Our Creative Challenge:
Rethink image making and drawing. Explore the creative possibilities of working with light and colour.
The theme for 2022’s Big Draw was ‘Come Back to Colour’. As ever we thought ‘how can we put our own special twist on this and produce a really special event to challenge and inspire young people?’ So we went back to the fundamentals of colour and thought about light (as the source of all colour) and what we could do with that. We devised workshops that used light as a tool for drawing, explored black light and ultraviolet colours using fluorescent materials, and looked at image making with light through the production of cyanotypes. We also thought about how we could explore colour and drawing with 3D materials by creating experiential spaces.
This year the School of Design’s Big Draw Celebration for schools was a four day event with four workshops every day.
1. Ultraviolet light suits and drawing. A workshop working with fluorescent materials Ultraviolet light and photography.
2. Cyanotypes. A printing workshop on cyanotypes introducing the work of the Victorian photographer Anna Atkins (the first female photographer to publish a book of photographs – https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/anna-atkins-cyanotypes-the-first-book-of-photographs.html)
3. Drawing with projected light. Experimental ‘drawing’ with lenses and light. The resulting images were then photographed or videoed.
4. Drawing with fabrics in 3-Dimensional space to recreate a Hundertwasser painting. Creating and experiential/spatial space. Making temporary walk-through environments (large scale dioramas) based on Hundertwasser’s paintings.
Attendees were aged between 14 and 17.
A massive ‘Thank You’ (in no particular order) to all the pupils and staff from the following schools whose enthusiastic participation made the event a success.
Cowley Academy. Donnington.
Lincoln College Newark. ND Art & Design L3
Lincoln College. ND Art & Design L2
Lincoln College. ND L3 Photography
Queen Elizabeth’s High School. Gainsborough
William Farr. Dunholme
Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School.
Tuxford Academy.
Thank you so much for the fantastic workshops on Friday, please do extend our gratitude to your team too! We were very impressed, as were the students! It was great for the students to get a taste of the uni and to get back into practical workshops, outside of school.
We look forward to seeing the UV suit photos!
Thank you once again,
Jo & Gemma. (William Farr School).