Playing to Draw

There is a disconnection for a number of applied design students who utilize drawing, but are engaged with a subject that demands the direct use of hands in the making of artifacts; particularly within textile and ceramic fields. Drawing is at the core of the development of ideas but it is often seen as being different, awkward and can cause anxiety amongst students who may be more focused on the end [designed] result.

This presentation reflects upon the teaching of a drawing class with year 2 undergraduates on a Textile Practice course at The University of Huddersfield. Rather than relying on that which is readily available [museums, online content, galleries, archives, trend forecasting sites], students make their own primary sources from which they develop drawn proposals for textile and surface ideas for the workshops.

Does this approach allow fresh visuals, new languages and translations for design to emerge? Will it provide a further level of engagement for those students who already love drawing as well as those who don’t [yet]?