[jHof]

I'll be going to Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Going for a Major in Illustration. August 26th is first day...

Some one hold me...

[Mharett]

i feel ya dude... im hopping off to art college as well. we'll be better for it in the end i hope

mhar

[ July 02, 2002: Message edited by: Mharett ]

[Jucas]

Me too. Going to Pasadena Community College and Art Center at Night, then over to Art Center. I just moved down to LA and I am all spun around.... I need some love .

[jHof]

Freak'n-A... Art Center, gawd, that would be an awsome college to goto. That college is gobs of cash, but for good reason.

[jr]

you think you're scared going into college? i just finished college!!!! ahhhhhhhhh

[tyron]

scared? why? i'm going to art college this autumn too and i can't bare the wait! i wanna start now!

[jHof]

Big changes for me. Moving into a town I don't know, with someone I don't know, finding a job, doing 15 credit hours, with a crapy car.

[JFreak]

Yikes! I know how its like. I'm moving to Toronto to go to the Ontario College of Art (& Design). I'm excited and I think I'm ready for it, but I keep having that nagging feeling I'll be left in the dust talent-wise. I'm so confused

[Brain]

C'mon, come'ere all of yas!

*gives everyone a big hug*

[bearsclover]

quote

Quote:

I'm excited and I think I'm ready for it, but I keep having that nagging feeling I'll be left in the dust talent-wise. I'm so confused

I had that warning drummed into my head before I went to Art School (Otis in L.A., many years ago). I was always being told about how "discouraging" it would be to discover that I wasn't all that great after all, that there are people that are soooo much better than me, blah blah blah. I eventually came to the conclusion that I was who I was. If I was "good enough" in my own mind before art school, I was going to be good enough�no matter who else I compared myself to.

I knew what was important to me, I knew what kinds of art I loved doing, and I knew I wanted to keep on doing artwork. So what did it matter what anyone else was doing?

I also figured that I didn't care if I was deemed "mediocre" compared to all the other students�I was there to learn. And all art school would do for me was to help me get better, so what was there to fear?

I'm sure the rest of you will come to the same conclusion, if you already haven't come to it. And, as it turned out, I had nothing to fear when I went to art school. I had my niche, everyone had their own niche, we all were fine. And I discovered that hard work does pay, after all. As long as you are love art, and are a dedicated student, you are going to be fine.

There are going to be (or at least in my school there was) a certain amount of slackers who like the idea of "being" an artist more than they like working at being an artist. As long as you are not like that (I'm sure you're not) then don't worry! (Did I ramble enough for all of you? )

[ July 02, 2002: Message edited by: bearsclover ]

[tranceja]

quote:

---

There are going to be (or at least in my school there was) a certain amount of slackers who like the idea of "being" an artist more than they like working at being an artist.

---

Gah, i hate those.. Hope my school doesn't have many of them. I suppose there are some in every art school.

btw, i'm going to Laguna college of art & design ( use to be called Art Institute of Southern California) this august- getting excited.

[ July 02, 2002: Message edited by: tranceja ]

[Mharett]

i agree totally about bearsclover's comment that there is nothing to fear so long as you are there to learn. we all have the potential to get into the industry, no matter where we go or what college we go to. *accepts hug* hehe. btw, im going to the memphis college of art.

mhar

*hmm... i dont think i like that sentance.

[ July 03, 2002: Message edited by: Mharett ]

[James Bradford]

Once you arrive get your mindset that you need to be drawing anything everything non-stop. Draw draw draw draw draw draw, never stop. Get immersed, find people like you with the same mindset. Always be keen to what you need to be doing and what is keeping you from your goal.

[bearsclover]

quote

Quote:

Always be keen to what you need to be doing and what is keeping you from your goal.

Excellent advice.

I'd also like to add it's more important to want to be the best you can be, rather than to be thinking about prestige, recognition or what great jobs you are going to get. (I know, this is a no-brainer!)

It's just that I've met some real "go-getters" in my day�people who are really good at getting jobs, and really good at selling themselves�they are just not really good artists. There should be a balance between ambition and quality of work, but being the best artist you can be should always come first. It's pretty obvious to me that everyone here is a "quality first" kind of person!

I also hasten to add, it is a struggle to achieve that balance. (I know I haven't!)

[ July 03, 2002: Message edited by: bearsclover ]

[Gort]

Ah I must comment, padawan...

Along your path of garnishing experience, you may run across some that tell you things like, "maybe you're not cut out for this kind of work" or "perhaps you should consider another avenue". If you really want something, you can get it - but not without dedication and hard work. If folks tell you that, you can are metaphorically at at path in the road of your life; you can 1) accept what they're telling you and assume they're right and make decisions based on such, or you can 2) accept what they're telling you but let it strengthen your resolve to work harder and better at what you're doing; show them they're wrong and that you do have what it takes; take no prisoners!

