Power Drawing

Power Drawing is the education programme of the Campaign for Drawing initiated by the Guild of St George. Primarily a research and development programme, it focuses on drawing in schools and other educational settings and investigates how the use of drawing can help children and young people learn in a variety of subjects. The intention is to develop a range of strategies, methods and techniques to support learning through drawing. This paper explains the ideas underpinning the programme, how it is organised and the research methods used. It describes and reflects on the experience of the first year of the action research, and comments on some of the satisfactions and tensions that have emerged. It outlines how these will influence further development.     

Drawing on the Past: Reflecting on the Future

This paper examines the connections between the training models of late 19th century Schools of Design (Art) as exemplified by the first municipal School of Art (Margaret Street, Birmingham) and the current preparation of specialist teachers of Art and Design. A recurrent theme is the paradox of objective, measurable standards, pitted against notions of subjective independent learning, individual relevance and choice. Consistent with other papers from this author, the thrust of the perspective is questioning the compatibility of an examination–dominated agenda and opportunities for experimentation, creative risk taking and forms of supported, purposeful play. Continuing research explores the concept and purpose of drawing in an increasingly technological, global information society.     

Children’s Drawing,Self Expression,Identity and the Imagination

Directions, Volume 18 Number 1 [1] suggests that postmodern theory is beginning to have a significant effect upon educational practice. Atkinson [2] has directed attention towards the effects of both the construction of the subject and the real within art teaching. Much postmodern theory challenges the unitary, pre–existing subject. This paper will argue that the persistence of an ideology of self–expression which asserts that all representation is in connection with (should be read in relation to) a singular, pure, pre–existing self acts to limit our understandings of the complexity of children’s representations and is in conflict with many contemporary positions. Research has centred on the development of ‘out of school’ sketchbooks. Large sketchbooks were given out to nursery and reception children paired with older siblings in primary education. Possible drawing activities and interests were discussed and children were left to develop the sketchbooks at home. Two weeks later (including a half term holiday) the children were interviewed in relation to the drawings developed. The drawings have been considered in relation to contemporary approaches to self and identity. The conclusions of this paper revolve around the possibilities of reading children’s drawing in relation to self and identity through the interaction of social context, discursive practice and agency in a manner which is suggested by Ricouer’s formulation of the social imaginary. Additionally, the substitution of tenacious notions of expression with concepts of agency and contingency grounded in the characteristics of ‘citationality’, articulation and narrative are suggested as a basis for developing the educational potential of drawing.     

On Drawing,Visual Language and the Pictorial Image: An Interview with John Willats

The editorial team of TRACEY, an online drawing journal hosted by Loughborough University School of Art & Design, was interested to learn more about John Willats’s current thinking on the subject of drawing and to put to him a number of specific questions to do with the functions of drawn marks, notions of pictorial syntax, the role of ambiguity and imprecision in drawing and future directions for drawing research. He kindly agreed to an interview, which took place in his Somerset studio on Thursday 6th December 2001. The following is an edited version of that interview.     

Power Drawing at Bath Spa University College School of Art & Design

Two intensive drawing weekends were held to at Bath Spa University College, School of Art & Design – in September 2001 and again in 2002. The weekends are designed as ‘taster’ events for the NSEAD Artist–Teacher Scheme and have been a joint venture between the Society and ‘Power Drawing’ the education programme of ‘The Campaign for Drawing’. The Artist–Teacher Scheme is based on the simple belief that art and design teachers who maintain their own creative practice are significantly more effective in the classroom or studio and more likely to be satisfied with their work in education. The scheme aims to provide opportunities for artist–teachers to review and develop their creative practice in relation to the highest levels of contemporary practice in the contexts of higher education institutions and art museums and galleries. The Campaign for Drawing is led by the Guild of St George, a charity founded by John Ruskin. It aims to promote visual literacy as an integral part of learning at all ages, to investigate the functions of drawing across the curriculum and to develop appropriate learning and teaching strategies. Artist Teachers who have led the weekends include Eileen Adams (Education Programme Leader Power Drawing), Sonia Boyce, Bob Briggs, Peter Feroze, John McNorton, Sheila Paine, Lesley Sanderson and Tom Wood. Over 100 teachers have experienced the drawing weekend to date and another event is planned for 2003.     

