Source: CreativeCareerSchools.com

Your dream has come true! You are now enrolled in an art school or design school. You are ready to take the first step in your fulfilling your life-long dreams of becoming a designer or professional artist. Now, you may be wondering what to expect from college, and what college is expecting from you.

Excitement. Fear. Happiness. Doubt. Confident. These are the many emotions you will experience now, and throughout your art school learning experience. Beyond the importance of an art degree, design school is a life changing and enhancing experience. A high level of desire and preparation will help you succeed in school. There will be very long hours of learning and studying by yourself. Many art programs have studio study time also. You will also collaborate with other art students on group projects. And with computers being an indispensable art tool, you’ll also find yourself in front of a computer for hours on end!

In addition to the many art classes that you will love, you will have to take required courses in other subjects such as english, literature, history, and others that you may not have as much interest in as art. However, all your courses are important to success in design school. Your GPA (grade point average) is very important and the grades you receive non-art courses will count. Although your portfolio is extremely essential to you finding work as an artist or designer, your grades and other activities will matter to future employers. Also impressive to future employers, or other colleges you plan to attend for additional coursework of degrees, is any extracurricular activities such as volunteering, part-time work experience, art awards, and art exhibitions.

Most art programs start you in fundamental art classes such as drawing, sculpture, computer, typography, art history, composition, photography, color theory, design theory, etc. Once you have successfully learned the essentials, you begin to take classes that expand your creative exploration and problem-solving skills. You also take more advanced art and design classes. You will also start to specialize in a specific art or design area (e.g., graphic design, web design, interior design, fashion design, animation, illustration, photography, advertising design, etc.). At the same time, you will be mastering computer software programs such as Adobe PhotoShop, Adobe Illustrator, Macromedia Dreamweaver, Macromedia Flash, QuarkXpress and others. While attending these art and design classes, you will be building a portfolio of student work that you will show potential employers. Your portfolio is as important as your resume because it gives people an idea of your talent and creativity.

Some of the most memorable times you will find will attending art school will be the people you meet and learn from. Even the long hours of studying and some of the frustration you will feel while in school will all be worth it in the end. Enjoy your art school journey...

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