One other thing - grow a thick skin. Down the line you're going to encounter situations that will test your personality ("what is this? You call yourself an illustrator?"). Take in on the chin and try to stay in control.

My best to all of the new college students just starting and to all of those you have just finished!

NO PRISONERS!

[bearsclover]

quote

Quote:

Along your path of garnishing experience, you may run across some that tell you things like, "maybe you're not cut out for this kind of work" or "perhaps you should consider another avenue". If you really want something, you can get it - but not without dedication and hard work.

Oh, Amen. This MUST be mentioned!

Nothing gripes me more than to hear about someone being told to give up, because they have no "talent". I want to scream. It's true, we all have natural aptitudes, and some things come easier to us than other things. But just because something is difficult to master at first, it doesn't mean that you are not "cut out" for it. Sometimes, all it takes is extra time and effort, or learning the thing in a different way, rather than the "traditional" way.

I have been told (or I have gotten the impression) that I was "hopeless" in a few things, and I found out later that I just needed more practice! I was a "slow starter" on quite a few things in my life and yet, because I didn't give up, I now am considered quite good in these things. No one would guess that there was a time when I was considered pathetic.

You just never know. Don't let other people make decisions for you, in regards to what you want to do with your art.

And, as Tom says, grow a thick skin. There will be people who are not on the same wavelength with you and will be quite cruel. There will also be people who enjoy being depressing and bitter, and they will want to discourage you. It doesn't happen all the time, but sooner or later, you'll encounter people like that.

[ July 03, 2002: Message edited by: bearsclover ]

[jHof]

Wow, thanks people. Lots of comfort came from this thread.

Everything in its right place.
-Radiohead

[Mag82]

hey there!
Nice comments you posted here... just today (before I discovered this thread) I got my old college catalogue out I brought along from America. Does anyone know the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA)? Their "undergraduate prospectus" impressed me from the first moment on. Those students seem to be able to learn freely compared to high school or secondary school here in Germany.
Last semester I got 9 out of 15 points (worst grade on my transcript:mad and it's gonna be my last art semester until college. Those teachers have to have (government) and want to have guidelines for their students, and if you don't like doing a stupid piece of clothing in Burgund's style (14th century) using material from a "home improvement shop", you're screwed!!! (got 2/15 on that one *g*)
I hope I can visit their campus and a few profs (each student seems to have an individual one) this fall. After I'm done with school and mandatory military service (in er... a bit less than 2 years from now), I'd like to start there... maybe. I'm still not sure. I started doing fine arts not so long ago with pencil and paper (looking up on dhabih's work ) and only just improved to digital stuff, which I still need to figure out a lot... I dunno, maybe it IS all about ambition. I'm almost 20 years old and don't know what I want to do in life. Bah. Everybody tells me art is the wrong way (doesn't earn you enough money, artists are lazy and shit, blah blah blah), although this is one thing I really enjoy.
Plus I gotta get some funding for College. Doesn anyone have experience with that? There are some art contests for MICA one could compete in, but if you don't get the money, you know...

[LoTekK]

i just spoke to the department chair at the visual comm tech dept at montgomery college where i'll be studying illustration this fall, and he was telling me that MICA is actually a pretty damned good school, and in the maryland area, it's about the best there is...

i'm doing my own research for art schools, so that i'm more or less prepared once i'm done with my associates degree in illustration (maybe even sooner, who knows...)

[StormVermin]

Just finished up at Sheridan College (Oakville, ON Canada... sherdidanc.on.ca). It was a trip I tell ya, but well worth it.

[JFreak]

You are very wise bearsclover. Thanks for that advice.

[edraket]

Hey guys. Just wanted to say I am scared too. Not about the school. I'll be fine. But I am quitting my job and will somehow have to get by with some government funding. I'm still not sure if I can. I guess I'll be eating a lot of old bread soaked in water. : )

My wife (she is already in the art school I am going to) just told me how the final results of the 2nd year students were up in the hallway. With shit like.. You have no design skills, we have no idea what you are doing here and advise you to leave the school.
Can you imagine that being said about you? That is fucking painfull. Thick skin or no.

[biochip]

College isn�t so bad, it�s a lot better than high school! Take what courses your interested in and learn. ...and do the homework also hehehe.

[iandredd]

Im yet another newbie here, but I'm also going to uni in september and im scared shitless. Yup yup a lot of people feel the same.

