artschoolhelp-blog

[artschoolhelp-blog]

Hello!! Do you know if you have to take basics in all art schools, or is that only for college art courses? And if you don't need basics, can you get into art school with an ok gpa/act score? Can you get a degree in them anyway? I tried to Google this many times but never found anything :/ Thank you!!

I am probably very late answering this but you take prerequisite courses in art school before you go to your focus like I had 1 year of basics then entered my photo classes. to get in you don’t need to worry as much about your SAT score as you need to think about your portfolio.

#art school

[artschoolhelp-blog]

Graduate School - Right or Wrong for me?

Hi guys, 

I wanted to post something about graduate school because a lot of you just graduated and might be wondering if this is for you. Well, it can be, but it doesn't HAVE to be. 

I suffer with this myself, is a BFA enough? Does that tell people I'm smart AND talented? I don't know. Is graduate school going to improve that opinion? Is it worth it? 

Here is what I have found. First, you have been in school for YEARS. I HIGHLY recommend taking time away from school and exploring yourself. Take a break from the classroom! Can you make it as an artist without a Masters or graduate program? Yes, you can. Do you want to? This is a harder question that you will have to dig deeper to find. 

I will tell you that I graduated in 2011 and I have been working as a photographer ever since. I love this life but it is a struggle. Working for yourself means that unless you are working, you aren't making money. Nobody is going to pay you to slack off on your phone because there is nobody else. YOU have to make the money.

I recently decided to go to law school. When I first graduated I immediately wanted to attend graduate school. I wanted to for the wrong reasons though. I felt inadequate with just a BFA and I was scared to death that I wouldn't cut it as an artist. More school meant more time to figure it out. This is NOT the right reason to do more school. Doubt only fades when you face it and overcome it. I didn't even know what I wanted to go to school for I just wanted to do it. That doesn't really make sense.

NOW I am going to grad school next Fall because I want more opportunities and I am concerned about an issue (Copyright for artists) that I want the power to fix. I want a say in how I am represented and protected. I am a confident artist with skills and a business I am continuing to grow. I have a game plan and experience to back my plan up. I have this because I took time to develop it. 

If you are wondering about graduate school ask yourself a few questions. What do you want to study and why? Are you scared to be out there practicing your art and looking to stall? It's ok if you are, just be honest with yourself about that. 

Or, are you on a path to being a professor? If so, then I recommend going straight on and doing that. Positions don't come easy so the sooner you get out there and nab one the better. Or take a year off and teach at a camp to see if you actually like teaching. 

I hope this helps and please let me know if you want some advice about prepping for grad school etc. My e-mail is [email protected] and I am always available!

#uarts #uarts14 #art #Art School #college #grad school #graduate school #Help

[artschoolhelp-blog]

How do I come up with a thesis?

So now is the time when people are working on their thesis and probably changing everything in a flurry of panic at the upcoming end of their college life. I've been there and it's going to be ok. I'm going to write what helped me and what I'd have done differently. 

First, understand that this project has to be your best yet. This has to be what you leave behind that makes your teachers want to google you because your thesis was so amazing, you've got to be famous by now. Mine was not. It could have been, though. And here's where I went wrong. Learn from me. 

First of all, this is a hectic time and people are trying to come up with the coolest idea ever. I had one, and I blabbed about it to my friends. Next thing I know, they have a veeeery similar idea with an apologetic glance in my direction while we present. I don't blame them. Do NOT talk about your idea to people who are trying desperately to come up with their plan. You'll influence them and suddenly they can't think of anything else besides your idea so they go with it and hope you forgive them. If you made this mistake, forgive them. They didn't mean it. Make sure that presenting it to your TEACHERS in front of the class is the first time you go into detail about your concept.

Second, please realize that there is a deadline and the simpler your concept the better. I'm not saying make it boring. I'm just saying if you need 15 models, don't do it for your thesis. People will cancel or be booked with the other 30 students in your class that need models. You'll get halfway through and realize that you can't finish and then you're scrambling to come up with something that will work in the last 3 weeks you have. Can you come up with something needing 2-3 or even 1 model? Do you even NEED a model? If you're shooting landscapes, how can you make them different and unique to you? Do you love rusty cars? Find some. Hay bales? Go the distance. Do you need help? Get a friend to come with. Bring a tripod even if you don't know if you'll need one. Your car headlights can be your lights in a pinch. 

You're in school and you've had some art history. Learn from the masters. My thesis was about Joan of Arc. There was plenty of art to inspire me, there was history for me to learn, and it was personal. The personal connection is the most important. I really liked my concept. But, I went a little crazy with ordering props (I bought real armor, a fog machine, fashion pieces, everything). I confused myself. Joan of Arc spoke to me on a spiritual level. Why did I try and make a fashion statement? I'm not a fashion photographer. Why did I focus on the props? She wasn't about props, she was about action and tenacity. See where I went wrong? Find your idea and then focus on the MAIN concept. Don't think about clothes or frames and model yet. Think about what your concept is actually about. Write down keywords. Stick to the point and your message will read loud and clear. Get second opinions! I wish that I had listened to my teachers a little more. I got really involved and I felt defensive. Mainly because I knew the minute I started that my images were not up to par with my idea and I hated having it pointed out to me. If they say, hmm I don't get it? Ask them why, what could help, what does it say to them? Does it make them feel a certain way? You want people to feel your art. If they love it or hate it, good. They were moved by it.   

