Course detail

Mass Study

FSI-YZ1Acad. year: 2025/2026

The course focuses on the basics of spatial design from a visual and tectonic point of view. Practical exercises on general themes are the introduction and stimulation of visual possibilities for later specific assignments in subjects of industrial design. Study models of mass emphasize art quality of objects, clear concept of solution, logic of construction of volume, significance of proportions and relationship of the whole and details. An integral part of the subject is mastering the realization of spatial models from basic materials.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

2

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

doc. akad. soch. Ladislav Křenek, ArtD.

Department

Institute of Machine and Industrial Design (ÚK)

Entry knowledge

Knowledge of perspective, mastered drawing of geometric bodies and orientation in the history of art and design. An advantage is experience with modelling.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Acquiring credit is conditioned by attendance at seminars, submission of given assignments within specified deadlines, and oral defence of given tasks. The final evaluation is counted as the average of evaluation of three projects. The resulting classification is determined by the ECTS scale.
ECTS evaluation degrees / Pts. rating / Numeric rating: A / 100 - 90 / 1 / Excellent; B / 89 - 80 / 1,5 / Very good; C / 79 - 70 / 2 / Good; D / 69 - 60 / Satisfactory; E / 59 - 50 / Sufficient; F / 49 - 0 / 4 / Failed.

Participation in the seminars is compulsory. Seminars are based on weekly schedules. Determining ways to compensate for missed lessons is the responsibility of the supervisor.

Aims

The aim of the course is to acquire the ability to create study models, which is a prerequisite for industrial design practice. Compositions are focused on the essence of shape and its formal and content context. The students are supervised in the scope of general assignment, which abstracts it from functional, technical and other aspects to singular concept of shape solution. The subject develops creative potential in students and supports their ability for formulate an opinion. The course enables students to acquire knowledge for the creation and analysis of spatial objects, acquaints them with basic techniques and tools for realization of physical models of industrial Plasticine, modelling clay, plaster, HPS and other materials.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

LIDWELL, William, Kritina HOLDEN a Jill BUTLER. Universal Principles of Design. Gloucester: Rockport Publishers, 2003. ISBN 1-59253-007-9.
PIPES, Alan. Foundations of Art + Design. Second edition. London: Laurence King Publishing, 2008. ISBN 978-1-85669-578-7.
WONG, Wucius. Principles of Form and Design. New York: John Wiley, 1993. ISBN 0-471-28552-8.

Recommended reading

PELCL, Jiří. Design: od myšlenky k realizaci = from idea to realization. V Praze: Vysoká škola uměleckoprůmyslová v Praze, c2012. ISBN 978-80-86863-45-0. (CS)
TERSTIEGE, Gerrit, ed. The Making of Design: From the First Model to the Final Product. 2009. Basel: Birkhäuser Verlag. ISBN 978-3-0346-0089-7.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme B-PDS-P Bachelor's 1 year of study, winter semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Studio work

39 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. akad. soch. Ladislav Křenek, ArtD.

Syllabus

Assignment of 1st assignment - Composition study on general theme of basic geometric body and transforming such parts without the loss of volume into a new object, analysis of possibilities, 2D sketches, 3D sketches (clay, paper), variants
Modelling from industrial clay, work on poster
Assessment of the 1st assignment, analysis of individual works, assignment of 2nd task – Composition study on theme transformation of a natural object, analysis of possibilities, study of construction of a natural object, 2D sketches, 3D sketches (clay, industrial clay), variants
Modelling from industrial clay, work on poster
Assessment of the 2nd assignment, analysis of individual works, assignment of 3rd task -Composition study on theme of fixation of basic geometric body above a foundation, analysis of possibilities
2D sketches, 3D sketches, variants
Modelling from plaster and other materials, work on poster
Assessment of the 3rd assignment, analysis of individual works, overall assessment of the semester