PAU Graphic-Plastic Expression Techniques (Madrid) study plan

Define the scope of graphic-plastic expression by writing a one-page glossary of 20 key terms (line, plane, texture, support, medium, format, sign, symbol, icon, index) with your own examples.

Compare dry and wet drawing media by producing a 3x3 sample grid (graphite, charcoal, conté, ink, gouache, marker, colored pencil, pastel, collage) on two different papers and annotate how each behaves.

Practise line control by filling two A3 sheets with exercises: continuous contour, hatching gradients, cross-hatching, and stippling value scales from light to dark.

Identify the visual communication function of five everyday images (poster, packaging, signage, editorial illustration, interface icon) and write 2-3 sentences on audience and message for each.

Build a value range with graphite and charcoal by rendering three geometric solids (cube, cylinder, sphere) under a single directional light, each with at least six distinct tones.

Apply one-, two-, and three-point perspective to draw the same simple box environment three times, checking vanishing points and horizon line with a ruler.

Compose five thumbnail sketches of a single subject using different compositional devices (rule of thirds, diagonal, central symmetry, frame-within-frame, high/low horizon) and select the strongest with written justification.

Analyze balance and visual weight by annotating two master drawings with arrows showing dominant direction, focal point, and negative-space shapes.

Construct a 12-step color wheel in gouache or acrylic, then mix and paint a complementary, analogous, and split-complementary scheme from it.

Match ten colors sampled from photographs by eye, recording the mixing recipe (pigments and approximate proportions) next to each swatch.

Demonstrate how value and saturation change perceived temperature by painting six swatches of equal hue but different value/chroma and ranking them warm to cool.

Restructure a weak composition by producing three color studies that shift emphasis through hue contrast, value contrast, and saturation contrast alone.

Apply Gestalt grouping principles (proximity, similarity, closure, continuity, figure-ground) by designing five small black-and-white compositions, one per principle, each readable at a glance.

Test visual hierarchy by making a poster sketch in which the title, image, and body text are ranked by size, contrast, and position, then verify the reading order with two people.

Diagnose depth cues by annotating a photograph for overlap, relative size, linear perspective, texture gradient, and atmospheric perspective.

Rebuild one failed composition from week 2 using at least three Gestalt principles deliberately and document before/after side by side.

Construct geometric figures accurately with compass and straightedge: perpendicular bisector, angle bisector, regular hexagon, and an inscribed circle in a triangle.

Draw the three standard axonometric and orthographic views (plan, elevation, side) of a simple object and check dimensional consistency with a scale ruler.

Produce a two-point perspective interior sketch with correct measuring points for at least three receding elements.

Compare freehand versus instrument drawing of the same geometric construction and note where precision affects legibility.

Build a timeline of eight movements relevant to graphic-plastic expression (e.g. Impressionism, Cubism, Constructivism, Bauhaus, Art Nouveau, Pop Art, De Stijl, Swiss/International Style) with dates, key formal traits, and one representative work description each.

Identify the formal signature of each movement by making an original 10x10 cm study in its style without copying a specific artwork.

Trace how one visual element (typography, grid, or flat color) changed across three movements and write a 150-word comparison.

Explain in writing how a contemporary advertisement borrows from one historical movement, citing visible formal evidence.

Plan a complete original graphic work (poster or editorial spread) by writing a brief that states audience, message, format, palette, and technique.

Produce at least three roughs, select one, and develop it through two refinement stages with dated progress photos.

Resolve the final piece using a deliberate color strategy and document which scheme and contrast type you used and why.

Self-critique the finished work against the brief using a four-point checklist: message clarity, hierarchy, color coherence, technical finish.

Assemble a portfolio of the eight weekly deliverables, ordered to show progression, with a one-line caption stating the skill each proves.

Run a timed mock exam: complete one composition, one color exercise, and one geometric construction within a single 3-hour sitting without references.

Audit weak areas by scoring the mock against a rubric you write for each domain, then list the three lowest-scoring skills.

Create a one-page revision sheet of formulas, definitions, and construction steps you most often forget, and test yourself on it twice.