Creatively yours

Design for a stained glass window created in CorelDraw

Where the course came from

During 1999 Morley College in London developed and launched a Creative Computing course, following guidelines established by the prestigious City & Guilds certificating body.

I instigated and developed this course at Morley for London-based students - but in doing so I quickly became aware that many potential students would not be able to reach any of the centres offering Creative Computing 7802-42.

However, because the work is computer-based, I can offer a similar course by distance learning over the internet. And although I can't - yet - offer the actual City & Guilds certification, I can help you to formalise your computer knowledge. We plan to offer full C & G certification shortly - and are currently negotiating the terms with them.

This page gives details of the basic course and the way I intend to teach it.

'Cyber City' by Rosemary Muntus
A quilt designed in DesignWorks and selected for the 1999 First Horizon exhibition

The course syllabus

Core unit in Design Principles

The core unit is designed to give you a basic understanding of colour, and the ability to make simple visual notes using a variety of ideas and materials — including those used in computing. I expect no more than 15 hours of the course will be devoted to this unit, and that work on this will be spread throughout the first two units of our teaching material.

• Applying colour: Creating a basic colour wheel. [Use fill commands to create a colour wheel in your programs]

• Mix primary colours to obtain secondary colours and apply them to a basic colour wheel. [Blending, sampling and creating colours]. Mix primary and secondary colours to obtain a range of colours and apply them to a simple chart [Creating and saving palettes].

• Develop mark making techniques. Explore the type of marks which can be made with pencils HB to 6B, graphite, brushes, sponges and unusual implements (card, sticks, corks etc). [Using (and where possible, creating) different tools, experiment with mark making in one or more paint programs. Experiment with line making tools in the vector programs, especially features that make lines look natural].

• Explore line, form and shapes using a selection of media to generate pattern where appropriate. [Use line and shape tools to create a variety of shapes. Use rotate, reflect and scale tools to create simple and complex patterns].

• Explore surfaces which can be produced using papers, stippling, spraying, cling film, resists and bleaching. [Use filters and dodge and burn tools (in paint programs) to create interesting textures etc].

• Explore the textures and forms which can be obtained by folding, tearing, curling and manipulating paper. [Manipulate images using filters etc to give three-dimensional effects. Recreate these effects in vector programs].

To receive the C & G certificate, you would need to produce this work for verification. With my course this is optional but worthwhile. Consider how best to present it to show the skills you have learned and the techniques you have explored, and develop the last four sections in the materials of your own crafts.

Computing skills

This will be covered in three units (terms). At the end of each unit you will be required to produce an assessment piece (or an assessment file!). Each module, however, will be checked and discussed as you go along.

A module notionally represents five hours’ work and half an hour’s feedback time from me to comment and help with any problems. At present feedback will be by e-mail only, though we can send material to UK addresses by post. We also have a discussion group and a live chat forum here on this site (for registered members only!).

A vector design created in DesignWorks and inspired by an exercise using Kai Power Tool filters

'The Hammer and the Cross'
by Rosemary Muntus

Machine embroidery based on a design created in Paint Shop Pro and printed on a fabric medium with the Canon BJC-4550 printer

How to Work with Design Programs

The first unit, with ten teaching modules, concentrates on using design (draw or vector) programs. Use of text is encouraged, and you will be expected to evaluate both the hardware and the software available to aid in computer design. Desktop Publishing (DTP) will also be covered in some detail. The first assessment piece is based on this work.

How to Work with Paint Programs

The second unit, also with ten teaching modules, concentrates on using paint programs for image manipulation and enhancement, and on the use of scanners and digital cameras. The second assessment piece is based on composite designs. Copyright and fair copying of material will be discussed.

How to Work with Specialist Programs and incorporate computer-generated designs with your craft

Finally you can explore the use of specialist computer programs and specialist peripherals e.g. knitting and sewing machines. The emphasis is on relating the computer to craft needs. This unit will have fewer teaching modules, and the third assessment will be to produce an art/craft specific design.

