<p>Hello. Let me set up my current situation. I would love to major in Illustration, and ideally I'd love to be a concept artist. Sadly, I don't have tons of money to spend on art college and it would be much easier if I could go to a state university. Here's the tricky part:</p>
<p>I need to find a state university in Florida that has a good art program. By a good art program, I mean I'm going to be learning what I need to know for my career, this means digital art (photoshop) and building a good work portfolio. Because let's face it, digital art is kind of like the new medium. </p>
<p>Also, internship programs and helping me get a job is a MUST. Now I know art colleges do all of the above things, but do regular universities offer me the same education as an art college would in the ARTS and nothing else? For example, I'm looking into UCF but I'm not sure how strong their art program is. </p>
<p>So, anyone know of any Florida universities with a strong art program?</p>
<p>there is this nice FL mom named redbug with art kid who visits every morning or so. wait on it.
If not limited to FL, there are more options, I think</p>
<p>Well, my parents really want me to stay in Florida, and honestly I do too. It’s just, money is tight. But hopefully she’ll see this and give me an insightful answer! :D</p>
<p>I don’t know anything about Florida, but regarding studying art you really don’t need to look for a program that teaches you to use Photoshop. I study animation/illustration at a state university and my program teaches no digital art. They’re not against it; most of the students can and do paint digitally. All students learn to paint traditionally with acrylics and goache, then after two semesters of painting traditionally most move to Photoshop. If you want to use Photoshop, it is really easy to do it through self study. I’ve been using Photoshop since I was twelve and have gotten by with nothing but (free) tutorials. Quality programs shouldn’t focus on teaching software, because you can learn software from a book and it can become outdated quickly anyway.</p>
<p>What you should look for in a program is an emphasis on draftsmanship. Look for a school that stresses drawing (figure drawing, rendering, perspective, etc.), painting, and design.</p>
<p>Well in that case, not to get slightly off topic, but do you know of any good books/tutorials I can look at? I mean, I know very well how to work Photoshop, I just have a lot of trouble with blending my colors and only that.</p>
<p>There might be some advice even online by googling your questions.
But I just wanted to add that this is good advice, don’t focus on a particular program because you could spend way too much time learning it only to find it’s outdated. There was some excellent advice from Pixar somewhere here recently that mirrors the advice you were giving. Drawing and painting skills, whether on canvas or screen are more important than learning particular programs.</p>
<p>What year in HS are you? How are your stats? Several universities in other states offer significant tuition reductions for out of state…VCU has this scholarship but you have to apply by Dec 1. Ohio State also has this type of tuition reduction for good oos students. Ringling is very expensive, instate FL but may have something special for fl students. SCAD also offers significant help to outstanding students so I would not limit yourself to FL but definitely explore some options for financial safeties.</p>
<p>@artsmarts Thanks for the advice, that does make sense. I mean, if I gain the skills to do something on paper with paint, I’m sure it’s the exact some concept with Photoshop. </p>
<p>@Wheaty Thanks! I’ve been starting to accumulate a list of colleges to check out, and those two have been added to my list. I’ll be sure to reasearch them!</p>
<p>@fineartsmajormom I’m a junior and a AP student, but my GPA is only about a 3.2 (freshman year was a really bad year for me, kind of messed things up there) I have to stay in state, or close to home (so really, the furthest I’ll be able to go for college is SCAD, and even that is pushing it). As much as I want to go to school in Illinois or anywhere up in the midwest I’m making it a priority to stay at home in Florida. I don’t want to limit myself to Florida - but due to my parents and my financial situation it just won’t work. Even if I could go to a school up north - I would have NO MONEY to drive down to Florida and visit my parents on holidays. I mean, we’re barely making it by right now.</p>
<p>Hi, I’m the mom bears was talking about. I am not that familiar with Florida programs because my D wanted to go anyplace BUT Florida, and a state school anywhere was out of the question. Yes Ringling is “in state”, but only literally - in the state of Florida. You’ll find the tuition at most private schools (CC’rs, correct me if I’m wrong) is the same whether you are instate or out. The trick is to get the most merit aid you can. Sometimes a private school with good merit aid can be more affordable than a state school with little or no financial aid. D got some great merit aid at NHIA (which would have made NHIA 1/3 the cost of the other schools she was looking at, but chose MCAD instead, based on the artistic community and internship opportunities (Target, 3M, etc.) She is an illustration major and is using all kinds of medium - there is no strictly digital component.</p>
<p>As for the question as to how much art do you get at what I call a state school, it depends on if you’re doing a BA (30% art, 70% everything else) or a BFA (70% art, 30% everything else).</p>
<p>You always have the option of community college or state school for 2 years and then transferring. D’s friend did that, saving up her money for the last 2 years at MCAD, which she is paying for herself.</p>
<p>Arrange for a visit to the state schools you are close to/interested in. Ask to speak with a member of the art faculty and take a tour of their department along with the rest of the school. You will see how they treat their art department. We saw several state schools in the northeast, and one had their art department in the basement - and it wasn’t a nice basement either. On the other end of the spectrum, Northern Michigan University had a brand new stand alone Art Department building that was very very well equipped. BTW, NMU gives nice merit aid. They were VERY interested in my daughter and her stats were about the same as yours at the time. </p>
<p>Bottom line, don’t rule out schools in other states!</p>
<p>Ah, that makes me slightly more hopeful! I really want to major in illustration! And I love working in all mediums, but I’m just hoping to learn more about digital mediums as well, is what I guess I meant. And, well, if I go to a state college BFA sounds like what I would end up doing. Oh yeah! I really need to find a good college with good connections with internships and such, especially since it seems like the only way artists get jobs is through connections. Unless I’m wrong.</p>
<p>I’ve already ruled out going to community college, mostly for personal reasons. I mean, we don’t have a lot of money but we’re not dirt poor either. We’re middle class, lower middle-classish. I believe my mom mentioned having some sort of prepaid college program that allows me four years at a Florida state school for free or, well, some money is reduced or something. But that’s another reason my parents are pushing for me to go to a Florida school - they have a prepaid whatever. I’ll have to ask exactly what it is. </p>
<p>And excuse me for sounding naive, but what is NPD? </p>
<p>I really do want to go to other schools OUTSIDE of Florida, but my PARENTS do not want me to. So basically, I’m going to a school in Florida if I like it or not. I’m having enough trouble convincing them of letting me go to art school - if I brought up going out of state as well they’d probably explode.</p>
<p>Also, do you think an art school or “regular college” is better for an illustration major? Or does it just completely depend on the art department at the school and not the school itself?</p>
<p>The Princeton Review just named two Florida colleges in their Best-Value Colleges review, both in the top 10 I think.
