GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE SCENOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT

The aim of the Scenography Department is to train designers who are able to integrate themselves organically into theatrical and motion picture work processes, while at the same time being able to create art based on their own artistic vision and mindset. Scenography training at the Hungarian University of Fine Arts is based on the Bologna system.

COURSES FOR ERASMUS STUDENTS:

Scenography Practice: Site-Specific Urban Interventions
Dr. Gabriella Kiss, DLA
This course explores the relationship between space, context, and performativity through site­specific design practices in urban environments. Students will research and map selected locations in the city, identifying their spatial, social, and sensory characteristics. Based on these observations they will develop an intervention — either a realized action in a public space or a documented concept that responds to the site’s unique atmosphere and narratives. The course combines fieldwork, conceptual design, and visual documentation methods (drawing, photography, video, or model-making). By the end of the course, students will be able to translate spatial experience into a critical and creative spatial proposal.
Prerequisites: Be open to the unknown.
Level: Open to BA and MA students.

Costume Design Advanced Level
Dr. Fruzsina Nagy, DLA
The aim of the advanced course is to create costume designs for all the characters in a selected play. Students begin by developing mood boards and collages, and by writing character diaries for several chosen characters. They then present their design concept, focusing on the selected era and style, the relationships between the characters, and the color scheme of the production.
By the end of the semester, students are required to present their complete set of costume designs, including textile samples and technical drawings.

Puppet Design Basics
Patrícia Pajor
This course explores the creative process of designing and constructing puppets assembled from real, everyday objects. Students will experiment with form, material, and movement to capture the essence and behavior of a selected animal through inventive combinations of found items. Emphasis is placed on practical, hands-on work, encouraging participants to develop their own expressive visual language while understanding the relationship between structure, motion, and character.

Digital Methods in Costume and Character Design, Basic Level
Patrícia Pajor
The course focuses on developing digital drawing skills as a foundation for character and costume design. Using digital drawing tablets and Adobe Photoshop, students will develop digital drawing skills and gain proficiency in the industry-standard software. Through hands-on exercises and creative assignments, students will learn to use digital tools effectively while exploring their own visual language and artistic expression. The emphasis is on mastering the technical and artistic aspects of digital character illustration, enabling students to translate their personal drawing style into a digital medium with confidence and individuality.

Mask Making, Basic Level
Dr. Fruzsina Nagy, DLA
The course offers a brief theoretical overview followed by practical exploration of mask design, creation, and use — examining their artistic potential, advantages, and limitations. Students design and craft a full-face mask using liquid rubber latex and fabric, optionally connecting the theme to their semester project.
Course structure: Short history of masks; materials, tools, and basic techniques. Students experiment with methods and prepare visual references and design sketches. This is followed by face casting: making negative and positive face molds using alginate, plaster bandage, and plaster. After finalising their designs, they learn to sculpt the full-face mask on the plaster positive. Next, they learn how to take a plaster negative and create the mask in rubberised fabric. After trimming, priming, and painting the mask they attach straps, add hair or texture. As the final task they have to style and photograph the finished piece.

Workshop
Patrícia Pajor
Participation in the design of a theatre puppet production, or participation at a puppetry workshop in Tihany

Scenography – BA 1-2 / MA 1-2

Course title	Course code		ECTS credits	Hours per week
	Autumn semester	Spring semester
Courses of the Department
Scenography Practice	LÁM-SZMD01-25-C	LÁM-SZMD01-25-C	8	2
Costume Design Practice	LÁM-SZMJ01-25-C	LÁM-SZMJ01-25-C	8	2
Puppet Design Practice - Basics	LÁA-LSMB01-25-C	LÁA-LSMB01-25-C	6	3
Digital Methods in Costume and Character Design	LÁM-SJKD01-25-C	LÁM-SJKD01-25-C	6	2
Mask Making Course – Basic Level	LÁA-MŰFJ01-25-C	LÁA-MŰFJ01-25-C	6	3
Puppet Workshop	LÁM-MŰVW01-25-C	-	6	project (120)
TOTAL ECTS CREDITS			40 / 34

OPEN COURSES

Hungarian Language AKB-HUL
Lilian Precskó
Grammar and vocabulary at A1 level (greetings, introduction, countries, colours, numbers, objects, food, dialogues in a restaurant/shop ecc.)

Artistic Anatomy and Projection MAT-ANAT02
Within the framework of the subject we learn the structure of the human body from the aspect of bones, muscles, form and expressiveness and process the drawing issues of space and space depiction. We develop a transparent body image to enhance the awareness of space vision, mass and plasticity. This improves the ability of analyzing and synthetizing to help awareness of depiction. All these enhance the fluency and the information richness of drawing communication. During osteology studies we learn the bone structure of the human body in detail. The form, function and connection of the bones. During the semester we prepare study drawings of all elements of the complete skeleton from as many aspects as possible.
The presentation of the musculoskeletal system through a sequence of lectures and the processing of these through drawings at the same time. Interpretation of the basic space elements and their shadows, leading to complex compositions by drawing.

Theory and Practice in Visual Communication GRM-TGEV02
Although the subject – among others – is dealing with the story of graphic design and – in broader sense – the practice of ’purposeful’ image making, the course offers useful knowledge for students from other domains of the visual arts alike. Graphic design as an applied art form has been witnessing a paradigm shift recently. Initially a service-centered activity, visual communication is getting just as valid means of self expression as any other visual art forms. Its role in the society and the reasons for the constant change in the methods and focuses of pragmatic image making cannot be fully understood without putting some objective determining factors under a closer scrutiny. Through the analysis of the means and aims of different visual strategies students can better understand their own social role and responsibility. The course is aiming to raise students’ consciousness in using the techniques they already can handle. The analyses of an array of different artworks may also play an important role in broadening their visual vocabulary to achieve artistic goals. During the semester the frequent occurrence of in-class dialogues on the selected themes help generate thoughts thus forming the participating students’ critical thinking and their verbal performance.

Mapping the local* INM-MALO01
The seminar presents an overview of the major phenomena, trends and issues of contemporary art based on various subjects in each semester in the form of presentations held by invited lecturers and field trips to museums, institutions and artist studios.
While offering an insight into the Hungarian contemporary art scene, one of the course's main objectives is to develop personal contacts and cultural interactions between local and visiting students fostering an emerging intercultural dialogue. During the semester, students work in groups in order to realize a collaborative project followed by an exhibition (contents and forms of the final project to be discussed during the seminar).
The course is primarily directed towards Erasmus students as well as local students of the Intermedia and Fine Art Theory and Curatorial Studies departments, but students from other departments are warmly welcome.

Site specific art work and interventions in public space^* INM-SISP01
Sites for the exhibition of art work have continued to move beyond the traditional places of the museum, gallery or public square. In addition, exhibitions themselves have also evolved into site specific public art events: whether as regular spectacles like the Venice Biennale, Documenta or installations by a museum such as the Tate Modern.
The seminar is a survey of the evolution of the different interdisciplinary art practices relating to site specific public art projects and interventions which take place within or outside of the traditional museum environments. Focusing on projects specifically conceived as forms of an artistic discourse situated in a variety of public spaces.
The class includes a discussion and analysis of specific projects and art works that have significantly shaped the dimensions of this area of artistic activity. Additionally, students will apply the ideas and issues that evolve from these discussions in the form of practice based projects.