How can instructors turn an art course that requires extensive practices online and make it captivating and substantial in contents? How should instructors do to achieve the goal that students learn new knowledge and present some works after the online classes? The faculty of the painting department took the lead and set up online chatting groups to implement teaching plans for the new spring semester. Some instructors didn’t have computers and instantly ordered one online, and some installed cameras. They adjusted and fleshed out syllabus for online teaching and consolidated their knowledge of art theories.
Painting is possible everywhere. Feelings can be aroused. Cognition can be changed. What you lost can be gained elsewhere.
Li Mu, Professor of the Department of Painting
Color in painting (3)
Instructor: Li Mu
Time: 8:30–11:30, Monday to Friday
Target Students: senior undergraduates, Department of Painting
“Classes during special times are also special. Compared with teaching during normal days, there are more unusual aspects with the current teaching. First of all, we have limited teaching conditions as students face shortage of paintbrushes, paper and even necessary pigments. Some students had to go to lonesome cafes nearby for online classes. While paying attention to what the instructors say, they have to write theories down and practice painting at the same time. I have been working as an instructor for years and never met such an unspeakable situation.” This is what Li shared his feelings about the online teaching during the first week.
Students are painting with limited supplies
The open online session presented by Li was recognized as outstanding sessions by the Ministry of Education in 2018. Li, an instructor with extensive experience in online teaching, adapted his syllabus as all classes have to go online due to the sudden outbreak of the coronavirus.
“As it is difficult to give hands-on painting instructions via online platforms, I adjusted the teaching contents and included some lectures to foster students’ analytic thinking. It is conducive to their long-term development,” Li said.
Li Mu in class
Every week, Li leaves time for class discussion. Apart from mandatory discussions, he generally takes questions from students who meet confusions in art creation. Li gives answers and specific suggestions.
Online class
To ignite students’ interests in online classes, Li encourages them to raise questions anytime. He usually uses web conferencing app to comment students’ projects, answers questions “on-site” and sustain interaction with students for better results.
Students’ enthusiasm in online classes mainly depends on instructors’ preparedness and teaching skills, Li said.
Let’s live the days to the full, stay focused on our academic pursuit and make the best of the special period to improve the ability of self-improvement.
Ding Hong, Associate Professor of the Department of Painting
Classic brush figure paint imitating
Instructor: Ding Hong
Time: 8:30–11:30, Monday to Friday
Target Students: senior undergraduates, Department of Painting
Classic brush bird-and-flower paint imitating
Instructor: Ding Hong
Time: 13:30 – 16:55, Tuesday
Target Students: all undergraduates
The class of classic brush figure paint imitating aims to help students understand the techniques and underlying laws of brush figure painting by imitating classic works. The class of the classic brush bird-and-flower paint imitating aims to help student master the skills and laws to paint birds and flowers and savor the aesthetics of Chinese traditional bird-and-flower brush painting.
Ding Hong in class
Brushwork represents a technique of Chinese painting. It boasts crisp and delicate strokes. The biggest challenge of online teaching to Ding is that she cannot make hands-on instruction. She came up with many solutions to advance the teaching schedule with appropriate ways for interactions. Recent practice made her realized that she could make the best of functionalities of the online teaching platform and the WeChat messaging service.
Students take an online class.
Ding also found that “bullet screen” is a good function for instructor-student interaction when the instructor uses PowerPoint. It is especially true to small-size class of 30 students or less. With the function, the instructor could get feedback from the students and answer students’ questions immediately.
Ding Hong in class
Ding said online teaching has some merits. The diverse teaching tools enable timely adjustment of teaching contents and methods. Online communications and discussions make the class more dynamic and interesting. Ding said although students cannot stay in a classroom, they take the online classes in separate quiet rooms, which create favorable environments for them to savor and understand the spirit and artistic aesthetic of Chinese painting. Self-disciplined students will attain more.
