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No previous knowledge or experience is necessary for this course, the teaching methods will often be on a one-to-one basis within the focus of a particular class. The nature of the class, being in off-site locations each week, lends itself to successful mixed ability teaching.
The course meets in a different venue each week, and a wide range of different places and subject matter will be covered, to name a few: museums, galleries, cafes, parks, churches, stations - during winter months, we are indoors! And the source material will always be observational.
Form & format of what a sketchbook is will be explored, students will be encouraged to consider different formats, such as concertina & flexifold books, "found" & made pages, and "the scrapbook"
The sketchbooks of other artists will be introduced as background material, together with examples of artists' finished work that relates to the sketchbooks. Students will be strongly encouraged to develop work from their sketchbooks, and suggestions & advice about venues that offer good opportunities to draw but are not available during the particular class time will be made.
The course will introduce different approaches to drawing in a sketchbook, including considered drawings lasting some time, and the collecting of quickly gathered, fleeting information, the place and value of notation, and the use of colour.
Though the subject matter will always be figurative, the course will consider how artists & designers use figurative sketchbooks to develop abstract ideas.
Most courses include a visit to a gallery or museum specifically to look at the sketchbooks & drawings of other artists (e.g. the print & drawing room at the British Museum; the Tate Archive). In addition, every course sometimes meets in museum & gallery locations, where the work on show, which often may not be the main subject of the class, is always an added inspiration.
The aim of the course is to enable each student to have a relaxed & creative attitude towards keeping and using a sketchbook, and deciding where might be good places & areas to use it. Each student should also have a clear knowledge of the range & diversity of sketchbooks & materials available, and be aware of ways they could use the work in their sketchbook to develop their creative practice.
Each session will be structured around a particular concept, media, skill or approach; within that, one-to-one discussion & teaching will be the prevalent method. Every session will end with a short peer group appraisal and discussion, which aims to develop students' confidence in their critical & analytical skills, and in their own work. Topics and ideas will be supported by contextual references to the work of other artists or other relevant information.
One-to-one appraisal and discussion, and the regular group appraisal at the end of each class, provide the opportunity for feedback.
To begin the course, you need to have an A4 sketchbook, a selection of pencils between 9H-9B. (You don't need the whole range). One or two pens such as Edging 1800, or Uniball, any "fineliner", one or two nib widths. An eraser & pencil sharpener, and any other preferred drawing tools.
The course content includes demonstration & discussion of a variety of sketchbooks and media & the choice of what to use will be an individual one.
Estimated minimum cost £30. If you draw a lot and become interested in different papers and materials, the cost will increase.
Many students continue over several terms of the Out & About and also go on to do other courses. Specific examples of progression have been: many students go on to other courses at the MW centre, especially the qualification Foundation & pre Foundation courses; several students have also done the course knowing they were soon to embark on significant personal journeys to far flung places, aiming to gain confidence & experience in drawing in sketchbooks.
See how long it will take you to get to college. Please select the campus of the course you wish to study.