THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2023/2024

Timetable information in the Course Catalogue may be subject to change.

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Edinburgh College of Art : Design

Undergraduate Course: Illustration 2B: Visual Language (DESI08062)

Course Outline
SchoolEdinburgh College of Art CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryStudents will explore methods, concepts and processes of Illustration in the visual interpretation of texts. Illustrations will be created as self-contained images, as well as within designs for the page and digital contexts. Projects at this stage give more opportunity for self-initiated work and individually directed portfolios.
Course description This course will challenge existing ideas about how to interpret and resolve an illustration brief. Students will be required to push their ideas further and offer increasingly innovative solutions, whilst underpinning their practice with visual and contextual research. In a number of projects which deal with sequential imagery, character design and the social aspects of design, students will develop confidence in visualizing a variety of narratives.

As the course progresses students will begin to develop a visual language which allows them to approach any visual problem thrown at them and also start to take ownership of their own work, devising and selecting projects which explore their own interests in both subject matter and format. As they consider the professional demands of industry students will also consider the role of client and audience in each project.

The course is taught through a series of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials. Students are expected to undertake projects set within the course, documenting work through a portfolio and sketchbook. They are also expected to engage independently with the broader field of art and design, seeking out contextual references which inform their own work and expand their knowledge of Visual Culture.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements This course is only available to students on the Illustration Degree Programme in the School of Design.
Additional Costs Studio costs of general art and design materials at £50-£100.
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2023/24, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  53
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 10, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 18, Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 6, External Visit Hours 3, Feedback/Feedforward Hours 4, Formative Assessment Hours 0.5, Summative Assessment Hours 0.5, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 154 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Assessment details

Summative Assessment
An annotated pdf portfolio of 3 summatively assessed elements presented at the end of the course, and worth 100% of the overall final course grade documenting the following

Summative assessment
At the end of the Course student will present 3 summatively assessed elements evidenced in an annotated pdf portfolio. Each submission should consist of the following two elements:

(1) Preliminary work (66.6%)
Students should present documentation of sketchbook work which shows evidence and documentation of research themes, material and process development, including book forms. Thumbnails, storyboarding and character design should be used to demonstrate an exploration of sequential imagery. The work should clearly show the design process through evaluation and critical analysis.

(2) Resolved Illustrations and Reflective statement (33.3%)
2-5 resolved illustrations or equivalent (for example, a comic book spread may include a number of illustrations on a page). In addition to this, students should write a 300 word reflective statement evaluating their creative process.

Relationship between Assessment and Learning Outcomes:

All 3 Learning Outcomes are assessed and are equally weighted in relation to all submissions described above.
Feedback Formative verbal feedback will be given regularly throughout the course through one-to-one tutorials and peer review through small group discussions.

For the purposes of formative assessment, at the mid-way point students will be required to submit one project (a sketchbook of preliminary work and 2-5 resolved illustrations). Written feedback and grades will be provided.

Formative written feedback and indicative grades will be given following the formative submission.

Summative written feedback and grades will be given at the end of the course.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Initiate and plan a broad range of research methodologies appropriate to project briefs and organisation of Illustration work.
  2. Demonstrate a broad knowledge of the historical and contemporary contexts for Illustration and understand the demands of working in a professional context.
  3. Apply knowledge in a structured and transparent way that responds to complex design problems and reflects on personal creative practice.
Reading List
A. Male, ILLUSTRATION: MEETING THE BRIEF, Bloomsbury Visual Arts, 2014

L. Zeegen, FIFTY YEARS OF ILLUSTRATION, Laurence King, 2014

Davis, M., & Hunt, J. (2017). VISUAL COMMUNICATION DESIGN: AN INTRODUCTION TO DESIGN CONCEPTS IN EVERYDAY EXPERIENCE. London: Bloomsbury Visual Arts.

J. O'Reilly, VAROOM, AOI (Ongoing Periodical)
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills On completion of this course students will have the following range of skills:

Research and enquiry:
Be able to think critically
Have a range of approaches to independent research
Be able to join up and make use of knowledge from other fields

Personal and intellectual autonomy:
Be reflective practitioners
Be independent learners

Personal effectiveness:
The ability to plan, organise and manage their time
Be aware of the professional demands of being an illustrator

Communication:
Communicate verbally through presentations and the explanation of ideas.
Communicate in written form both formally and through sketchbooks.
Have interpersonal skills that allow peer review which is sensitive and useful.
KeywordsVisual Communication,Pictorial narrative,colour,composition and drawing
Contacts
Course organiserMs Sarah Lippett
Tel: (0131 6)51 5726
Email: slippett@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Linsey McEwan
Tel: (01316) 515448
Email: lmcewan2@ed.ac.uk
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