About school

The school was founded on October 7th, 1921 as the State Professional School for Wood Processing and in a short time it became an important interior and furniture production education center. Since the beginning many professionals and excellent teachers have worked here and they engraved on this school special individuality of a nationwide educational institution. There was a very important role of Weimar Bauhaus – from its programme the school has adopted the idea that good craft is integral part of good art. Also the period after foundation of the independent Czechoslovak republic enabled the improvement of our art craft and its enforcement in European competition. The school functioned also as a consulting center in modern technologies, materials, production and construction methods implementation into joiner‘s production.

During its existence the school has changed its name several times, but its focus remained the same. It is an art-industrial school dealing with the field of interior design and applied art. The programe of the school based on the idea of applied art beeing the next step of professional craft skill, is considered as permanently valid.

In the period after the second world war the school stopped accepting entirely skilled craftsmen (as it used to be in pre-war times) and after some reorganizations it became a secondary school, since 1954 with a school-leaving exam. This change brought a different age structure of students and different curriculum. New programmes that extended the school activities in further fields of art industry came to existence – applied painting, toy design, advertising graphics, window-dressing, exhibitting, stage design. These changes reflected certain diversion from craft production towards industrial production. The structure of study programes was settled at the end of the sixties and since those times it exists up to this day without any significant changes. The school also offered many evening and external programmes till the end of the 20. century.

Higher Professional School of Applied Art and Secondary Professional School of Applied Art

Nowadays in this nice building by architect František Vahala on the Žižkovo square we can find eight study programes: Furniture design, Advertising graphics, Stage design, Toy design, Wood-carving, Applied painting, Exhibition design and Furniture production. Study lasts four years and is finished by school-leaving exam (GCE). We have about 350 students. It is interesting that there are programes that differ in their technologies but they make towards one sphere. That was the idea of the school founders – to involve the field of interior design and culture in the widest scope.

Since 1996 the Higher Professional School of Applied Art has been part of the school. Students can choose from four study programes: Painting and asociated techniques, Toy objects design, Wood-carving and wood restoration and Interior design. For this type of study are enroled students, who finished secondary education with GCE. Former art study is advantage but als talented students with art abilities and basic craft skills can be enroled. In the programes students are prepared both for their own creative activity and for qualified work in teams. Students can gain degree DiS – diploma specialist.

The basic conception and programe of the school comes from the idea that each piece of art should be of high quality also from the point of view of craft treatment. Art that is not good from the craft aspect will be called »artless« in the future. There exist some views tending towards doubting on these tradition. That is why we feel it as our basic duty to defend art against trumpery and high-quality craft against dilettantism. Education that is the pre-requisite for the further art production, can‘t be replaced by it. It is indisputable, that the main mission of the school is mainly education.

School is equiped with studios, special rooms and workshops with necassary technology. More than 50 professional teachers look after the students – most of them technical specialists and artists. All students can use internet and a big school library. School takes part in many international projects, students can travel abroad for excursions. Everybody can relax in the school swimming pool.

The goal of our effort is very simple – to make a good school. Our school has not only to reflect European cultural taste but participate in cultivation of the public through its school leavers.

Furniture design

Study includes preparation for independent construction and design activity in the field of furniture creation and interior. The most important subjects are construction, technology, technical drawing and practical lessons in workshop. Students also learn figural drawing, history of art, photographing, PC and economics. School leavers are employed mainly with firms dealing with furniture design and construction, interior design, consultancy service, design studios and in marketing.

Advertising graphics

This subject of study contains both common art and drawing education, classical and modern graphic and computer techniques. Stress is laid on work with type and typography. During their studies students are acquainted with creation of posters, illustration, cover graphic, graphic arrangement of books and magazines, design of firm logo, advertising materials, billboards or art decoration of cars. Students find jobs in the field of marketing and publicity, with advertising agencies and studios or as independent artists.

