[LinaBo]

Hey all, I have a bunch of nagging questions on my mind, I'd like to ask the 'pro' people.

1)Before Post Secondary education etc, is it normal to spend alot of time on a CG/drawing? did you learn alot about speed and accuracy in art school?

2)Does going to a big name Art School/ widely reputed program REALLY matter? what if there is a lesser known program that's also good? what really matters? I'm thinking of some colleges etc that aren't specifically art schools. Does it matter if i start a few years later? I'm 19 now, but I want to train as a cook first (1 1/2 years, then work for a bit, return to school for art)

3)Does anyone have any links to info that would detail different career paths in the artistic field? I CG (realistic...sort of) I'm not really a cell-style type, but would like to learn, just for the heck of it. I want to have some variety in what I do...but I still don't have a specific career path in mind. I think it's time I start thinking about that.

[Gort]

Whoa there - a cook first? That's rather interesting. If you become involved with a full time profession - any profession - you might find it difficult to go back to school at a later time; school, especially those involving a degree in fine arts, can really zap your schedule, so trying to undo a full time job and the lifestyles it entails can sometimes be problematic; it can be done, but it might be very challenging.

About halfway through school, I had to quit my fulltime, day job, because all of my degree related classes were during the day. This meant finding another, not so wonderful and less paying evening job. My finances were cut, my wife and I moved to a cheaper place - blah blah blah. It sucked but we managed. Would I do it again? YES! If you want something bad enough, go for it!

As for schools, the Savannah College of Art and Design and the Rhode Island School of Art and Design come to mind - on the eastern seaboard that is. The west has Art Center School of Design (Pasadena) - probably the best damned school there is.

Good luck!

[Ahcri]

When you paint with speed, you lose accuracy. When you paint with accuracy, you lose speed. There are two different styles you can go after: expressive or realistic. I'd go with expressive because it takes less time to do so you don't have to turn in your project late.

As for other career considerations, I think cooking is a great idea. If you have a great sense of composition and colour, food can be quite a beautiful thing. Or I'd consider going into animation for the same reason. Emily Carr offers such course.

[LinaBo]

Actually, I never intend to become a chef. it's just that 1) I want to learn how to cook better. 2) given the extremely crappy economy here in Canada, I need something to fall back on, and 3) I went to a highschool where sports was given major priority in funding over the arts. I've never painted with oils, once painted with watercolours, seldom painted with acrylics. Supplies were low, and education was minimal. So I feel that I need to tweak my skills a bit and build a portfolio first (I have very few pieces worth mentioning right now), because I feel a bit behind. Mostly, I'm self taught.

I've considered Emily Carr, but that's not my question. My question is, is it SO necessary to go to a 'big name' art school? I mean, I've heard of some pretty good college programs that aren't as well known. I've also heard some not-so-great reviews about places like Emily Carr. Afterall, shouldn't it be about the content of the program, not the name? in the end, isn't it the education that you recieve, that will undoubtedly show through in your work, that matters?

I do have a vague idea of what I want to do. I've always liked animation, though I don't care much for doing the 'grunt work' (anything repetitious and uncreative, I mean. I like to work with my own ideas more often than not)

Oh, btw, I LOVE CHALLENGES

[ November 29, 2001: Message edited by: LinaBo ]