Aesthetic Transfer in Modern Visual Arts Education: Emphasizing 'Learning by Making' and Experimental Approaches for Future Creative Success

Abstract

The article explores the aesthetic transfer approach as a pivotal and distinctive element of contemporary visual arts pedagogy, emphasizing the "learning by making" method, which prioritizes hands-on exploration and creation for acquiring artistic skills and knowledge. It advocates moving from traditional architectural education towards a more experimental approach. The study assesses a visual arts course at a private university in Cairo, Egypt, where students designed and implemented a full-scale wooden chair inspired by a celebrity. The results reveal significant success in fostering team collaboration, enhancing practical skills, and bridging the theoretical and physical design gap. Comparisons with related research highlight the impact of instructional shifts, such as adapting to virtual platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic and employing alternative design techniques like Shape Grammars, on student learning and final project outcomes. The findings emphasize the importance of effective composition and practical experience in art education while identifying areas for future improvement.

Keywords

• visual arts didactics
• visual arts pedagogy
• architectonic education
• aesthetics paradigm shift