Google Princeton Review Best Value Colleges
In this economy going to a state school can be a very smart idea, there are tons of talented kids out there with huge debt load and no work. There are plus and minuses to going to a good art school but one thing is definitely true, it will be very very expensive with no guarantee that you’ll come out with a good job. Remember that for every 2 or 3 “famous” graduates there were hundreds and maybe thousands of graduates that sort of disappear into the ether maybe to have happy productive lives yes, but every state school can name a few “famous” grads too. It’s what you put into it, how hard you work.</p>
<p>NPD is National Portfolio Day and you should go next year if you can. It’s useful, you’ll get realistic feedback about your work and sort of get a taste of what the art schools and art departments are like. It’s generally also a zoo so go very very early like about 2 hours before opening. Here is their website</p>
<p>I have a relative who managed to get through college without any debt thanks to the public school system and unlike most friends is now free to pursue work and graduate school without worry. Consider it.</p>
<p>Thank you for saying that, it kind of makes me want to go to a state school more. Or at least it put my current financial situation into better perspective for me. Basically you told me what my parents have been telling me, but I don’t seem to believe my parents when they tell me things until another person tells me the same thing as well. I guess I’m just being a teenager lol.</p>
<p>Oh! National Portfolio Day! I knew what that was, the abbreviation just confused me, sorry! But yes, I’m certainly going to it next year - no doubt. </p>
<p>And thank you so much for putting things into better perspective! Now I can see both sides of my own argument, and I think it would be silly to limit myself to ONLY looking at art schools. I have a little list of universities and art schools to visit - and plans are being made!</p>
<p>You just missed NPD here, it was in Miami and Jacksonville the end of January. It is a huge venue where schools come and you can have your portfolio reviewed. It is usually the admissions counselors doing the review, so they have a very good idea of what their particular school is looking for. Most, but not all will be what I call “stand alone” art schools. Last year the only Florida state school I recall being there was Univ of Florida Gainesville, and he liked my D’s portfolio. If your parents have a pre-paid plan, it makes sense to stay in-state. You might also check into Bright Futures to see if you qualify. We did not visit any of the Florida schools, so I can’t say how they treated their art departments. Find out what schools your pre-paid plan covers, and then start digging into those schools. Look at the student galleries and check out the professors. Whatever school you go to, you will get out of it what you put into it.</p>
<p>I don’t think I would have gone this year anyway, my portfolio actually didn’t really start coming together and looking nice till this semester in school. But I’ll be sure to be there next year - no doubt! And I should qualify for Bright Futures, I think. Unless I was misinformed of the requirements - I’ll have to double check. </p>
<p>My pre-paid plan covers all public universities in Florida, I think. And even if I choose to attend a private university - I still get a certain amount of money which is good. And thank you so much for the advice Redbug, and everyone else too! You guys have been a huge help to me and my quest for finding a college to go to! :)</p>
<p>I would encourage you to go to NPD even if you think your portfolio wasn’t that great. What you want is feedback, what to work on, what to change, what you’re doing right. D’s friend when with a portfolio full of manga and Sonic the hedgehog, and heard first hand what my D had been telling her all along, she needed more life drawings. That’s the push she needed and I saw her self-portrait in a juried student show last year. Double check the Bright Futures requirements, because I think they changed them last year.</p>
<p>If you get a chance, look at Northern Michigan University, they have one of the lowest OOS tuitions around. For example, FSU’s instate tuition, books, housing, etc has an estimated bottom line of $18,630. NMU’s bottom line is $22,852. NMU was ready to give my D $6k right off the bat. Not sure how FSU is with financial aid, but just something to keep in mind.</p>
<p>There’s a CC’r whose daughter goes there and she liked the school very much. We visited there, but the small town was too small for my D. Facilities were great tho!</p>
<p>^^^ If that’s doable for you, you might also check out Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, WV. It is mostly known for music, art, and nursing. The OOS costs for this year total less than 22K (and they offered my D1, who is there, a “tuition stipend” that brought the total down to less than 20K).</p>
<p>I think Bears had also posted a favorable report at some time about the University of Boise, or University of Idaho - Boise, which might have similar costs.</p>