Is art school a must for a serious artist?

Onewithwings · #1 12-03-2010, 05:48 PM

I would like to hear people's opinions about this.

I am 24 years old, and have been painting for almost 4 years. I enjoy my work, and have sold a good handful of paintings from my Etsy site. I feel that I have artistic talent, but that I have not fully developed it. I am completely self-taught, and have never taken an art class. I have learned everything I know from experimentation and art instruction books (I own several).

However, there is still a lot I don't know, that I would like to learn. I am currently learning about color theory from one book, and art business from another. These are helpful, but I am wondering how accurately I can learn all of this if I can't ask questions and be corrected in my mistakes, like I can in a classroom. Wetcanvas has been a great teacher for me as well, but I am looking to get serious with my art, and am wondering if art school is necessary.

I am currently not a student, but am a few classes short of getting my Associates in Business Administration with a Concentration in Visual Communications. I would like to go on to get my Bachelor's at an art school in my area, such as The Art Institute or The Art Center Design College. It is my goal to make a substantial supplemental income to my husband's job, to help support my family while working from home, and to continue with my art in such a way that I still enjoy it and am passionate about it (in other words, not completely sell out and paint what I think people want instead of what is in my heart). I would also like to be well-versed in art business, and have my art in a local gallery.

Is art school necessary for all of this? Do you think it would be worth it in my case? Should I take a few classes outside of school instead? Should I continue to work on my own, and learn through books and experience?

PiscesWoman · #2 12-03-2010, 06:11 PM

Kati, I would strongly suggest that before you make any decisions, to do some following research - which will only take your time and only a bit of extra money on your telephone and/or internet bill.

Art school - research the curriculum of any art school you are thinking of attending. One thing I have noticed here on some of the forums is that people's expectations of what is, or should be, taught in art school is actually different to what is actually being taught in the art schools.

Artist Research - Research the artists you love/like and aspire to be like. What galleries are they showing in. Look up those galleries' website and see if the artist's CV is on there. Read the artist's CV. What art education have they had? What art prizes have they won? If you want to be like this artist and earn the same type of money, then see if you can take the same road they did (allowing for personal variations).

Talk to the people at the galleries you are aiming at. Do they say you must have formal art education - or do they make their decisions on the quality of your art and creativity.

Hope this helps.

Onewithwings · #3 12-03-2010, 07:28 PM

Thanks for the help, Karen!

gokenin · #4 12-12-2010, 02:50 AM

Art school isn't going to teach you to be a great artist or a successful artist. Most of the programs lack severely in the business aspect of art, your background in business administration will make you a stronger artist because you will be able to market and manage your business.
Contrary to what some may say here, if you want to make a living at it art is most certainly a business! The starving struggling artist making their work while barely surviving but refusing to "sell out" as they call it, is a tired dream that needs to be put the rest.
Now as for art school, your background in business administration will help you work in galleries, an art background (especially with more than just the required art history courses) will make you even more appealing to galleries. Why do I bring this up? By working in a gallery you will get the experience needed to see how galleries choose their work, who they decide to promote, and whether or not those artists have formal education.
Maybe it sounds too $$ focused and not enough "flighty I'ma artist!!" but this is a business, especially if you want to make a living. If you don't want to make a living then you do not need a formal education in art to have a hobby, just take courses and such and enjoy yourself!!
Me, I have a BFA in ceramics, its a business to me and one that I currently have on hold. Not to say that I do not love making work, I do but I need to eat as well!

Sorry about the rant, I was involved earlier tonight in a conversation about the purity of art and the evils of selling work!!!

Take stock of what your intentions are, if you want to make a living doing art and show in galleries, you will probably need a formal education if for no other reason than to make the connections you will need to get gallery shows. You will also learn to be able to speak critically about your own work and others and be able to explain how your work references art history.

Onewithwings · #5 12-13-2010, 01:02 PM

Thanks for the input, Gokenin.

I have no delusions that art school will catapult my career. I am very good at seeking out knowledge when I desire it. Right now I am reading a book called The Artist's Guide which has a lot of very helpful advice and insight. It has answered a lot of my questions about art business, and has helped me feel more confident in marketing my art, and in forming lasting relationships with art professionals. I just wonder whether the knowledge I might gain in art school would matter in terms of my art and career as a whole. I am always afraid I am missing something vital to my work that I did not consider.

Bringer · #6 12-14-2010, 04:54 PM

Hi Kati,

Well, this is my personal opinion according to my artistic believes.
The are art schools and there are art schools, there are art sudios and there are art studios.
If you talk me about for insteance about: The Students Art League of New Yok; Parsons; The Florence Academy of Art,, we are talking about real schools.
If you talk me about the studios of Juliete Aristides, or Anthony Waichulis (now Anì Art Academies), we are talking about real art studios.
And this kind of level seldom can be reach by learning by oneself, although it can of course, but it demands alot of discipline.
Besides studying with other people is great because we learn from each other.

