BSU's Paint Room

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Students master their craft in BSU's Paint Room

This year, to celebrate World Art Day, Bath Spa University is spending the week looking at some of the ways we celebrate art at BSU and our accomplished community of artists.

The University is fortunate to house permanent studio spaces and expansive workshop facilities. Purpose-built and interdisciplinary, these spaces allow students to experiment and take risks, harnessing their professional creativity and building confidence. 

With a team of expert practicing artists and skilled technicians, the Bath School of Art, Film and Media, and the School of Design study art in various formats, learning technical skills and how to professionally promote and exhibit their work. 

Locksbrook Campus is the perfect setting for the University’s art students to thrive. The building, previously a grade 2 listed former factory, was repurposed and upgraded for a brand-new function, becoming BSU’s School of Art and Design. The space has been crowned inspirational, receiving the RIBA South West Award and RIBA National Award.

The campus is home to a painting workshop and, as one of the few universities to provide a dedicated space and a painting technician, is proud of its extensive facilities. Students from varying disciplines have access to the University’s paint room and use it to explore the diversity of painting techniques – from the classical realism of the Renaissance to the abstract, experimentalism of modern contemporary.

A wealth of painting materials are available within the room, including a ball mill for grinding pigment, thermostatically controlled hotpots for varnish and medium making, and peristaltic (or roller) pumps for painting machines.

Describing the paint room, Rosemary Snell, Senior Lecturer in Fine Art Painting, said:

I think of the Paint Room as a wonderful retreat for painters to delve into material research, exploring different techniques and mediums to help further their practice. 

BSU Art students work closely with their tutors to ensure they’re inducted to specialist workshops on paint, varnishes, colour theory and more; watching their learnings come to life and even utilising more unconventional materials such as food, metals and plants.

The paint room includes the following:

• Surface preparation and priming; board, panel, canvas (cotton duck, linen union, calico), paper and metal for oil and acrylic, and many other types of paint
• Paint making, including choosing and grinding pigment and combining with oil or other suitable mediums
• Painting grounds (including Gesso), paint medium and varnish making, both modern and traditional
• Painting techniques of all kinds
• Water-based paint spraying techniques
• Natural resin and wax techniques

Do you have a passion for art in all its forms? Explore BSU’s wide range of courses through the Bath School of Art, Film and Media.