In year one of the program, students are exposed to a range of skills and knowledge to assist them in development, experimentation and investigation of ideas, process, materials and methods in the production of creative artworks through directed projects. The studio courses are supported by theory and history courses which help contextualise studio practice. We emphasise experimentation and play with materials and form, as well as students working within their disciplinary field and in interdisciplinary ways.

At all stages of the program we are moving students from dependence to independence in their thinking and making. Research is often practice led and is developed as both visual and theoretical. 

In Enrolment Online for Semester 1, you need to enrol into the following courses: Fine Art Studio 1 (VART 3694), Workshop 1 (VART 3688) and Art1: History+Theory+Cultures (HUSO 2422). 

NOTE: You do not need to preference your Semester 1 courses; the School will allocate you to your class. You will be informed of your class schedule through email by Hong Kong Art School in due course. 

Fine Art Studio 1 (VART 3694)
Introductory Studio for Ceramics, Painting, Photography, Sculpture 

This course will introduce you to the conventions and skills of making, analysing, researching, responding and discussing your artwork and the artwork of others. It exposes you to the material, conceptual and technical methods applicable to specialised studio practices as well as a diverse range of experiences, materials and processes that link your creative practice to the broader context of Fine Art.   

You will engage in a series of structured projects based upon studio creation and enquiry to develop ideas about creativity and the histories and methods of art practice. You will create a range of artworks and related support materials as well as critical reflective writing on your learning experiences, including the development of your artworks and the artwork of others. 

Workshop 1 (VART 3688)
Introductory Workshop for Ceramics, Painting, Photography, Sculpture 

This is an introductory workshop course that will introduce you to the craft of your discipline. You will engage with materials, processes, tools, technologies and focus on acquiring the skills required to make art works. This workshop will inform your practical studio investigations through a series of projects. You will also develop capacities to critically reflect upon, analyse and apply the technologies and processes within your specialised studio by considering the fundamental principles and elements of art. 

ART 1: History+Theory+Cultures (HUSO 2422) – Place, Materiality and Colour
This course introduces you to select themes and practices in contemporary art, specifically Place, Materiality and Colour. You will explore how these themes have been addressed in critical theory and different historical and cultural contexts. You will be introduced to a broad range of ideas, methods and cultures of art practice, including how to analyse, research and write about art. These will provide you with the skills and knowledge to establish a strong critical foundation for your studio practice and will expand your experience of art. 

In Enrolment Online for Semester 2, you need to enrol into the following courses: Fine Art Studio 2 (VART 3695), Workshop 2 (VART 3689) and Art 2: History+Theory+Cultures (HUSO 2423). 

From Semester 2, you will need to start preferencing your classes on Fine Art Studio 2 (VART 3695) and Workshop 2 (VART 3689). The preferencing process will be taking place in June, and will be communicated to you by Hong Kong Art School in due course.   

Information about class options on Fine Art Studio 2 (VART 3695), Workshop 2 (VART 3689) and ART 2: History+Theory+Cultures (HUSO 2423) are available on the links below. 

Fine Art Studio 2 (VART 3695)
 In this vertical studio course (co-taught with Fine Art Studio 4), you will develop a broad range of material processes and skills relevant to your individual studio practice. The course is structured around developmental projects that utilise art-making strategies that are expansive and adaptable. 

The aim of this course is to critically reflect upon strategies of studio practice and constructions of meaning to help inform your studio practice. You will create a range of experimental investigations that lead to a range of art works that demonstrate the initiation of an individual Fine Art practice. 

You will select one studio course from the offerings. You can select a course from your specialisation or from another specialisation. However, it is important to seek academic advice from your specialisation coordinator prior to deciding. 

Workshop 2 (VART 3689)
In this vertical course (co-taught with Workshop 4), you will develop individual strategies and methods of studio production to further the craft of your discipline and build upon the skills you have already developed in other workshop courses.  In this workshop, you will learn to experiment and test a range of art making processes methods and technologies to solve problems. You will also learn how artists generate, expand and develop ideas in studio-based practice using a range of critical and reflective processes. 

You will select one workshop course from the offerings. You can select a course from your specialisation or from another specialisation. However, it is important to seek academic advice from your specialisation coordinator prior to deciding. 

ART 2: History+Theory+Cultures (HUSO 2423)
ART 2 provides opportunities for you to gain expanded knowledge about art, and a set of concepts, terms and critical approaches to thinking about and discussing art. This is designed to support independent research and the practice of art. 

You will develop the critical skills to summarise and interpret key artworks and texts, ideas, developments, terms and contexts relevant to art. This will enable you to analyse, speak and write about contemporary art and its theoretical, cultural and historical contexts.