Oil Painting Course | Kyoto Seika University

Subject Highlights
What You Will Study
Selected Artwork
Facilities
Photo Gallery
Academic Faculty
Careers
Voice

Observation and painting for a deeper understanding of people and society

A course in oil painting emphasizes the essence of painting to train expressive artists and creators who are not swayed by fads or trends. Students develop a unique perspective by grappling with what it means to paint as they carefully observe their subject matter and make their own paints, easels, and other tools. In class, students also study topics related to art history and touch on shifts in artistic expression as well as the techniques and messages of past artists. Students and faculty share dialogue on their insights in class, which helps them establish their own style. To paint is to seek what it means to live as a human being in our world. The thinking skills and values students acquire here will give them the resilience to overcome various difficulties they will face in life, far beyond any painting.

Subject Highlights

Using handmade painting materials to truly understand the fundamentals of painting.

[Studio Art / Year 2]
Students will try their hand at making painting tools and materials, including easels and the paints themselves. We believe that to paint is to see, and students practice their painting by observing people and landscapes closely to try and capture their essence. In the class, students think about what it means to paint and develop the ability to discern the true nature of things.
Contemplating what to express as an individual in society and in history.

[Art Expression / Year 3]
Students form groups to learn about the history of art in the West and Japan and discuss contemporary social issues. They then make their own works with the self-awareness that they, too, are part of art history and contemporary society. Students gain a broader perspective as they continue to contemplate what needs to be painted today.

What You Will Study

1STYEAR

Laying a solid artistic and creative foundation

Students take common subjects at the Faculty of Art to improve their observational skills, critical thinking, imagination, and other skills needed to build a firm artistic and creative foundation. They also learn the basics across all seven courses and start to explore which fields they would like to pursue.
2NDYEAR

Learning about materials and art history

Students make art materials from wood and clay and learn how they are formed. While working on their oil painting assignments, students also study all kinds of painting and other forms of artistic expression, philosophy, and art history to gain a comprehensive understanding of art.
3RDYEAR

Applying Artist Research to the Creative Process

Students are divided into groups to study modern and contemporary artists, learn about the connection between expression and society, incorporate what they have learned into their own expression, and create a series of multiple works.
4THYEAR

Pursuing a unique expression of their own

Students work on their graduation projects, making full use of the skills and expressive abilities they have developed over the past four years. They aim to complete a work that fully encapsulates their pursuit of originality and individual expression in their final university project.