Drawing & Visual Investigation DVI

This part-time course in drawing and visual investigation provides students with knowledge, skills and understanding of contemporary approaches to drawing and visual research. The course aims to foster the intellectual and practical creativity of the individual. Drawing and Visual Investigation is concerned with conceptual approaches to drawing as well as developing students direct observation practical skills and their visual analysis.

The twenty-four week course includes: practical demonstration, tutor led seminars, individual tutorials, workshops, reviews, location based practical sessions, visual culture seminars and visiting lecturers. Students will be encouraged to respond to project briefs, undertake research, and with the support of tutors, develop their ideas for project work which they will; plan, research, evaluate and present for display.

The course is within the NFQ and carries 20 ECTS credits. Drawing and visual investigation involves a minimum of six hours tutor contact time over a twenty four week period (approx. 144 hours) and students will undertake additional self directed learning outside of course. The total student learning effort is approximately 400 hours of learning.

At the outset students will participate in a series of workshops and exercises to support the development of skills in observation, visual investigation, ideas generation, research and explore the use of a range of materials and techniques. Practical sessions on; notebook development and ideas generation will be followed by project based work, location drawing and lectures on visual culture and contemporary discourses in art and design. Students will respond to project briefs and undertake research for practical studio based projects. Project work will be reviewed and assessed at the end of the first term and students will receive feedback from tutors on their progress.

The second term focuses on individuals developing their ideas for project work that can be extended and sustained toward the presentation and display of a coherent body of work at the end of the course. Through lectures and seminars in visual culture, students will be encouraged to develop an awareness of contemporary discourse in art history and contribute to critical discussions surrounding contemporary practices in visual culture.