Illustration Practice

Are you interested in visual arts? Whether a beginner or slightly advanced, this course will allow you to develop your creative skills from the very first scratch, through simple illustration, all the way to painting a proper painting with acrylic colors. You will also be assigned interesting and entertaining projects that will challenge not only your drawing and painting skills, but most importantly your creativity and imagination.

Course leader

Franco Huller is a highly experienced designer, illustrator and creative consultant. His career is devoted to art. So far he has worked as an artist, photographer, book illustrator, creative consultant and curator in art galleries in Italy.

Target group

Young professionals and university students with intermediary level of English

Course aim

SKILLS - Demonstrate appropriate understanding of the strategies, techniques and understanding necessary for the production of different kinds of illustration - Demonstrate an appropriate level of skill in the use of techniques, technologies and tools required for successful visual communication - Demonstrate appropriate understanding of the needs of a range of different audiences and circumstances recognise how to work independently, collaboratively and as a member of a team PREREQUISITES The course is designed to those interested in improving their painting, drawing, and illustration skills. Students should have a basic and/or advanced art knowledge. We recommend the students to send us their latest work after registering to the course. In addition, students must have very good written and spoken English (B1-B2). Material: an A3sized sketchbook pencils, graphite acrylic colours, rags or paper towels, jars for water, soap a selection of cheap brushes and palette knives stretched canvases (their size depends on the students' needs) palette SYLLABUS Research is an essential component of the course. Students will investigate a wide range of visual art practices and draw on history, technology, commerce, media and cultural studies as they analyse and critique the development of illustration and visual language Black and White Drawing – an introduction to the languages of drawing. Moving from the simple description of an object to problems that use line, shape, value, proportion, texture, balance and composition to build visual structures. Emphasis is placed on the relationship between the perception of nature and the drawing process. Students use black and white media to examine the basics of visual organization Colour – a n introduction to the element of colour. Colour theory is studied through painting. The basics of colour mixing are emphasized as students examine colour interaction, perception and observation. Students explore the expressive potential of colour and the effects of light on colour in addition to the effects of colours on each other Digital Painting – A large part of the course is an introduction to digital painting. Students will acquire, modify and enhance the images created during the workshop, using Photoshop. The work will include designing backgrounds, characters and props, it will also cover colour theory, perspective and use of textures. Teaching method The course will run through a series of practical exercises, introductions to techniques, processes, concepts and projects which lead to a more focused and personal exploration. Students’ activity will be individually monitored and supported by the tutor who will negotiate and agree a ‘personalized study plan’ for work to be undertaken out with the class hours each lesson. This will include researching a range of suggested artists and their associated movements to produce a contextual awareness of the discipline being taught as well as how to annotate and evidence this within a sketchbook and practical outcomes. Teaching will include practical demonstrations, one to one tuition, group discussions and critiques.