Problems with modern art programs.

#1

Has any one the noticed lack of solid understanding of composition, color, drawing/drafting, painting etc that is coming out of many of our modern colleges? I have had friends with master degrees that could not draw well and new next to nothing about painting. Any way it seems crazy to me for people to 50K plus to learn “theory”. There are some good schools like http://www.pafa.org/splashFlash.jsp but it seems like many schools are all theory or they are just the very basics. Any way was thinking about this today and thought I would see what every one else thought.

#2

I am in art school at the moment and I’m leaving due to this. :sad:

#3

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.

:cry: :banghead: :surprised

#4

‘Discuss.’

Where to begin…

#5

To quote a Saturday Night Live character: Don’t get me started! Don’t even get me started! :wink:

Frankly, the topic is not worth discussing…I’m thankful that CG came along to blast a hole through the tired conversation about modern vs. traditional art. The 1950’s are over, and it’s time art schools got over the Industrial Revolution.

I frankly became so disgusted with “Art” talk in magazines and such that I seriously considered not ‘being’ an artist. I’m happy for the times we have now, in which you can get your work seen outside of the tired ‘gallery’ system, where artists are ripped off with frequency, and few people see your work besides your family and close friends. Good riddance! :slight_smile:

It’s not worth bemoaning the fact that schools are so bad. It’s just up to individuals to find what they need in terms of their own training. It took me schlepping my a** across the country to get it, and I was fortunate to be able to do so ~ though frankly there are good schools on the East Coast of the US, they were just too close to home. :wink: But if you’re not in a position to find the best training, then take advantage of the myriad online opportunities that are here and elsewhere. Or, move, if you can. You can spend a lifetime hating your situation, or you can proactively effect your future. I’ve spent time doing both, that’s for sure! But you have to pursue what you want, there’s no one who’s going to do that for you. :wink: And as far as schools are concerned, all that matters is the one that you go to and what you get out of it.

Cheers,

~Rebeccak

#6

OK, I’ll begin,

Their approach is one of creativity and basically trying to get you to produce something that nobody’s ever seen before and to get you to come up with a psychological explanation for it.

That’s basically it.

#7

p’clip,

They don’t know how to do anything else. It’s how they were trained. :wink:

#8

I’m going to use my time machine to go back to the 16th century and train under Caravaggio. Before he killed that guy, of course…

#9

Murderers have first~hand cadaver resources. :wink:

Hey, at least you don’t have to dig up dead bodies like in the Renaissance. :thumbsup:

#10

True, becca, true!

However, 2 of my brothers are doctors, so ample resources there. :twisted:

pimp cadaver? photoshop opportunity!!

#11

I think Rebecca knows full well my qualms with art education :stuck_out_tongue:

Let’s just say I have issues with them trying to make me graduate in a skin tight, black turtle neck with a french beret while smoking from a cigarette stick.

#12


With sandals?

#13

Lol ~ Mason doesn’t even have those pretensions! :smiley:

People like you are motivated and will learn despite not having the best in terms of resources. You are lucky in that the internet provides such a wealth of resources beyond the typical classroom. :wink: Ultimately, if you end up spending more energy thinking about how bad your school is, then you’re doing yourself a disservice. I think you personally are one of the few who actually gets crackin’ and makes the most of his/her situation, for which you are to be commended. :wink:

Having said that, I still hope you’ll be able to pursue better training. One never knows, with a good job, you might be able to get a lot of hands on experience. Most people will tell you that you will learn 10X more from a job than time spent in school. I’ve found this to be true, but a good school can certainly take you places in terms of your training.

In related news, have you seen my postcount? :smiley:

Cheers, :slight_smile:

~Rk

#14

Were you talkin’ to me, huh? were you talkin’ to me? :smiley:

Yes, yes, rebecca…we’ve ALL noticed your postcount. I was talking to Leigh about returning you to 0 :twisted: After all, you like a challenge, don’t you? :scream:

I know it’s all ‘for the paper’, but shouldn’t you at least have something to focus on/occupy your mind during the 4 years??

#15

Having recently done art A level i can tell you (british) art education is in a piss poor state.

I was taught NOTHING. I kid you not.

I was just given an “arty” title and told to develop a project on it. Most the girls I was with took it as an easy qualification. they glued on sequins and crate paper together into a big mash and got A’s. Where I struggled to create detailed anatomy sketches etc.

I seriously had to teach myself about nagative space, perspective, anatomy, tone, atmosphere, colour etc.

Simo

#16

Haha, good find Paperclip! But he doesn’t look pretentious enough!

Hehe, thanks Rebecca :stuck_out_tongue: If nothing else, complaining about school is an amusing way of passing the time :wink:

Oh, and your postcount frightens me. Truly.

#17

I’ve dropped out from artschool too for these reasons. :banghead:
There’s too much too mention about this, I don’t know what to say.
Except, don’t go there! Don’t even apply to an artschool if you don’t know for sure that the teachers are good and that 99% of all studying time will be put on art discussion.
I wish I realized that one year ago.

#18

I think what has happened is after modernism stripped art of everthing the only thing they are left with now is as was said earler trying to make “something that nobody’s ever seen before”. I know working on galleries it really all came down to what kind of art can I make that will be easy to reproduce and I can see. Now I will just repeat this over and over until die:) Very sad really.

#19

Also guys/gals check out this list http://www.artrenewal.org/asp/database/atelier_list.asp and see if their is a good teacher in your area.

#20

at the risk of a flaming inferno here I just want to say that this all sounds a little over the top. The best had to learn from someone too, most probably gathered their own info on the side so they could learn faster.
If you put enough time energy and focus into something you can’t be worse of than before. So you don’t like modernism, then you just go for something else. I personally have the feeling you are misinterpreting the intentions of your teachers.

Nonetheless I do have to admit that me learning on my own has been about ten times faster than I would have at school. But imho that’s simply because I defined my goals and processes a lot better than before.

After all that, I think schools are aimed at markets for people to be active in. We can’t all be masters in the end so we can’t all be trained to be masters. But you can be helped into making some money in a way that you will be happy satisfied with. That’s just a tougher balance to strike.