Contextual Awareness and Critical Thinking in Practice

Guide for Tutors

Version 1.0 Published September 2018

Research

EXCELLENT RESEARCH IS WIDE-RANGING IN ITS SCOPE

• What is research?
Research is the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources; to
establish facts or collect information on a subject. To carry out investigations into a
subject and or problem that increases, enhances and/or clarifies knowledge. The aim of
research is to establish facts and reach new conclusions.

How does one research? - investigate / study / explore / analyse / examine /

discover / assess / read / observe / consider / evaluate / investigate / study /
explore, etc.

• Why does one research? – to inform, influence, develop and learn and immediately
influence creative practice.

Garbage in – garbage out is a term used to express the idea that in computing or other fields,
incorrect or poor-quality input will produce faulty or poor-quality output. Robust projects will be
rooted in solid, informed and broad ranging research.

Essentially research is the act of collecting a breadth of information around a chosen field or
subject in varied forms and from a breadth of sources. Creative professionals generally follow
a personally established pattern in developing their creative ideas, collecting ideas and skills
through reading, drawing or experimentation. In depth and thorough research becomes the
food that feeds our developing work, offering positions to explore, problems to test and
solutions to find. Good research should offer a divergent path of exploration and challenge.

Model of the research cycle

One identifies a gap in

their knowledge

One applies the new

knowledge to one’s work One gathers a range of
(develop, reflect, make) research (visual and
theoretical)

One analyses and

evaluates research (test,
explore, reflect)
Types of research

Primary Research - First hand, original, new

• Things one has seen, experienced and recorded - ones’ experiences, experiments and
observations.
• What? How? – observational drawings to extend and analyse, photographs to record
and consider, physical collections of objects or site samples, notes, experiments to
challenge hypothesis, technical trials, audio recordings etc.
• Practice through process, skills, technical expertise
• Where? – majority documented in studio notebooks, files, indexed in boxes etc.

Methods for extending primary research

• Other sources of information
• Breadth and divergent approaches to documenting and collecting information visually
• Lateral thinking – relationships to other objects, associations, spider diagrams/ word
association
• Who? Converse, gather info, exhaust contacts

Secondary Research – Analysis of existing sources

• Other peoples’ work to include all creative disciplines
• Historical references and precedents
• Cultural, political context, social economic factors, theoretical media/literature/science
etc.
• Life and social practices
• What? How? – images, film stills, texts, work by other practitioners/specialists AND
analysis, evaluation, interpretation.
• Practice – manuals, instruction, technical information, how to…
• Sources: Newspapers, science, radio, historical, theoretical, artists, designers, books,
museums, galleries, site specific
• Where? – research / contextual file, blog (or similar) records, studio notebooks

Methods for extending secondary research:

Start with:
• Bibliography
• Key words in brief
• Practitioners
• Your own associations etc.

Extend through:
• Focused web site search and investigation
• Books
• Exhibitions, galleries, museums, shops
• Materials investigation etc.
What next?

Interrogating secondary sources – critical engagement:

Critical engagement is about discussing opinion in order to inform understanding and promote
creative responses to work through informed engagement that is supported by contextual
understanding. It is not a biographical trawl through history.

Why?
Opportunity to analyse the work of others to:
• Inform and understand, how, why, what?
• Support the identification of interests and possibilities for progression
• Inform, support contextualisation and relevance to field of study
• Support problem solving through analysis
• Develop specialist language and how material can be read,
• Develop understanding of historical and social context within a specialist field

What?
Anything that is deemed relevant to practice from a divergent range of sources, e.g. art and
design practice, poetry, literature, science, music, psychology, engineering, politics, etc.

How?
Questions to be asked:
• Who made it? When it was made might be relevant, but not necessarily. Descriptive
bibliographies not necessarily relevant unless there is a socio-political angle or similar
influence on the developing project.
• What is being looked at? What is it? – drawing, painting, theatre set, fashion collection,
jewellery, poster, website, building, film, installation, sculpture etc.
• Where would it be seen? – gallery, environment (physical or digital), TV, Theatre, shop,
phone, high street, computer etc.
• What is its context – does it sit within the field of Fine art, Design for communication,
fashion, theatre, spatial design etc.?
• When? Whilst historical references are important, contemporary references will be
critical to developing an understanding of current trends in the industry and how one
might contextualise self and career choices.

