[eddie]

hi. okay, i started attending SCAD (savannah college of art and design) with computer art in mind as my major. but, now that im here, im having doubts. a couple questions..

one, im under the impression that drawing is _extremely_ important in computer art. i've heard too many people stressing how important having a good drawing background is. im wondering if, instead of majoring in computer art, should i major in something like illustration, and minor in drawing? it seems that if you have a great portfolio that shows how tweaked your creation/drawing skills are, that the company that ends up hiring you would then train you in whatever software is needed.

the reason why i ask this is because it seems that the computer art field is constantly changing and evolving, and it would be a waste of time to learn the skills that might be obsolete in a few months anyway.

am i right or wrong? should i major in computer art, or am i right in thinking having strong fundamental drawing skills is by far more important?

any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

thanks,
eddie

[illf0]

*can i just ask what was your SAT score and what activities you had before attending SCAD?

*also if you live on the campus grounds (2 person dorm or p.house) ; if so how is it so far?

[samdragon]

oh man..I love these questions.....
Keep in mind, this is only personal experience....

I think you just answered your own question.
yes the computer animation world is changing on a daily basis, so the skills you learn now will be outdated, but on the other hand, you will have the foundational skills to use any 3d software package out there. It's not like you're going to make your demo reel your 2nd semester there.
Do what you're most interested in. I'm sure you can take other classes that can help with your traditional skills, or if you go the other way, try to take some computer anim classes, but take them later in your college years, that way you have experience with up todate software.
One thing that is important is focus. Don't try to do it all, you'll only get burned out and go broke! I've seen many a time! The more classes you take the more you'll start to see what is really required of you.
From my understanding, the reason drawing and art skills are so important, is because the software is becoming easier to use. You no longer need a degree in programming to do animation. So companies are wanting more people with creative minds and abilities, and this is something that some 3d anim programs don't have time to work on, because there is so much involved in animation.

Do you know what your courses are? You are more than likely following a set program of classes to take, so go through you course liting and see what other classes you will be taking. Ask your advisor (if you have one) if you can substitute certian classes for others.
You do have this board though, and there are many talented professionals here who take time to answer our questions and help us out, so take advantage of that and learn everything you can from them.

[eddie]

illf0: i didn't take the SATs, i took the ACTs, and recieved a scholarship for my scores. but, if you're worried about your SAT scores being up to par, don't worry. as long as your portfolio shows that you know _anything_ about art, you'll get in. oh, and about the dorms; im fortunate enough to be able to afford a nice apartment so the school doesn't supply my housing, but i have friends that live in the dorms. they're decent, although my main complaint would be that you have to room with a complete stranger, unless of course you're planning on attending with a friend which works out great. the dorms get progressively better as you get older, too. as a freshman, you start out with one room dorms, but they evolve into apartments as you get closer to graduating. something to take into consideration though; the dorms at SCAD are expensive. a couple friends and i did the math on how much they were spending on dorms, and how much i was spending on apartments. im living by myself (which i would recommend), in a very nice apt, and im not paying that much more than they are paying for a one room dorm shared with 2 people.

samdragon: thanks for the input. yes, we do have advisers, and im going to talk to mine the next chance i get and see if i can't swap out some of the more pointless classes with ones that concentrate more on my traditional skills.