Stage design

Study deals with problems of stage decoration for theaters, film and TV from design and technical and construction drawings to production and building on the stage and management organization. Many subjects are similar to those of other departments. Special subjects are stage element technology, design and construction drawing, stage construction theory and making maquettes in school workshop. School leavers assert themselves in theaters, film and TV studios as managers or assistants of stage architects and as independent artists.

Wood-carving

Tradition of this subject of study goes back to the foundation of the school. Study contains figural and ornamental carving, basic cabinetmaking, reproduction of statues, gilding, polychromy, plastic and planar decorative techniques, design of applied objects, marionettes or play objects and conservation of wooden objects and replicas making. Students use traditional and modern processing in practical education. They learn figural drawing, shaping, letter drawing, PC and photographing. School leavers assert themselves in wide field of art and craft woodwork, in conservation workshops and also as independent artists.

Toy design

Study of toy design deals with a wide range of art design connected with children. Together with design and production technology of toys, mainly in classical materials, it deals with design and production of small interior complements, design of marionettes and technology of animated movies. Students are aquinted with specific art for children and construction standards. Students study drawing, painting, shaping, design and construction drawing, technology, practical exercises and they realize their designs in school workshop. School leavers can assert themselves not only in toy industry but also in a wide range of art production with a view to the world of children.

Applied painting

Study includes painting techniques from water-colour, tempera or oil painting and pastel drawing, encaustic, glass and silk painting, wall painting – sgrafitto, fresco, stuccolustro etc. Students make replicas and copies using traditional technological processes. Important part of study is figural drawing and painting. Skill, art and technological knowledge which is gained by the students during their studies enable them to assert in a wide sphere of art activities – in their independent creation or in firms and teams dealing with interior or exterior architecture, conservation, stage painting and in many other branches.

Exhibition design

Department of Exhibiting deals with realization of exhibitions, design of exhibition and selling space and stalls, advertising eye-catchers and objects of architecture, shop windows and shop entrances. Study is similar to Advertising graphic, but is more intended on design of space and three-dimensional objects. School leavers find jobs mainly as managers of exhibiting agencies, promotion studios or in stores and shopping centers.

Furniture production

This subject of study has had a long tradition at our school and has been taught since its foundation in 1921. Study is concentrated mainly on furniture design and production technologies in the field of modern design, replicas production, soliteur furniture elements and individual made-to-order production. Students study technical drawing, materials, art and craft history, construction, technology and production machinery. Students work in school workshop. School leavers assert themselves in construction, design and production firms, by interior equipment, conservation and marketing.

Toy objects design

It is necessary to have some basic craft skills in different types of materials. Students gain special know-how for the right orinentation in the field of design and toy objects in wider context, in art and aesthetical opinion on toy objects, their function and use. School leavers are able to realize design, production and technical and technological tasks. The programe doesn‘t deal only with toy design but also with children interiors, playgrounds and play objects.

Interior design

Programme specializes in furniture and interior design. Former education of furniture design is advantage. Students gain special know-how and skills for the right orientation in interior and furniture design and production, art and aesthetical opinion on interior, its function and use. School leavers are able to realize design, technical and technological tasks either in a professional team or individually.

Painting and associated techniques

Programme specializes in painting and decorative techniques in interior and exterior, reconstructions, repairs, making replicas and copies of painted artefacts. Students learn to work according to both traditional and modern technologies. School leavers can master basic preservation techniques in historical and modern materials, they are able to make restoration plan and to write restoration report. They learn to use their own painting creativity.

Wood-carving and wood restoration

It is necessary to have some basic craft skills in wood-carving. Programme specializes in wood art and craft artefacts and practical wood-carving. Study envolves figural and ornamental wood-carving, sculpture reproduction, basic knowledge of gilding, polychromy, restoration of wooden objects, copies and replicas. Students learn to work according to both traditional and modern technologies. School leavers can master basic preservation techniques in historical and modern materials, they are able to make restoration plan and to write restoration report.

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