Advice for a future artist?

[beachnut]

My DS is a talented artist (loves anime/manga/cartooning) and is probably heading toward a future in art in some capacity -- illustration, digital animation, video game art design, graphic design, etc.

 

While I'm planning a solid high school education in all the core courses, I'm trying to work in lots of opportunities for DS to explore art (self-teaching books, co-op classes, public high school classes, summer classes, etc.)

 

Does anyone have any advice on what opportunities to pursue throughout high school (i.e., class/curriculum suggestions, extracurricular activities, entrepreneurial ideas, contests, volunteer work, etc.)?

 

Also, any comments on pursuing some kind of art-related degree at an actual art college vs. a regular 4-year college?

[tex-mex]

I wanted to major in art -- won a scholarship to an art institute, but decided to go to a state univ as it was cheaper. ;)

 

In high school, I'd volunteer all of the time to create backdrops/murals for the Drama Club. Always got the school photographer to take shots of me at work for my portfolio. I was the school newspaper cartoonist and always had a pithy editorial cartoon for the latest edition. I also would illustrate the Memory section for the yearbook -- sort of like a caricature of the popular kids with funny comments. It was big to have your face in that section of the yearbook. LOL I would also draw caricatures of seniors for the June edition of the school newspaper -- Cutest Couple, Best Dressed, Most Likely to... :D

 

I had a great art teacher in junior and senior high. She'd mentor me and suggest what to do with creating a portfolio. Perhaps there is someone in your community who can do this for your teen?

 

ETA: Classes. Have ds take lots of art classes. Ceramics, printmaking, watercolors, fiber art, etc. Anything that can open his eyes to the possibilities of where art can take him. Do a summer camp for graphic art or using computer for video game illustration. Have him set up a shop on Etsy and sell his art there and do local craft/art shows just to get a better understanding of the marketing side of art.

Edited April 4, 2011 by tex-mex

[JennW in SoCal]

My dh is a professional artist who got a BFA at a state university. The good thing about having that well rounded education is that professional artists are always drawing (no pun intended, really!) on historical, cultural and literary references for their projects. Granted they do research when a project comes up, but most of the artists I know are very well read and have a broad education and wide interests.

 

My dh says that what makes an artist is the desire to do nothing but draw and create. Lots of folk enjoy drawing or sketching and may have some talent, but the person who becomes a professional is driven to draw -- it is something they spend hours at daily, the way a musician or athlete practices. Besides classes, give you ds the time and space to draw -- does he have a drawing table in his room?

 

Besides taking classes and simply creating, you can also supply your ds with lots of "the art of" books -- the art of Star Wars, the art of various Disney movies and other similar titles where they show all the sketches and studies the artists made in creating their characters. Concept art books are great too, and there are lots of DVDs on drawing that are made by terrific artists. And of course go to local museums and study work of the masters.

 

Take your ds to comic book or gaming conventions and encourage him to attend panels by artists, or to find artists and chat with them. The artists are always happy to look at the art of aspiring fans and to give tips and encouragement. One of the things I learned by attending these myself is that gaming developers and animation studios are swamped with portfolios of sketches and designs for characters, but what no one ever showcases landscapes -- trees, buildings and mountains, and they really need artists who can do that! My dh's best friend started at a gaming company with a job of simply adding the shadows in the landscapes -- I say simply, but it is a tougher job that us non-artists would imagine! This friend now does design work for Disney movies and theme parks.

 

As far as high school -- how about entering art in the county or state fairs? The dd of a friend has won first prize for her photography for a couple of years. Most important is to have fun with it at this point. The sketchbooks from my dh's high school years are covered with super hero sketches he copied from his comic books. Fast forward to adulthood, and he is working in comics, producing the art the young kids today are copying.

[Susan C.]

As a mom of two creatives, you might want to go easier on the math and science. In hindsight, we have put enormous amounts of time into those two subjects. I don't mean to skip them, but it took my two dc so long to so them that there wasn't time left for much else, and they were spent. Its another side of the brain for them.... If I had a third we would not do chemistry.... ugh, what a nightmare for a right-brain!

[beachnut]

I'm not a math/science person, and neither is my artsy DS. However, I'm following the newly revised graduation requirements of FL, which require 4 years of math (Alg. 1 & higher) and 3 years of science (must include 2 labs and biology, chemistry & physics). Ugh! My DS will be taking these online, since I can't (and dont' want to) teach these. And a good, solid foundation doesn't hurt. I'm just not thrilled about it. :001_rolleyes:

[TechWife]

Don't forget about AP exams:

 

Art History

Studio Art: Drawing

Studio Art: 2D Design

Studio Art: 3D Design