Special Topics for Fall 2026

Cc/INDD 330 F002B 
Wednesdays 12:20-6:15pm C1260/B1185 
Instructor: Justin Novak 
Topic: The Figure in Ceramics 

Through a sequence of projects, participants in this class will build skills while investigating the poetic potential of representing the human (or non-human) figure in the medium of ceramics. A range of techniques and tactics will be introduced, focusing primarily on handbuilding process and the benefits of employing plaster molds, with the goal of developing a versatile repertoire of methods.

This class will not feature sculpting from live models or body casting. The spotlight will be on varied histories of ceramic figuration, and on the development of contemporary explorations. Whatever approach is taken, from naturalism to abstraction, from historical reference to riffs on current popular culture, an examination of the implications of stylistic choices will be key, in relation to both possible meanings and contexts.

Though discussions and demonstrations will have a strong emphasis on three-dimensional form, students who prefer to explore figuration primarily with two-dimensional imagery, through surface decoration, will be strongly encouraged to do so. 

Wednesdays 12:20-6:15pm  D4325 
Instructor: Sarah Green 
Topic: Picture Books 

Children’s book illustration is a multifaceted genre, with topics spanning historical biographies to fairy tales, merging character design with imagination and world-building. In this class, through an emphasis on critique and analyzing successful works in a range of visual styles, you will develop a portfolio of images for a career in books.

With practical workshops on how a picture book is designed and made, what you need for a pitch, the business side of publishing, and the discourse of the industry, you will also leave this class prepared to work with an editor or publisher.

Other topics will encompass graphic novels for younger readers, middle grade, how to search for an agent, and other relevant subjects. Assignments will include (but are not limited to) re-imagining classics, making a mini book-dummy, illustrating biographies, and more. 

Thursdays 8:30am-3:10pm B4170 
Instructor: Amory Abbott 
Topic: Visual Identity in Heavy Music 

In this section of ILUS 306, students will explore the relationship between illustration and heavy music as a form of visual storytelling and cultural expression. Using genres such as metal, punk and hardcore as a foundation, students will examine how symbolism, iconography, typography and gestalt principles shape the visual identities of music scenes and communicate tone, ideology and narrative.

Research in this course will include album artwork, gig posters, zines, merchandise and performance aesthetics, alongside broader influences such as mythology, horror, fantasy, the occult, and subcultural movements. Students will investigate how these visual languages construct meaning, evoke emotion and build community, while also critically engaging with the cultural, political, and ethical contexts in which they emerge.

Weekly projects will involve professional illustration formats such as album covers, band identities, posters and merch design. By the end of the course, students will have developed a stronger research practice, a more critical understanding of visual culture, and a refined sense of intention and responsibility in their work as image-makers. 

Cc/ VAST 420 F002N 
Thursdays 12:20-6:15pm D4310 
Instructor: Gwenessa Lam 
Topic: Diasporic Relations 

This studio course will examine diaspora as a concept and shared experience explored through contemporary art discourse and practice.  Through critical investigations of migration and displacement, we will consider how movements across borders and spaces reconceive notions of place, bodies and time.  Students will develop a series of works in their choice of medium informed by weekly readings, discussions and critiques.

Students will reconsider their ongoing connections to place, facilitated by readings in migration and post-colonial studies that think through such frameworks as ‘inter-referencing’ and ‘arrivants’.  

Cc/ VAST 320 F002N 
Thursdays 12:20-6:15pm D4310 
Instructor: Gwenessa Lam 
Topic: Diasporic Relations 

This studio course will examine diaspora as a concept and shared experience explored through contemporary art discourse and practice.  Through critical investigations of migration and displacement, we will consider how movements across borders and spaces reconceive notions of place, bodies and time.  Students will develop a series of works in their choice of medium informed by weekly readings, discussions and critiques.

Students will reconsider their ongoing connections to place, facilitated by readings in migration and post-colonial studies that think through such frameworks as ‘inter-referencing’ and ‘arrivants’.  

Tuesdays 8:30am – 11:20am
Instructor: S. Hart
Special Topic: TBA

This course focuses on Modernist and Avant-Garde artistic practice in the 20th century. Students will investigate artists and their diverse aesthetic strategies especially as they reflect the powerful political and cultural changes that transformed social and artistic tradition.

Wednesdays 12:20pm – 3:10pm
Instructor: P. Andersson
Special Topic: TBA

In this course students will investigate a specific topic or issue relevant to a variety of practices and critical concerns in Modernist art. The emphasis will be upon the development and articulation of critical and speculative thinking that will encourage personal research and prepare students for further study or practice in contemporary art.