Developing a School Drawing Policy with Newly Qualified Teachers of Art and Design

This paper describes part of a one–day course run by the authors for Newly Qualified Teachers of art and design (NQTs) planned to develop subject knowledge and assessment expertise. The former was achieved partly through an examination of the roles of drawing in secondary school art and design education. Through review and discussion of their pupils’ drawings, the NQTs developed ideas about the functions and purposes of drawing. These ideas were then refined and some practical work undertaken. The nature of drawing policies for secondary art and design departments was considered. The session concluded with a consideration of ideas that might inform the development of such a drawing policy. Secondly, the authors take up and develop several issues from the NQTs’ ideas and responses. These include reference to participants’ drawing performance and understanding, their judgements about the value of drawing, and to how these may be influenced by factors in art education, including those associated with GCSE and assessment. Finally, reference is made to two distinctive perceptions of drawing in schools and, with reference to the work of Wilson, Hurwitz and Wilson, the authors suggest a strategy and argue for the development of drawing policy and curricula for secondary school art departments. The paper is based on part of a presentation given at the Annual Conference of the NSEAD, York, 2002.     

Conversations Around Young Children’s Drawing: The Impact of the Beliefs of Significant Others at Home and School

Children learn to make meanings in communities of practice through interaction with more experienced others. Young children’s strategies for and attitudes to learning are determined by the sociocultural contexts in which they practise those strategies, including learning how to draw within the distinct cultures of home and school. Evidence of meaning making — 2 and 3D representations involving drawing, modelling and play with objects — was collected over one month periods in the Autumns of 98, 99 and 00 from seven young children in home and as they settled into new pre–school and school settings in the North of England. The evidence of the seven children’s meaning making, recorded by photographs and scrap books of their representations, was used as a stimulus in dialogues to elicit parents’ and practitioners’ beliefs about the value and significance of different modes meaning making, including drawing in the contexts of home and school. Their conversations were recorded and transcribed for analysis. Evidence from the perspectives of parents, practitioners and the children was triangulated with evidence of contextual features for learning around the children’s drawings. Episodes from analysis of the data sets will be used to illustrate how the children were inducted into the conventions of ‘school’ drawing whilst often retaining a distinct personal drawing agenda at home. Implications will be drawn for the status and function of drawing in the education of young children in formal and informal learning contexts.     

Briefing Illustrators: Revisiting the Value of Sketch Images

In 1990 Steve Garner produced a school text book titled Design Topics: The Human Factors of Design. He briefed the various graphic artists engaged by the publishers, Oxford University Press, via nearly 140 thumbnail sketches. A comparison of these sketches with the final illustrations reveals important values of drawing. Not only do the comparisons enable the viewer to see something of the intent of the sender, they reveal processes of interpretation, selection, rejection and development, which are normally not available to examination. The paper seeks to contribute to substantiating the value of sketches to these processes of design team working. Since the author is also the originator of the sketches an additional level of insight and commentary is made available to the reader via a process of reflection.     

The Original Creative Principle

The following imaginary interview is linked to an hour long drawing workshop carried out during the 2002 NSEAD Annual Conference ‘Creativity in Art & Design Education’. The intention was to get closer to the experience by raising questions. I hope those who participated may recognise it as, in some way, connected to their experience. The American Artist, Robert Motherwell maintained an interest in psychic automatism throughout his life. Although he remained suspicious of its mystical connotations [1] fundamental principles appeared to inform his working methods. Motherwell identified a number of key issues which serve to define its potential in the origination and development of paintings and drawings. He saw the process as “...very little a question of the unconscious, but much more a plastic weapon with which to invent new forms.”[2] Motherwell’s analysis and, to some extent defence, of the process is as follows: 1. It cuts through any a priori influences — it is not a style 2. It is entirely personal 3. It is, by definition, original 4. It can be modified stylistically and in subject matter at any point during the process. The proposed drawing workshop seeks to explore Motherwell’s approach and by definition, exposes a related and learning and teaching strategy. The process serves as a catalyst for creative thinking, exploiting analogy, simile and metaphor in the generation of artistic and personally defined contexts or narratives.     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed in this article: The London Institute, Seeing Drawing Howe, Alan; Davies, Dan and Ritchie, Ron, Primary Design and Technology for the Future: Creativity, Culture and Citizenship Gale, Colin and Kaur, Jaspir, The Textile Book Bresler, Liora; Thompson, Marme Christine (eds.), The Arts in Children’s Lives: Context, Culture and Curriculum Harrison, Charles; Wood, Paul and Gaiger, Jason (eds.), Art in Theory 1648–1815: An Anthology of Changing Ideas     

