to go to art school or not to go to art school...

College Majors Visual Arts and Film Majors
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<p>For those Art Major forum "veterans", in your opinions what are going to be the "hot" majors or careers for high schoolers interested in art to be looking at after graduation in say 4-6 years? Do you see any trends emerging in the art field? Thanks!//</p>

<p>there will always be an appreciation for fine art. Human/computer interactive systems will rule, IMO. Here's an example, not that it is effective but that the possibilities are endless. How we interact with digital data and information will be the next "school of design". It already exists, but its popularity will expand exponentially.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.brendandawes.com/sketches/play-doh/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.brendandawes.com/sketches/play-doh/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>I agree about digital media, which is a fast-evolving field. And I strongly agree with RA's comment that graphic design is full of lousy designers and people who can do quality work and market themselves effectively will find a niche in this market. There's still a premium on artistic talent, whatever medium it may be employed in.</p>

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<p>Having a strong background in digital media would be helpful? OK, I guess we really have our hands full now! :) At least the kid has almost 2 years to find a school that has, in no particular order- just listing criteria from the King of "I want it all": a wonderful art program, strong academics in the liberal arts, not a large university, the potential to study abroad, probably a swim team, not 40K expensive (my want), and not over a decent day drive from central Virginia (another my want) and based on your suggestions, digital media. Would computer graphics be considered digital media? The reason I ask is that he has the ability to take CG classes on his list, too. Then he has to realize that his SAT scores, grades, strength of the portfolio- the actual possibility that he will be accepted is "kinda" important. </p>

<p>Oh well, this whole process should be interesting to watch. Much better than changing diapers, though. Where's the crystal ball when I need it? Interesting reading, RA and Mackinaw-thanks for your replies!</p>

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<p>Your son should pursue his interests first and foremost. Education will largely adapt to prvide the skills he needs because education is competitive.</p>

<p>Go to this site, it was sent to me by a friend in Savannah at SCAD. Design may become an automated process based upon plugging in sets of variables based upon complex algorythms.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.n-generate.com/download.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.n-generate.com/download.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>The n-Gen Design Machine is a rapid prototyping graphic design engine that automatically generates savable graphic files from a combination of the user's own text content and the n-Gen Design Modules - External style files that supply the Recipes (design algorithms, formulae, rule sets) and Ingredients (layouts, imagery, type, color palettes, etc.).</p>

<p>We could have a long debate about the technology, but remeber that technology is unsympathetic to humans and doesn't care if you just spent $80k to learn how to use a page layout application. That's why a student majoring in GD should focus their efforst upon understanding the role of visual communications, and not just what buttons to push.</p>

<p>The same thing has been going on in some industrial design circles for some time - users and focus groups will define packaging and product design.</p>

<p>Designers will have to adapt their skills to changes in technology, just as they have done for centuries whether the changes are from analog to digital photography, or phototypesetting to desktop publishing. This evolution will continue.</p>

<p>My opinion is that human/computer interaction will explode. Data management and user-based interactive systems will provide a multitude of design opportunities. However, design may largely be scripted or programmed rather than "composed." I don't forsee present design practice dissolving for a number of decades, but the nature and delivery of information will change. It always has. As mentioned, technology is unsymapathetic. Perhaps courses in "information design" will be most relevant.</p>

<p>Honestly, the requirements you seek based upon your son's interests can be found at the Savannah College of Art and Design. It isn't an elite school, but you will find it to be well-equipped, staffed by faculty from elite colleges, affordable, in close proximity, has athletic programs, courses in interactive scripting, and design practice, etc. I couldn't tell you about the liberal arts program except that I think you have to take math, english, language, classes, etc. Pay the school a visit and see what you think.</p>

<p>Oh yeah, the school has a campus in France, <a href="http://www.scad.edu/lacoste/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.scad.edu/lacoste/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>//Your son should pursue his interests first and foremost//</p>

<p>Amen to that one. It is so ironic that he is already processing information about what he wants out of life as I didn't have a clue at his age about what I wanted to do, where I wanted to go, or much of anything else relevant to life after high school. I only wish he was as focused about keeping his room clean! :)</p>

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<p>I'm in the same spot as the initial poster...I'm into fashion design and had originally planned to go to an art school for college. But when i started thinking about it, i realized that it would be ridiculous for me and my parents to spend 40K on school for me to like wake up one morning and say, oh, wait, i don't want to do this anyway. the problem with art school is that if you major in something like graphic design and then want to change majors, what do you go into or fall back on? The average college student changes majors 5 times during their career anyway, and art schools in general offer a very limited array of majors. They can also be very expensive. However, if you love art and it's your passion and you want to eat, sleep and breatehe it, follow your heart and go, and the experience will be really rewarding for you. If you're not sure, try to find bigger universities (Syracuse, Rice) that offer art majors as well. Otherwise, you're going to waste a ton of money and a lot of time doing something that youre not completely absorbed into.</p>

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<p>No matter what the art schools tell you, the liberal arts classes offered at art schools are not of the same caliber as those offered in a liberal arts college or university. I went to Mass. Art for undergraduate school and Wash. U for graduate school. A good friend of mine from graduate school, who taught at MICA one year felt the liberal arts program at MICA was very weak. Carnegie Mellon has an excellent illustration and graphic design dept. as well as excellent academics. You might want to consider attending their pre-college program this summer and see if it is an appropriate school for you. I taught a student in high school who attended Carnegie Mellon's pre-college program for computer graphics. He came away with a very strong portfolio, had a wonderful experience, and is graduating from Carnegie Mellon this spring.</p>