Students at one of the oldest public schools in the UK have transformed how they create artwork after using Microsoft’s Surface Studio in lessons.
Pupils in Rugby School’s photography department are using the device to create more detailed and professional coursework.
Surface Studio is an all-in-one PC featuring the thinnest LCD monitor ever built. Designed for creatives and professionals, the Windows 10 device can transform from a workstation into a digital canvas, where the screen sits at a 20-degree angle. It also supports Surface Dial and Surface Pen, so users can sketch, write and design on the 28-inch, ultra-HD 4.5K screen, which boasts 13.5 million pixels – 63 per cent more than a state-of-the-art 4K TV.
Teachers at Rugby School, which was founded in 1567 and currently has more than 800 students, have said the Surface Studio has allowed their pupils to unleash their creativity in mixed media, video, film making, illustration and photography.
Amy Farrelly, photography and lens-based media teacher, said: “Before the Surfaces arrived we were very much limited to traditional methods, but now so much more is possible. Students are meeting deadlines faster, they’re able to create wider content and their level of work is even better.
“They use the Surface Pen and Surface Studio like pen and paper, which has increased the depth and complexity of their work. That’s something we couldn’t have achieved a year ago.”
Teachers are also using the Surface devices to instantly refer to relevant works of art, either through video or high-resolution photos, to prompt discussion and provide inspiration.
Photography student Georgia, who will be taking her A-levels this summer, said the Surface Studios had inspired her class.
“There is so much more scope for our ideas now because we know there are far more options open to us.”
Here’s how the pupils are using Surface Studio:
