Course Syllabus

This is a studio art course (for non-majors) introducing students to contemporary and historical approaches to art.

In this course students will work on individual and independent art projects, based on field studies to exhibitions and museum collections.

This course aims to extend basic drawing and art making skills in a variety of media : visual note taking, observational drawing, development of hand drawing, watercolour, collage, exploration of textiles and stitched media, printmaking and book making, the art of mixing media. 

Students are encouraged to seek inspiration from nature and we will explore land art, natural inks, creating art resourcefully and how to be waste conscious in the art studio.

Each session will start with an introduction to a creative topic offering  historical and cultural insights. There will be worked examples for students to hold and examine and images for  inspiration.

The classroom is a workshop for students to try out new creative techniques, push their creative skills.

The Class assignment is designed to encourage the student to discover a creative way to analyse through drawing and /or other creative representation. Each class, students are introduced to a new medium, encouraged to relate to the medium and explore the medium further. Home assignments are designed for the student to explore the medium in their own time and develop their personal style through creative representation.

Emphasis is placed on individual creative experimentation explored according to the concepts and techniques introduced in this class.

Students will learn how to create a portfolio, to document their personal 'Art in the Making' journey.

Students will learn how to explore their chosen media further in the design of Independent Art Projects which will demonstrate what they have learnt.

Classroom Etiquette: Please do not use your phones in the classroom unless instructed to do so.

 

Learning Objectives

• Develop a deeper understanding of artistic techniques, content and contexts;
• Practice critical discourse through studio work sessions and field studies;
• Obtain the ability to work with a number of artistic materials and techniques;
• Enable students to visually manifest their ideas;
• Produce and exhibit a larger individual art project.

 

Instructor: Sarah Alfast

Dip.Arch. Mackintosh School of Architecture, Glasgow, 2008, BA Hons, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, 2007, Assistant Architect at Groves Raines Architects 2006-2007, Assistant Architect at Frank Harmon Architect pa, NC, USA 2009, Collaboration with arki_lab, Copenhagen 2012, previously Urban Design Journal and Visual Journal Lecturer for DIS, Architect at Schulze + Grassov, Copenhagen

2014, Design Architect for Azuko. Employment at DIS since 2010.

Consultation

sarah.alfast@dis.dk

 

Course Evaluation

Assignment	Percent
Collage Book Mid Term Class Assignment	10 %
Sketchbook Class and Home Assignments Independent Entries to Sketchbook 10 drawings outside class	50%
Participation in class discussion, attendance, presentations	15%
Final Art Project	25 %

PLEASE NOTE: It is essential that the students attend each session and that they engage deeply and actively with the creative process during class and at home.

 

Materials

• Do not buy materials, students will be provided with a start kit which they will receive at the first class. The start kit contains: 1 Sketchbook, 2B pencil, Black Drawing Pen 0.5, Watercolour Brush, Glue Stick. 

• Students will need to invest in some good quality card and maybe some other materials for the making of the Final Project  
• Students will need good quality up cycled  papers, but please check in with Sarah before you use them.
• There is an art cupboard in the classroom with tools and equipment for use in class time. The cupboard is shared between the Art in the Making Classes.

( There is a DIS student discount at Tutein and Koch, Farvergade 8, CPH and Stelling City Kunst Artikler, Amagertorv 9,  and for no discount but for affordable and good quality Papers and supplies, try Papirlageret, Nørre Voldgade 11.)

 

 

Reading

(Available on Canvas; readings must be completed before the class that they are assigned to)

Dobie, Jeanne, Making Color Sing, New York, Watson-Guptail Publications, 1986.

Edwards, Betty, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, London, Harper Collins Publishers, 2008.

Golden, Alisa, Making Handmade Books, New York, Lark, 2010.

Harmon, Katharine, Intro to The Map as Art: Contemporary Artists explore cartography, New York, Princeton Press,  2009. 

Howard, J. Smagula: Creative Drawing, London, Lawrence King Publishing, 2002, #4 Line, pp. 84- 87, #10 Exploring Color, pp. 204-221.

Hustved, Siri, Notes on Seeing, The Drama of Perception, in Living, Thinking, Looking pp. 223-231, London, Sceptre Books, 2012.

Jackson, Paul, Cut and Fold Techniques for Pop Up Designs, London, Laurence King Publishing, 2014.

Rhodes, Shelley, Sketchbook Explorations for Mixed Media and Textile Artists, London, Batsford, 2018.

 

Field Study Sites 

Copenhagen's Botanical Gardens

Design Museum Denmark

The David Collection

Kunstforeningen GL Strand, Gl. Strand 48

 

 

Academic Regulations  

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on: 

• Course Enrollment and Grading
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code

DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org