One Year Scenic Art Course (PG Dip)
This entirely practical, intensive, three-term course, offers a maximum of four students, who have a high level of painting and drawing skills, the opportunity to develop their career as scenic artists.
Employment as a scenic artist involves working closely with designers to interpret and realise their work; the skills and techniques acquired on this course are applicable to the theatre, television, film and animation industries, with successful graduates employed across the arts and entertainment industry.
Students learn in the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School’s dedicated scenic workshops, gaining in-depth understanding of the relationship of the scenic art department to the production process. The School normally produces two main-house theatre shows each term, offering students the opportunity to see their finished work used on stage in a wide range of public productions.
Over the three terms students acquire an understanding of professional practice and standards, and gain in-depth skills and experience in scenic art techniques and their application, combined with the practice of managing a scenic art department.
Teaching is led by the School’s Head of Scenic Art in collaboration with visiting specialist tutors who provide masterclasses in a range of skills and techniques that can include life drawing, portraiture, perspective, marbling, wood-graining, polystyrene carving, painting for animation, technical drawing and lighting. The course is fully integrated with the School’s other production courses, working particularly closely with the design department.
The School has strong links with the major producing companies and uses a wide range of performance venues in Bristol. Students engage with potential employers in a number of ways through professional placements, public exhibition of their work and interviews with professional scenic artists; much emphasis is placed on students’ ability to present themselves and their work through developing their portfolio, CV, and learning to record their work.
Applicants are expected to bring a comprehensive portfolio of art work to the interview. Entry is not limited to those with previous training though the majority of students do come from degree courses.