Weekday Courses
This autumn we are offering online courses in Colour Practice and Theory and Drawing.
Colour Practice and Theory (ONLINE)
Mondays, 6:00 – 9:00pm
£360
21 October – 9 December 2024 / 8 Monday evenings
Tutor: Caroline de Lannoy
Course description
This online course of eight evening sessions offers students the opportunity to develop both a critical and practical understanding of colour theory. The emphasis of the course is to examine the science of colour and light with a view to its practical application.
The teaching method is structured around a series of lectures, demonstrations and creative projects. The lectures include an exploration into the history and theory of colour (principally from the Western tradition), colour systems and terminology, meaning and concepts. The theory is complemented with practical sessions through a series of structured exercises that elucidate the expressive, symbolic, scientific and cultural aspects of colour perception.
Using a range of materials and techniques from paint to collage, we will explore how colour behaves, the relationship of one colour to another and the way that colour generates light and form to create a colour space. All work will be made by hand with low cost materials. Note that we will not be working digitally, but will address the role colour plays in these fields in the lectures and discussions. We will develop methods to find a personal approach to subject and the dynamic articulation of colour.
Students will be encouraged to consider the role of colour in historical and contemporary art practices and in relation to their own artistic development. It is our aim that students leave the course with a better understanding of the role that colour plays in their work, which will contribute to the development of a body of personal work within their own time.
The sessions have been designed to be worked on at home in a space no bigger than your table top. Students will have access to an introductory film in advance of the live session to familiarise themselves with the ideas, practical set up and exercises we will be undertaking. Students will have access to our online platform (UCL Extend) where they will be able to find all the asynchronous teaching (videos), instructions for the session and link to the online live session. An online link will be sent out to facilitate a connection to the live teaching.
Who should take this course?
The course is open to anyone interested in developing skills in relation to colour and their own discipline. It suits a cross-section of experiences from complete beginners to those with previous experience or creative practice in general who would like to develop a more comprehensive understanding of colour, its applications and theories.
Materials
Students will be sent a full materials list to purchase what is needed before the start of the course.
You will need to have the following materials for the first session:
- A straight ruler, compass, HB Pencil, scissor, glue, masking tape, 1 square canvas board - 20x20cm or 1xA4 primed paper.
- A mixed set of student brushes including stiff/soft, 2 glass jars with lids, wet wipes for hands, rags or paper towels for brushes, painting palette, palette knife for mixing, thinners such as Sansodor for oil paint.
- Paints: You can choose to work with either oils or acrylic.
Please note you will need a retarding medium for acrylics in order to stop them drying too quickly when colour mixing. Titanium white, Lemon Yellow, Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Cobalt Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Phthalo Blue or Prussian Blue and Mars Black. - We recommend that each student has a sketchbook.
Please note: You will receive a more detailed materials list once your booking has been confirmed.
How online teaching works
Students will have access to pre-recorded materials (videos) explaining the ideas behind the exercises as well as demos, how to set up the space, which materials to get ready and instructions for the exercises in advance of the live session.
You will be given an induction on Day 1 showing you how to upload your work onto Padlet - a communal digital platform where the work can be displayed. Technical support is available throughout the course. Once logged in to the live session each day will begin with an introduction, then students will be guided through theoretical talks and practical exercises by the tutor as the session progresses.
There will be PDFs to support the films that include the transcript and recommended reading. Access to the films and supportive material will be available to the students for some months after the conclusion of the course.
Drawing (ONLINE)
©Slade School of Fine Art
Wednesdays, 6:00 – 9:00pm
£360
23 October – 11 December 2024 / 8 Wednesday evenings
Tutors: Ian Rowlands, Kate Hopkins, Sandra Smith
Course description
This online course of eight evening sessions offers students the opportunity to explore the core skills of drawing. The emphasis of the course is to explore drawing as a means of articulating form and as a tool for thinking, to encourage students to explore and nurture ideas through drawing, and as a feeder for ideas into their own art practice.
