Studios and Learning Spaces

Students at the USF School of Art & Art History are able to fully explore and challenge their creativity because of the facilities and tools we provide. With state-of-the-art equipment and technology for around the clock production in all mediums, students explore new avenues of creation while receiving guidance from experienced technicians and professors.

Master of Fine Arts students have access to all of our workspaces, some of which require minimal training. In addition, every MFA student has a spacious private studio 24/7, and access to a new 5,000 square feet MFA village.

Graduate art history students investigate topics and focus on your papers in the comfort of spacious private offices and a research suite.

Undergraduate studio art students can explore beyond your specialization and incorporate a variety of media in your work. Selected honors undergraduate students are also granted studio spaces and full-time access. Hone your skills in other disciplines through the following resources:

Covered Outdoor Studio Center for largescale fabrication (most commonly used by Sculpture and Ceramics studios).

Metal, wood, clay and general fabrication shops accommodate everything from plaster to resin to bronzecasting (most commonly used by Sculpture and Ceramics studios).

High-resolution Artec Eva scanner and 3D printers (most commonly used by Animation & Digital Modeling and Sculpture studios).

Lighting Studio (most commonly used by Photography studio).

Digital Modeling and Fabrication Center with two new, 3-axis CNC routers in a specially designed workspace (most commonly used by Animation & Digital Modeling, Sculpture, and Ceramics studios).

Large, dedicated spaces for installations, projections, special projects, performances, and digital artworks.

Full time, professional USF technicians throughout the facilities.

Beautiful new 3,000 square feet Student Gallery.

All art history and studio art students are welcome to the Visual Resources Center, which offers current art journals, videos and reference books for check out.

All USF students are allotted a certain number of free prints per day. Use your free prints allocations at any of the free printing locations across campus.

USF's libraries contain more than 2.3 million volumes, more than 32,000 periodicals, and electronic access to state-wide collections and online databases. The Special Collections of the USF Library, in addition to housing valuable primary materials for the study of art and book history, regularly sponsors graduate symposia and exhibits.

 

Equipment and Support

Animation and Digital Modeling, and Video Studios

Digital Labs

There are digital labs throughout the entire studio complex, including an MFA-only lab. Students have access to the latest still-imaging, animation, design and video software on the most current Mac platforms. Sound booth, advanced animation, and post-production. (Commonly used by Photography and Printmaking studios as well.)

In the dedicated Animation Lab, students work with software such as Autodesk Maya, Adobe After Effects, Pixologic Zbrush, Adobe Animate, Toon Boom Harmony, Dragonframe, Photoshop, and many others. Wacom Cintiq graphics monitors are set up at each computer so students can draw and animate directly on the computer. For viewing work, the lab includes a large format hi-resolution projector and surround sound speakers. Furthermore, each computer is networked for screen sharing and instructor demos.

The Video Lab is a 17-station Mac Lab equipped with an array of video, audio, animation, compositing, image editing, and web-designing software such as Final Cut and, the entire Adobe Production Suite CS6, which that includes Premiere Pro, Illustrator, AfterEffects, Photoshop, and Dreamweaver.

Media Equipment

Students can visit the Media Cage to check out medium-format and 4” x 5” cameras, high-definition digital still and video cameras, tripods, professional lighting kits, microphones, digital audio recorders, Wacom tablets, a variety of camera and darkroom accessories, and other regularly upgraded gear to complete your creative work. (Commonly used by Photography studio as well.)

Students can also check out equipment from the USF Library’s Digital Media Commons (DMC). Additional resources available at the DMC include a mixed-use multimedia space, where students can use a green wall, backdrops, studio lights, and a virtual reality system.

 

Ceramics Studio

Clay

Numerous kilns include gas, electric, salt, and wood in varied sizes. (Commonly used by Sculpture studio as well.)

Kiln Room

 

Painting and Drawing Studios

Work in your private studios. Access to a drawing studio with advanced lighting system, a still life/prop collection, slide, and opaque projectors, and a mini art library.

 

Photography Studio

Digital Facilities with 24-hour access

Analog Facilities with 24-hour access

Photography Studio

A professional-quality studio makes it possible to control the lighting, background and style of images. This space is also available for students to document their artwork for their portfolios.

Media Labs

Media labs include color-balanced monitors, top-of-the-line scanners and archival printers (up to 44”). (Commonly used by Printmaking studio as well.)

 

Printmaking Studio

Screenprinting

Complete facilities for screen-printing, including a 6-color rotary shirt press and numerous manual screen presses.

Graphics Darkroom

Graphics darkroom for photo-printmaking processes.

Etching and Lithography Presses

Large Charles Brand etching and lithography presses.

Laser Engraver/Cutter

Large 24” x 48” top-of-the-line laser engraver/cutter. (Commonly used by Sculpture studio as well.).

 

Sculpture and Extended Media Studio

Metal Work

TIG/MIG and spot welders, plasma cutter, horizontal/vertical band saws, light sheet metal equipment, and bronze foundry.

For welding purposes:

Wood Work

Table, radial and band saws, planer, lathe, dual compound slide miter box.

Our woodshop features:

Common Work Area

General purpose area that is flexible and allows for large-scale work.