New year New you

You will receive fully illustrated course materials and support booklets that will guide and equip you with essential techniques and methods to help develop your artistic potential.

You will be supported and mentored by one of our tutors who are themselves practising artists. Contact is typically by Email.

The OCA website provides you with lively student forums for artistic discussion, portfolios to showcase your body of work and additional resources to assist you in your studies.

Your OCA student card will give you valuable discounts on software and equipment.

Visit www.oca-uk.com to choose the right course for you

The Open College of the Arts (OCA) is well known for providing high quality degree level courses. But what is equally important is that many of our courses provide a unique opportunity for people to find their own path into the world of the Creative Arts, whether or not they have ambitions to obtain a qualification. All our courses are highly practical and will help you develop both technically and artistically as you explore your chosen subject. Just as important, they will help you create a personal voice and give you the confidence to express your creative ideas. In this booklet youll find a brief introduction to a small sample of nearly 50 courses we offer. Whether your interest is in Painting, Photography, Creative Writing, Music, Drawing, Textiles Design, Visual Communications, Sculpture, Illustration, Printmaking or Art History, the OCA has a course for you. For more information go to our website: www.oca-uk.com or ring one of our advisers on 0800 731 2116. We look forward to welcoming you onto one of our courses very soon.

Gareth Dent OCA Chief Executive

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Did you know that...?

With the OCA you can study at your own pace The OCA does not set any fixed entry qualifications You can study from your own home or place of work anywhere in the world You can start your course when its convenient for you there are no fixed enrolment points OCA tutors are practising artists (or writers, photographers or musicians), as well as experienced educators OCA courses are quality assured and externally validated Means tested funding is available for OCA degree programmes There is a small Learner Support Scheme, which has been set up to help those with genuine hardship The OCA was established by Michael Young, who also founded the Open University and the Consumers Association The OCA is an arts education charity, with a Board of independent Trustees The OCA organises occasional practical workshops at selected venues across the country
Matthew Pearce

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Drawing Skills
This course will give you a structured introduction, using a wide range of media and methods. For example, you will learn about observation, mark making and tone and produce a contrasting set of drawings, including outdoors and the human figure. Whilst this course is aimed primarily at beginners, many experienced artists and designers find it an excellent way of improving their drawing skills.

Patricia Farrar

The Practice of Painting

This course will develop your skills as a painter and your knowledge of painting. You will learn how to analyse and select from the visual world and translate what you see into paintings. The course also covers the main approaches to painting over the last hundred years so that you will be able to see your own work in a broader context. You will be using acrylics and/or oils and also developing your drawing skills. The course can be taken by a complete beginner or by someone with experience looking for a new approach to their work.

Helen Thompson

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Art of Photography
Digital technology has transformed photography and now stunning pictures have never been easier to achieve. Despite this, very few images do actually stand out. The reason is simple. Although digital makes it easier for you, it also makes it easier for everyone else. We are awash with images, to be outstandingly good requires an understanding of colour, lighting, composition and design. In short you need to be an artist. With this course you will gain artistic insights and start to see the possibilities for photography in a new light.
Dewald Botha

People and Place (Photography)

As well as having creative flair, in photography you also need the confidence to approach people in public and take their photograph without feeling intrusive. It is a skill that can be learnt; this course will get you out into the crowds with your camera, capturing what is by far the photographers most intriguing subject - you and me - in the many vibrant, diverse and exciting habitats in which we live.

Penny Watson

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Writing Skills
Our creative writing courses are designed to inspire you and make you believe in yourself as a writer. Writing Skills provides a basis for imaginative writing and the expression of personal experience. It will help you to practise writing in various genres, develop critical models, acquire primary skills in drafting, editing and presentation, and respond to constructive suggestions and criticism. It is for beginners or those seeking a fresh approach for their writing.

Poetry
Have you ever wanted to have a more informed appreciation of other peoples poetry or write better poems yourself? This course will help you to achieve both! Whilst it is firmly structured, it will leave you space to be creative as you write poems on a wide range of subjects, and practise different styles and techniques. You will also develop a vocabulary for analysing and evaluating poems through studying the work of other poets.

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Mary Webster

Textiles: A Creative Approach

Our courses in textiles are particularly popular as they build on creative craft skills which many people already have and because textile art can be a way into the world of art and design for people who dont think of themselves as artists. This is a highly practical course in which you will learn how to translate drawings into stitching, practise basic design skills, paint and print on fabric, and create two and three dimensional shapes and forms.
Avril Lewis

Textiles: Exploring Ideas

This course compliments and extends technical understanding and the development of craft skills in Textiles: A Creative Approach. You will learn how to do screen printing, and will explore world textiles as inspiration for your work. You will produce your own textile pieces and develop the ability to create rich and tactile work.

