Genre by osmosis - Waddesdon

Just visited Waddesdon Arts College to see their exhibition - actually been twice now. Some genuinely excellent work as always, but the quality of graphics, photography and illustration was extraordinary. Many of these students will go directly to degree courses at art school bypassing the normal foundation year. And why not, they have a really mature, deep and sophisticated sense of genre and style. This is complemented by strong underlying technical skills.

It was interesting to talk to Marc about how they do it. This is simplistic but seems to me to be quite telling. Marc explained that they had invested heavily in books and this is true large, mouthwateringly expensive contemporary books on illustration, photography and graphics are everywhere. These students do absorb the very best of contemporary work and it shows in their work and thinking. This constant exposure to the best practice in the field provides them with a real appreciation of style and genre informed by their access to this work. Marc explained that the last set of books cost £1,000 but money well spent I think. It is true that there are myriad examples of work on the web. But it occurs to me looking through these books that these are carefully presented examples of the very best. The web doesn't select by quality and so does not provide that example of the very best that the books do.

Another interesting convention used by Marc and his colleagues relates to the evolution of project briefs. These tend to start, not with problem solving, but with a period of immersion in professional work. This takes the form of story boards with two focusses. One is about collections of practice (graphics, photography etc.) related to the brief. The other is about collections of inspirational graphics/illustration which may or may not be related but must be inspirational. It is the fusion of these two strands of investigation that leads to creative and high quality outcomes.

A third key feature it seems to me of practice in this school is in the dedicated commitment to visualising through drawing. These students are taught to use rendering/visualisation techniques which enable them to quickly and effectively develop their ideas. It means they don't get seduced by photoshop filters and chance effects of the technology but they develop individual and purposeful ideas which they then have to realise using and applying their skills and understanding of technologies.

Other aspects of the conversation which intrigued me was the practice of usually using two or three teachers teaching on each course. The project briefs and course structure provides a secure spine for independent learning and each teacher can contribute as appropropriate. Thus students are exposed to a wider range of references than they might be otherwise.
PS and I really liked the way that a problem had been turned into an opportunity in KS 3 where 3 lessons a fortnight have to be taught by two teachers. Solution is to have every third lesson a self contained drawing lesson. This gives continuity and depth to developing drawing skills which the old QCDA units almost destroyed by presenting a single unit of work a term with drawing only happening in week 3.
PPS see more art from this years shows on Bucksart at Flickr

...and another inherent sensibility

A couple of weeks ago I wrote of a couple of students who exhibited a natural aptitude and talent for a particular professional practice. The other day I saw another student with a natural talent, this time for illustration. I really liked these illustrations: they made me smile. This was at Aylesbury High School.

There were also some excellent robust, life drawings, some of which were developed into textile pieces (Tracy Emin). They were a refreshing counterpoint to the large numbers of closely observed and painted portraits developed from digital photographs and the work of Jenny Saville, Lucien freud et al.

Platforms for improvement

Each year I try to publish a schedule of Bucks schools art exhibitions and to visit as many as I can. Last week I visited a GCSE and GCE exhibition at Waddesdon C of E School which is a visual arts college. The work was excellent (I loved the combination of digital photography and textiles in this sketchbook) but still evolving and it was interesting to recognise the evolution of practice and expectations over time (I have known the work of the school for twelve years after all). But I was astonished at the sophistication and maturity of the work in graphic design. In discussion with staff at the school we noted that standards were being built incrementally year on year as students acquired and demonstrated in their work a set of visual references relating to contemporary design practice. The interesting point was the recognition of the influence of each cohort on the succeeding cohort of 6th form students. Perhaps this was easier to recognise in the work of these graphics students because the course was new and the work was unlike other work done in the department. We felt that it was possible to see how each cohort had added a further level of sophistication and maturity to the visual set of references in the department. Of course it was possible that teaching had also evolved but it did seem that there was an annual cultural shift in the visual references and understanding used by each cohort that seemed to be built upon the legacy of previous cohorts. I recall a similar evolution of sophistication and maturity in the development of a course in Theatre Design.

I recall some years ago visiting an exhibition of BTEC graphics in a college of FE. It seemed that students gained so much from the contemporary, professional, visual and cultural references of the college. It was hard to see how 6th form students in schools surrounded by a visual environment of Yr 7 and Yr 10 art work could acquire a similar level of sophistication. This exhibition demonstrated how it can be done and how much students actually absorb and learn from each other.