Mondays, 3:25pm – 6:15pm
Instructor: S. Hart
Special Topic: TBA

Building upon the research skills, methodological approaches and technical knowledge introduced in the first year, this course provides a synthesis of cultural, geographic, and historical perspectives for a critical engagement of contemporary creative practices. This course is framed through research-led teaching, and each offering will vary in content and context.

Tuesdays 3:25pm – 6:15pm
Instructor: A. White
Special Topic: Waste + Discard Studies

What is garbage? What are the social and political systems by which ‘waste’, ‘trash’, ‘junk’ etc., are defined, created, managed and circulated? This course will introduce students to concepts and theories from the growing field of waste and discard studies, and to theories of compost and regeneration, including critical analysis from the arts, environmental studies, geography and anthropology. We will explore the politics and aesthetics of discard culture, examine waste streams both local and global, organic and inorganic.

From compost and food waste to e-waste, textiles and plastics, to nuclear waste and space junk, we will consider related socio-political systems such as waste colonialism and capitalism, environmental racism and pollution. How are the arts intervening into and relating to waste? What will it take to achieve responsible consumption and production?

Thursdays 3:25pm – 6:15pm
Instructor: M Pauker
Special Topic: TBA

This course offers the opportunity to explore specific issues and texts in the humanities. The issues and readings will vary but, students will gain a better understanding of contemporary thought and methods in philosophy, history, or literature, especially as they relate to critical issues in art and design.

Thursdays 3:25pm – 6:15pm
Instructor: S. Shamash
Special Topic: Revolutionary Love as Method

What is the potentiality for revolutionary love in our movements, our artmaking, and in radical social transformation? How do we position love as a key concept in political theory and action and as a counterhegemonic force against global capitalism? How can we build a world ordered by love – love of land, life, and liberation? In this course, we will explore the above questions as we examine the role of revolutionary love in reimagining a world rid of white supremacy, patriarchy, and capitalism; one that engenders new relationalities and communities.

Even in a “f*cked up world” (Dean Spade, 2025), we will examine the role of love as political theory, revolutionary practice, and creative force. We will engage in collective study on “Love, Art, and Revolution” from interdisciplinary and undisciplined perspectives, i.e. Black feminist love-politics, solidarity as love practice, affective sovereignties and land rights. We will explore the power of revolutionary love in producing work that collectively builds a world “where many worlds fit” (Zapatista Army for National Liberation).

Wednesdays 12:20pm – 3:10pm
Instructor: G. Reyes Rodriguez
Special Topic: TBA

This course is designed to enable students to focus on various issues, concepts and ideas relevant to contemporary photography. Consideration will be given to the changing role of photography in relation to new technologies and societal transitions. While the historical evolution of photography will inform much of the discussion, the emphasis throughout will centre around current applications and critical thinking about the medium in art and society at large.

LEC: Wednesdays 5:30pm – 8:20pm
OTH: Wednesdays 6:30pm – 9:30pm
Instructor: S. Shamash
Special Topic: Cinema and the City: a global south perspective

Cities and urban spaces, filmed in western urban centres like Los Angeles, New York, Paris, and London, have come to define cinematic archetypal city environments. How does a study of ‘cinema and the city’ from a global south perspective teach us about social relations, colonial histories, globalization, and the production of a so-called “third world”? What is the relationship between cinema as a significant cultural, worldbuilding, and spatial form, and the city, as a form of social organization?

Through collective study, we will explore how the filmed urban environment provides a prismatic reflection of complex power relations and social structures as they relate to class, race, gender, age, sexuality, abled and disabled bodies. In our study on the role of cinema in articulating urban discourses, ecological futures, power structures, historical processes, and
social relations, we will examine the above questions through film screenings, lectures, discussions, guest speakers, and readings to collectively engage in critical inquiry on cinema and the city.

Tuesdays 3:25pm-6:15pm
Instructor: C. Ewart
Special Topic: TBA

This course offers the opportunity to study a specific discipline in the social sciences. Through a study of selected issues, which will change from time to time, students will gain a better understanding of contemporary social and cultural theories and the methods of analysis in the fields of anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, sociology, or women’s studies, especially as they relate to critical issues in art and design.

Fridays 12:20pm – 3:10pm
Instructor: C. Jones
Special Topic: TBA

This course offers the opportunity to study a specific discipline in the social sciences. Through a study of selected issues, which will change from time to time, students will gain a better understanding of contemporary social and cultural theories and the methods of analysis in the fields of anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, sociology, or women’s studies, especially as they relate to critical issues in art and design.

Tuesdays 3:25pm – 6:15pm
Instructor: TBA
Special Topic: TBA

This course offers the opportunity to critically engage with defined topics in the social sciences as they relate to ethics of representation by introducing methods and practices for building community relationships, cultural diversity and social activism. Specific historical, cultural and social contexts will be explored using approaches such as ethnography, documentary, social justice studies, critical disability studies, and environmental studies to broadly address ethics of representation in art, media and design practice.

