access to a computer or i-pad to benefit from this course.
You will need regular drawing materials such as charcoal, pencils, rubbers, ink etc
You will aslo need a sketchbook, large paper - A2 - A1 and masking tape.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

You may want to go on to further advanced or long courses such as: City Lit fine art course; City Lit sculpture course; Developing art practice; Contemporary painting studio; Cultural studies for creative practitioners.

In addition to our expanding range of advanced long courses, you will find a new and growing range of professional practice workshops in the school of Visual Arts (from October 2020), aimed at providing support, skills and context, and developing communities of practice. These workshops can be taken individually, according to need or interest, or as complementary components of a modular course, which you design for yourself; either way, they are there to provide you with the skills, knowledge and connections you need to take your advanced creative practice forward.