Course Description

Many artists, writers and designers absorb the world through 'notes,' whether image or text, that are made everyday from their experiences. Often stored in drawers or boxes, these small and rigorous productions rarely see the light of day unless they become the foundation for a greater work. These notes are just artifacts of a practice, a habit or repeated actions in order to improve one's own performance. Borrowing this approach, this course will make a practice of drawing -a series of repetitive explorations rather than singular conclusions- for fourteen weeks.

The course will examine the landscape by moving across scales, materials and times with the intention of exposing a dynamic and, perhaps, indeterminate world where distinctions between 'man' and 'nature' are futile. A range of hand-drawing techniques will be explored intensively to enable an active dialogue with your current context, the region of Central Texas. Each technique will be used to discern and capture an aspect of our complex environs rather than simplify and reduce our surroundings to singular statements. The body of work at the end of the semester will speak to many existences that emerge from our particular ecological context.

The semester will be divided into 3 segments, each containing a series of drawing exercises (delineations) with a concluding reflective exercise (translations). The course will focus on LINE, COLOR and FORM/SPACE. In support of these general topics, we will explore a variety of techniques and media.

Pedagogic Objectives

1. To provide an environment that focuses primarily on the visual representation of the complexity of our region particular to the discipline of landscape architecture.
2. To employ various hand-drawing techniques available to landscape architects for inquiry and communication.
3. To augment existing drawing skills in preparation for advanced study and the application of visualization techniques in the studio environment.

Time Commitment

Class time as stated in the Graduate Catalog with additional time as necessary to meet the objectives of the course. Attendance is mandatory. Participation is expected. Please contact me prior to class if you expect to be late or miss class.

Grading

Your work will be evaluated on its rigor and development over the entire semester. Equal weight will be given to each assignment whether produced during class or afterwards. At the conclusion of the semester, all work will be submitted for faculty review.

University Policies

A student who is absent from a class for the observance of a religious holy day may complete the work missed within a reasonable time after the absence, if proper notice has been given in advance of the days to be missed. A student who fails to complete missed work within the time allowed will be subject to the normal academic penalties.

Please notify your instructor of any adaptation you may require to accommodate a specific physical need. You will be requested to provide documentation to the Dean of Students' Office, in order that the most appropriate accommodations can be determined. Specialized services are available on campus through the Services for Students with Disabilities, also found via the web at www.utexas.edu.