FA1DR2: Drawing Practice

Module code: FA1DR2

Module provider: Art; School of Arts and Communication Design

Credits: 20

Level: 4

When you’ll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Ms Caroline Wendling , email: c.d.c.wendling@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 3 April 2025

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This practical module aims to develop your observational skills and introduce approaches to the representation of the human form through drawing from life models and still life scenes. The module equips you with a growing range of drawing skills and techniques and aims to develop your ability to choose between them to apply your enhanced proficiency to different contexts. It introduces you to a variety of different methods, materials and tools. to enable experimentation and critical reflection on representation.  

This will help you develop your ability to problem solve through drawing and will strengthen your ability to visualise and communicate what you are thinking about. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Employ skilful and imaginative drawing techniques, materials and ideas. 
2. Integrate experimentation with a broad range of approaches to drawing and representation 
3. Illustrate understanding of the global history of life drawing through research

Module content

Through a series of practice sessions drawing from life models and still life scenes students will develop and enhance their observational drawing skills.  They will extend their own experience and grow their competence of materials and approaches and develop analytical and reflective skills. Students will investigate and articulate the relationship of intention to outcome.

Development of work will include studio practice, independent practice, contextual lectures and group and individual formative feedback. This will also include technical assistance and instruction and directed visits to museums and galleries. The module is assessed by a portfolio of practice and reflective statement. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Guided preparation for each teaching session introduces the global history and contemporary applications of life drawing. Peer-reviews and group tutorials form the basis for practical studio learning. Contextual lectures introduce further examples of techniques, materials and processes to support practical learning. Demonstrations typically consist of short briefings and discussions of each session’s methodology, context, and outcome aim. 

Experimentation and innovation are encouraged during the practical sessions in a series of quick, self-directed tests, and typically lead to development of one or two more fully developed drawings per session. 

Practice is linked to supportive analysis, enabling reflection of the effects of decision-making, material and approaches.

The department provides core materials for each of the projects undertaken as part of this module. 

Study hours

At least 22 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Mid-semester formative assessment point consists of a draft Journal of Visual Analysis and a draft Portfolio of Drawings 

Reassessment

Additional costs