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Who here has actually gone to an art school? What was it like? Not that I'm going to go to one, I'm not into commitments any longer. It's just that a curious mind wants to know.
Just courious
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Well me, no...art school is pretty pricey back in the Philippines but if ever I would go to one, I would prefer in abroad..here in Canada can be a good start...^^...I think art school would be fun..challenging art assignments..trip to the museums (I love going to art museums)....learning cool tips..stuff like that..
I majored in art my first two years of college. Had an art scholarship. Their focus was heavy on graphic design at the time so aside from taking a few actual worthwhile art classes the rest was lacking a lot of interest for me. Two semesters of art history was probably the most horrible experience EVER for me. In addition I was raised very conservatively so the artists at the college that I experienced were somewhat...way out there..in comparison to what I was used to. Needless to say my personal experience with it was not good. I changed my focus and wound up with a degree in the sciences..go figure..lol.
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I always thought art was kind of fun, therefore in my eyes not a profitable endeavor. My parents always pushed me to get an education that could give me a reliable income. My plans weren't to live on my abilities other than to get a husband that could provide for me.:vs_blush: Remember I grew up in the 50's...times were different then.
Eddie your art education came from your parents. You had art oozing out of your home life constantly.
I remember you telling us about the hippie atmosphere that you were not comfortable in Chanda. I don't think I would have been comfortable in it either. Back in the 60's when I would have been going to college you had two groups of people --- the protesters and free life style, and the conventional straight lace type. I married a Sailor in 1966 so I really was not the free life style type person. I wound up going to college in the 80's when my kids were going to school full time. I was fascinated with computers and went that route.
Luna you are very young yet, you just might have that opportunity to attend an art school some day.
Eddie your art education came from your parents. You had art oozing out of your home life constantly.
I remember you telling us about the hippie atmosphere that you were not comfortable in Chanda. I don't think I would have been comfortable in it either. Back in the 60's when I would have been going to college you had two groups of people --- the protesters and free life style, and the conventional straight lace type. I married a Sailor in 1966 so I really was not the free life style type person. I wound up going to college in the 80's when my kids were going to school full time. I was fascinated with computers and went that route.
Luna you are very young yet, you just might have that opportunity to attend an art school some day.
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I did not, but my husband majored in Fine Arts with a minor in Art History.
His take on it was that he got a lot out of group critiques, learned how to do things you personally are not moved by, and enjoyed learning alternative techniques which he still incorporates into his art. He hated the snobbery of most of his classmates, though. And now that he is out of college and trying to run his own business, he is actually quite upset that at his college, they had NO business credit requirements, essentially sending students off without the skills to make it as an artist in the real world. He also discovered ceramics on a whim and classes in ceramics were not offered at his college, so he is largely self taught, or learned from other ceramicists, not through his course work.
But I love picking at his knowledge. He has a very well trained eye to things like color theory, balance and symmetry, and also can point me to other artists to look at for inspiration when I get stuck.
His take on it was that he got a lot out of group critiques, learned how to do things you personally are not moved by, and enjoyed learning alternative techniques which he still incorporates into his art. He hated the snobbery of most of his classmates, though. And now that he is out of college and trying to run his own business, he is actually quite upset that at his college, they had NO business credit requirements, essentially sending students off without the skills to make it as an artist in the real world. He also discovered ceramics on a whim and classes in ceramics were not offered at his college, so he is largely self taught, or learned from other ceramicists, not through his course work.
But I love picking at his knowledge. He has a very well trained eye to things like color theory, balance and symmetry, and also can point me to other artists to look at for inspiration when I get stuck.
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How cool is that, you have the benefit of the art education through your husband without having to endure it yourself. Kudos!
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Never went to art school... Never even took a lesson. In my opinion (which should be taken with a grain of salt and some Excedrin) you can only learn art by doing art. A teacher can guide you.. but they can't really show you how to draw, paint, etc. You just have to do it
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I had formal instruction at the age of twelve in a very small class, learned a lot that has stuck with me through the years, forgot about a lot too I am sure! :biggrin:
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I totally agree. And, I had a professor at the college I went to who was great at guiding. He was inspirational and encouraging. Unfortunately, I had many others in the Art Department who were not. :/
I'm going to get really into it: It's natural for people to have favourites, it's what they do. Expect no less from your professor. I'm not saying that they will do it, but don't be surprised if they do... :/ And you never know, you may be their favourite!
