Major advice? (ha, punny!)

College Majors Visual Arts and Film Majors
1

<p>Hello fellow cc members!
To be frank, I have no idea what I want my visual arts major to be.</p>

<p>The school that I am aiming to go to is RISD, and SAIC is my backup, MIAD if that fails miserably too. </p>

<p>I'm not sure what majors are offered at SAIC or MIAD, since I've been researching RISD only for the last couple of weeks, but based on RISD majors, I'm clueless!</p>

<p>Right now, I am a sophomore and I know that what I like to make will change by the time I'm in college, but right now the only thing I really enjoy is drawing! (specifically with charcoal). Now, RISD doesn't offer a drawing major, just a painting one. My last art class (ART II) focused on painting, and I got SO frustrated. I'm not sure if I'm just not experienced enough to enjoy it, or if I just don't like the media in general, but I did NOT enjoy the dependancy you have to put on the media- when paint dries, it's set. No more blending. That being said- I like DRY materials like charcoal and pastels that you can set down and come back to the next day and change if you don't like it. </p>

<p>So, for majors, i'm undecided.</p>

<p>I have also taken ceramics classes, and hated it for the same dependancy on the material. </p>

<p>However, I was thinking about sculpture, and I think that I may enjoy that (working with relatively dry materials but still making 3-D designs)</p>

<p>So, I guess what I'm asking is, How in the world do I decide what I'll want to do for 4 years? </p>

<p>What I like-
dry materials,
drawing portrait and figure,
conceptual AND realistic,
black and white (i'm not very good at mixing colors..)</p>

<p>What I DON'T like-
wet materials (paint (oil especially), clay)
drawing landscape
radical abstractism
photo realistic color schemes</p>

<p>I like building and am generally very good and planning (being able to figure out the HOW to making something) and am excellent at recreating things.</p>

<p>Any ideas for majors that I should look into?</p>

<p>Sorry for the long read I'm just so confused!</p>

2

<p>eminem,
If you go to RISD you will start out in foundation year doing a little bit of everything. Most art schools take this approach. A lot of students use the first year Wintersession (Short 6 week term between Fall and Spring semesters) to take an intro course in the major they are interested in. Each department offers presentations so that you can get an idea of what the majors are like. You can also take ask your foundation teachers to advise you on your choice of major. You declare your major in the Spring of Freshman year.
There is an Illustration major at RISD that might be more up your alley than Painting. In addition to Sculpture you might want to look at Furniture Design and Industrial Design. If you can do a summer pre-college program at RISD or somewhere else you might be able to get clearer about your path earlier. But you are young! There is no harm in letting it evolve over time.</p>

<p>I don’t know so much about MIAD but I am pretty sure that SAIC has a more open curriculum than RISD and allows interdisciplinary majors if that sounds better to you. RISD is a bit tight that way. That being said they do require you to take a number of out of major studio classes so you have a chance to try other things. Have you considered MICA at all? Also, Cooper Union does not require students to declare a major at all. It is a general BFA program and they encourage you to explore many disciplines</p>

3

<p>drae27,
thank you for the response!
I have been trying to find a summer program that is semi-local and affordable, and the ones at saic seem to have a lot of potential, so I might be applying for a two week course this coming summer :slight_smile: and no i have not looked at mica, but i just went on their website for a few minute and they look pretty solid- I’ll research them a little more later :slight_smile: </p>

<p>And I completely forgot about the foundation program!! haha :slight_smile: I know I have time and I was leaning towards the Illustration, so it seems like what you suggest is what I was thinking, so that’s a good sign!</p>

<p>Thank you for the suggestions- I don’t feel quite as lost anymore :)</p>