[Jezebel]

I've sort of reached a fork in the road here. I'm currently attending community college (sorta, this semester off though) and I'm finding it to be very boring and non-challenging. I feel like I'm missing out on a lot of important art related knowledge that I should have been given years ago.

I've been in art classes for years and years and never have I learned how to do proper perspective, I've never learned proper shading and highlighting. The penacle of my learning has been, "Draw what you see, not what you think you see." But I feel like I've never been shown any really good techniques or exercises for getting better than that. Because what if I don't see what I'm drawing?

I know that practice is the ultimate way to learn, but I feel school is so important as well. To get to the point - I took a tour of the Art Institute of Dallas today. My second time to do it, and just like the first time I thought it was very cool. I love the thought of being around artists and going to a school the specializes in what I want to do. However, my parents have always turned their noses up at the idea. They really what me to attend a school like SMU or Baylor instead. I don't really feel like that's neccesary but I guess I'm not sure.

Has anyone here attended one of the Art Institute schools or some place similar? What do you think of it? Is it worth the cost? Do they really teach you a lot? If you've been, is the one in Dallas decent? I'm a very shy and introverted person so this decision has left me shaking in my shoes all day I don't have much confidence so I'm afraid I'm not good enough for a specialty school. Especially since I want to go into the animation program and the man who gave me the tour said it's very difficult and to have even the slightest chance of landing a job you need straight A's. I have no 3D experience, but traditional graphic design (logos, webpage, menus, cd's, etc...) is just so friggin' boring to me! I wouldn't mind doing that occassionally but not for a career. I really want to get involved in character design and such.

Please... anyone, help me to not completely screw up my life!

I'm rambled on enough, let the advice roll in if there is any, hehe...

Beth

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Take off your clothes. It's OK - I'm an artist.

http://div.dyndns.org/FOO
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[Sedone]

Hey Jezebel, maybe I can help I'm attending the Art Institute of Dallas right now. I've got another quarter left. You're right, it's very expensive to attend, so that's probably the biggest obstacle. Assuming you have the funds, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't go there, especially if you want to major in computer animation. Some people complain about the curriculum, whether it's better to teach you 3DMax or whatever, but I didn't know how to model when I first enrolled so it was all new to me anyhow.

Of course, there's nothing to stop you from learning all this on your own. After going through all the animation, image manip, figure drawing, and video classes, I can honestly say I could've learned it all on my own, but DAMN it would've taken a long time.
I'm one of those people who needs someone to organize this stuff for me, because I'd end up starting things and never finishing. As for grades, I don't know if you need straight A's (I certainly don't have that). The biggest things comes down to your print portfolio and demo reel, since the teachers will either pass or fail you on those.

Hopefully this was somewhat helpful...

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sedone's artfolio

[Jezebel]

Sedone - Ahh! One quarter left, lucky you One thing that sorta bugs me is that if I had just gone to this school the first time I had toured, I would be finished AND it would have been cheaper

I think I can make mostly straight A's. I've always made A's and at the community college I maintained a 4.0 GPA for a long time. So you didn't know anything about animation when you started? Do you feel like you've learned a lot now? Do you feel like the school was worth the money? I'm sorta like you, I need someone to organize everything for me as well

Beth

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Take off your clothes. It's OK - I'm an artist.

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http://div.dyndns.org/beth/photography

[coil_weevil]

Hi Jezebel, I'm also attending one of the Art Institutes (Houston) and going for a career in CAM. The schools have a great carrer placement program...I've seen friends leave and go on to great industry jobs. Like Sedone said it's kinda expensive, but I believe what they've taught me so far was worth the money. Oh...and I really doubt you have to have straight A's...the only things that really matter imo is portfolio reviews and the homework assignments.

But like most schools AI has weakness...like for instance I didn't understand alot of the work in the beginning (perspective) and the instructor didn't even seem concern until I addressed her.....but I think it was just her. Then on the other hand there's instructors who push you to be at best. What I'd do though before you make a choice is talk with one of your art instructors that your close to and get their opinion....if you choose.

