Call for applicants
Summer Course - From Print to Paint: Histories and Methods of Artistic Production (Utrecht Summer School)

How do artists master their art? Does painting in oil result in different working procedures and visual effects compared to other media? Which material and technical properties determine the creative possibilities of prints, sculptures, and the applied arts? What can art historians learn from re-making art, re-working historical recipes, or reproducing material objects? This course will immerse you in discussions related to art production and (re-)making, materials and materiality, and techniques and technology.

This course is highly interactive and has a firm hands-on component. It integrates methods typical for the humanities and historical disciplines with practical work in the studio or lab. At one moment you may find yourself decoding a recipe for writing ink in a historical manuscript; at another moment you might be introduced to the practicalities of the printing press. During one lab session you might be mixing pigment with different binding media to make oil and tempera paint, and on the next day you might be working with fire to cast a small metal object. You will benefit from Utrecht University’s Kunstlab and the research and expertise of the ERC-funded research project ARTECHNE (https://artechne.wp.hum.uu.nl/). Upon completion, you will have deepened your knowledge in the artistic production of art with insights from recent developments in technical art history and heritage studies.

- Course aim
This course introduces participants to several historical materials and techniques in the visual and decorative arts before the nineteenth century through engaging with the methodology of remaking.

- Target audience
This course is designed for advanced Bachelor students that already have some academic training, as there will be substantial readings and intensive discussions. This course is also suitable for MA and PhD students who wish to apply historical remaking as a methodology and learn practical skills, as no previous experience in artistic production and making is required.

- Study load
Earning course credit is optional. To get credits, students need to complete the following assignments in addition to the attendance and participation of the course. Students will take fieldnotes during lab sessions. Students will also conduct research and write an essay of 3,000 words after the week of activities on their own time. Instructions and expectations of the essay will be communicated closer to the first day of the course, and students can discuss their ideas for the essay with the course director in person during the week or through email afterwards. All assignments should be submitted before 31 July 2020.

- Preliminary program
The preliminary day-to-day program can be found here, https://www.utrechtsummerschool.nl/uploads/day_to_day/Course-programme-A25-2020.pdf.

- Costs
Course fee, € 650.00, includes all reading and lab materials
Housing fee, € 200.00, through Utrecht Summer School (Summer school housing is optional. Students can also choose to arrange their own accommodation.)

- Application
Please include a brief motivation to introduce who you are and why you want to take this course. This is to help the instructors learn the level of experience to better plan the lab sessions. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. As there is limited space in the lab, interested participants are advised to apply as soon as possible. To apply, please visit: https://www.utrechtsummerschool.nl/courses/art-music/from-print-to-paint-histories-and-methods-of-artistic-production