Case Study - CHNU & SWPS
Institutional and Course Overview:
Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, Ukraine.
Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University is one of the oldest classical universities in Ukraine, founded on October 4, 1875. It is located in the grand building in the modern part of Chernivtsi – a complex built between 1864 and 1882 as the residence of the Metropolitans of Bukovyna and Dalmatia according to the project of the famous Austrian architect of Czech origin Josef Hlavka.
Nowadays, the University has 2 educational and scientific institutes: the Institute of Biology, Chemistry and Bioresources and the Institute of Physical, Technical and Computer Sciences, 10 faculties: Geography; Economics; Foreign Languages; History, Political Science and International Relations; Architecture, Construction, Decorative and Applied Art; Pedagogy, Psychology and Social Work; Mathematics and Computer Science; Philology; Faculty of Physical Education and Human Health; Law; College of Pedagogy. Their structure includes 85 departments and the Department of Military Training as a general university unit. Over 14,000 students go to university.
On June 28, 2011, the 35th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee made a resolution to include the Architectural Ensemble of the Residence of the Metropolitans of Bukovyna and Dalmatia (now the Central Building of the University) in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Department of Decorative, Applied and Fine Art
The Department of Decorative, Applied and Fine Art was formed in 2017 as a result of the merger of the Department of Decorative and Applied Art and the Department of Fine Art, which were created in 2005 as part of the Faculty of Fine, Decorative and Applied Art.
The Department trains BA and MA students in the major 023 “Fine Art, Decorative art, Restoration” with the following specialisation areas: fashion design, artistic woodwork, artistic metalwork (jewellery and blacksmithing), artistic painting, artistic textile. The management and teaching staff of the Department of Decorative, Applied and Fine Art aim at creating a clear and well-founded methodology for teaching professional disciplines. The study of artistic and stylistic features of the artistic traditions of Bukovyna, the development of students’ abstract thinking, mastery of analytical and constructive methods of form creation are the main conceptual foundations of the Department’s study programmes.
The department takes a prominent place among art institutions of Ukraine, as teachers and students closely cooperate with the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, the National Union of Masters of Folk Art of Ukraine, and the Union of Masters of Blacksmith Art of Ukraine. Diploma qualification projects and works of the alumni of the Department are presented at many Ukrainian and international exhibitions, competitions, reviews, and have been repeatedly awarded prizes and diplomas of the 1st degree for originality and skill. In particular, creative works of students and alumni of the Department have been displayed at the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine; the Presidential Fund; George Enescu National University of Arts in Iasi (Romania); Ștefan cel Mare University of Suceava (Romania), as well as at many Ukrainian and international exhibitions, competitions, festivals. The most talented students are annually awarded the scholarship of the President of Ukraine within the category of young masters of folk art for their creative achievements.
An important achievement of the department is the opening of the Exhibition Hall of the Chernivtsi National University on May 22, 2019, the exhibits of which are term projects and diploma qualification works of students, which demonstrate the modern stage of development of all types of decorative and applied art, show its unique originality in all-Ukrainian modern art. The work programme of the hall also provides for the organisation and holding of master classes for students by leading teachers of the Department of Decorative, Applied and Fine Art in various areas of decorative and applied art.
The prospective directions of the department’s work are the establishment of partnership relations with art institutions of higher education in Ukraine and abroad, the constant improvement of the professional skills of the teaching and training staff, the involvement of students in scientific and creative activities, publication of scientific works, publication of methodological manuals, textbooks, and monographs.
School of Form SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Poland
School of Form is a part of the University of Social Science and Humanities – the first private university in Poland. The philosophy of School of Form is rooted in human-centred design which considers the needs of individuals, communities, and environment. Education is based on humanities as the source of human knowledge, on designing skills, knowledge about technologies, implementation projects and the ability to cooperate with business. School of Form offers a four-year undergraduate program in Design. The educational program is focused on two specialisations – Product Design and Communication Design.
SWPS Screen Printing
The screen printing studio is a 100-metre space with all the necessary materials and equipment to carry out the entire screen printing process. On site, students cover the screens with photosensitive emulsion, expose the plates on the platesetter, print graphics, and finally rinse the screens in a special washer. The studio has a shelf dryer that allows many works to dry in a small area.
