BASIC STUDY
             
             
             
             
             
             

 

The first four semesters of the basic study are integrated with those of the art department.

This applies to the basic courses in art: drawing from nature/ perspective drawing (1st and 2nd semester) and for the elective courses drawing from nature/ anatomy (3rd and 4th semester). The theoretical subjects required are art history (1st-4th semester), the history of philosophy (1st and 2nd semester) and design theory (3rd and 4th semester). At present, the basic study in communication arts is divided into the following subjects: corporate design, electronic media, subject-specific basics/ advanced basics (one in the 3rd the other in the 4th semester), photography, illustration/ animation, lettering and typography (1st and 2nd semester).

 
 
BASIC STUDY // ANIMATION / ILLUSTRATION


The world of illustration and that of the "moving drawing" - of animated design are firmly rooted within the field of communication arts. With no exception, "moving drawing" in cartoons depends on the observance of a law which we call "one turn, one picture". In our program, it is, of course, a part of "moving artistic design art." This art, a creation of more than a thousand single pieces, phases and film windows strung together, its meaning, its preparation - from the first stages of the storyboard to the final realisation, is taught in the basic study and furthered in the advanced study as an obligatory elective.

Is illustration the dot on the i for the culture of books and pictures? Subject to artistic influences, techniques and the capacity for adaptation the illustration does itself justice as an independent work of expression or as a depiction-illustration of text, in order to create a new artistic potential. The combination of illustration-animation, made present by the world of comics (cartoons), conveys a width of movement in the drawing as such and the artistic creation in the moving drawing. In this way the two fields become richer.
Prof. Eva Natus-Salamoun
 
BASIC STUDY // CORPORATE DESIGN
 
 

Corporate design consequently pursues the aim to equip an enterprise with a well-rounded visual system which regards the interests of all the participants of the enterprise, but which also gives you the possibility to identify yourself with your enterprise.

In corporate design students learn how to analyse given structures and how to create an unified appearance that is based on them. This type of work contains graphic and artistic restrictions (signet, colours, type) and its realisation in all appearances of the enterprise in correspondence (calling card, brochures, car inscriptions, fairs), internet and advertising goods (gifts, straw goods). The work can take place in a team, or singularly.

Lecturer Jochen Fiedler

 
 
BASIC STUDY // ELECTRONIC MEDIA
 


  The computer and the world wide web have significantly changed the way we acquire knowledge and the way we communicate.

The possibility to visualise data which has lead to the interaction of text- and picture-orientated exchange of knowledge has an decisive share in this. With this background we will apply the knowledge of computers and programs learned in the seminars practically, in tasks like the creation of a web page or the production of a film in Director.

Prof. Uli Kühnle
 
BASIC STUDY // PHOTOGRAPHY / DIGITAL IMAGING
 

Photography Basics of Photography I - Analogue Photography

Basic knowledge of analogue photography is taught in two semesters. Six lectures are given in the topics listed below. A project is carried out in the second semester.

  - camera engineering
- lighting engineering in the studio
- black-and-white negative technique
- black-and-white positive technique
- colour-negative technique
- colour-positive technique		  

In the second semester each student receives an assignment to work on independently. A written clarification of the practical, technical and theoretical approach of the student is to be handed in. The aim is to produce a series of at least ten black-and-white or coloured photos that are appropriate for an exhibition. In them the compositional seeing, thinking, feeling as well as the thematic adaptations should be comprehensible for outsiders.

Karla Voigt



Photography Basics of Photography II - Digital Photography

The classic film, the baryta paper, the laboratory utensils and this awkward smell of fixing salt and developer increasingly disappears from the memory of people who work in photography. A "new" tool, the photosensitive chip, is to blame for this. At least that is what the computer industry says. It is right that the future is hybrid. It is fortunate that the analogue and digital photo apparatus will wonderfully supplement one another for a long time. In the basics of photography the professional application of digital in- and output will be taught.

In the fourth semester, as continuation of the second, the basics of photography/digital imaging will be concluded with an examination (Vordiplom). The normal extent are fifteen photographs, analogue or digital, that are appropriate for an exhibition.

Prof. Rudolf Schäfer
 
BASIC STUDY // SUBJECT-SPECIFIC BASICS

Subject-specific basics are taught in the first two years. The course does not focus on specific and extensive tasks. It serves as an option for differentiation during the advanced study.

Basic knowledge of general and communication-specific design studies are taught in this course. In the exercises the students learn manual skills and artistic techniques. During the lessons different working methods are tried out and discussed. In addition subject-specific presentations and projects belong to the course.

The resulting solutions are evaluated on a one to one basis or in groups and assessed according to their quality of expression and gracefulness. Hereby the students are made aware of the artistic and technical problems in order to develop rhetorical and argumentative skills. The elective course advanced basics (offered in the 3rd and 4th semesters) consolidates this knowledge, these skills and design exercises.

At the beginning of each semester the specific conditions for the examination at the end of the semester and the assignments for the semester will be given.

Veit Markert





BASIC STUDY // NATURE STUDY
 

If created at all then art is created by style and talent paired with a healthy need for communication. The drawing from nature courses at this school can help turn this emotional and rational need for communication into a communicative skill. Here we touch on the teachable and learnable commodities of art in order to find the individual handwriting.

A seemingly simple drawing has to be based on an idea and must at the same time contain proportions, rhythm, dramaturgy and a point. There are two large studios for the classes of drawing from nature, which also includes anatomy and perspective drawing.

The human nude is almost always at the centre of observation. Therein, for example, conditions and forms can be described with the pencil or moods can be created with tones and structures, with colours and contrasts. The work is preceded by the analysis of the laws of the human body to integrate these into everyone's own art system.


 
BASIC STUDY // SCRIPTURE
 
 

The subject scripture or writing/lettering is part of the artistic rudimentary education and obligatory for the first and second year of study. By dealing with the forms of scripture, students learn the laws necessary for the design of surface area. These laws are valid for all realms of creation. The forms of scripture from different historical origins will be studied and adapted according to their inner laws.

The subject supports the artistic sensitisation in the interaction of rational method (logic of form) and emotional processes (development in the understanding of form and proportion). This concerns the development of criteria for evaluation in order to make artistically, aesthetically correct decisions and to encourage the realisation of individual ideas of creation. Learning complexes

Ingrid Sitte


BASIC STUDY // TYPOGRAPHY
 
  Which script type is the right one? Are all script types easily legible? Why do not all script types harmonise with each other? What is to be considered with the creation of a script type? Why are not all the capabilities of the computer good? What are the tasks and possibilities of typography?

Two semesters are dedicated to answering these questions. A workshop with lead type and Mac-computers are used as "typographic laboratories". Practical exercises lead from basic knowledge to the varied creative possibilities of typography. The creative tasks are accompanied by weekly consultations. Lectures about the development of scripture, the classification of script types, typographic design, lay-out and book design complete the knowledge.

Klaus Nitsch