This professor said that I drew like a child and that I needed to draw through the image, so I held it in, went to the bathroom, and cried. Granted, I was going through a lot and often get super depressed, and maybe this professor was too. I don't know. This same professor also told me that I would never be an anime artist, even if I wanted to because I'm a woman and that just won't fly. I've stopped drawing anime since I was a kid, so I feel this professor was just generalizing me at the time because "people like me" like anime.
I did get to where I wanted to be personally, as far as skill goes. That's what I've always done when people doubt me. Kind of like a "I'll show you!"lol
I learned a lot from the negativity. I just didn't think it had to be negative. I respond to positive too.
I didn't network really well because I wasn't really talkative or interesting. And, networking is so important in careers and life.
I want to write more, but this a good amount already. I'll probably come back and write more about the positive if that's okay. :vs_blush:
I'm quite enjoying this!
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Piper I do hope you come back to this thread and write more. Your view on art professors is very interesting and no doubt accurate.
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I did a year of art school a few years back. Didn't make it, so that ended rather abruptly.
Right now I'm doing game design and while most don't really consider that something in which art is involved, I beg to differ, so I'm going to share my story anyway. Anyone who thinks a game cannot possibly incorporate art is welcome to fight me.
This study is probably the best choice I've made. The teachers are really good and I think that is one of the most important things. The school can be shitty, but that doesn't matter. I mean, we have a building that doesn't even fit all of us, but that doesn't stop us from learning.
What we learn here is very broad. In the first year we also got some coding and now we work with both 2D and 3D. Even if you are only interested in one of these fields, they still make you understand the rest as well, even if that just makes communicating in this line of work easier. For example; without knowing how coding worked, communicating with a programmer would have been a lot harder. And vice versa. From both sides, it's easy to underestimate the amount of work involved in a project.
It is certainly true that the only way to become better at art is by doing it, but being someone who easily gets stuck in herself, this study is also a way to open up to all kinds of artforms I never would have tried on my on.
And they teach us more than just art. When I started here, any presentation would have left me in tears somewhere in the toilets, hiding away from the rest. Hell, I couldn't even properly eat before a presentation.
And now I've already done multiple workshops voluntarily. We do at least two presentations per project and also focus on presenting yourself like a proper professional.
Then there's the internships. They have really made me grow as a person. It started with the e-mails I had to write to companies. After all, you have to make them want you. If you don't even think you belong there, why would they? It easily feels like bragging at first, but by the time I applied for my third internship I realized I didn't feel like a liar when I said I was actually good at 2D art.
The first one was for a museum that had nothing to do with games, as a way of introducing them to interactive devices in their museum and the second one was for an actual game company, with a very high production rate.
It was not the kind of company where I want to work, as I want to specialize in serious games, but it really showed me just how things go in such a setting.
This year I'm going to another game company, one that does do serious games. I don't think I would have come to all this on my own. I certainly would not have had the guts, that's for sure.
Outside of the study there is the Open Atelier, which is an opportunity for students from all the studies in the school to come together on Friday, from 1 to 6, and learn things that their study doesn't include. I've met people who do graphic design, fashion design etc. and we learn from each other this way.
It has resulted in two projects that I'm now helping with. One is a wall painting of which I'm currently in charge and the other an illustration project.
So overall, being in my last year right now I think I can already draw some conclusions. Because this study gave me a lot more than the skills I currently have. It also helped me build confidence, believe in myself and actually grow a sense of self worth.
Now, I am aware of how depressing that might sound, but I have really come a very, very long way in the three years that have passed.
Now, of course this study is far from perfect. But I am not going to air their dirty laundry. Especially since almost all the lesser things have not had much of an effect on me. Not in the way the good things have.
Right now I'm doing game design and while most don't really consider that something in which art is involved, I beg to differ, so I'm going to share my story anyway. Anyone who thinks a game cannot possibly incorporate art is welcome to fight me.
This study is probably the best choice I've made. The teachers are really good and I think that is one of the most important things. The school can be shitty, but that doesn't matter. I mean, we have a building that doesn't even fit all of us, but that doesn't stop us from learning.
What we learn here is very broad. In the first year we also got some coding and now we work with both 2D and 3D. Even if you are only interested in one of these fields, they still make you understand the rest as well, even if that just makes communicating in this line of work easier. For example; without knowing how coding worked, communicating with a programmer would have been a lot harder. And vice versa. From both sides, it's easy to underestimate the amount of work involved in a project.