Wednesdays + Fridays 12:20pm – 3:10pm
Instructor: To be confirmed
Topic: 2D Rigging

In 2D Character Rigging, students will build on their foundational knowledge to develop more sophisticated rigging skills for 2D animation production. This course empowers students to explore creative approaches to both full and partial rigging, allowing for the design and manipulation of characters towards ease of character animation workflows.

Through hands-on practice and detailed instruction, students will learn to construct effective rigs that support personal exploration of visual design and animation styles.

Students will leave the course with the confidence and skills to bring their unique character designs to life, ready to tackle more complex rigging challenges in their future studies and careers. 
 

Tuesdays + Thursdays 12:20pm – 3:10pm
Instructor: To be confirmed
Special topic: Life Drawing Short Poses

This life drawing course offers a study of the human figure in action, through gesture drawings and short poses. Distribution of weight, skeletal structure, muscular exertion, kinetic connectivity and forces of stability and mobility will be emphasized through the life model’s action poses. 

Students will gain practice with volumetric/three-dimensional drawing of the figure in motion and capturing the dynamic energy of a pose. 

Tuesdays + Thursdays 12:20pm – 3:10pm
Instructor: To be confirmed
Topic: Colour + Lighting

This course introduces students to the foundational principles and applied practices of colour design within the context of animation. Students will explore colour and lighting as essential components of visual development, using them to support mood and storytelling. The course emphasizes both a conceptual understanding, and industry-relevant practices, encouraging students to develop a personal approach to colour design.

Through assigned and self-directed projects, students will engage in creative exploration while building technical proficiency. The course is structured to foster dialogue, experimentation, and a deeper understanding of colour as a key design and narrative tool in animation.

Fridays 12:20pm – 3:10pm
Instructor: To be confirmed
Topic: Music Composition for Film + Animation

This course provides a comprehensive exploration of the dynamic role of sound and music in film and animation and provides points of departure for students interested in exploring music and sound as practicing media makers. Course content will explore historical music context, contemporary practice case studies and innovative techniques in the world of music and sound.

Students will learn film score analysis techniques, gain practical skills in working with composers, understand post workflow, and foster effective musical creative communication with an eye to future projects and proposals. Emphasizing both traditional and experimental approaches, this bespoke course encourages students to develop their own musical vision and apply learned concepts to their media projects. 

Mondays 6:30pm – 9:20pm
Instructor: To be confirmed
Topic: VizDev 3D Modeling

This is an advanced 3D modeling course focusing on the art and techniques of 3D modeling for visual development. Students will learn how to turn concept art and design ideas into detailed 3D models ready for character setup. The class reinforces and builds upon modeling principles such as clean topology, edge flow, visual balance and surface detailing.

Students will also explore how modeling choices support representation, storytelling and artistic direction. Through hands-on projects using industry standard tools, students will practice creating characters that align with their visual styles and narratives. By the end of the course, students will complete a character demonstrating technical accuracy and awareness in their designs. 

Mondays 6:30pm – 9:20pm
Instructor: To be confirmed
Topic: Organic Modeling

Dive into the world of organic 3D modeling in this hands-on course, where you’ll learn to create stylized and lifelike characters and creatures using industry-standard software. Designed for aspiring artists, this course combines technical skills with creative exploration, equipping you with the tools to bring your imaginative visions to life. 

Tuesdays 6:30pm – 9:20pm
Instructor: To be confirmed
Topic: CFX

In the context of computer graphics and visual effects, CFX stands for Character Effects or Character FX. This course introduces students to the specialized field of visual effects focused on simulating and animating character-related elements such as hair, cloth, fur, skin and other physical characteristics of 3D characters.

Students will explore how CFX artists build and run simulations in response to animation and environmental interactions, creating realistic or stylized results for humans, animals and fantastical creatures. Simulations covered in this course include: Cloth (clothing and fabric), hair, fur and feathers; muscle, skin and fat movement. The course blends technical and artistic approaches, encouraging research, reference gathering and conceptual exploration. Students will engage in hands-on projects that mirror industry workflows, providing a strong foundation for CFX specialization. 

Tuesdays 3:25pm – 6:15pm
Instructor: To be confirmed
Topic: Colour in Motion

This course examines the historical, theoretical, scientific, and perceptual dimensions of colour in cinema and animation. Students explore the evolution of chromatic theory across art history and moving-image practices. Through case studies of animation studios and master cinematographers, students analyze how colour constructs narrative, mood, symbolism and perception; and through research, experimentation and production, students develop a critically informed and practice-based understanding of colour as both symbolic structure and fluid perceptual phenomenon. 

