Credit Points: 30
Study Time: 300 Hours

This unit introduces you to the relationship between theory and practice within your subject specialism. It underpins and links with all other units in your course. You will develop an awareness and understanding of the related key themes and issues, placed within relevant social, historical and cultural contexts. The unit provides a strong foundation for your studies by enabling you to develop research and study skills within relevant critical and theoretical frameworks. In this unit you will become an active learner, working both independently and collaboratively.

This unit is designed to help you understand and engage with critical and contextual theory through Illustration practice. There will be some practice based activities for the seminar workshops which will help you contextualise and understand your studio practice in relation to certain relevant critical theories and contexts. The unit will foster critical evaluation skills and encourage you to engage with an expansive notion of Illustration which challenges and interrogates the conceptual boundaries of various visual disciplines. This will help you critically reflect upon your own work and the work of other visual practitioners and will give you skills that will be used for your studio-based projects in developing your ideas, creative thinking and understanding about your own visual practice.

Outline Syllabus
An indicative guide to the content covered in this unit.

Core study skills:

1. Introduction to research and study skills using traditional and electronic sources. 
2. An introduction to the role of critical theories, methodologies, concepts and analysis. 
3. Investigation of historical and contemporary practices, issues and debates with relevance to your specialism, analysed within relevant contexts such as:

• Text and image (Encoding/Decoding/Context) 
• Contexts of production 
• Audience & Interpretation
• Identity and Illustration practice in Visual culture (Race/Gender/Class) 
• Technologically determined contexts and meaning in Illustration Practice 
• Historical visual practices and their relevance for contemporary Illustration

Method of Delivery
Lectures, seminars, study trips, workshops group and individual tutorials.

Aims

A1 To introduce you to major themes and issues related to your subject specialism
A2 To develop your ability to reference sources using correct academic protocols
A3 To develop your communication and presentation skills, both in written and verbal forms
A4 To develop your understanding of relevant critical and contextual theories and themes and how they relate to professional practice

Learning Outcomes
On completion of this unit you will be able to:

LO1 Demonstrate an understanding of the major themes and issues as related to your subject specialism
LO2 Reference sources using correct academic protocols
LO3 Communicate relevant information and ideas in written and verbal forms
LO4 Demonstrate your understanding of relevant critical and contextual theories and themes and how they relate to professional practice

Reference Material

Key
Barnard, M. (2001). Approaches to understanding visual culture. London: Palgrave.
Crow, D. (2003). Visible signs: an introduction to semiotics for art and design students. Lausanne: AVA.
Hall, S. (ed)(1997). Representation: cultural representations and signifying practices. London: Sage/Open University.

Recommended
Crow, D. ( 2006). Left to right: the cultural shift from words to pictures. Lausanne: AVA.
Gill, R. (2007). Gender and the media. Cambridge: Polity.
Heller, S. (2004). Handwritten: expressive lettering in the digital age. London: Thames and Hudson.
Hyland, A. and Bell, R. (2003). Hand to eye: contemporary Illustration. London: Laurence King.
Male, A. (2007). Illustration: a theoretical and contextual perspective. Lausanne: AVA.
Mirzoeff, N. (2009). An introduction to visual culture. 2nd ed. London: Routledge.
Poynor, R. (2003). No more rules: graphic design and postmodernism. London: Laurence King.
Taylor, B. (2004). Collage: the making of modern art. London: Thames & Hudson.
Wells, L. (2009). Photography: a critical introduction. 4th ed. London: Routledge.
Wigan, M. (2006) Thinking visually. Lausanne: AVA.