College help, thinking of majoring in visual art?

HolyHesus

I am currently accepted and planning to attend Seattle University (NOT Seattle Pacific University). I am pretty sure I want to major in something in visual arts, or at least have Art be a major component of my studies. Particularly I enjoy sculpture.

However, I need advice out there from those who graduated with Art degrees and what not. What do you end up doing? My dream job is making props and gorry things for movies. A prop designer, or special fx stuff. I am really conflicted with people telling me that you can't really do anything with an Art major.

So, should I follow my plan plan to major in art, than maybe switch majors if I have too? Major in something more practical? I realize that a lot of people have jobs that don't compromise with their degree, and also that I do have a long ways ahead of me. I kinda just want an general direction to be pointed too.

Muchos Gracias and PA Forum love.

crake

You could turn that art degree into graphic design if you have to, while you try and break into your dream job. So keep that in mind when you're selecting classes - make sure to pick up graphic design classes along with everything else. Almost like a mini-major.

Could always do a full double major too.

NightDragon

crake wrote: »

You could turn that art degree into graphic design if you have to, while you try and break into your dream job. So keep that in mind when you're selecting classes - make sure to pick up graphic design classes along with everything else. Almost like a mini-major.

Could always do a full double major too.

I dunno about the double-major thing...chances are that would take a lot more cash to complete, and a LOT of time (double-majoring in art tends to be extremely time-consuming)...not something I would recommend to somebody who seems rather "on the fence" about pursuing an Art degree.

Generally, for your first year, classes will be primarily the same, regardless of your major. You'll probably take lots of academic courses that don't focus on your major, though you may get a class or two in that actually does. This is actually pretty beneficial to you, because at the end of your first year, if you decide to go for a different major, chances are you'll be able to do so without having to redo your first year. The first-year classes tend to be extremely similar across the board.

You should already know that making your living as an artist is supposed to be pretty difficult. Being a sculptor (or so I've heard) is very difficult - mostly because the number of jobs available are few, and the number of people seeking these jobs is high. Supply outweighs demand.

[opinion]
In my *personal opinion*, if you want to go for an art degree, especially a rather specialized degree, like sculpture, you better be damn sure that's what you want to do, and you better be good at it. Part of this could just be from me hearing about people who end up getting art degrees, spending thousands of dollars in the process, and then end up realizing that they can't find a job in that field. Part of this could be a result of my seeing kids in my drawing classes who think "hey, art's easy, right? I'll just do that" and have absolutely no skill whatsoever, in their 3rd year, and haven't learned a thing. Part of it would be the fact that I always compare myself to professionals ten years my senior, and wonder how the hell I'm going to find a job because I'm not as good as them right now.

People telling you "you can't do anything with an Art Major" are full of it. You can do a hell of a lot with an art major. Given, many of these jobs don't pay stockbroker-type-salaries, some of them are mundane and entry-level, many of them are hard get, and virtually all of them have graduates fresh out of college who are trying to snatch up the very job you're trying to land...but the number of possible jobs for somebody with an art degree is definately up there, I imagine. The problem arises in when you realize that you really have to specialize, you can't JUST have a "general art degree". Studio art, graphic design, illustration, video and game design, film, sculpture, fibers, fashion, industrial design, jewelry....etc. ...and obviously, specializing your degree tends to cut out other possibilities for you (as an example, somebody with a Fashion degree would probably have a hard time finding a job in the Industrial Design field). The same goes with deciding on switching majors halfway through an art degree. Decide you don't want to do art? Maybe you want to do computer science instead, as a more "practical" degree? You're going to have to shell out thousands more in tuition fees to cover all the CS courses you missed while sitting in front of a canvas/potter's wheel/whathaveyou. An art degree in itself is really completely different from any other degree I'd imagine you'd think of as "practical"...switching majors mid-art-degree would be a pain, because none of your art-based courses would transfer over towards the completion of a (for example) CS degree.

Basically, (to sum all this up) I'd just say going for a degree like that is fine, there is a possibility you'll make it and end up landing the exact job you were looking for....but for me, getting an art degree means absolutely knowing that you want to continue in that field. The chances of somebody who's "eh, I kinda like art" getting a job when up against somebody who's "I've been studying color theory in the mountains for the past 10 years" is slim. They will probably be more dedicated and will work harder than you. If you've got the motivation and determination to do it, go for it! My only suggestion would be to understand what you're getting into. I was considering becoming an animator for years before I realized, "wait, I never do anything animation-based, everything I do is 2D and static and detailed and shaded and 'illustration-y'. I guess animation isn't for me!"...and then I realized that I'd be much better suited for illustration...because really, that's what i really enjoyed doing the most, that's what I did normally, and that's the "type" of art I was best at.
[/opinion]

Again, all that is my personal opinion, I don't have any industry experience and this could just be my naive perception of the world, but that's generally what I've picked up. My mentality about the art industry is that it's a brutal place when you're looking for a job, but great once you get in and start doing what you want [though you might not start off doing exactly what you want. :P Lower-level stuff tends to come first, obviously]. Getting an art degree isn't the end of the world, and pursuing a job in art is not a death sentence. You just have to know what you're up against, and behave/learn/work accordingly.

[edit] good lord I type a lot. Ha. Hope I offered some good information in there.

Dioltas

If what you really want to get into is props etc for movies, your best bet will be to do whatever you can to work in your school's theatre. Working with the scene shop or the costume shop will be your best bets for props and gory makeup, but generally the lighting shop handles things like flash pots and other special effects. They'll give you actual experience with what you want to do (well, more or less. Props and makeup, at least.), and it will give you practical work experience. You have no idea how applicable theatre job skills are to "real world" jobs - can you say problem solving??

Another possibility is to work at your school's TV studio if they have one. They might be looking for people to help out with props and makeup for special shows etc.