Architecture, Landscape & Visual Arts

Unit Outline

Art of Expression
VISA1052
SEM-2, 2015
Campus: Crawley
Unit Coordinator: Ms Sarah Douglas

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The University of Western Australia 2001

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Unit details
Unit title
Unit code
Availability
Location

Art of Expression
VISA1052
SEM-2, 2015 (27/07/2015 - 21/11/2015)
Crawley

Credit points

Mode

Face to face

Contact details
Faculty
School
School website
Unit coordinator
Email
Consultation hours
Lecturers

Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts

Architecture, Landscape & Visual Arts
http://www.alva.uwa.edu.au/
Ms Sarah Douglas
sarah.douglas@uwa.edu.au
Monday10am-1pm or Thursday 1pm-2.30pm by appointment Sarah Douglas

Name

Position

Email

Telephone Number

Sarah Douglas Unit Coordinator sarah.douglas@uwa.edu.au 0400036816

Tutors

Nick Mahony
nick.mahony@uwa.edu.au
Janet Carter
janet.carter@research.uwa.edu.au

Unit contact hours

Online handbook

Studio: 3 hrs per week

http://units.handbooks.uwa.edu.au/units/VISA/VISA1052

Unit description
This unit introduces basic skills and applications in the theory and practice of painting as a means of developing individual creative
expression. The unit 'fast tracks' strategies to achieve operational competency and awareness of the power of the medium of
paint/painting and rapidly moves on to develop students' organisational, conceptual and technical skills within the framework of painting
practice. Artists utilise a range of technical, organisational, intellectual and physical media to generate creative works and the unit
investigates some of the strategies which artists use to receive, translate, work with and develop ideas and images in contemporary
cultural traditions. Students learn skills to develop manifestations of thoughts, memories and imagination in their sketchbooks and in
paintings. They develop an awareness of the role of colour theory, the painted image, the media and their applications in creativity,
recording and problem solving. The unit emphasises practical applications which assist in giving ideas material form.

Learning outcomes
This unit uses contemporary iconography and imagery from important contemporary artworks, artists, internet, advertising, film and
television to resource the production of visual literature and facilitate awareness of the individual students place within the scheme of
visual culture. Developing the skills to mind-map place in popular culture enhances the students perception of cross referencing visual
iconography within the parameters of their major areas of study. The unit emphasises the development of creative thought as an
elementary design process. By developing and using academic and observational research strategies, students learn skills to
creatively interpret academic material from their major areas of study to formulate and express individual ideas. Students demonstrate
through practice and theory: (1) knowledge of an introductory range of traditional painting processes; (2) a working understanding of the
relationship between processes, materials and the expressive potential of painting; (3) ability to discuss developments in their work
relative to contemporary visual practice and historic contexts; (4) within the studio setting, the ability to discuss their painting and media
developments; and (5) a working understanding of processes associated with painting such as mixed media, collage, appropriated
material and digitally processed media.

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Unit structure
Class types: Studio/Seminar tutorials and practical workshops.
It is expected that students participate in the studio sessions during the following hours. Please arrive at class at the correct time as
formal instruction will take place immediately the class commences.

Tuesday 10.00-12.45 or 2pm-4.45pm

Wednesday 10.00-12.45 or 1.30pm-4.15pm
Thursday 10.00-12.45
Tutorial/Workshops
The studio is available for your use 24 hours per day. As with all other units undertaken at UWA there is an expectation that students
work beyond hours undertaken in the set studio time. Use this time for preparation and research, further experimentation and the
completion of projects.

Unit schedule
Week

Date

1 - Tuesday
Wednesday

28 July Unit IntroductionUnderstanding Visual

29 July Research

Thursday

30 July

2-

Seminar Topic

Lecturer Tutorial

1
August
4
Understanding light and
August tone
5
August
6
August

Sarah
Douglas

The complexities of the everydayInformation gathering through the

drawing process.