[bearsclover]

quote:

---

You have no design skills, we have no idea what you are doing here and advise you to leave the school.
Can you imagine that being said about you? That is fucking painfull. Thick skin or no.

---

That's horrible! It sounds like "Art Boot Camp", where you are put through the most grueling horrible treatment, just to see if you're tough enough to take it. Personally, I think it has no place in art school, or any school.

But, if that's the kind of crap they are dishing out, I guess everyone has to take it. But give up? Hope not. Should not! But I agree�to be treated like that, no matter how thick your skin is�is horrible. HORRIBLE!

[hans_e]

I thought that this would be a good post for such an esteemed digi-art forums:

I'm currently 3 credits shy of being a Junior at Purdue University. I am enrolled in the illustrious CGT (Computer Graphics Tech.) department. The problem is is that Purdue seems to be thinking that computer graphics only consists of the "cool" 3-d animation (pixar, ILM, etc...). Its gotten so bad here that they don't even require a layout design course anymore (where was once taught the basics of color theory, layout, and overall good design). And whats funny about all this is that Purdue is promising like upper-90% job placement (by the way, there numbers that they sent my professor, which i read, don't even add up), promissing jobs that pay like $$50-60 grand a year. However, if you look at who REALLY gets these "high-paying jobs" most are located in very high cost of living areas so it just about equals out.

Sorry about ranting~~ it happens when you have no sleep *sigh*

I mean, if they are going to teach Computer Graphics they should teach everything, right??????

[edraket]

quote

Quote:

That's horrible! It sounds like "Art Boot Camp", where you are put through the most grueling horrible treatment, just to see if you're tough enough to take it. Personally, I think it has no place in art school, or any school

Hehe.. Well they get like that. The first year they also work you to death. My wife was putting in 60 hours a week the first semester just to keep up. About half of the students drop out in the first year.

It might be hard to be stomped into the ground all the time. But it's not like people will try to be tactfull once you are a professional. If your work sucks people will say so. Better get used to it now.

It does suck for the people that can't handle it, don't work well with the methods of the teachers or just wanna do things their own way.

[bearsclover]

quote

Quote:

It does suck for the people that can't handle it, don't work well with the methods of the teachers or just wanna do things their own way.

One of my favorite illustrators from the '80s, Bill Rieser (he's still in the business) dropped out of Art Center, or was "pushed" out, because his portfolio didn't pass muster. He went on to have a highly successful career, with billboards showing his artwork on Sunset Blvd., etc.

When I was at Otis, one of my classes went on a "field trip" and visited Rieser at his studio. He told us this story. Of course, it's been many years since then, but I think I got the facts (mostly) straight.

My reason for bringing that tale up is just this: if/when they treat you like CRAP at art school, then I guess you have to either go somewhere else, or just take it. But NEVER give up. What the hell did Art Center know about Bill Rieser, after all? Don't let them tell you that you are a failure. Screw that.

I never got treated so terribly at school, (but I did get more than my share of energy-sucking discouragment from family members, so I guess it all evens out!). I don't think artists should be treated like delicate hothouse flowers�a certain amount of toughness should be expected. I certainly was toughened up by my overly discouraging family members. The Real World is pretty cruel, after all, and we must prepare ourselves for it.

But there is a LIMIT! Oh my gosh! No one should be treated the way the people at your art school are treated! No one is treated that badly in real life, are they? (Well, I guess sometimes they are, but it's not too common, is it?)

Yeesh!

[ July 05, 2002: Message edited by: bearsclover ]

[edraket]

Nah...
I think the people that get the hardest time are not just bad at art. They are probably not very motivated either. They will not be very friendly to people like that. Art is your life..if its not than you have no bussiness there.
And all this is countered by teachers that can see what you are trying to do and what you are good at and support you with it. They are incredibly flexible with changing assignments if you feel the need to investigate a certain thing further. They (the teachers) really are very motivated to bring out the best in you.

I still think it's a pretty good school. And I'm still pretty excited about finally being able to go.

[Gryphon]

I hear you guys - I'm headed off to SCAD in the fall, and I'm hoping I don't need remedial art classes or something... I don't do much life drawing (I know, it's a bad habit and I should do more) so I'm hoping I'm not way behind everyone. Then again, they gave me a portfolio scholarship, so I can't suck *too* badly, can I?

*sigh* I guess I'll find out in September.

I'm still dying to get away from home, so most of me can't wait regardless.

Is anyone else headed to Savannah? It would be nice to know someone...

As to Art Boot Camp - I'd like to think I'm tough enough to take it, though if a professor declared a piece I slaved over total crap I'd have problems biting my tongue. Critiques should have some rational thoughts on how to make it better, not just a general disparagement of you and your work.