It is certainly true that the only way to become better at art is by doing it, but being someone who easily gets stuck in herself, this study is also a way to open up to all kinds of artforms I never would have tried on my on.
And they teach us more than just art. When I started here, any presentation would have left me in tears somewhere in the toilets, hiding away from the rest. Hell, I couldn't even properly eat before a presentation.
And now I've already done multiple workshops voluntarily. We do at least two presentations per project and also focus on presenting yourself like a proper professional.
Then there's the internships. They have really made me grow as a person. It started with the e-mails I had to write to companies. After all, you have to make them want you. If you don't even think you belong there, why would they? It easily feels like bragging at first, but by the time I applied for my third internship I realized I didn't feel like a liar when I said I was actually good at 2D art.
The first one was for a museum that had nothing to do with games, as a way of introducing them to interactive devices in their museum and the second one was for an actual game company, with a very high production rate.
It was not the kind of company where I want to work, as I want to specialize in serious games, but it really showed me just how things go in such a setting.
This year I'm going to another game company, one that does do serious games. I don't think I would have come to all this on my own. I certainly would not have had the guts, that's for sure.
Outside of the study there is the Open Atelier, which is an opportunity for students from all the studies in the school to come together on Friday, from 1 to 6, and learn things that their study doesn't include. I've met people who do graphic design, fashion design etc. and we learn from each other this way.
It has resulted in two projects that I'm now helping with. One is a wall painting of which I'm currently in charge and the other an illustration project.
So overall, being in my last year right now I think I can already draw some conclusions. Because this study gave me a lot more than the skills I currently have. It also helped me build confidence, believe in myself and actually grow a sense of self worth.
Now, I am aware of how depressing that might sound, but I have really come a very, very long way in the three years that have passed.
Now, of course this study is far from perfect. But I am not going to air their dirty laundry. Especially since almost all the lesser things have not had much of an effect on me. Not in the way the good things have.
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What a great synopsis of your school Inge. (I sure hope I got your name right)
It's obvious you are in a wonderful school to grow and kick off what will be a fantastic career. I was totally shocked when I read the first paragraph that said you didn't make it in the conventional art school. OMG if you didn't make it how can anyone, you are such a fantastic artist.
This school that you are in is well rounded paying attention to the business part of a career along with the artistic part.
It's obvious you are in a wonderful school to grow and kick off what will be a fantastic career. I was totally shocked when I read the first paragraph that said you didn't make it in the conventional art school. OMG if you didn't make it how can anyone, you are such a fantastic artist.
This school that you are in is well rounded paying attention to the business part of a career along with the artistic part.
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Thanks! (you did!)
Well, the thing is, I was of course a lot younger, because in your late teens/early twenties, four years can make one hell of a difference, and it did.
Even though some of their reasons were based on misconceptions, not all of them were.
For instance, one of the things that influenced their decision was that they thought I didn't really care about the study. It was only when they told me that that I even knew I left that impression, which turned out to be because I was very shut in. Didn't communicate or anything, and even though I was highly motivated, I cam across as blunt and disinterested.
However, another point was that I was simply too young, mentally. I very much still had that typical high school mentality, took things far too literally and compared to the other students I wasn't quite ready for it.
And then there was my stubbornness. And as much as I think that as an artist you need to be daring enough to follow your own course, they had a point; I backtalked a lot.
It is, yes. They focus on both aspects and it really pays off. I also feel like they are very understanding; in the first year, I was still quite shut in and probably not the easiest person to deal with, but time turned out to really be all I needed.
Well, the thing is, I was of course a lot younger, because in your late teens/early twenties, four years can make one hell of a difference, and it did.
Even though some of their reasons were based on misconceptions, not all of them were.
For instance, one of the things that influenced their decision was that they thought I didn't really care about the study. It was only when they told me that that I even knew I left that impression, which turned out to be because I was very shut in. Didn't communicate or anything, and even though I was highly motivated, I cam across as blunt and disinterested.
However, another point was that I was simply too young, mentally. I very much still had that typical high school mentality, took things far too literally and compared to the other students I wasn't quite ready for it.
And then there was my stubbornness. And as much as I think that as an artist you need to be daring enough to follow your own course, they had a point; I backtalked a lot.
It is, yes. They focus on both aspects and it really pays off. I also feel like they are very understanding; in the first year, I was still quite shut in and probably not the easiest person to deal with, but time turned out to really be all I needed.
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