Uni, why won't you teach me to draw!

[Deverfro]

So I'm a 2nd year student of Digital media and Illustration at uni in the UK

So since going the the Kapow Convention earlier this year, theres been this niggling feeling in the back of my head. At a panel, John McCrea (who is awesome by the way) said that universities don't really teach you how to draw, its more about art appreciation (thats the general summary I took away from a part of the panel). And after just 3 lectures of my 2nd year, that cannot be more fucking true.

We spent an entire lecture (in a module that focuses on comics and kids books) watching a power point with different artists, most of which were european, and frankly I had no interest in. Sure there were some really great ones, and I've even looked into some of their books, but 2-3 artists is not right from a FOUR HOUR LECTURE! And we only get 10 of these a semester. So thats nine left. And our first assignment? Look at some kids books (sorry "Picture books") and make notes to use for a discussion.

THAT IS NOT WHAT I EXPECT FROM A FUCKING ILLUSTRATION COURSE!

3 lectures into my first year, I was super pumped to be getting on with the assignments, now, I just can't believe I'm paying to do this. But please dont think I don't find this interesting, because I do. Its just we don't spend enough time drawing! I spent my summer (thats about 4 months or so) drawing on my own, just doing anatomy studies and what not, and I feel like I learnt more than these modules are going to teach me.

I do plan on talking to my lecturers about this, but its just kinda pissed me off. I get why we have to do essays and theory, but it should not feel like more of a focus than learning to draw!

Urgh, sorry about that, its just really pissed me off. And I'm sorry for the language.

Has anyone else felt like this?

 

[Scarim Coral]

Dude, I feel your exact well similar pain-

I took a Digital 3D Design course (I from the UK too) which I assume was like 3d model design. While it ture that we did used 3d modelling however most of it was more focus on making Flash (the software) or Photoshop presentation on the said 3d model.

Our tutor was an intimidating and a nasty fellow. Ok he wasn't super mean but he sure was unhelpful as hell as he left us in the dust for most of the project works (as in what to do or need help with something). He admit that the corse supposed to get us to learn it ourselves as oppose to proper guidances.

He did kind of mellow out abit during the third years when we file a complaint report against him. Anyway last time I've check, the course got rename by relacing Design with Media which is more suiting.

As for the Lecture, at least yours sounded more interested (my comicbook fan would of liked those lectures you mention).

Our course pretty much got lump with the artitect course and interior design etc and the lecture we had to sit through were modernization in buildings or in general. It was a complete bored fest but it was competely mandatory to attend.

Also no, if you assume we had to make 3d buildings, that would be the artitect couse who would deal with that!

Despite the course was a let down, I don't regret it thought as I did made some fantastic friends in that course.

 

[Averant]

I'm getting a very severe sense of deja vu for no reason I can explain.

Oh well.

But yeah, I dropped my drawing 101 course myself. My teacher was a hippie, and while that's fine in itself, I'd much prefer to learn Drawing 101, not Abstract Art 101. You hear that, Chris? The journey may be more important than the destination, but it doesn't do me any good if your journey takes a 180 degree turn right off the bat. [small]fucking blind contour drawings...[/small]

Anyway. It always sucks when a course is bad. Good luck with the rest of it, and 'grats on your new friends.