/ Design and Visual Arts / October 2007 / 230 DVA Module Book / SB

Coventry University / School of Art and Design / Design and Visual Arts / October 2007 / 230 DVA Module Book / SB

Module Leader – Simon Bell

Support Lecturer – Phil Perry

In this module you will create (1) a photographic still-life image, (2) a book, magazine or electronic publication, and (3) a properly researched, written and referenced essay. The module enhances your participation in the editorial process, and highlights the benefits of attention to detail. You will be involved in analysing a publication’s identity and readership; planning; consistency and tone of voice; integrating/generating text and image; production; contemporary practice; new formats.

The module provides an introduction to the complexities and pleasures of producing an artefact that is firmly rooted in tradition and yet has moved with the times to survive. Through seminars, workshops, lectures and formative assessment points, you will be encouraged to produce a work of sustained quality and personal approach, with the potential to generate cutting edge discourse around the topic. There will be handouts, instant practical work and extensive use of CUOnline.

Brief (there are three parts to this assignment)

Brief Part (1) unassessed

Produce a photographic still-life image, of any items, materials and subject-matter of your choice. You will receive feedback on it as it must appear in a prominent place, for example as front or back cover, opening page, or recurring motif, of your book, magazine or electronic publication. This image should be presented as a print-out to discuss, but may be in electronic or film format. This part of the assignment is not assessed as such, but the way in which you understand and subsequently use it will be assessed as part of (2).

Brief Part (2) assessed – 50% of module mark

Make a book, magazine or electronic publication (this latter to be on a CD), using either the text provided h/w, one of the texts loaded on CUOnline, or any other text you find inspirational and with which you will enjoy working. You should probably illustrate your publication (but you don’t have to, apart from using the still-life). If you do, you should use original illustrations, photos or images that you have found and manipulated to become original. If you’re producing a magazine you may want to consider ads and features.

Specifications

1 Trimmed page size – entirely up to you.

2 Extent – 24 pp (including prelims / ends, but + covers and endpapers, if used). Electronic publication is not restricted to ‘pages’ in the same way, but is restricted to no more than 8 clicks – each page can be as long or as short as you want.

3 You can use any paper(s), materials, colours, inks, software and method of text/image generation, including a one-off, handmade artefact should you want to do so.

4 Binding can be paperback, hardback or any other way you choose.

5 You do not have to take mass-production into account.