HE Taster Days 2012

Taster days provide a fantastic opportunity for school pupils to gain inspiration and experience within a higher education setting. With access to state-of-the-art facilities these hands-on, practical workshops will enable students to find out more about creative degrees. These are FREE workshops run in partnership with Excellence East.

Places on these workshops are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. All courses are for Yr 12, Foundation Year and Yr 1 BTEC students only and will take place on campus at NUCA in the centre of Norwich. The majority of workshops repeat on each day and so students can choose to participate in two different day long workshops if they choose. Taster days start at 9.30 am and finish at 4pm.

If you would like to book a place(s) on a workshop please email Alice Kent at a.kent@nuca.ac.uk or call 01603 756252

Tuesday 10th & Wednesday 11th July

Animation Max 12 places

Working collaboratively you will produce a short animated film to take away with you. Using industry standard processes the workshop will cover all the steps from pre-production through to a final animated piece. There has been a phenomenal growth in the use of animated content in recent years for television, films, commercials, websites and computer games. This workshop will include information about career opportunities for qualified animators.
Dates: 10th & 11th July

Architecture Max 15 places

Starting with a creative drawing exercise you will walk through the city and reveal hidden architecture. Working with the BA Architecture Course Leader in the studio you will convert your drawings into a 3D model of the street. As part of the day involves drawing outside please dress for all weathers!
Dates: 10th & 11th July.

Fashion Max 12 places

The Fashion industry is wonderfully innovative, exciting and visual. During this hands-on masterclass you will have the opportunity to explore experimental and conceptual design. Through the creative process you will gain an understanding of the body as a 3-dimensional object in relation to Fashion. Using ½ scale mannequins, you will drape and manipulate spot and cross paper, card, Vilene and calico to construct sculptural and creative silhouettes on the 3-D forms. You will record your personal design development and process by either drawing and/or photography.
Dates: 10th & 11th July

Film and Moving Image Production - Make your own film Max 5 places

Fancy making a film? Working with students on BA Film and Moving Image Production you will get the chance to produce your own short film. The workshop will cover all the steps from initial idea, script, storyboarding to basic in-camera production. You'll have guidance in using HD cameras and the chance to find out more about studying Film Production at university level.
Date: 10th July

Fine Art (Experimental Drawing) Max 12 places

Why is drawing so essential in the digital age? This explorative and fun session will help you make the connection between the act of drawing and many creative processes that help build the contemporary environment. You'll use hand-eye coordination, mark-making, the illusion of space in perspective and the dynamics of composition, then as a small group you will have the chance to review and reflect on the experience and your work.
Dates: 10th & 11th July

Games Art and Design Max 15 places

Love gaming? Love design? Then this is an opportunity you can't miss - a creative workshop which will cover the fundamentals of designing digital
games. The workshop will look at how to get started and test out your ideas for a game. There will also be an introduction to easy to access software packages that can support game development and help bring your game to life.
Dates: 10th & 11th July

Graphics - Design your own typeface Max 15 places

At the end of this creative workshop students will have designed their own unique 'modular typeface' to take away with them. The session will explore the history of typeface/font design and give students the chance to apply this learning to their own designs. The workshop will encourage originality and an understanding of key design principles as students work with BA Graphic Design tutors to express themselves through the creation of a completely new typeface.
Dates: 10th & 11th July

Illustration - Make your own book Max 12 places

All participants will make up to three different style books to take away at the end of the day. Working with tutors on BA illustration participants will learn about simple ways to bind their own books. The day will begin with an introduction to book illustration before moving on to a creative session in which participants will get a lot of support and feedback from the tutors about practical ways to develop their illustration work.

Photography Max 15 places

Using high-end digital cameras you will be shown how to create quality studio portraits using Medium Format digital cameras and studio flash lighting. With guidance you will use Photoshop to edit and manipulate your images before printing them to take away with you.
Dates: 10th July & 11th July

Textiles (digital) Max 12 places

Explore a digital approach to Textiles through creating your own repeating design with access to NUCA's industry standard software. Your pattern will then be printed on fabric to take away with you as a sample of your digital design work.
Date: 10th July

Textiles (weave) Max 8 places

This session will introduce you to the process of weaving on a table-loom. Using different materials and fabrics you will work experimentally on the table-loom to realise your creative ideas. You will have the chance to try out different approaches to weaving and by the end of the day you will have a finished piece to take away.
Date: 11th July

Excellence East are proud to be able to support these events. Excellence East are a charity made up of educational professionals who specialise in supporting highly able students to success with a combined experience in this field of more than 30 years.

Feedback from previous Taster Days