Images and Ideas

Explore personal ideas and other prompts through creative processes including visual association, image manipulation, collage and visual storytelling. Experiment with compositional strategies, drawing, mark-making and painting techniques to develop and combine images in original ways.

By the end of the course, learners will be familiar with strategies for generating and developing visual ideas and will have created a series of expressive artworks.

You will be taught in specialist art and design studios and through practical demonstrations, one-to-one tuition, group discussions and critiques.

Learners are responsible for purchasing their own materials. You may be required to bring some materials to your first, and subsequent classes. Learn more about the materials required for this course here. Please do not purchase any materials until your course is confirmed to run. You will require access to a device with an internet connection. 

Any recommended reading will be advised by the course teacher once the course is confirmed to run. You will require access to a computer or other device with internet connection.

If you have fully engaged with all the learning activities and have attended regularly, by the end of the course, you should be able to:

• Apply a range of personal research images, found images or other visual starting points to develop experimental compositions
• Employ a range of artistic strategies, materials and processes to explore and experiment with ideas for original, personal image-making
• Transfer critical visual thinking and creative problem-solving skills to new contexts - planning, testing, refining and communicating ideas for creative projects beyond this course. 

This course is aimed at those wishing to develop their familiarity with practical artistic strategies and processes through which to develop and experiment with personal image-making. Learners should have some experience of image-making using drawing, painting and other practical techniques.

Learners with an enthusiasm for creative exploration or who have a natural appreciation for colour, texture and form may find this course particularly rewarding. A willingness to experiment and express ideas visually is encouraged.

We welcome all and are committed to fostering a positive culture and sense of community among learners and staff. We expect learners to treat others with dignity and respect. Learners must be aged 16+.

If you have a disability, learning difficulty, health condition, or personal circumstances which may affect your learning, please let us know so that we can make appropriate adjustments in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

Wherever possible, we mainstream adjustments in line with the University’s Accessible and Inclusive Learning Policy.

Learners will have limited access to the University’s student support services who will signpost appropriate local sources of support. 

Learners should have some experience of image-making using drawing, painting and other practical techniques.

This course welcomes those with a vivid imagination and enthusiasm for creative exploration. This hands-on course requires no formal background in art or design.

There is no recommended reading with this course; however, your course teacher will guide you to relevant sources.

Reading, listening and communication skills are essential. You must be comfortable learning in English. You will need basic digital skills, such as using a computer and navigating a website, to access the learning materials.

Booking is available until 23:59 the day before the course start date, unless the course is full or cancelled.