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Methodologies of Drawing (SSFA0034) is a 15-credit FHEQ Level 5 module taught by the Slade which is available to students from other departments in UCL.

Drawing
Drawing, 2011

Drawing Methodologies introduces you to a series of practices of drawing in Fine Art emphasizing the development of concepts of drawing. You will learn through practice and consider drawing as a way of seeing and a mode of thought. Over the ten weeks of the course, themes may include: Observation and perspective; drawing and the body; calligraphy, narrative and animation; surface and touch; gesture and trace; and, thinking and seeing through lines.

Taught classes will take place at the Slade School of Art (Gower St) on Monday evenings during term one. In Term 2, you will have two face-to-face, one-to-one tutorials with your tutor to help you develop your own portfolio of individual drawings for assessment.

Each session starts with an introduction to key concepts of drawing with examples from a wide and diverse range of artists.

In the first half of this course we shall cover the rudiments of drawing technique (such as observation, line, composition, etc), learn methods for expressing the dynamics of different textures and tones, and explore our own physicality whilst drawing.

The second half of the course will build upon this focus on technique and embodiment. We will go on to experiment with drawing as an investigative method.

Materials for in-class use will be sourced by the Slade. Students are responsible for purchasing a sketchbook and basic drawing tools for out-of-class work by the beginning of week 2 (suggested: unruled sketchbook at least A4 size, sharp pointed or mechanical pencil, graphite sticks, black fine-liner pen or roller gel ink pen, charcoal, conte crayons).

The key objective of this course is to develop your capacity and enthusiasm to use drawing as a process and a tool that can be used to see things differently. The autumn taught course is designed to enable you to develop your own direction in drawing through a portfolio.

Portfolio inspection

Priority on the module is given to students taking the BASc Arts and Sciences degree and the BSc Architectural and Interdisciplinary Studies. Application to the module is by portfolio inspection. Students from other departments, and intercollegiate students may apply to take the module, but we cannot guarantee places on the module until after the portfolio inspections have taken place.

Your portfolio should include a small selection of drawings or work from sketchbooks (12 images in total) that demonstrate your experience, skills and interest in drawing.

Any students who enter SSFA0034 on Portico and who do not submit a portfolio of work for inspection will be rejected from the module. We are not able to give feedback on individual portfolios.

For continuing students

Application portfolios should be submitted using this application form between the first day module selection opens in April, and 11.59pm (BST) on the last day modules selection closes in May during early module registration period. Please check UCL’s official student module selection website for the exact date every year.

For new students

Application portfolios should be submitted using this application form between the first day module selection opens in September, and 11.59pm (BST) on the Tuesday of the main induction week in September. Please check UCL’s official student module selection website for the exact date every year.

Please ensure that your portfolio document is headed with your name, department and UCL student number.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

The teaching is 10 x seminars in term 1 and then two one-to-one tutorials in Term 2 (or in Term 1 for Term 1-only affiliates)

Assessment

Academic year students

40%: A portfolio of work produced as part of taught sessions (to be submitted electronically).

60%: A portfolio of work produced independently (to be submitted electronically).

Term 1-only affiliates

100%: Portfolio of 10 pieces of work produced in class and independently.

Course description

Methodologies of Drawing examines a series of practices of drawing in Fine Art, emphasising the development of concepts of drawing. The intention is that students learn through practise and treat drawing as a mode of thinking, feeling and enquiry.

The 10-week course evolves each year, but may include sessions themed around:

  • observation and line;
  • self-portraits and self-expression;
  • drawing from a life-model;
  • flatness and depth;
  • the feeling and drawing of space;
  • motion and time through line;
  • body, gesture, and mark;
  • imagination and conceptualisation in drawing. 

Reading

The books below are recommendations, although they are not required reading for the course. Students are encouraged to visit museums and galleries where drawings are regularly shown.

  • Vitamin D: New Perspectives in Drawing Hardcover – December 1, 2005, by Emma Dexter
  • Vitamin D2: New Perspectives in Drawing Hardcover – May 21, 2013, by Editors of Phaidon
  • The Drawing Projects: An Exploration of the Language of Drawing Paperback – August 2, 2011, by Mick Maslen (Author), Jack Southern
  • The Primacy of Drawing: Histories and Theories of Practice Hardcover – July 13, 2010, by Deanna Petherbridge
  • Drawing: A Contemporary Approach Paperback – January 19, 2007 by Teel Sale (Author), Claudia Betti
  • Out of Line: Drawings from the Arts Council Collection Paperback – January 1, 1999
  • Berger on Drawing 2005, John Berger

Contact

For further information, please contact slade.tlo@ucl.ac.uk, with SSFA0034 in the title of your e-mail.