<p>I'm very talented artistically and know that I want to go into a creative field. However, a lot of the art schools I've looked at have very low academic requirements, and I want to have a major that combines my academic and artistic strengths. </p>
<p>Have won many art awards, good portfolio, but also 3rd in my class with a gpa well over 4.0. Advice? </p>
<p>I still have a lot of time to think before applying, but what are some other fields in art that need intellectual work as well as artistic talent?</p>
<p>In my opinion, all art majors do require quite a bit of intellect. It’s just usually lacking in the traditional “academic” intellect… which helps push the stereotype that artists are inarticulate …</p>
<p>I know what you mean though. I’m certainly not the top of my class ^^" I’m not that smart … but made it into top 10% and I’m very interested in going to a traditional university in a large arts city.</p>
<p>I plan to go into Art Conservation or restoration which combines technical skills and good eyes with a strong chemistry background.</p>
<p>Other art + other majors occupations that I’ve heard of [but honestly didn’t find much interest in]
selling/dealing art → lots of economics and business … fun stuff
Curating
Architecture and that sort is great. Be sure it’s something you enjoy doing though. To me, architecture is too structured… and it never truly appealed to me.</p>
<p>Heck, I’m going to end up listing so many arts careers. Why not double major? Or, what kind of art are you interested in? there are so many sub-categories! it would be MUCH easier to guide you in a certain direction if I had some ideas …</p>
<p>For example, in my state there are many great universities and they obviously have different strengths. One has an amazing illustration program, the other has connections with Pixar or Disney for animation, another one is noted for its great fine-arts program.</p>
<p>PS… i’m curious… do you have any art online? sorry, I just like looking at other people’s portfolios …</p>
<p>Don’t cut yourself short and assume that the art of “physically” making a painting or sculpture precludes the intellect. Just because architecture makes use of science and precision doesn’t mean that every practitioner reaches the heights of intellectual possibility. Why do you think our country is filled with McMansions?</p>
<p>Look at some conceptual and post modern art. Read the works of Roland Barthes.</p>
<p>Art History is the obvious complement to Studio Art</p>
<p>If you want to do a double major or major/minor combination, some non-art majors that you might combine with studio art include French, Italian, German, Spanish, English, Classics, Comparative Literature, Philosophy (Aesthetics), Religion (for an interest in religious art), Chinese or Japanese (for an interest in Asian art), Psychology (creativity, perception, art therapy), Anthropology (or African/Asian/Latin American Studies Studies—for an interest in indigenous arts, textiles), Chemistry (for an interest in art conservation), Computer Science (digital arts), American Studies</p>
<p>Studying studio art doesn’t preclude intellectual exposure, but in my opinion using college to get a wide and diverse liberal arts education is a good idea. </p>
<p>These are some colleges with very good to excellent art departments and good to excellent overall academics: Brown (with or without RISD), Yale, Williams, Wesleyan, Hamilton, Kenyon, Conn College, Vassar, Skidmore, Haverford. Smith if you are female.</p>
<p>My son had pretty much the same thoughts as you. He graduated from Williams with a degree in art history and studio art and is now getting a Masters in Architecture. While at Williams he was able to take a range of courses in the humanities, social studies and sciences, all of which, I think, will make him a better architect.</p>
<p>You can also go directly from high school to architecture school (the B.Arch); however I would only do this if you are 110% committed to architecture as it’s a very intense and focused program.</p>
<p>I would second momrath. If you have academic inclinations it would probably be best to go to a university or LAC where you can satisfy your intellectual needs as well as explore several fields. Of course you can easily go to an art school and get as academic as you like. There is definitely a highly academic and/or intellectual part of the (fine)art world that draws heavily on philosophy, critical theory and the humanities etc and there are also art schools which engage with this area more than others. But, from the sound of things, it doesn’t seem like you’re particularly invested in a specific path and in that case, an LAC or university would be the best place to go. You’ll be able to explore lot’s of different fields and ultimately be able to make a reasonable decision about what you want to focus on. </p>