Remote teaching represents a future trend. How to effectively use information technology to move art classes online needs exploration. We are blazing a new trail in this regard.
Yan Hui, Assistant Professor of the Department of Painting
Sketch (2)
Instructor: Yan Hui
Time: 8:00–11:30, Monday to Friday
Target Students: sophomore undergraduates majoring in oil painting and wall painting, Department of Painting
Copperplate etching
Instructor: Ding Hong
Time: 13:30–16:55, Tuesday
Target Students: all undergraduates
For an online class, Yan first called on a meeting with the Tencent software and checked the attendance and began class in the “Rain Classroom.” He kept interaction with students with “bullet screen” messages while demonstrating how to draw with an electronic pad. As he cannot give face-to-face instructions via online classes, Yan focused more on theories about human morphology and added thought-provoking voting session. While explaining the theories, he wrote takeaways on the virtual blackboard so that students can keep up with the process.
Yan Hui in class
According to Yan, it is essential that everyone has a textbook in taking remote class. Besides, he strengthened students’ ability to imitate and create work based on imitation. During classes, Yan asked students to share the interface and comment on homework or students’ projects, improving interaction in class. His teaching was well received among students who said it was more effective compared with classroom learning.
Students’ project on portrait painting
Online teaching makes Yan feel like “a radio host.” To ignite students’ interests, Yan arranges a “free talk” session for each class. The “bullet screen” function enables students to talk their minds freely and anonymously. “Experience and feelings are very important for art classes. Pure lecturing is very boring. It’s good to have some free talks. Students will raise questions related to art,” Yan explained.
Virtual blackboard function of the “Rain Classroom” application
Yan also offered suggestions on improving the online teaching platform. He expected that pictures can be inserted in the teaching system as it will make art classes more interesting. Yan said, “Remote teaching is suitable for lectures of theories and knowledge, and using it to instruct painting from life is a challenge, which has never been met across the world. We are the forerunners. Let’s see whether we can fix the problem.”
Yan Hui demonstrates portrait painting from life
During the special period, artists should not stay aloof from it. We need to observe society, how people live their lives and express our findings with art.
Wen Zhongyan, Associate Professor of the Department of Painting
Basics about silkscreen print – 0
Instructor: Wen Zhongyan
Time: 8:00–11:30, Monday to Friday
Target Students: junior undergraduates, Department of Painting
The class aims to help students of zero knowledge understand the history and current status of silkscreen print, and master the principles and techniques in doing the art.
Due to the epidemic, students take classes from home and cannot practice the exposure and printing down processes which could only be finished in special workshops. Wen contacted with a factory and ordered simple equipment for silkscreen print for students. Receiving the deliveries, students overcome difficulties and finished the project arranged by Wen. It was much more difficult than doing it in the workshop where the instructor would give instant instruction.
“I am touched no matter how the project is as you all worked on the project after watching my video demonstration,” Wen reviewed. He discovered that students were kind of irritated as they are trapped at home. However, the situation results in complementarity and contrast in their artistic expression. Their paintings are beautiful, quiet and lyrical. “They showed true experience in and pursuit for beauty.”
Students’ project
Besides practical techniques, Wen worked to encourage critical thinking among students via online classes. He asked students to present their projects in the form of PowerPoint and share them. Facing a virtual instructor, students are more active in talking their minds and asking questions. The classroom is more dynamic.
Class in session
Wen prefers online communications via web conferencing. In online classes, instructors talk much more compared with classroom classes. But he thinks that different teaching methods feature different processes and experience.
Wen Zhongyan in class
Wen invited several professors from other art schools and connected students with them in the online class. Students were offered a chance to break academic barriers, draw inspirations from outstanding professors and broaden their horizons, which are the essential advantages of online teaching.
Students share projects
Source: Department of Painting
Writer: Zhang Pengfei
Editor: Zhao Ruohan
Graphic Designer: Feng Jiaqi
