[Jucas]

I just dropping this line in the water to see if anyone will bite. In other words, anyone go to art center here? I am certainly am curious. Thanks.

BTW Craig, I emailed you, the email address from your website, not sure if you recieved it or not. Basically I wanted to know if you had a the time to answer a few questions about Art Center and your advice you gave me in my previous Art center thread. Well... anyhow... Thanks

[ceenda]

I think he mentioned recently that he was busy with certain contracts and that he gets tons of mail.

If I recall, Vortx (FengZ) is an Art Centre graduate, so maybe send a few questions to him?

[spooge demon]

I stay away from my inbox. Sorry. How can I help you? Ask here and I will answer here.

[Dr. Bang]

Dont blew your changes Jucas!

[Jucas]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dr. Bang:
Dont blew your changes Jucas!

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Wha?

Anyhow. Craig, thanks. I just have a few general questions about Art Center and your advice.

First off, ID classes, are Introducion to Drawing? I'd assume so. Just checking cause you never know.

Any specific teachers, classes that I should look for? In my situation, as is, I can't afford to go to school right now. I am moving to CA and I hope to live and go to school at Art Center by Night, and apply for the cal grant and maybe get some money from Art Center the following fall. Would ID's Classes be the best bet to buff up my portfolio?

Anything, that you wish you would've taken/done while you were at Art Center that I should at the very least keep in mind?

Here's something practical, where did you live? In Pasadena, did you already live in LA? I am trying to situate myself in the easiest way possible and I don't really know what to expect. Any wisdom you can contribute, if any, would be fabulous.

I think that is about it. I really appreciate it.

If there is anything else you think of, I would be extremely greatful.

Thanks so much.

[spooge demon]

Jucas, I graduated about 10 years ago, so I am not sure how much of my knowledge about AC is relevant today, but for what it is worth.

I do stick by what I wrote in the other thread, that did outline my general thoughts on things.

The one ID class that I think is SO important is the basic shapes and lighting class. They overhauled the class names to make it seem more structured. The foundation classes are all called viscom 1,2,3 etc. Not as descriptive, not sure why they changed the names. Not sure why they did a lot of things The shapes class is called viscom 1, I think. Find out who is the best teacher, if you have a choice, and take it.

Take the perspective class as well. I had a fellow named Brewer, he probably retired since I left, but he was very technical and this is better than "perspective for illustrators" or the equivalent of geology 101 or "rocks for jocks." Try to get the more technical teachers, you want information, not hand holding. Figure it out later, but get the info.

As far as entrance portfolio requirements, I am sure that you are screened more closely on credit score than drawing ability, so don't worry about using the classes to buff up on the portfolio. Work on drawing day and night, you will do fine. I don't think the entrance committee will be impressed by parroting back what you learned in the night classes, but they will be looking at overall drawing and design ability.

Take a drawing class from Mark Strickland if he is still there, it's called drawing for illustration, a foundation class in the ill dept. It is about seeing carefully and noticing the design in the simplest of natures forms. I did not understand what the hell he was talking about until years later. This is common, so don't judge what you are learning too harshly, just accept that is may make sense later. Be the sponge, grasshopper...

I have written before that the overall exposure to many different types of art created a kind of compost in my mind that resulted in a richer soil that has helped me through the years. If I had gone to a more specific atelier type school, I probably would not be doing art now, as it is too narrow for me. I would have gotten bored. Even though you might not see the relevance of Dekooning to rendering a bitchin looking super shiny car, listen and absorb anyway. The trade school mentality will bite you in the ass later on.

On the other side of things, don't play the art dilettante and sit about the cafeteria posing as you ponder the deep questions of art and look down your nose at those who are working on drawing an painting. Draw and paint, but don't judge the wider lessons. Just accept them, and keep on drawing.

Most programs are divided into 2 parts, not officially, but practically. The first 2 years are skill building, the second are studio, or practicing, basically. There are electives, and I retook the foundation courses in figure work. It is good to go back to that later, and continue it. I stopped all figurative work until I started doing the little sketches I used to post here, because I was too busy struggling to get established. Now I am working from the figure three days a week. I would recommend that you never stop the way I did. Keep at it.

Since you are in LA, look up Glenn Villipu and sit at his feet as long as you can.

I lived in Pasadena, about 10 minutes from AC. The studio I rented used to be Alson Clark's, and my landlady used to model for him. There were a bunch of nice paintings in the closet of her painted by Clark. They are probably worth a lot. Try to live as close to AC as you can, it is wasteful commuting. Some who lived far really suffered and their work suffered as well. Many people in the area like to rent to AC students, but make it clear that you are not a party animal fine artist. There are stereotypes of the different majors.

[c]

jucas i faintly recall a thread about you being accepted to scad. are you changing your mind? have you been accepted to ac?

i've wanted to be an ac student for a depressingly long time. i'm still trying to get in, but in the meantime i've taken (or rather, sampled) a few classes.

everything spooge said seems right to me. though i didn't like brewer very much, yea technically he had his shit together but it was so boooooooooooooring..

mark strickland is really excellent too. he is the kind of guy that asks you, what do you want to do with your life? and sincerely tries to get you there.

because of my failures in ac and the cost associated with them, my feelings about artcenter are definitely mixed. it's hard to justify the price of an artcenter edumacation. i hope you do well enough to get grants and scholarships.

regards.

oh btw, do you have a homepage of some sort? with your portfolio.

[ May 07, 2002: Message edited by: c ]