The Bachelor's degree course taught in the Department of Painting/Drawing gives its students the opportunity to establish an independent artistic vision and develop the skills of historical-critical reflection on a range of theoretical and practical issues concerning painting and drawing of the past, present and future.

Together, students are introduced to the fundamental technical, genre-specific, aesthetic and theoretical concepts of painting and drawing, which they explore through the realization of their own ideas and concepts. Students work with a range of forms, colours and surface designs and their wide ranging variations and combinations. They are also required to engage with contemporary art theoretical discourses, a wide range of historical and contemporary visual languages and issues of sustainability. They also learn to situate their own artistic articulations and those of others in the specific socio-cultural context of their development.

Students’ learning and research is structured by the completion of their artistic development project, in which students work individually or as part of a group to develop a unique artistic vision through the interplay of practical and conceptual work. Students are introduced to painting and drawing techniques, printmaking (etching, lithography, screen printing, etc.) and digital image processing and development in special classes and practical courses.

The interdisciplinary nature of the degree course provides students with the opportunity to engage with related disciplines, thereby situating their artistic endeavours within this broader methodological framework.

The HFBK encourages and enables its students to spend part of their studies at a partner university abroad. Students participate in projects conducted with museums, galleries and the HFBK gallery and annual exhibition to develop skills in the presentation, communication and discussion of artistic works.

Supplementary courses taught in the Department of Theory and History enable students to explore a range of issues in art theory, history and method in further depth. Relating this to their own artistic vision and experience, students are able to establish their artistic approach and historical understanding.

The Master’s degree course taught in the Department of Painting/Drawing seeks to develop its students artistic ideas and skills and refine their skills of critical reflection to enable them to assess practical and theoretical questions relating to the history, present and future of painting and drawing.

In addition to the traditional elements of painting and drawing, etching, screen printing and lithography, the course covers a wide range of innovative techniques such as digital image processing and development methods, multimedia installations and performances. The core skills required by the Master’s degree course are acquired and refined in a largely self-directed and autonomous fashion. These comprise technical and genre-specific skills, aesthetic and theoretical knowledge, an engagement with contemporary art theoretical discourses and a wide range of historical and contemporary visual languages and issues of sustainability. They also learn to situate their own artistic articulations and those of others in the specific socio-cultural context of their development. To this end, students’ learning and research is structured by the completion of their own individual or collective artistic development project, in which they work to develop their independent artistic vision through the interplay of practical and conceptual work.

Students participate in projects conducted with the HFBK gallery, annual exhibition and external partners to acquire skills and experience in conceptual and working strategies, presentation and publication techniques and the aesthetics of production, use and impact. They are also accorded the opportunity to widen their artistic horizons through study at international partner universities.

Supplementary courses taught in the Department of Theory and History enable students to gather experience and explore a range of issues in their chosen field in greater depth. Together with the interdisciplinary nature of the degree course, students have the opportunity to engage with related disciplines, thereby developing their artistic approach.