Sarah
Douglas

Drawing/Mixed Media

3-

11
Colour in Context
August
12
August
13
August

Sarah
Douglas

Introduction to colour theory

Mixing colour to create tone (acrylics)

4-

18
Mixed Media
August
19
August
20
August
25
Experimental
August Methodologies
26
August
27
August

Sarah
Douglas

Working with Paint, collage and drawing

processes

Sarah
Douglas

Using non Traditional methods of

Expression

1 Sept Explorations of space and

2 Sept three dimensions
3 Sept

Sarah
Douglas

Working three dimensionally/

construction workshop

5-

6-

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Laboratory

7-

8-

9-

Non-teaching Study
Break September 28 to
October 5
10 -

8 Sept Form Content and Context

9 Sept
10
Sept
15
Introduction to Final Project
Sept
16
Sept
17
Sept
22
Concept development
Sept
23
Sept
24
Sept
Non-teaching Study Break

Sarah
Douglas

Understanding the relationship between

the material, the process, placement and
meaning.

Sarah
Douglas

Submission for Assessment 1

Sarah
Douglas

Concept Development

6 Oct
7 Oct
8 Oct

Sarah
Douglas

Project Presentations
(Assessment 2)

Student Project
Presentations

11 -

13 Oct Review/Open Studio

14 Oct
15 Oct

Sarah
Douglas

Open Studio

12 -

20 Oct Final Project outcome

21 Oct exhibition
22 Oct
All works to be completed
and presented in allocated
class
27 Oct Final Project submission
28 Oct
29 Oct

Sarah
Douglas

All Final Project works to be completed

and presented in allocated class.
(Assessment 3)

13 -

Submission Assessment 3

Unit
Review

Final Project document submission Due

in allocated class time.

Assessment
Assessment overview
Typically this unit is assessed in the following way(s): (1) folio submission of all studio projects completed in class; (2) final folio
submission containing all journals and painting projects; and (3) visual and oral presentation. Further information is available in the unit
outline.
This comprises an introductory workshop projects for each week and a visual diary/journal (week 8 due), project presentation week 10,
with a final project and the submission of all subsequent work and diary/ journals (week 13 due).

Assessment mechanism
# Component

Weight Due Date

1 Visual Diary Development and Folio of Workshop

Projects Week 1-7
2 Student project Presentations
3 Final Project outcome, Visual Diary research and
Development Documentation

40%

To be submitted in allocated class, Week 8-

10%
50%

Week 10
To be presented and submitted during allocated class Week 12,
Documentation of process, reflections and photographic
documentation of outcome due allocated class time week 13.

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Assessment items
Item Title

Description

Visual Diary development

and process
documentation

Students will be assessed on the content of the

Submit week 8 in studio
visual diary as demonstrated and set in class. A
journal which will contain written reflections on
workshops and creative developments, research,
gallery visits and sample works, and process
development including digitally recorded work.
All works produced from week 1-week 7
Folio Submission Week 8

Workshop projects week

1-7
Seminar Presentation

Final Project-

Submission Procedure for Assignments

Students to present their final project in a 10

minute seminar presentation-and class
discussion.
One resolved painting or a series of painted
works/mixed media with process documentation ,
visual research ideas visual and written
documentation -presented in visual essay with
reflective document 500-800 words

Seminars presented in studios-Week 10

Final project outcomes to be presented as an

exhibition in allocated class time Week 12.
Documentation of process development and
reflections on outcome submitted allocated class
time week 13.

Textbooks and resources

Recommended texts
please see LMS for reference material specific to workshops.

Technical requirements
Material and equipment: Each student have a digital camera with video capability.
You must supply your own art materials to successfully complete this unit. You will be given a materials list at the beginning of
classes. The projects are designed so that you can explore media that is affordable. Your lecturer will advise you of specific material
requirements for each project. However it is useful to have a basic art supply of drawing/painting equipment to start your program. A
communal studio space is provided which is shared with other classes including students from Electronic Arts, please be sensitive to
the needs of others.
Health and safety issues will be outlined during the first weeks of the semester. Please complete Health and Safety Induction online see
LMS and present certificate to your tutor to lodge completion.

