[xXxPZxXx]

Yeah I know a lot of college/future posts are up already but I believe I am in a particularly peculiar position. I am also guessing out of 5000 people maybe someone else is close to having the same dilemma. so here goes-


I am a senior in high school (who else would be asking?) and In the last year I have realized there is no way that I could go through life doing what almost every adult I know does for a job. they work some corporate job 9-5 every day for their whole life. BLECH. I just know I would be miserable. so in my quest to find happiness and meaning for the rest of my life I have thought of possible jobs that would intrigue me and allow me to live a happy life. The three things I am actually interested in are as follows, Freestyle Skiing, Video Games, Art. Freestyle skiing is something I dont see myself doing for much longer so there goes that one. That leaves video games and art.

Here is where the dilemma is. I want to be an artist of sorts. I NEED to be an artist of sorts. I have NO prior experience in drawing or painting before about 6 months ago, and I got D's in all of my design courses back in junior high. I have started to draw and paint without any direction and it doesnt seem to be coming very naturally for me =/ I know that there is no way I could get into a nice art school right now because I blow chunks but I am just wondering (and hoping someone has been here before) what the chances are that I could stick around here and go to a community college and take some general art classes then transfer to a larger school where I could pursue art. Am I doomed to mediocrity because of a late start? I just am not sure that one year of studying is going to get me to the level I need to be at.

-PZ-

P.S. this just started worrying me more with that whole "how you drew when you were 18 thread" Because I truly can't draw a human face. and some of the stuff there I drooled at. Also I don't need a "anything is possible if you really try hard" kind of answer I need to know what you guys have been through and what you have seen from experience.

[Socar MYLES]

Getting into art school (university, anyway) has as much to do with what you write in your essay as how well you can or can't draw--and, of course, your grades. From a purely artistic perspective, it's probably much harder to get into a community college program than a university one. Four years ago, when I applied to art school, I really couldn't draw at all. "Godawful" would have been a NICE way of describing my work. I got accepted everywhere I applied, though, thanks to my GPA and the written material I submitted. The universities really don't seem to care if you can draw--only if you're going to be able to do the academic programs, and if you're going to be willing to learn when you get there.

If you want to go to one of the colleges for animation, art, design, et cetera, you should probably take a year off between high school and college and get together the best portfolio you can, because those places WILL judge you by your skill. Universities want to turn out educated people; colleges would rather turn out people who are able to work in the field they're trained for.

Really, every time I hear people yattering on about gallery shows and performance art--things I really know from nothing--I wish I'd gone to college instead of university. Firstly, I'd be done by now, and secondly, I could have skipped out on a lot of unnecessary pretentiousness.

[xXxPZxXx]

Thank you for your help Socar! You are one of the first artists I saw when I first came to sijun. Your work is amazing. I also noticed you are from Vancouver. Have you ever checked out CDIS? I looked at their website and they have some neat stuff. And I have visited Whistler B.C. before Amazing area! you are lucky

Thanks again