<p>Besides there are far too many kids arriving at art school who think they should be artists because they’re talented at life drawing or figurative painting. And, eventually, they all find themselves in the unpleasant process of realising that as great as everyone thought they were in high school, technical skill has very little to do with contemporary art or design. It’s not really a situation particular to art either. I can probably count on half a hand the number of people I know who actually ended up majoring in the fields they initially planned to. Most people who start studying don’t have much of an idea about what their field of interest is like at a professional or academic level. American universities are remarkable in that they allow you to develop a sense of what various fields are actually like before asking you to commit to them and you should definitely take advantage of that. </p>
<p>If your only reasons for being interested in architecture is because it’s intellectually and creatively demanding, you could just easily end up being interested in media, philosophy or urban planning. Not to mention there are quite intellectual and creative sides to just about every field out there, whether it’s theatre or engineering. Conversely there are also quite banal and mechanistic sides to things like music, fashion or photography. It would be much more helpful to start thinking about and developing your actual interests rather than trying to pick a field of study based on some (possibly ill informed) notion of your ‘strengths’.</p>
<p>I didn’t realize how screwy my wording was till now, I didn’t mean to say that art isn’t intellectual … I completely agree - the art history/comparative philosophy class I’m taking blows my mind, but its not something I can see myself doing. I guess I’m looking for advice in a field that applies art using math and science … sorry bout that. :)</p>
<p>If you are looking at a field that combines art/design with math and science, have you considered either archtecture or animation, especially forensic animation? Both require strong math and science skills.</p>
<p>You could check out (some have been listed already) Brown/RISD combo, Yale, Carnegie Mellon with a BXA, and the VCU Honors college (perhaps a double major there?).
Also, as well as architecture, industrial design might be a great choice for you as well!
Good luck :)</p>
<p>Thank you for the advice! If you have any ideas whatsoever please try throw them at me, I’m trying to be open to all sorts of ideas because I’m only a soph … I have time. </p>
<p>Hmmm, I can’t find any info on Carnegie Mellon’s BXA … I found stuff on their BHA (bachelor of humanities and arts) their BSA (bachelor of science and arts) and their BCSA (bachelor of computer science and arts) … </p>
<p>Can anybody give me more information on that? Or is BXA just a general heading that all of them go under? </p>
<p>Also, do you know of any art/psychology programs … would that be BHA? Sorry to be so ignorant XD</p>
<p>Have you visited any schools yet? Do you have any older siblings already in college where you might be able to stay overnight? It sounds like you could benefit from that. Can you visit Wesleyan or Bard or one of the other liberal arts colleges that people have recommended to you? It sounds like you do need to explore and taking the LA college route would allow you to do that. If you visit you would be able to talk to students and ask them the all kinds of questions about majors, balance etc. You could feel out the art departments. So much becomes clear when you see things in person.</p>
<p>USC encourages double majors, has a fabulous honors college with the sort of intellectual students just like you for your GE reqs, and offers very generous merit scholarships for NMFs and other top students as well. Look into their many majors including animation in their film school, B. Arch in their school of architecture, as well as majoring in Art History, with minors in philosophy and also Studio Art? They have wonderful study abroad (as do many top Us) in Studio Art and Art History in Florence and elsewhere too.</p>
<p>If you are in CA, I’d also recommend looking at UC Santa Barbara’s College of Creative Studies. It’s like grad school for undergrads, with no major reqs but a lot of one-on-one advising and an honors curriculum. They only offer a few very specialized majors, but Painting is one.</p>
<p>UCLA has a fabulous art major as well as a digital design major that has led many students to interesting careers.</p>
<p>Take a look at any terrific university or LAC that offers art or art history (as opposed to a strict art conservatory approach) and think about getting a BA (instead of a BFA with many more units req’d in the major) in order to double major in other fields of intellectual interest.</p>
<p>I live in Pittsburgh, and plan on visiting local college this summer after my sophomore year. Unfortunately I’m the oldest, but I draw off some experience of my older friends. </p>
<p>I am applying to a summer art program at CMU, wish me luck ^^</p>
<p>Lemme look into these colleges (thank you so much again for all the info) and get back to you :)</p>
<p>that sounds great!!!
At the beginning of 11th grade my son thought he wanted to study architecture. By the end of 11th grade he had come to realize there were programs in Industrial Design and the field seemed much more appealing to him. He took a summer intensive at Pratt. I’ll never forget the day we picked him up. He was so happy, inspired and sure that he wanted to study ID in college.
I wish joy in your explorations. It is quite an exciting time in life.</p>
sorry, I just like looking at other people’s portfolios …</p>