End of Module Evaluation- OUIL501

End of Module Evaluation OUIL 501

Tilly Butters

This module has taught me so much about who I am, as a person and as a practitioner, and given me the guidance of where to take my practice in the future, which was something I was lacking at the start of the year.

Research was an important element for me, especially because I knew nothing about my subject when I started. Using the library resources really helped me this year, and helped me to take my essay down various routes that encompassed my subject.

The essay always seems a daunting task for me, but I found myself becoming so passionate about what I was writing that it was the opposite. Global warming and climate change are two things that I never thought would matter to me, which, looking back is the worst possible view I could have had. Understanding the importance of a sustainable practice will stay with me for many years to come, and I plan for this to be at the core of what I do from now on.

It took me a really long time to get the practical side rolling, and this is a definite weakness that I’ve picked up on and aim to improve heading into the next year. I didn’t let my practical influence my writing, I wrote my essay and then started to focus on the practical, which is something I want to avoid next time. I had ideas running through my head the whole time, I just never got them out, which meant my visual work had to be influenced by my essay.

Another weakness of mine during this module was having too many ideas that were completely different, and for a while I found it hard to find synthesis. I had the ideas but I wasn’t translating them onto paper, which was a big mistake. To improve this next year, I aim to keep a small notebook on me at all times, to jot down ideas, and rough from start to finish, so that I’m left with something that’s evolved with my written work, and that’s been on a visual journey along side the essay.

Time management was something I didn’t get quite right. I started the year with all intention of sticking to Friday being COP day, but I slowly let this go, which impacted my visual work and almost made me forget how much I enjoyed writing about my subject. However, towards the end I managed to pick up the pace and started to become even more passionate about it all. Making visual work that supported my argument made me feel like I could make a difference. Its easier to believe something when you can see it, even if it is just a drawing. I connected with my body of work on a far more personal level, and realised that raising awareness and making others understand what I now know, is something that really matters to me.

Making the book was something I wanted to get just right. I wanted to execute my tone of voice clearly. I had various ideas of how to do this, but went down the endangered animal route and made each one out of clay. Working with clay and recycled materials was something that I’ve wanted to bring into my practice for a while, and now that I have, is something I will continue to experiment with in the future.

The end product is something that I’m really quite proud of, as I feel it executes the exact message I wanted it to. It makes people think, it makes people realise. The book is clear, and not too complex, which means its suitable for all ages, making my my audience greater and meaning more people can learn about the critical condition our ecosystem is in.

This module has made me passionate about something for the first time since I can remember. Its given me a voice and a direction, and a great starting point for Cop3. I must plan my time more effectively next year, create a timetable and stick to it. I will keep a visual journal with me at all times and create work that influences my written work and vice versa. I plan to enhance my knowledge, gain first hand experience over the summer and continue to make work that has the potential to make a difference in the world.