Course Syllabus

Description of Course

A studio art course (for non-majors) introducing students to contemporary and historical approaches to art. In this course, students will develop individual and independent art projects.

This course aims to extend basic drawing and art making skills in a variety of media: visual note taking, drawing, collage, water color, printmaking, book making and and the art of mixing media. Students are encouraged to seek inspiration from nature and we will explore natural inks and found material.

Each session will start with a short lecture with an introduction to a new medium, offering historical and cultural insights, followed by a workshop where techniques will be presented, discussed and tested. Often there will be a specific assignment to encourage the student to explore the medium further.

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

Students will learn how to work in an engaged manner with a sketchbook, to document their personal "Art in the Making" journey.

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 present independent art projects;

Instructor: Andrea Homann

Dipl.-Ing. (Apparel Engineering/Fashion Design, FH Mönchengladbach, 1989). 1989-1990 Designer at Westfalenstoffe, Münster/Germany, 1990-1993, Educator at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA), the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery. Since 1994, Educator at the Danish National Gallery (Statens Museum for Kunst). With DIS since 1997.

Consultation: aho@dis.dk  

Course Evaluation

Assignment	Percent
Sketchbook (in class and homework assignments), including independent drawings (minimum 10 drawings, accounts for 10%)	50%
Participation in class discussion, attendance, presentations	15%
Independent Art Projects: Collage Book Final Project	10% 25%

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

Classroom Etiquette: Mobile phones and other electronic devices should  be turned off and stored away. Students should refrain from all other computer activities to create a focused studio atmosphere. This course emphasizes individual creativity and therefore the use of AI tools is not allowed.

 

Required Materials

(we will discuss and sample these materials; you do not have to bring them for the first session; suggested art stores: Tutein and Koch, Stelling)

1. Graphite pencil 2B; eraser, sharpener
2. Ballpoint pen (0.5)
3. Glue stick (good quality)
4. watercolor brush
5. A4 Sketchbook (bound, hard cover)
6. Project work will occasionally require that you buy additional materials

 

Required Reading

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

Edwards, Betty: Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, #11 Moving into the Third Dimension: Seeing Light, Drawing Shade, Souvenir Press, 1979. pp.180-189

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

Hustved, Sirir: Notes on Seeing, in Living, Thinking, Looking, London, Sceptre Books, 2012. pp.223-231.

Mæglin-Delcroix, Anne: Anything More to Say about Artists Books, in Danish Artists' Books, Walter König, 2013, p.61-72.

Kentridge, William: Drawing Lesson 1: In Praise of Shadows in Six Drawing Lessons, Cambridge, Harvard University Press, 2014.pp.1-32

Kromann, Thomas Hvid: Book, Object, Book-Object. Regarding Certain Eccentric Material Deviations from the Ordinary Book, Danish Artists´Books, Walter König, 2013, p.89-100.

O’Reilly, Sally:  Collage: Diversions, contradictions and Anomalies, in Blanche Craig (ed.) Collage – Assembling Contemporary art, London, Black Dog Publishing, 2008, pp.8-19.

Simblet, Sarah: Intro to The Drawing Book, London, Dorling Kindersley, 2004

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

Field Studies

Nikolaj Kunsthal, København K

GL Strand, København K

Designmuseum Denmark, København K

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 

 

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