Art & Design course advice

L!aM

I was wondering if an art student or teacher would be able to outline the different types of art degrees and diplomas that are available and the ones most useful for different careers. I know google is available and have used it already but it's hard to get a good overview from it and was hoping that I could find someone with a better knowledge of it here.

For example, drawing is one of my favourite things in the world and would like to further develop my hands on skills (colouring, shading etc). Career-wise I'd be very interested in concept drawing say, for sci fi, games or whatever. What would be the best way to do this?

Jim10000

Where are you and what age are you?
are you thinking about third level education?
are you leaving school soon?
For the kind of career you mentioned maybe the best thing to try to do in college would be illustration, which will be in the graphic design department of an art college.
Different colleges call it different things but the 'graphics' dept is the more commercially oriented side of things where you might study design stuff which will set you up for getting a job rather than being a Picasso style artist.
Usually at Art college you start out doing a 'foundation' year where you try bits of everything and then you specialise, but they are quite difficult to get into and a lot of people do a portfolio-preparation course after school first.
Why don't you ring all the art colleges and describe what you're interested in and ask them to send you out their prospectus? Maybe ask the art teacher in your school if they can help?
Good luck!

havok*

First off, to my knowledge there is no illustration diploma/degree course in this country. As far as drawing skill is concerned a Fine Art course would be alot more benifical to you then a vis comm (graphic design) course. A Painting or Printmaking degree through Fine art would be your best bet as graphic design courses are more orientated towards digital skills as apposed to manual skills.

chewy

but this sorta speaks

concept drawing say, for sci fi, games or whatever

animation in ballyfermot or dun laoghaire to me endless on page drawing in that

L!aM

Where are you and what age are you?
Cork, 19
are you thinking about third level education?
i'm already at university but I don't think my course is for me (psychology)
Usually at Art college you start out doing a 'foundation' year where you try bits of everything and then you specialise, but they are quite difficult to get into and a lot of people do a portfolio-preparation course after school first.
Hope to enlist in one but I'd rather have a plan of action before dropping out of uni and shocking my mother
Why don't you ring all the art colleges and describe what you're interested in and ask them to send you out their prospectus?
Not really sure what art colleges there are about, would definitely be looking for one to impress when it's on my CV

Monkey

Don't do a fine-art course if you want to do sci-fi type drawing. You will not do well in a fine art course if you do that kind of work. I am a fine art student. You do not do fine art if you are looking for a job you do it if you want to be a fine artist.

Try looking at the courses offered by Dun Laoighre Institute of art design and technology.

http://www.iadt.ie/

Silent Grape

illustration exists in NCAD. just do what someone else said, ring the actual art college, iadt, NCAD, DIT, limerick, Galway IT etc etc,

RicardoSmith

Students in the Graphic Design course in NCAD have done illustration/gamedesign, and specialised in it but its not really what that course is about. In my opinion Industrial Design is not a million miles away either in terms of concept drawing etc. But as a graduate of NCAD myself I would suggest you look towards a special course in the UK if you are serious about it. They have specialist illustration and gaming courses over there.

Any chance you'd show us some of the stuff you've done? Even PM me a link etc.

Also most places will look for a really creative portfolio. I know that when I did interviews for game companies a few years back they were most interested in doodles and scketches than formal artwork, computer stuff etc. The idea being is that they can tech you the skills, drawing and computers etc, but they can't give you an imagination or an ability to invent interesting ideas and concepts.

Gyck

I'd say try to get into a foundation course in one of the main art colleges before specialising. You'll be amazed at how your perception of what you want to do may change in a year...

RicardoSmith

Gyck wrote:

I'd say try to get into a foundation course in one of the main art colleges before specialising. You'll be amazed at how your perception of what you want to do may change in a year...

Show us some of your artwork Gyck! You were in NCAD!