Wednesdays 8:30am – 11:20am
Instructor: Ceile Prowse
Topic: Motion Graphics

This studio course introduces students to motion graphics concepts and visual effects techniques in the context of digital animation production. Creative projects in the course will incorporate complex layering, transparency and mattes, motion and timing, and the animation of text and visual effects. Through a series of presentations, tutorials, related assignments and projects, individual and group critiques, students will learn basic production techniques and develop an understanding of the process of creating motion graphics for video and animation. 

Tuesdays 12:20pm – 3:10pm
Instructor: Eleonore Goldberg
Topic: Experimental Animation

Through presentations, workshops and assignments, students apply an advanced understanding of animation principles to explorations with experimental animation, using a variety of techniques: drawn animation, under-the-camera methods like collage, cutout, and paint-on-glass, puppets, etc.

Students have the opportunity work with digital-based software, as well as 16-mm film. A particular emphasis is placed on design for animation. This course provides support for fourth year graduation projects. 

Tuesdays 3:25pm – 6:15pm
Instructor: To be confirmed
Topic: Colour in Motion

This course examines the historical, theoretical, scientific, and perceptual dimensions of colour in cinema and animation. Students explore the evolution of chromatic theory across art history and moving-image practices. Through case studies of animation studios and master cinematographers, students analyze how colour constructs narrative, mood, symbolism and perception; and through research, experimentation and production, students develop a critically informed and practice-based understanding of colour as both symbolic structure and fluid perceptual phenomenon. 

Fridays 12:20pm – 3:10pm
Instructor: To be confirmed
Topic: Music Composition for Film + Animation

This course provides a comprehensive exploration of the dynamic role of sound and music in film and animation and provides points of departure for students interested in exploring music and sound as practicing media makers. Course content will explore historical music context, contemporary practice case studies and innovative techniques in the world of music and sound.

Students will learn film score analysis techniques, gain practical skills in working with composers, understand post workflow, and foster effective musical creative communication with an eye to future projects and proposals. Emphasizing both traditional and experimental approaches, this bespoke course encourages students to develop their own musical vision and apply learned concepts to their media projects. 

Wednesdays 8:30am – 11:20am
Instructor: Ceile Prowse
Topic: Motion Graphics

This studio course introduces students to motion graphics concepts and visual effects techniques in the context of digital animation production. Creative projects in the course will incorporate complex layering, transparency and mattes, motion and timing, and the animation of text and visual effects. Through a series of presentations, tutorials, related assignments and projects, individual and group critiques, students will learn basic production techniques and develop an understanding of the process of creating motion graphics for video and animation.

Wednesdays 3:25pm – 6:15pm
Instructor: Zac Camozzi
Topic: DESIS Fall Studio

This studio course embeds students within ECU’s DESIS (Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability) Lab, Canada’s only node in an international network of design-led research labs which support social change towards sustainability. Projects in this course will emphasize collaborative, sustainable and socially-engaged approaches to design research and practice.

Students will engage with and develop insights into vernacular design, pluriversal design and design for more-than-humans as methods for supporting local community and environmental needs and desires. This course will empower students in developing approaches to design that are participatory and contextually grounded through research, workshops and other community-based activities.

Wednesdays 3:25pm-6:15pm
Instructor: To be confirmed.
Topic: Coast-Salish Weaving

Course description to come.

Saturdays 12:20pm – 3:10pm
Instructor: To be confirmed.
Topic: Metal Connections

This course will include several projects for students to explore expressions of identity and culture through small-scale metalwork adornment and storytelling. Initial project focus will be on personal expressions of each students positionality and self identity, with emphasis on responsibility to community and environment.

Smaller projects might include items such as jewelry (necklace, earrings) or clothing-fasteners (buttons, hooks or buckles). Medium-sized projects may include items such as bracelets, chain (maille), or plates (eg. a gorget).

Objects may be transformed from the found or repurposed, or developed from fresh stock with considerations of the lifecycle of the material. Primary development of hands-on skills in this course could continue into jewelry and related fields, or be useful for one-off or custom production, prototyping or developing recycling procedures.

Fridays 12:20pm – 3:10pm
Instructor: To be confirmed
Topic: Community Engagement and Co-Creation Practice

This COMD studio elective aims at familiarizing student with the theoretical, ethical and pragmatic dimensions of community engaged and co-reaction practice. Through the development of research activates and design proposals students will explore the intersections of diverse perspectives, languages and narratives to inform communication approaches and engage public spaces and dialogue.

Wednesdays 3:25pm – 6:15pm
Instructor: Daniel Wildberger
Topic: Type + Motion

Typography meets time. This course extends typographic practice into motion, sound and sequence — pushing past the static page into how letters move, breathe and tell stories. Through assignments grounded in applying motion principles to the semantics of typography, interaction and communication design students develop a more dimensional typographic craft, one that lives across both domains.