Careers: Arts/Art in College

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Expert: - 10/11/2006


Question
I am a high school senior and am currently trying to find information on majoring in Art in college for a research paper. I would like to know what it takes to major in Art in college. Were you afraid that as a starting artist you wouldn't be able to make a living and did you have a'backup plan'? I would also like to know what career options can be pursued with an art major. Thank you for your time.    
                      Sarah


Answer
Dear Sarah,

The only thing you need to major in Art in college is the absolute will to do it. Some students become an art major without ever once taking an art course prior to college. Some have already had extensive art training. Some are not sure what being an artist means, while others know exactly what to do after they hone their talent, yet all have a love and passion for the arts in one form or another. At least, I know I do.

Was I afraid that I wouldn't be able to make a living as an artist? Absolutely. I still am. However, that doesn't phase me because making a living off of it is not what is important to me, though, it definitely is a plus! Did I ever have a back-up plan? No. I threw myself completely into my art and going to an art college because I believe in it. That sometimes means I have to make sacrifices or hold an extra job or count my pennies. I work as a freelancer which can very much be an unstable source of income, but as long as I have some avenue for my art, I'm happy. I have alumni friends who have more secure art jobs with companies, others who work for short term contracts, and others who hold down what seems like ten jobs, but neither is necessarily more successful than the other. Success with art, or sometimes any career path, is not always measured in money earned.

A plethora of career options are available for an art major. You can even specialize in a number of different arenas. I personally specialized in illustration and two-dimensional animation. As an artist, you can be a painter, a graphic artist, an art director, an interior designer, a CAD draftsman (or draftwoman), an animator, a web designer, a furniture designer, a fashion or jewelry designer, a book illustrator...you name it. The list could go on and on. You don't even have to pick just one. You can paint on one side and design theatre backdrops on the other.

At the end of the day, as long as you love what you do, you're all set. Being an artist, even just majoring in art, is hard work, stressful, competitive, but if it's what you want, it will always be one of the best things in this world!

I hope this helps you out. Feel free to ask any further questions if you have them.

Good luck on your research paper!
Sincerely,
Gianina

Careers: Arts

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Gianina L.

Expertise

I can answer questions concerning most traditional mediums such as acrylics, watercolor, colored pencils, collage/cut paper, graphite, charcoal, and pen and ink. I also have strong, advanced knowledge of Photoshop, Powerpoint and Publisher; and beginner to immediate level knowledge in Illustrator, Freehand, After Effects, and Flash. In addition, I can cover miscellaneous subjects such as portfolio preparation, applying to art schools, art school study skills, color theory, basic design and drawing principles, basic animation techniques, working on personal art styles and exploring new artistic techniques. Topics such as the detailed legal aspects of art, web programming and Flash action scripting do not fall under my area of expertise.

Experience

Experience in the Area
I graduated summa cum laude with a double BFA in Illustration and Computer Art (specializing in 2-dimensional animation) from the Savannah College of Art and Design, where as a student, I happily tutored fellow peers in all aspects of art and created numerous illustrations for the school newspaper. For the past several years, I have been illustrating seminar books, designing numerous graphics, and creating short animation sequences for use in video. In addition, I work as a private tutor and am co-director / co-owner of a company that focuses on and promotes the local music industry. I assist with all the day-to-day operations of this company as well as manage all art direction and design.

Education/Credentials
Savannah College of Art and Design
BFA Computer Art, Illustration
Summa Cum Laude
Dean's List, GPA 4.0

Awards and Honors
Induction into Alpha Pi Beta honor society for art and design, 2002
Outstanding Achievement in Computer Art, 2002
Outstanding Student for the academic year 2001-2002
Awarded "Most Dependable" for District, the student newspaper, 2002
Who's Who Among American Colleges and Universities, May 2001
Better Business Bureau Honesty in Advertising Essay Competition, Merit Award, November 1998
Mary Renee Whelan Scholarship, Savannah College of Art and Design

Exhibitions and Festivals:
Embodiement; Myths in Animal Form, www.postpicasso.com, December 10 - January 10, 2005
SCAD Alumni Show, Stardust Café, Orlando, FL; December 2004
Finalist, International Juried Online Symbolist Art Show, www.dracoblu.com, May 2004 - April 2005
Finalist, International Juried Online Symbolist Art Show, www.dracoblu.com, May 2003 - April 2004
Senior Showcase, SCAD Pei Ling Chan Gallery, Savannah, GA; May 2002
2D or not 2D, SCAD Trustees Theatre, Savannah, GA; April 2002
Small Works, SCAD Exhibit A Gallery, Savannah, GA; November 7 - December 31, 2001; art was purchased
Magnanimata Animation Festival, May 1999

Publications
Quoted briefly in Animation World Magazine, "Predicting the Future of Futurama" (April 1999) and "Ed, Edd, n Eddy: A Unique Approach" (June 1999)

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