About you

If you want to formalise your computing knowledge and put your design skills in order, then this course could be for you. You will need a computer, modem and e-mail address. Access to a scanner and (where possible) a digital camera is desirable.

You will also need a couple of programs (at least) — one draw program (CorelDraw, Illustrator, Freehand, Designworks etc.) and one paint program (Corel PhotoPaint; Photoshop; Photoshop LE, Paintshop Pro etc).

If you are PC-based I would recommend Designworks (now part of Power Publisher by GSP, priced at 49.95 UK pounds) and Paintshop Pro (latest version 80 UK pounds - discounted for our students) as fairly cheap but good progams, both of which support layers. The CorelDraw suite (heavily discounted for our students) is another relatively inexpensive alternative which is available for both PC and Mac. Photoshop is excellent and I like Freehand and Expression. You may want to get a drawing pad and stylus, and I can recommend the small WACOM pad (Intuos), which usually comes with some useful graphics software..

I prefer you to be PC-based, but I can cope with Mac users if you can cope with my (slight!) PC bias.

What will it cost?

Currently the first two units (each consisting of 10 teaching modules and an assessment piece) cost 120 UK pounds each. A core unit covering design skills and techniques is included in the cost of the first two units.

The third unit, designed to help you use your knowledge in your chosen craft, will have fewer teaching modules, and a final assessment piece (probably, but not necessarily, textile-related). This unit will cost 60 UK pounds.

How long should it take?

As with any distance learning course, you can complete it as quickly - or as slowly - as you wish! However, my aim is to give you the opportunity to complete it within about twelve months.

For the first five months you'll be working on the draw program modules, the first part of the design unit, and your first main assessment.

For the next five you'll be working on the paint program modules, the second part of the design unit, and your second assessment.

For the last two months you'll be applying what you have learned to your own craft - and finishing your final assessment piece.

In our experience, some students can complete the modules very quickly - others need rather longer. I am more than happy for you to work through them at your own pace — though after September 2003 I must reserve the right to levy extra charges.

Will I get a qualification?

The answer to this one is 'yes, quite possibly - but not just yet'! So far, we've put all our efforts into getting the course up and running, and ensuring that we provide the best possible service to our students.

Having said that, the course has been carefully structured to meet, precisely, the requirements of the UK City & Guilds Creative Computing course (which I already teach at Morley College, in London) and we are actively seeking accreditation from C & G for this distance learning version.

We've divided the course into three units, with three assessment pieces, because this will make it relatively easy for people to gain a C & G qualification once our course is fully accredited. You would also need to complete a small workbook using conventional media, dealing with topics such as colour; mark-making; exploring line, form, shape, and surfaces; and texture creation. There will also be space in this booklet to relate what you have done with conventional media back to what you have done on the Creative Computing course itself.

If you want this qualification (and it won't be compulsory!) we will need to make an additional charge for it, probably in the region of 50 UK pounds.

How do I join?

We're aiming to make that part as easy as possible. Just go to the registration page and follow the instructions you'll find there...!

About me

I trained as a geologist and have been working with computers since the 1970s. I come from a family of makers, and with a mother who was a trained artist and a father who was a draper, it was perhaps inevitable that I should end up working with textiles. I have been involved with higher and further education on and off since 1972, and enjoy giving people the tools to understand what they do better. I love computers and feel very happy to be alive at such an exciting time.

Fortunately for me Allan Scott, whom I married in 1990, is also passionate about computer design and is happy to provide me with the emotional (and technical) backup I need for this venture.

I have been teaching and assessing City & Guilds Patchwork & Quilting for the last six years, and for the last three years I have also been teaching a variety of computer courses at Morley College in London. During the last couple of months I have had a very patient guinea-pig who happened to ask the right question about distance learning at the right time. She started me off on this venture, and is now an enthusiastic student on the course.