Art is communication. Each media is a language to be learned and polished through time and use. The more capable a student becomes in the techniques of that media, the more effective that communication will serve them. Just like a language, a bountiful vocabulary does not overcome the absence of something of merit to say. Inversely, you may have the most interesting and important thought in history, but without the capabilities to effectively communicate that idea, it will be lost on the recipient. This is how the arts work. Skill without thought is pointless and thought without technique is confusion. Just as a child learns letters, then words, then sentences, then complete dialogue; the art student must begin with basic techniques. Then they may continue onward to conceptual thoughts and expression.
The first step is a functional basic understanding of use of the media and proper techniques. The student is introduced to the elements and principles of art as well as the physical necessities needed to generate a quality, structured and clean work. This could be defined as craftsmanship. As the moderator of this environment I must establish benchmarks of understanding and competence that the student must reach and understand to move on in the media. In this early stage of development exercises are focused primarily on the physical characteristics of the media and the artist’s interaction with it. A drawing assignment would address basic types of mark making such as scumbling and stippling. In an introduction to digital art course students would be introduced to vector data and the use of the pen tool within Illustrator.
Though these two visual environments might be seen as wildly divergent, the basics behind digital and analogue media are identical. What could be said about them is that their intended outcome is the most defined separation of the two. Regardless of the media, in most cases foundation courses intentionally avoid the topics of concept and expression. In critiques students are encouraged to give feedback that addresses mainly the technical attributes of the work. They are challenged to make constructive commentary with the hope that it not only helps the student being reviewed but helps the reviewer better understand their own work as well.
Once the student moves to an intermediate level course they are challenged to put those basic techniques to task. They are presented a series of projects appropriate to the media. For example, print media students are asked to develop packaging for real world products and then create an advertising campaign around them. This allows them the freedom to explore their own interests, develop their own methods of communicating and question their fellow