Using the concept of perception as the starting point for visual enquiry, we will be working almost entirely from observation. The sessions will be practical and supported by online live teaching, demonstration films and written material. They explore line, space and measure; light and tone; materials and surfaces; composition and proportion. There will be one session dedicated to drawing from reproductions of old master works in the National Gallery.
Students will experiment with a variety of techniques and materials including pencil, ink, white chalk, willow and compressed charcoal. The sessions have been designed to be worked on at home in a space no bigger than your table top.
Students will be sent an introductory film a week in advance of the live session to familiarise themselves with the ideas, the practical set up the and exercises we will be undertaking. Every week students will receive a link to our online platform where you will be able to find all the pre-recorded videos, instructions and take part in your online live session.
Who should take this course?
This course suits a cross-section of experiences from complete beginners, to those who are more experienced but would like to explore the underpinnings and process of drawing.
Materials
Students will be sent a full materials list to purchase what is needed before the start of the course.
You will need to have the following materials for the first session:
- A3 white cartridge paper x 2
- an A4 sketchbook
- masking tape
- HB, B and 2B pencils
- plastic eraser
- sharpener
- white ‘blackboard’ chalk
- drawing board or support of some kind - cardboard or wood up to A2 if possible
- a couple of newspapers
- Biro or fine liner.
How does the online teaching work?
Students will have access to our online platform (UCL Extend) with films explaining the ideas behind the exercises as well as demonstrations, how to set up the space, which materials to get ready and instructions for the exercises a week in advance of the live session. You will be sent links to these resources and to the live sessions.
An early start to the first live session will offer an induction showing you how to upload your work onto Padlet - a communal digital platform where the work can be displayed. Technical support is available throughout the course.
Once logged in to the live session each evening will begin with an introduction, then students will be guided through the practical exercises and given feedback and advice by the tutor.
There will be PDFs to support the films that include the transcript, recommended reading material, plus some suggested exercises for progressing with the subject. Access to the films and supportive material will be available to the students for some months after the conclusion of the course.
Feedback from online weekday courses
The teaching was excellent, the tutors were very approachable and informative and their criticism was constructive.
General information
Applicants
Short Courses are open to anyone aged seventeen and over.
Students under the age of 18
Slade Short Courses are designed for adults and the students attending our courses usually span a wide range of ages. For those students interested in attending a short course who are below the age of 18 (17+), we ask you to provide the following documents in addition to the application form so that we may consider you:
- A letter from the Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher, Head of Year or art teacher at your school stating your suitability for the course and
- A letter from your parent or guardian confirming personal liability and contents insurance has been set up for you.
Booking and payment
To book a place, please follow the link from your chosen course above to the UCL Online Store.
Course fee
The course fee covers tuition. The course fee does not include materials, you must supply all other materials yourself. The Slade will supply drawing boards, palettes and easels, as appropriate.
Refunds and cancellations
Cancellations are permitted up to one month before the start of a course, subject to a £25 cancellation fee. Refunds will not be made for cancellations less than one calendar month before the start of a course. Students who do not attend due to illness, personal or professional commitments do not have the right to a refund. For this reason we recommend that students take out personal insurance against any unforeseeable circumstances before the start of their course.
Before you start
Further course details and a materials list will be sent to you before the course begins.
Location
The Saturday courses will take place online or in person. Please check the course information carefully before booking.
Access
If you have any specific access needs, we will need to know about your access requirements in advance. Please tell us about your needs in confidence by emailing sladeshortcourses@ucl.ac.uk or by phone on 020 7679 2317.
Safety
Short Course students are required to sign a Safety Compliance Form as part of UCL Health and Safety regulations.
Further information
Please contact the Slade on 020 7679 2317 or email sladeshortcourses@ucl.ac.uk.
Disclaimer
The information given above is accurate at the time of publication. However, the Slade School of Fine Art reserves the right to cancel or amend courses if circumstances require it.
