<p>My son is talented in art, but maybe not passionate. He is currently at a small art school but is questioning whether he is at the right place. He is wondering how he will use art for a job. He doesn't see himself as a passionate artist but he is good at art and seems to gravitate toward art classes and likes them better than most other classes. He is a good student but is having a hard time figuring out what to do for an education. What he really loves is painting and drawing more than graphic art, although he can do the computer part too. I guess I am looking for suggestions for how to advise him and also ideas for academic and career paths, especially ideas that might marry art with something else.</p>
<p>Thoughts: art education (teaching), art therapy, or architecture</p>
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<p>I think you have a smart son. Too few college students think about this prior to starting college.</p>
<p>I have an artist friend who designs book covers and paints on the side. I love his work. You’ve seen it too, because he does lots of mass market paperbacks as well as scholarly books. I ended up in architecture because I liked art and math, but didn’t think I had the confidence to make it as an artist. In retrospect I kind of wish I’d given children’s book illustration a shot. (I did later in life, but it’s hard to break in.)</p>
<p>get him over to the graphic design department. Schools like Parsons and FIT are good at them and many graduates excel in those programs. I have several family members and friends are successful in all aspects of arts. Here is a list of their professions:</p>
<ol>
<li>graphic art graduate, became real estate developer, building apartments, multimillionare.</li>
<li>self taught artist, became famous interior design specialist, work for high networth clients and large corps.</li>
<li>industiral design graduate, became advertising designer</li>
<li>graphic art graduate, work is in NY, supporting and attending a small child in AZ and telecommuting.</li>
<li>went to MIT for architect, now owns an architect firm with her husband.</li>
<li>went to U Richmond for art history, now an art dealer.</li>
</ol>
<p>Just a few examples of artists profession.</p>
<p>What subjects in high school did he enjoy besides art?
What kinds of things does he do in his free time, what does he like to read about?</p>
<p>My oldest ( actually both my kids- but * especially* oldest), is very drawn to creating and art. When she was in elementary school, ( she attended private K-12) she was probably the best one in the class and her talent inspired the school to start a new program, where they chose one painting by a graduating student each year and had framed to hang in the school. ( so bill & melinda thats * my kids painting you look at everyday* Ok enough bragging sorry :o) </p>
<p>She continued this in middle & high school as well & we were very fortunate to have her attend a school where she could have TWO arts electives- so all through school she had " art" as well as drama/music.
She was seriously considering art school after graduation- however she also loved science as science is also very creative and her school had strong instruction.</p>
<p>However despite all this she was not a person where art more compelling than anythingl else, she also liked science, so I suggested that she find a school where the art studios were open to students who were not majors ( unfortunately, that is pretty uncommon) and where she could major in either art or scientific study.</p>
<p>It is a lot easier to paint or play music on the side, than it is to do experiments on arthropods.</p>
<p>She agreed, and she attended Reed College taking drawing, but later switching to choral as her expressive outlet ( as studio art requires an awful lot of time), and she taught herself how to knit as well & taught more than a few others to do so- she still is quite an accomplished knitter. ( oh her major was in biology)</p>
<p>One of the jobs she had after college was technical writing, other things she considered was scientific illustrator, but she currently is in grad school for her master in teaching which makes her very happy.</p>
<p>The art field is very competitive and if you are not passionate about it- I think there would be more enjoyable ways to make a living- what other schools did he look at when looking at colleges?</p>
<p>My first thought was illustration. My son took a class from a professor who was a medical illustrator.
Another D of a friend who is a wonderful painter and has made some money from her painting is getting her teaching credential to teach HS Art. In Ca the UC’s require a year of a visual art so she has been told that she should be able to find work.
My brother majored in Art and for a time was a commercial artist in the aerospace industry and has since switched to technical writing.
My S is a graphic design major in a BFA program. He prefers hand design over computer work but does both. Hopefully he will be able to find work when he graduates.</p>
<p>Second the suggestion of medical and/or technical illustration. Many people work freelance or for publishers. Another thought is animation. It has both industrial and entertainment applications and is a growing field with lots of young people.</p>