To sum it up, I didn't know anything about 3D except what I saw in games....now I'm pretty comfortable in Maya, LW6 and 3DSmax.....tho I'm still in the process of learning. It's a fun and comfortable place to be...and so far the schools have a good name in the entertaiment industry. If possible though I'd look into Art Institute of Phoenix....they have the best programs out of the AI's and being that Arizona is the home of lots of gaming companies....it'll be great for internship. I plan on going there myself for the second half of my 4 year. Hope sum of this helped...

[Sedone]

coil_weevil made come good points. I just wanted to add that the quality of the teachers do fluctuate, especially during your early quarters. It seems like the early classes are more likely to get new teachers more often. Of course, since there's so many classes it's probably hard to keep the quality of teaching consistent. In the later quarters, the classes become more advanced, but the teachers are also more experienced. Personally, I really liked my figure drawing teachers (most people do).

I do think it's been worth the money for me. I wouldn't be able to go through with it and (try to) graduate if I really felt it was a waste of time. With that said, once I'm out in the real world and realize I can't find a job...then yeah, I'd say it wasn't worth it.

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sedone's artfolio

[artboy]

I'm going to AI in Denver and wish I had waited a year or two, because now all the other art schools are doing computer animation.

The problems with the school are many. I've had to take quarters off because there literally were NO classes I could take. I go part time at night, and that's the ONLY reason I decided to go there in the first damn place. No other schools offered the program, so there was nothing to compare it to.

No portfolio to get in, yet other private, even public, schools require portfolios. They want to churn out "worker bees" to move to California and work at a major studio.
Some teachers SUCK. I took a storyboarding class and he had us draw out a one-page comic about anything, and then critiqued it in class. He actually turned to a student and said, "How many drawing classes have you had, cause this sucks. Do it over." That kid never came back to class the next week. I don't blame him. I loaned a teacher a video tape and after he'd had it for several months, I asked for it back. I asked him several times and he threatened me, saying that if I didn't drop the issue, he'd make my life hell in every class he had me in till I graduated. Fuckin' dick.

Granted, there are great teachers there, but they are too few and far between.

I'm too far in to quit now, so I'm just supplementing my education by surfing the net for information, asking questions on every discussion board I can find related to art and animation, and working so I can make my demo reel different from the other graduates in my school. I don't want to work for a big animation house, but there's nothing wrong with wanting that. I personally have worked in a corporate environment for almost 10 years now (the school itself is a corporation), and I'm sick of it. I'm gonna start my own company and bring what's in my head to TV. You'll see my cartoon series, soon enough...

Good luck, and keep yer chin above the corporate sludge that is AI.

-artboy, LLC

[This message has been edited by artboy (edited February 28, 2001).]

[Krazykate]

I just graduated from the Art Institute in Seattle.

Animation? You better really want it-you will have to start in hand animation and do 3D. The good side is that electives can put you into multimedia animation as well. Your choice is not carved in stone-you are allowed to change degree focus once.

Need straight A's? Tell them to take a hike! It 's more important that your attendance and work reflect committment to good work. (I graduated with a 3.9)

Parents don't want you to go? It's time for a very mature talk with them-as in "it's my life and my choice". If you want to stay with art as a way of life-you are going to have to commit to it, and school will do you a lot of good. You get a lot of help from fellow students and teachers. If you get a teacher you think is lacking-you can generally approach some of the other teachers for help.

A lot of this decision rests on how bad you want it, and can you do it. No one can do it for you-your decision-your work-your attendence-how much effort you put into it.