Other important information

Enrolled students can access unit material via uwa.blackboard.com

Enrolled students can access unit material via the LMS in units that use LMS

Building clean-up and folio collection (for units with folio submissions)
Studios are expected to be left clean and tidy. Drawing boards are to be cleaned. Students must remove all personal property
immediately after the submission of their folio. If the content of a folio is used for exhibition then the student must write their name on
the back of the work so that when the exhibition is demounted collection is simplified. If staff or the Faculty wish to reserve work for
reproduction and/or accreditation purposes then this should be negotiated with individual students.

Attendance
Attendance is required at all lectures, tutorials and workshops. These are the primary means of consultation with your Unit Coordinator
and Teaching Assistants. Do not expect questions relating to content missed through unjustified absence to be answered. Additionally,
it will be assumed that students have read all relevant course materials.

Authenticity of work
For Studio units, the Faculty may prevent your continuation in this unit if you fail to meet requirements for attendance at
classes to establish the authenticity and originality of your work.
Submissions
The ALVA Submissions policy is available at:
http://www.alva.uwa.edu.au/students/policies/

Submission of Late Work

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All assessment tasks are due no later than 4pm on the date indicated in the unit's Assessment Mechanism Statement, with the
exception of in-class assessment items such as tutorial presentations. Any assessment task which is submitted after the time
indicated in the assessment mechanism statement without a formal approved extension will be considered LATE and appropriate
penalities will be applied. Information on penalties can be obtained in the Faculty Policy on Submissions
at http://www.alva.uwa.edu.au/students/policies/.

Extensions
The Faculty approves extensions only in exceptional circumstances in order to ensure that all students are treated fairly and that
submission date schedules, which are designed to produce ordered work patterns for students, are not disrupted. Extensions may be
authorised only by the allocated Faculty Course Advising Office or a delegated representative. In all cases, requests for extensions
require the submission of Special Consideration form no later than three University working days after the due date.
Students are encouraged in the strongest possible terms to familiarise themselves with the Faculty Policy on Extensions available
at http://www.alva.uwa.edu.au/students/policies/.

Return of Student Work

Marked assessments submitted on time will be made available for collection by students at least one week before the next assessment
in the unit is due (if it is related to the previous assessment), or no more than four weeks after submission, whichever is sooner.

Special Consideration
For information regarding special consideration please go to:

http://www.student.uwa.edu.au/course/exams/consideration
Faculty Safety Inductions
The ALVA Health and Safety Induction (Part A) must be completed online by all students enrolled in a unit taught by the Faculty. This
online module is available for self-enrol via LMS. Completion of the Part A induction will ensure after-hours access to the ALVA Building
(including computer labs) is enabled.
The ALVA Workshop Induction (Part B) runs in Week 1 of each semester, and must be completed if the unit involves use of the
Workshop. Your Workshop Induction lasts for five years, after which you will be required to attend a refresher. Please refer to
http://www.alva.uwa.edu.au/students/facilities for more information on Inductions and Workshop close-down period.

Material and Equipment Costs

Costs specific to individual units will be communicated to students in this unit outline or early in semester.
All sites will require students to wear protective helmets; students needing to purchase a certified protective helmet may do so from
Alsafe Safety Industries Pty Ltd, 177 Bannister Rd Canningvale. Students must wear appropriate clothing when visiting building sites;
open toed shoes and sand shoes will not be accepted and students will not gain entry to site with these shoes. The sites also require
steel capped boots to be worn this is a condition of accessing these sites. These can be bought from Army Surplus stores or
borrowed, they are a worthy investment as will be required on future building sites of your own.

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