Painting in the studio texture blue pink plymouth college of art

BA (Hons) Painting, Drawing & Printmaking

Designed to immerse you in a wide range of traditional and contemporary techniques, you will simultaneously develop a distinct creative voice as a contemporary professional artist.

Our tutors are all practising artists who bring unique, independent experience to the classroom and studio teaching. The course specialises in the embodied practice of painting, with the synergy of drawing and fine print together with colour as a conceptual and pedagogical practice.

Based in large, open-plan studios designed with lofted ceilings and windows that allow for northern exposure to natural light, you will be encouraged to develop an ambitious working practice through encounters with all three disciplines.

During the three years of concentrated study, a comprehensive series of technical workshops and material demonstrations provide a core component to the curriculum, fostering a hands-on, deep material knowledge that will directly inform the ideas, methods and idiosyncrasies of your emergent studio practice.

We teach the six visual languages: tone, line, space, movement, shape and colour, enabling each student to be able to express their own imagination and find their own voice, to become the painters, artists, and printmakers of the next generation.

With an overall satisfaction rate of 94%, 100% of our BA (Hons) Painting, Drawing and Printmaking students agreed that “My course has challenged me to achieve my best work”.
- National Student Survey 2022
Nicky Harwood Eight x Four

'Eight x Four' by Nicky Harwood

Take advantage of the many cultural and community based institutions located in and near Plymouth, providing you opportunities to see and participate in timely exhibitions that increase your knowledge of the contemporary art world. Recent student trips have included visits to Tate Galleries in London and St.Ives and Barbara Hepworth Museum, Spike Island and Arnolfini Gallery, Hauser & Wirth and to the Rabley Drawing Centre. Students in the course have travelled internationally to attend the Impact 10 international printmaking conference in Santander, Spain, and have recently toured galleries and art fairs in Madrid, Berlin, and Amsterdam.

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With active and ongoing university initiatives that help students develop relationships with the contemporary art world and curators, our students show their work in galleries in and near Plymouth, and have previously toured their degree shows at Second Floor Studios in London. Recent contributors to the programme include Turner Prize nominee Ciara Phillips, Freelands Foundation Creative Director painter and educator Dr. Henry Ward, Sue Kennington, Sarah Hoskins Josie Cockram (Royal Academy Schools alumni) and painters Nina Royle. Our students have gone on to establish successful art practices in Plymouth, Falmouth, St Ives, Exeter, Bristol, London and Europe.

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With a overall satisfaction rate of 94%, BA (Hons) Painting, Drawing & Printmaking had 100% student satisfaction in the category: “My course has challenged me to achieve my best work”, “My course has provided me with opportunities to explore ideas or concepts in depth”, “Feedback on my work has been timely”, “I have been able to contact staff when I needed to”, “I have received sufficient advice and guidance in relation to my course”, “Good advice was available when I needed to make study choices on my course”, “I have been able to access course-specific resources (e.g. equipment, facilities, software, collections) when I needed to” and “I have had the right opportunities to provide feedback on my course”.

96% of students were satisfied with the teaching and assessment and feedback on their course, with 94% agreeing that “Staff are good at explaining things”, “Staff have made the subject interesting”, “The course is intellectually stimulating”, “My course has provided me with opportunities to bring information and ideas together from different topics”, “The criteria used in marking have been clear in advance”, “Marking and assessment has been fair”, “I have received helpful comments on my work”, “The timetable works efficiently for me” and “Staff value students’ views and opinions about the course”, with the same percentage satisfied with the learning opportunities available.

92% of students were satisfied with the learning resources, with 88% agreeing that “My course has provided me with opportunities to apply what I have learnt”, “The IT resources and facilities provided have supported my learning well”, “The library resources (e.g. books, online services and learning spaces) have supported my learning well”, “I have had the right opportunities to work with other students as part of my course” and “The students’ union (association or guild) effectively represents students’ academic interests”.

88% of students were also satisfied with the student voice, and a further 85% satisfied with the learning community.