Sketching Now

This paper discusses the role of the sketch in design when freehand drawing is under pressure from digital image manipulation both in higher education and professional practice. Placed in a broad design context embracing experience, skill and knowledge, the meaning of ‘sketch’ is being explored against a background of past and current practices in analogue and digital media. Locating the sketch in the design process various analogue and digital relationships are presented, including speed and fidelity. It concludes that sketching can be seen as a form of visual improvisation independent of any particular drawing system that allows designers to explore the sketch both as a means of self–expression and a means of communication.     

机械测绘课程中零件图技术要求的教学方法探讨

零件图是制造和检验零件的依据,对产品加工发挥着指导性作用。零件图中的技术要求是零件图的主要内容之一,直接关系到零件的加工方法和加工质量。机械测绘课程中,学生缺乏工程实践,教师讲解技术要求中的内容时,需要注意标注哪些内容、怎样标注、标注的要求等。结合具体图例,采用类比、枚举、图示和分析的方法解释专业的词语,循序渐进,帮助学生理解,以达到事半功倍的效果。     

具象绘画的抽象性与抽象绘画的具象性

理解绘画中具象性和抽象性两个基本属性的关系,在美术教学中,有助于学生欣赏美术作品时,能深刻体会绘画作品所表现的艺术形象的本质,以利于拓展创作思路。     

几何画板轨迹功能在三维曲面绘制中的应用

探讨了几何画板的绘图功能在空间曲面绘制中的应用,给出通过建立基础网格利用“轨迹”功能绘制曲面网状图和建立三维坐标系利用“追踪”功能绘制曲面的方法。     

《CAD制图》课程在建筑装饰工程中的应用与研究

本文结合《CAD制图》课程在建筑装饰工程中的特点和实施进行应用与研究的,为了使建筑装饰设计教学工作取得良好的教学效果进行了大胆的教学改革尝试,通过建筑装饰工程在课程中应用与研究,并对教学模式的实施进行详细的研究与论述。进行不断探索并取得进步,让学生在建筑装饰教育领域得到更好的发展。     

绘画造型对现代插画的影响

插画属于绘画艺术,诉之于视觉.插画作品除了表现其独特的面和线的瞬息造型外,往往还要表现创作者的某种审美取向.创作者要想使读者能够很好地解读自己的作品,并且使读者与自己产生感情共鸣,不仅要求创作者自身有丰富的视觉经验,同时还必须能够正确把握读者所具有的视觉心理图式,创作者的作品才会进发出生命力。     

基础网作图法——效果图手绘表现实技探究

针对效果图手绘表现市场应用和教学现状上的问题,提出了创建绘图前期空间模式、运用系列版式类型改良绘制条件和方法的"基础网作图法",并介绍了该作图法的具体实施手段和步骤,使效果图的手绘表现和教学更具实效性和可操作性。     

机械制图课程中的创新教育

从激发学生兴趣、改善教学方式和优化教学手段等方面、探讨了在机械制图教学中如何培养学生的创新能力,对改革制图教学作了一些有益的尝试。     

凡·高素描作品的艺术价值

凡·高被誉为十九世纪世界伟大的油画家,他在素描领域取得的艺术成就却未受到足够的重视,本文论述了凡.高素描的卓越成就和价值。     

浅谈中国画语言的艺术意蕴

在中国画发展日趋标新立异,派别林立,百家争鸣,百花齐放的今天,如何把中国古代哲学思想融入到中国绘画当中,使其作品具有简淡玄幽的艺术意味和博大深邃的艺术内涵,是新时期中国文化精神赋于中国画新活力的内在要求和基本筹码。