Overview
We’re delighted for you to join us at AUB – we can’t wait to see what you’ll create.
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MA Painting Welcome Guide
Preparing for your course
We're delighted that you've chosen to join our creative community at Arts University Bournemouth. We can't wait to see what you'll create.
Welcome to the MA Painting course
This welcome pack is designed to give you an idea of what to expect during the first weeks of your course. Please take the time to read it carefully and take particular note of the pre-course preparation. We hope that you will enjoy a happy and productive time with us, and we look forward to meeting you.
A message from your Course Leader
Congratulations on your place. I would like to welcome you as a postgraduate student studying here at Arts University Bournemouth.
We hope that you are excited by the prospect of the challenges that this period of advanced study will bring. The nature of the course offers significant opportunities for you to investigate new insights beyond your chosen discipline that will feed a focused enquiry into painting. It's this richness and sharing of ideas, fused with an immersion in your studio practice that realises, in our experience, meaningful, imaginative, intelligent and visually rewarding outcomes.
We want to offer you the best support while you are with us.
– Dominic Shepherd, Course Leader
Before you join us
There is no Pre-course Project but consider reflecting on your interests and practice to date. Visit as many exhibitions as you can and get into the habit of making notes/drawing about what you see and think. Consider the methods of making, be a critic.
Essential reading
To prepare for your postgraduate study, please read the short extracts below. To access these texts, you'll need your AUB login details, which are provided after online enrolment.
- Burrows, D. and O’Sullivan, S. (2019). Introduction. In Fictioning: The myth-functions of contemporary art and philosophy. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. pp. 1–10. [Access online]
- Clark, T.J. (1990). Olympia’s choice. In The painting of modern life: Paris in the art of Manet and his followers. London: Thames & Hudson. pp. 79–146. [Access online]
- Derrida, J. (1987). Passe-partout (trans., G. Bennington & I. McLeod). In The truth in painting. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. pp. 1–13. [Access online]
- Hoptman, L. (2014). The forever now: Contemporary painting in an atemporal world. In The forever now: Contemporary painting in an atemporal world. New York: Museum of Modern Art. pp. 13–62. [Access online]
Recommended further reading
To extend your learning, you may also like to explore some of the books listed below. All of these are available at AUB Library, but you may wish to borrow a copy from your local library to look at before you arrive.
- Bayles, D. and Orland, T. (1994). Art and fear: Observations on the perils (and rewards) of artmaking. Santa Barbara: Capra Press. [Find in AUB Library]
- Fisher, M., Ambrose, D. and Reynolds, S. (2018). K-punk: The collected and unpublished writings of Mark Fisher (2004-2016). London: Repeater. [Find in AUB Library]
- Themes and Movements series of books, published by Phaidon. [Find in AUB Library]
- The Vitamin series of books, published by Phaidon, particularly the Vitamin P and Vitamin D books. [Find in AUB Library]
- Turps Banana: Painting
- Art Monthly
- a-n magazine
- re-title
What to bring on your first day
- Notepad
- Pens
- Calendar (phone, paper or laptop)
Studios and Materials
Materials for workshops are frequently provided.
A range of hand tools and digital equipment are available to loan, there is an extremely well-stocked painting workshop where all tools are available for use within the studio.
A limited selection of 2D (canvas) and 3D (wood) materials may be purchased from the Fine Art store. These are available at approximately 50% less than high street prices. Paint, Painting tools and mediums can be purchased locally, London has extensive art retail outlets or online.
Digital capabilities
This course uses Apple computers.
You're encouraged to bring your own laptop and mobile device to AUB to support online learning, collaboration and communication while at university.
The course includes the use of Adobe Creative Cloud Suite software. We recommend a computer capable of running this.
Explore more
Next Steps
Find out the useful dates and contact before you start here
Arrival and your first week
We’re looking forward to you welcoming you to MA Painting. See you in a few weeks!