Students can master many manual skills and learn how to design using the screen printing technique. Thanks to the projects carried out in the studio, students also learn the basics of working with colour and composition. Screen printing is used both for printing on paper and fabric, which gives great opportunities for using this technique in fashion projects.
It is an ideal space for experimenting, communing with paint and printing in a place where projects take on a material form. Students master the entire screen printing process. They achieve efficiency in self-preparation of the screen: infusing with emulsion, exposure, printing, mesh delamination. They discover the secrets of multi-color printing and mix paints to get optimal colour combinations. They have a wide range of pigments to choose from with unlimited range of colours, including fluorescent colours.
Bionics Course
The BIONICS / screen printing course is held for all design specialisations. However, for the communication design specialisation, it is implemented in an extended form where students are obliged to make graphics in the screen printing technique in a larger format. The course is based on reflection to the world that surrounds us. During classes, students learn about the latest research analysing the natural world to challenge the old hierarchy of the world. Manual activities precede a series of lectures and discussions. Students are also required to watch films and books on the subject. All these thoughts are an inspiration to create screen printing graphics.
The student constructs the message using manual techniques such as drawing and collage, which is later transferred to the screen and to recognize the concept of rasters. They learn to design using the potential of the screen printing technique. In practice, it records the entire process of preparing screens and printing their own graphics. The student achieves efficiency in self-preparation of the screen: emulsion drawing, exposure, printing, mesh separation, and masters the basics of working with colour. They learn the rules of multi-color printing: from project preparation to printing, including printing on fabrics. Knowledge of screen printing translates into conscious design, taking into account the limitations and advantages of graphic techniques.
Introduction to Pairing:
Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, Ukraine
The Department of Decorative, Applied and Fine Art teaches students of various social strata, mostly from small towns and villages, from single-parent families, low-income families, and large families; students whose parents have been drafted for war/were killed in action; or are Anti-Terrorist Operation veterans. Due to the aforementioned circumstances not all the students have the opportunity to get expensive technical equipment for learning purposes. The learning process was complicated by the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the full-scale war in Ukraine. Because of the war, both teachers and students have been in extremely difficult psychological conditions for almost a year (stress, concern for relatives, husbands, fathers, brothers who are fighting). There is not always inspiration for creative work, there is no strength and desire due to depressive attacks, which is reflected in the quality of performance of the assignments (students do not always have time to submit aesthetically finished works in the material, theoretical subjects, course projects, etc.). At the same time the introduction of distance learning into the educational process of the university made it possible for all students and teachers to continue their work, communicate with each other, exchange experience, support and help young people to grow professionally and be successful and socialised people.
The Department of Decorative, Applied and Fine Art offers a BA and MA program 023 “Fine Art, Decorative Art, Restoration”. Within the program there is a specialisation in the field of fashion design and jewellery. As for SWPS colleagues, their field of interest has been graphic design and silkscreen printing. Therefore, initially it was decided that SWPS students would create the silkscreen prints, implement those on fabric and CHNU students would incorporate those materials in their clothing models. However, there have been internal changes on SWPS end. Therefore, other suggestions and ideas were discussed to involve students from another class. The idea was to create a few models of a piece of jewellery based on students’ imaginative work. For this purpose the image of the jewellery model created by CHNU students was taken, the part of the image was cropped so that it would leave room for the SWPS students’ imagination, as they would need to continue the creation of the model and add the missing part on their own by using their ideas.
School of Form SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Poland
An inseparable element of fashion design is a graphic pattern that has accompanied widely understood textiles from the very beginning. The case study pairing between Chernivtsi University and School of Form created an opportunity to find a new path of collaborative textile design process.
School of Form implemented a project called “Bionics”. The aim of the task was to use two-dimensional projects (graphics) as inspiration for designing in three-dimensional space, mostly focused on working with a textile mapping. To create outcomes students used a new tool – Gravity Sketch software. The results were presented in the shared Frame VR space. A common virtual classroom at the Frame VR was a space for experiencing, inspiring, observing and comparing the final results. The target group of the School of Form were 3rd year students of Communication Design. Operating mainly in the area of 2D graphics, i.e. in designing visual identifications, illustrations, book publications, applications and websites. Possibly operating in the field of photography, video, animation or typography. Their level of technological advancement in 3d modelling was beginner (basic course of the Rhino program in the first year of studies, obligatory for all students), while contact with immersion technology was nonexistent or one-off.