Why?
Informed Critical Analysis

recognised artist/designer and

their philosophy/intentions/ethos

Your
informed opinion

recognised critical work/object

opinion
Individual opinion is formed from developing and understanding why and how a piece of work
was made. This is borne out of the assimilation of facts, the understanding and responses to
recognised critical opinion alongside a developing understanding of the creative professionals’
philosophies and beliefs together with personal impressions, ideas, thoughts about the work.
Ultimately the synthesis of this informative investigation and discourse forms objective opinion
and informed responses to a work that is qualified and supported through understanding.

Critical points to remember

• Is the artist recognised by the specialist field / industry or are they a hobbyist who has
posted work on Pinterest or the web?
• Is the critical opinion from a recognised source or are they a commentator with no
pedigree?
• Is there bias in what one is reading/finding out?
• Is the information accurate?
• Has the research changed one’s opinion/surprised/given clarity to the creator and or the
work?

Analysing your research and semiotic analysis (Interpretation /translation of visual

information.

Semiotics – Our visual Language. The role of signs and their use as (usually visual)
symbols to communicate information, or ideology.
See: Saussure, Roland Barthes, Levi Strauss, Eco Pierce amongst others.
www.arch.chula.ac.th/journal/files/article/lJjpgMx2iiSun103202.pdf

Semiotics why it is important?

“Semiotics is important because it can help us not to take 'reality' for granted as something
having a purely objective existence which is independent of human interpretation. It teaches us
that reality is a system of signs. Studying semiotics can assist us to become more aware of
reality as a construction and of the roles played by ourselves and others in constructing it. It can
help us to realise that information or meaning is not 'contained' in the world or in books,
computers or audio-visual media. Meaning is not 'transmitted' to us - we actively create it
according to a complex interplay of codes or conventions of which we are normally unaware.

Becoming aware of such codes is both inherently fascinating and intellectually empowering. We
learn from semiotics that we live in a world of signs and we have no way of understanding
anything except through signs and the codes into which they are organised. Through the study
of semiotics, we become aware that these signs and codes are normally transparent and
disguise our task in 'reading' them. Living in a world of increasingly visual signs, we need to
learn that even the most 'realistic' signs are not what they appear to be. By making more explicit
the codes by which signs are interpreted we may perform the valuable semiotic function of
'denaturalising' signs. In defining realities signs serve ideological functions.

Deconstructing and contesting the realities of signs can reveal whose realities are privileged
and whose are suppressed. The study of signs is the study of the construction and
maintenance of reality. To decline such a study is to leave to others the control of the world of
meanings which we inhabit.”

See: Semiotics for Beginners, Daniel Chandler, Aberystwyth University

www.visual-memory.co.uk/daniel/Documents/S4B/semiotic.html
Thoughts for students

Unpacking the work

• How is it read?
What is the work about? (subject matter?)
Are there any evidential links to history?
Is it realistic, distorted, exaggerated, abstracted, conceptual?
Is the meaning obvious, literal, obscured, delayed, hidden?
Is there any action – past or future tense?
Is there a title of obvious subject to the piece of work or collection? What
understanding can you gain from this implied reference?
• Visual theory / language composition, tone, colour / light, line, colour, space,
texture, shape, value, form, unity / harmony, rhythm, variety, movement, balance,
pattern, gradation, proportion, emphasis.
• Form: What do I look like? - Materials and process
How is it made?
Is colour important and what impact value does it have on the works read?
Is it organic, structured, referential to other cultural norms?
Is surface quality important? Why, What How?
Context and presentation – relevance to reading and meaning
• Semiotics – see additional info
• Intended concepts and theories – reading around the creative professional and the
context in which they work. Political and social context might be relevant here. Client
and brand, ‘The Brief’ might have an impact on the work and meaning.
• Context / presentation - relevance to reading and meaning – site specific, TV,
gallery, billboard
• Purpose / function
• What impact has the work had on one’s opinion, thinking and feelings? What value has
it had and how is it relevant to ones developing practice/current work?

Collecting opinion from others

This can be an insightful way of generating commentary and gaining insight into how works
impact others. Questioning peers and specialists can prompt ideas. Discussing opinion and
recording these discussions can help to develop writing skills and critical debate.