Watercolour Practice
This course explores the many ways in which watercolour can be used. It introduces the qualities and potential of the medium, covers basic methods and concepts and helps you to use tone and colour effectively. You will be encouraged to experiment and to look at a wide range of source materials. You will also increase your knowledge of the history of watercolour painting through studying the work of other watercolour artists.

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Introduction to Printmaking
This course has been specially designed to enable you to explore printmaking techniques at home without the requirement to buy complicated and expensive equipment. For more details on what youll need, please visit our website. You will carry out a series of projects and experiments (eg monoprinting, relief printing, collage prints), turning your ideas into printed images. The course also covers the history of printmaking and explores the work of other printmakers.

Anne Flowers

Understanding Western Art

This is an excellent introduction to the development of Western Art, starting with Ancient Greece and coming right up to the present day. It is not just a theoretical course: you will be encouraged to respond to art not only by looking, reflecting and writing, but also by means of sketches, diagrams or photographs. You will develop confidence and ability in analysing works of art, understand the cultural and historical context and learn about accepted theories and practices in art.

Emperor Constantine l, Byzantine, Mosaic

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Sculpture
This course will introduce you to the wonderful world of working creatively in three dimensions. You will draw out ideas and be introduced to a range of techniques so that you are able to develop sculptures.

Key Steps in Illustration

On this course you will learn how to generate ideas and find visual solutions . Youll learn to work with a wide range of materials and techniques and will learn to work from a brief.

Graphic Design: Core Concepts

This course introduces you to creative problem solving. you will learn to develop designs, including page layouts using text and images. You will learn how to design leaflets, brochures and get ideas from a range of other design solutions, learning how to communicate well with visuals. Visit www.oca-uk.com to choose the right course for you

By OCA Sculpture student John Robertson

Music 1: From the Present to the Past

Most courses covering the history and context of western classical music start with the renaissance and travel forwards towards the present day - perfectly rational, but perhaps all rather earnest and predictable! Our new course, however, starts where we are now, with composers such as John Rutter and James MacMillan and invites students to explore their influences, inspirations and techniques. We then work back through previous generations asking similar questions about the leading composers of each period, touching also on repertoire and instruments. So, yes, we do also explore Shostakovitch, Wagner, Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Purcell and many, many others - but not in the usual way! An excellent course for those wanting to deepen their understanding of music. No background in theory required.
Portrait of Pablo Casals, Oskar Kokoschka

Composing Music
Many of us who enjoy playing and listening to music have an ambition to start composing ourselves. This course provides you with the tools to do just that. Provided you have a basic grasp of music theory you will learn how to translate your ideas into scores that you and others can play, covering techniques such as harmony, melodic development, counterpoint and use of different scales. Whether you come from a classical, jazz or folk background, this course will be of equal interest. Visit www.oca-uk.com to choose the right course for you

The Attributes of music, Jean- Baptiste Simeon Chardin

Fine Art Drawing 1: Drawing Skills Painting 1: Watercolour Practice Painting 1: The Practice of Painting Painting 2: Exploring Concepts Painting 2: Mixed Media Painting 3: Your Own Portfolio Painting 3: Advanced Printmaking 1: Introduction to Printmaking Printmaking 2: Developing your Style Printmaking 3: Studio Practice Sculpture 1 Sculpture 2 Sculpture 3 MA Fine Art This programme is delivered online

Art History Visual Studies 1: Understanding Visual Culture Understanding Art 1: Western Art Understanding Art 2: Pathways into Specialism Art History 3: Advanced Textiles Textiles 1: A Creative Approach Textiles 1: Exploring Ideas Textiles 2: Developing Creative Textiles Textiles 2: Contemporary Practice Textiles 3: Advanced Textiles 3: Your Own Portfolio Photography and Film Digital Film Production 1: Creative Concepts Photography 1: Art of Photography Photography 1: Digital Photographic Practice Photography 1: People and Place Photography 2: Landscape Photography 2: Social Documentary Photography 2: Progressing with Digital Photography Photography 3: Your Own Portfolio Photography 3: Advanced

Music Music 1: Composing Music Music 1: From Present to Past Music 2: Moving on with Composition Composing Music 3: Advanced Creative Writing Writing 1: Writing Skills Writing 1: Narrative & Dialogue Writing 1: Art of Poetry Writing 2: Life Writing Writing 2: Poetry Form & Experience Writing 2: Writing for Children Writing 2: Storylines Writing 3: Advanced Writing 3: Your Own Portfolio Visual Communications Illustration 1: Key Steps in Illustration Graphic Design 1: Core Concepts

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Michael Young Arts Centre Redbrook Business Park Wilthorpe Road Barnsley S75 1JN 0800 731 2116 www.oca-uk.com to choose the www.oca-uk.com

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Front cover image Daphne Argyridou