Case Study: Chernivtsi National University, Ukraine
Authors: Myroslava Zhavoronkova and Nataliia Hatezh. Translation by Valeriia Saftiuk
Subject: BA (Hons) Fashion Design & Accessories, Department of Decorative, Applied and Fine Art.
Title: Can Immersive Technology help prepare students in Decorative and Applied Arts for the modern labour market? A case study exploring the use of graphic tools in 3d modelling of Fashion Design & Accessories.
Aims: To provide opportunities for students of Decorative and Applied Arts (including those with: social, physical, psychological, financial, technical issues) to learn and master immersive technologies. To explore how to equip students of Decorative and Applied Arts with relevant skills and knowledge in Immersive Technologies to help prepare them for a competitive modern labour market. To explore the impact of immersive technology on pedagogy for teaching and learning in ‘traditional’ design subjects.
Overview: This case study provides important insight into the transformative opportunities for immersive technology; the distinctiveness of this Fashion Design & Accessories course and institution; and the complex situation of teaching and learning through a pandemic and war.
It provides insight into the experiences of staff and students who at the outset, had no or very little experience of immersive technology. Outcomes include activities suitable for the teaching of creative subjects; a Frame VR space about the department and institution, and a Frame VR space sharing the development of art products and 3D models of clothing and jewellery created by Ukrainian students. This case study provides important student and staff evaluations with evidence of how distance learning made it possible for students and teachers to continue working, and how technology aided the professional and social development of young people during complex situations including covid and war.
Immersive Technology: Frame VR, Gravity Sketch, Blender, CLO3d
Participants: Yr2/3/4 Students and ALSA Accessible Learning Student Ambassadors
Editorial note: This case study reflects on the impact of War on teaching and learning of Art & Design subjects.
Download ChNU CASE STUDY – PDF document
Acknowledgement:
Gravity Sketch generously granted 10 headsets to CHNU, which allowed the teachers and students to begin learning processes whilst getting plenty of practical experience. The assistance and guidance provided by Gravity Sketch played an immense role in the Case Studies as staff and students would not have been able to begin the practice without Gravity Sketch support and training.
Case Study: School of Form SWPS University of Social Science and Humanities, Poland.
Authors: Estera Mrówka and Sara Boś, SWPS University, in collaboration with Myroslava Zhavoronkova and Nataliia Hatezh, Chernivtsi National University, Ukraine.
Subject: BIONICS/Screen Printing, Communication Design Poland, and BA (Hons) Fashion Design & Accessories, Ukraine.
Title: Bionics; testing the potential of immersive technology on classic design subjects and exploring the pedagogical opportunities and implications of immersive technology on students’ learning.
Aims: To test the potential of immersive technology on classic design subjects by exploring textile design processes, and exploring the pedagogical opportunities and implications of immersive technology on students’ learning.
Overview: This case study presents an example of embedding immersive technology into the curriculum for Level 5 Communication Design Screen print students. It explores the opportunities and limitations of expanding 2D illustrative projects into the 3D realm, and working with students with little to no prior experience of VR. The case study works in conjunction with Chernivtsi National University’s investigation of the use of graphic tools in 3d modelling of Fashion Design & Accessories, and draws on the Diagnostic Report to identify access issues and learning needs. Activities and workshops are examined with extensive student evaluation to reveal the possibilities and constraints of Immersive Technology for practice based subjects. Outcomes include the creation of activities suitable for use by other tutors, and a virtual exhibition classroom in Frame VR used by students from Poland and Ukraine. The case study shares important student feedback emphasising the importance of hands-on learning, and how, in this instance, VR was not an exclusive solution to the pandemic problem, but rather an extension of the spectrum of the media and possibilities of the subject.
Immersive Technology: Frame VR with Meta Quest, Landing Pad, Gravity Sketch, SketchFab
Participants: Students/ ALSA 3rd year students of Communication Design (Beginner level)