The Modelmaking Course at AUB by Kiran Harris, 2nd Year
Bruce D Willey | Published on 7/24/2024
On the course for Modelmaking at Arts University Bournemouth, there are a variety of facilities, from CAD to metallurgy, students have many ways to make, though not all are free, many students enjoy the freedom of method, testing and expression given to them, though not everything is perfect, many students can find their working space outside the university workshop in the model making studio, another area of access for students.
Some find this space rather compact and tight; the studio is a lovely open area filled with personal desks used, decorated and adorned by students. I shouldn't be admitting this, but the course areas are also great for working on personal projects such as Halloween costumes or TTRPG minifigures, so long as you pay for materials you use it can be rather fun. The amount of creativity and personality some students display in decorating their own personal workspaces to better show who they are, what they do and what they enjoy has to be amongst my and many other students’ favourite aspects of the course.
There are a variety of projects in each year of the course that reflect different aspects in design, for example in the last term of the year each year group will be doing something different, 1st years practise their more creatively freeing ideas by being allowed to design and craft a variety of puppets and set pieces in groups for a joint project in making music videos with special effect students, a fun and rewarding project in my opinion.
2nd years such as I will work on an industry standard project in which we research different industries of model making to reflect on their standard and then form models/experiments to conform or test those standards of industry, a great way to deepen understanding and a good chance to mess around with silly ideas.
Finally in their last term 3rd years work on not only some models while working with industry but must also balance that with making personal projects for the New Blades (student model competition) show in early to mid-June, which I find amazing.
The course gives students a wide variety of opportunities to learn and grow; from helping students get in touch with real model makers for apprenticeships, creating links to nearby industries to offer work experience that can be done alongside the course, and facilitating a variety of fun and inspiring trips to locations such as the British Museum or the New Blades Exhibition.
The course is also a great opportunity to explore the skills of modelmaking and, with its wide range of facilities, a great way to expand your skills, such as metal work, CAD, or simple basics like card and paper modelling. You can even develop into some more niche skills such as printing on fabric.
I’m not good at my own thoughts and feelings but overall, I think that the AUB Model Making course is absolutely fantastic. It’s a great place to meet new people, develop skills and enjoy 3 years before industry, even if the desks are a bit cramped for most people's liking. I’m sure that will be fixed in a few years after they take over a building, they need it with the rate the year sizes are growing.
Below are some of the models being made by the talented students at AUB. Hover over the image for names.