They like to throw out figures for hiring after school-like over 95% hire....I graduated with 44 people, and three have an industry job. The rest are sticking with their part time jobs, and submitting all over. There just aren't that many animation jobs unless you want to move to California. So, it might take a while to get into this kind of work. But with all the art work you will do beforehand-you should have a good background for graphics or other work while you search for the job you want.
I hope that helps...........
Kate

[coil_weevil]

Another thing Jezebel is that you should also consider continuing to persue your current schooling....everything in art is somehow related to the other, so the more you learn the easier it'll be to expand from one thing to the other. Who says you can't get a job doing whatever and then persue CAM....it'll help payoff summa those tuiton charges too!

I pretty sure each AI is different....for instance we had to submit a portfolio even before we could get accepted into my school. And like someone said before...the commitment that shows through in your work is what you'll be judged by most. There are supposed Student Aid, and Student Advisory people in all the AI's so it'll also be a good idea to talk to one of them....all the ones I've come across were very helpful. Hell they helped me with my goals (2yrs at AIH and then 2 more in Phoenix for a BA and then I'm off to Art Center)

lostfilez: I think it depends on what level degree you're going for....

artboy: Damn, you need to take that up with you Dean dood....are the department of schooling in you area....imo

[lostfilez]

Hey jez, I'm also goin to a community college right now, but I'm planning on going to the Art Institute of Colorado in October...also into animation...and yeah, it's expensive, but compared to some of the other schools I was looking at, Kansas City Art Institute, Academy of Art College, Savannah College of Art & Design...it doesn't seem so bad. Those other schools were up to 20-25 thousand a year!!! And about all A's..nah, I dont think an employer's gonna go, "you got a c in western civ??? well, we just can't hire you" I think it pretty much relies on demo reel/portfolio.

Oh, and a question to those already attending, how long do you go? At the one I'm goin to, I'll go for 3 years but ALL year round. Is it the same at others? just curious...

[Jason]

I feel its almost my duty to put something up here seeing how I also graduated for the art institute. Seattle to be exact.
Let me put it this way, I think every one just about coverd it.
What I have to say isnt so much about the school you choose its about loving what you do. YOu only get one life here on this planet of ares. On avreg 60 to 70 some od years. Not to long. So I say money is money. Your going to die any way. BUt be sure that what ever you do with your life. Do what you whant to do and make it a good one. I love art. I have always drawn. You have to have a pasion man and thats something a school cant give you. School can give you alot of tools but you have to be willing to add to there bag of tricks and then some. I say the more edjucation you can get the better. I have yet to compleat a BA. I got my AA at the AIS but Im not sure what my next dagree is going to be in yet. Humanities, acting are the two im thinking most about. All I know is its never to late to learn. ANd its never good to put off tomarow what you can do today. Oh great im sounding like my parents.
I say do the schooling. Fallow your passions.

[coil_weevil]

Damn Jason that even helped me....I was stuck between deciding to take a haitus from school or quiting as bass for my band! Ofcourse I chose schooling....better chance of sucess and I have a greater love for art...not to mention what's the use of having a family if I'm gonna always be on tour....thanks.

[Jezebel]

Wow... I didn't expect this many responses. I'm glad I got them though!

I think it will be hard to address everyone so I'm just going to try and sum up. First of all, I think it was misleading when I said my parents didn't want me to go to that school. The reason they didn't want me to attend the school was because they thought another school would be better, not because they don't want me to pursue a career in art. That's ALL they want me to do

As for myself, I know without a doubt that I want to do something art related. I'm not necessarily looking for a job in animation though. I just think the animation program sounds more challenging. I want to learn how to do it, but that doesn't mean I want to do it everyday for the rest of my life. I feel like one of the other programs might stunt my growth as an artist.

I understand that above all, this is my decision and nobody elses. I just wanted some opinions on the school before I started going there myself. I think that before I go, I would still like to drive over there and talk to some of the students for a few more opinions, possibly some teachers as well.

I appreciate all the replies. Thanks all

Beth

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Take off your clothes. It's OK - I'm an artist.

http://div.dyndns.org/FOO
http://div.dyndns.org/beth/photography