Art Students League

[cloudhand]

Hi,

Is anyone here studying at the Art Students League in New York? I'm thinking of going up there and would love to talk to anyone who has any experience of it.

Thanks so much,

Alexandra

[BruceF]

There are a few of us on here. I'm currently in Burban's anatomy class. There's a thread on it in the Figure Drawing forum at the moment that you might want to check out.

[Rose Queen]

WetCanvas Guide DanaT is also a student there; you might want to PM her, as I don't think she checks the Student Dorm forum.

[ssecret132]

Let us know what you find out.

[franz]

Hi,

Is anyone here studying at the Art Students League in New York? I'm thinking of going up there and would love to talk to anyone who has any experience of it.

Thanks so much,

Alexandra

I spent about a year at the Art Students League about three years ago. Being there contributed significantly to my growth as a painter. I would definitely recommend the place if you have the opportunity to go and you can afford New York City.
If someone has specific questions I’ll try to answer them.

[raeburn10025]

Hi - my first post. I stumbled upon WetCanvas a few days ago, and have enjoyed the illuminating and entertaining threads.

I'm in Oldrich Teply's portraiture class at the Art Students League. I've studied with a few other teachers. Each class offers its own philosophy and methods and attracts a unique group of students - all of which will influence your artistic style, consciously or not.

I love it, and hope you get a chance to check it out.

[enigmacat]

I took a life drawing class there last fall which was - to me - kind of disappointing, as the instructor would not look at your work and talk to you unless you asked him to - and since I am kind of shy and he seemed to really be more engrossed in his own work, I rarely asked questions. I would have preferred a more structured approach with steady critique and advice.

I took a couple of classes through hunter college that were more expensive but good because the instructor circled the room and talked to each student for several minutes, a few times each class.

I signed up for another class at ASL for next month with a different instructor, hoping for the best!

I do wish there was a way to get the inside scoop on the different instructors and their approach to the class before putting my money down, so if anyone has that info, I would love to talk to you.

[BruceF]

enigmacat,

The best way to find out about teachers at ASL is to ask other students or the folks at the registration desk. And, the great thing about the league is you are only paying for a month, so even if you don't like the instructor, you can change the next month.

I've taken classes with Sherry Camhy and can highly recommend her class. She does try to get to everyone in the class.

[enigmacat]

That's great, I'll look for her class when I sign up again.

I did ask registration when I signed up and they told me to read the instructor bios - which I had already done - sometimes it does give you a sense of how they approach teaching (sometimes not so much).

[enigmacat]

I found this small article about a teacher at ASL

Sharon Sprung (http://www.artistsnetwork.com/article/sprung/)

[BruceF]

Some of the people in the office have been around for a long time and know a lot of the instructors. Others are new and don't know many. The bios help, but don't always show you their teaching style. Checking out the weekly class shows, once they start, is also a good way to gain insight into a class and instructor.

I've hard good things about Sharon Sprung. I also know people in Costa Vavagiakis' class that like him. And I heard Nicki Orbach's classes are fun as she tries to get her students to experiment with different media and styles.

Who's class are you taking next month?

[enigmacat]

ooh, weekly class shows. Check.

I've signed up for a class with Anita Steckel, if you know anything about her I would love to hear it.

[BruceF]

No. I'm really not familiar with her class.

Hopefully you'll enjoy it as her bio makes the class sound fun. If you aren't getting the feedback you want or need from the instructor, just go up to him/her and ask for it. I know that can be tough, especially if you are shy, but it will probably show the instructor that you are really interested and want to grow. Especially if you try out their advice and it works for you.

[Ribera]

I went there for many years.
The greatest strength (and weakness) of the place is the complete freedom they allow their students.
You may study with anyone you want, whenever you want, period.
Any rules of the place, if any, exist in each respective class, strictly at the discretion of that particular teacher.
If ya find a good teacher there, you may do quite well, as historically, so many have.
Do recall, the great 19th C. French Ecole was an Academy, not a a League!! -Students were not free.
Conversely, at the ASL, if you find a mediocre, or flat-out bad teacher, you'll bear those fruits.
The Art Students' League has both kinds of teachers.
There's no esthetic school-policy there though, so one may find teachers of most stripes.

[Dave Carter]

There is a ASL in Denver, CO. Much cheaper living!

[trafford]

My parents were both students at ASL in the late 1920's. They met there and later married. My father was a cartoonist who took an illustration course and got hooked on painting and lithography. One of his teachers was Boardman Robinson. My mother came from a small town in NJ and New York was her dream. She won a House Beautiful cover contest in 1928 that gave her the money to come to the city.

I think it's considered to be a good school and it's still on 57th street after all these years.

[Ribera]

Yeah, 57th- btwn B'dway and 7th.
It has traditionally produced innumerable outstanding artists, so did the French Ecole, that don't make it for a minute great (or even good) today.
It started many decades ago, as students at the (also still operating) National Academy of Design grew tired of it's emminently French Academy-inspired curiculum, so they founded a new place, not an Academy but rather a League. This school, conversely, offered it's students complete freedom.
While that has undoubtedly produced many outstandingly, capable artists, academies too work. To wrap it up, I'll say one may do well there if one finds the right teacher- like any other place. This school's alma mata and past faculty is absolutely unmatched by any school in the U.S.
Since it's a non-profit institution, the tuition's infinitely lower than elsewhere.

[staceys]

Hi, I went there. :)

They helped me start out okay, but I didn't really learn anything... :(

Hope this helps...
-Stacey