First you need to decide what kind of art you want to do.
The examples that I've posted, with the exception of the Parsons, are more didicated to those who want to have a sound drawing abilities, which for me is a must for anyone who wants to be a serious artist - others will disagree, but that's my opinion - now just choose the school or studio according to your perspective as an artist.

If you cannot afford one, try at least joining a local art group, or gather with some artist friends and try finding a place where you guys can set up your own studio where you can paint still lifes, life drawing, etc.

Good luck,

José

joqua · #7 12-16-2010, 07:45 PM

I have both BFA and MFA degrees in studio art from the University of Texas. I would not trade my experiences in art school for anything. It was an exciting and fulfilling time for me.

Did it make me a great artist? Not on your life! But it taught me more than I'd ever have learned on my own about the "facts of art life" in general. And of course it qualified me to teach art at the university level.

I believe that everyone has to weigh their own motives for spending time and money seeking out an education. If the only desire is to learn the methodology of art making, then a first-class art institute/atelier probably makes more sense than a 4-yr university degree with all the attendant "requisites" that are the same as if one were pursuing a liberal arts degree.

All that aside, in order to be SO SUCCESSFUL that one can live a life of ease as an artist is going to take a dedication and devotion to all of those things that make any business person a success in life. Lucky is the artist who can afford a staff of assistants to do all of the grunt work while the artist concentrates on the creative aspects of being an artist.

Onewithwings · #8 12-19-2010, 11:12 PM

I have taken most of the 'requisites' -- I am 5 classes away from my Associate's in Business Admin. w/ a Concentration in Visual Communications-- unfortunately, I was administratively withdrawn, due to some problems with my FAFSA, but I plan to go back and finish before I attempt any further education.

Rather than attend art school, I am thinking maybe the time and money would be better spent on an apprenticeship or something of that nature, or art lessons from various artists, where I could pick their brain about other questions I might have as well.

RobertGarland · #9 12-24-2010, 01:40 PM

Kati-

I'm in the same position you are. I looked into art schools here in Portland several months ago and was very disappointed with what I found. All the curriculum are geared towards making graphic artists or 3d artists. There were no programs for people who want to paint. there are painting classes, but no formal programs. Also, I found a site that offered reviews of colleges from students http://www.studentsreview.com/ and the schools around here were not reviewed favorably. The most common complaint was that teachers offered praise and reward for people who created the most "shocking" art and ignored students who were trying to develop sound practice and technique. My other option is to move to Seattle or some other city that offers an atelier program.
I've come to the same conclusion that you have, that trying to find knowledgeable artists who offer classes or who are willing to offer help is the way to go. Good luck to both of us!

Cheers
-Robert

sarastar · #10 01-19-2011, 04:37 PM

While there isn't a great college program here in Portland, one of Aristides students teaches in his studio four nights a month here for $200 a month. He teaches mentored drawing and it is what I am doing until I can get to a place where I can go to Aristides Atelier.

http://www.eduardofernandez.com/S/Home.html

RobertGarland · #11 01-19-2011, 04:43 PM

Thanks, Sara- I'll definitely look into that.

artistdale · #12 01-26-2011, 10:45 AM

All knowledge has value. Art school is basically other artists sharing their knowledge with you.

I'm mostly self-taught and I can tell you I would that I had been able to receive more formal training when I was young.

Is art school absolutely a must? Not always, but it sure helps in most areas of art. Today there are all sorts of computer/DVD home study courses that are a whole lot cheaper (and sometimes better) than going off to some school. This is true not only in art but almost all disciplines.

GhettoDaveyHavok · #13 02-11-2011, 05:18 PM

Meh. I decided I won't get an art degree and just get a degree in something else and keep the art as a hobby, AND if people want, commission me or buy my art. I can still be a serious artist without it. I don't need it to be a serious artist. I don't feel a degree= sexy art god for eternity. If I REALLY need help, I'll look up some free tutorials or buy some DVD or as I mainly do, just experiment until I improve. I think art school is to show you more techniques and so fourth so you don't have to spend years to find out these techniques yourself.

Also, I wanted to go to AI once but it was expensive. I don't need to pay a ton for an art school when I can teach myself, or look up online tutorials.

wilson38115 · #14 08-01-2011, 07:20 AM

I am pretty much in the same boat as you, although I have had some art classes. 24 yo. and two semesters away from getting an A.A. at my local community college. I've been wondering if I should just go to a University or find an art school.

Andrew · #15 08-01-2011, 09:33 AM

Necessary? Definitely not.
Helpful? Possibly

Depending on how you are defining being a "Serious" artist, there are plenty of educational opportunities, that do not involve an Art School, or University Art Degree program. There are pluses and minuses to each, and paths outside of the more academic may not be the easiest, by may be much more rewarding.

The hardest hurdle you find, will be finding work as an artist, if that is in your sights to be considered serious. Building a resumé for that first job, without the art education and the experiences therein, is exceedingly difficult. Once you have a few shows, some clients and art references, it doesn't matter as much. In fact once that part of your resumé gets padded by experience, employers don't even pay a great deal of attention to the education info.

Andrew

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