Make a deadline. You have 4 months left, that's maybe 16 weeks before hanging. 2-3 will go into printing and framing. That's 12-13 weeks of shooting and editing. You will probably aim for 8-10 perfect images. That's a tight fit. See why you don't need to go crazy with props and models? If you have your concept, plan and sketch your images and then start booking them week by week. Make sure you have something to show for you class day. So if you have your studio on Tuesday, shoot for the weekends so you actually have things to bring for Tuesday's class. Don't be afraid to schedule a private meeting with a teacher to look at something on another day. This is the last time you will have this option, use it while you can. 

Ok. Now let's say that you are really happy with your images and you're ready to print and frame. Do not just go pick up something from IKEA. This is your THESIS. Do you think that Sally Mann goes to IKEA for her gallery frames? No. The answer is no. Nor Michaels, Hobby Lobby, etc. Go find a professional framer. Yes, it is going to be expensive. I spent $1,000 on antique frames for my thesis. You don't need to do that but you DO need professional mattes cut and frames. Are you printing on an alternative paper choice? Pay the extra and get that test print made. It will save your behind. I printed on canvas and I didn't pay the $100 to get a test strip made. I hated my prints. They were NOT what I expected in color depth. I also saved money and printed out of state so I didn't see my work until it arrived on my doorstep. Bad move. Ugh it was terrible! And I burned up my money so I couldn't redo it. 

Find a LOCAL printer, GO and see your product before accepting it. Work with them, they will be excited to see a passionate student being hands on. In the end, especially if you want to do fine art, a printer will become your best friend. I took a class on matte cutting and framing so I build my own now. Maybe something to look at if you plan on doing a lot of this in your future career. 

I hope this post helped a little. I've had a lot of people e-mail me their images and I'd love to be of help to anyone looking for critique. [email protected] 

aliciaraft.com

#Art School #art #thesis #university #help #school #college #assignment #homework #gallery

[artschoolhelp-blog]

My parents don't want me to transfer... how do I tell them I'm unhappy doing anything but art?

First, I'm sorry that you're worried and are stressing about "the talk." I think honesty is the best policy. I also think you should research art school and be absolutely positive that this is where you need to be. Can you imagine working 20 hour days for yourself, being poor until you grow your business, etc.? Is that worth it if you get to follow your dreams? I absolutely love photography and retouching. When I take vacations I become cranky because I miss it so much. But there were some things I wasn't prepared for. Talk to artists, learn. Then talk to your parents in a respectful educated manner. Show them you know exactly what you're getting into and you want their support and show them the facts you've looked up! I think when our parents see us maturing and doing for ourselves, they're more likely to support us.

[artschoolhelp-blog]

New year of school, what to do?

It's that time of year again where new students have started their art school experience. You might be completely comfortable or you might be like me where you panicked because of the workload and strangeness of it all. 

First, take a deep breath and realize that it's going to be REALLY hard but REALLY worth it. You're going to have all nighters and stale pizza for dinner some days. But then you're going to have your peers who are in the same boat and understand that when you say, "Oh I go to art school." it's not the same thing as saying, "Oh I couldn't make it anywhere else so I went to art school." which is what your high school friends might initially think. (Don't worry, they come around!)

Being in art school is not easy. I went to a year of law school and I also took college night classes while I was in High School to get ahead. You could say I'm fairly intelligent with a knack for school. I was so unprepared for the difficulties of being in classes 6 hours long and homework that required me to go out and create instead of read and memorize. Which I also had on top of the creating.

Here's my advice: Do everything you can to make the best work possible but always bring SOMETHING to class. The teachers don't expect perfection, they expect dedication. Show up on time, be interested, and never make excuses for why you didn't do the work. Just get it done or like I said, bring what you have and explain how you'll finish it so your peers have something to critique.

Don't view critiques as a way to tear your "competition" down. Be helpful and respectful. If you don't like something, say so in a useful way (I like the brightness but I wish there was some deeper blacks for example) or don't say anything at all. I think I made this mistake my first year and I paid for it with a possible friendship. Art is so personal so be aware that another artist could take your harsh comments in a personal way. That said, I was extremely honest and vocal about my opinions and I still have people sending me work to get that opinion so some will appreciate your honesty!

If you want some honest opinions e-mail me [email protected] and I will give you advice about any problem or piece of art! 

[artschoolhelp-blog]

Time away!

Hey y'all. So I'm in Wyoming workin' on a dude ranch and while it sounds glamorous it's mostly hard labor and exhausting so I don't have much time to think of new topics. It'd help if y'all could ask me questions you have, your parents have, etc. so I'll know what to write when I get my days off. :)

Happy trails!! 

Oh god. I'm one of them now. ;P

[artschoolhelp-blog]

Being Inspired, Not Copying

I'm not sure about the other fields of art but as a photographer I am constantly bombarded with people who are either complaining that somebody stole "their look" or that somebody accused them of stealing somebody's look. I decided to write how I go about my inspirations to maybe help some of you decide what to take from inspiration and what to bring of yourself! 

I recently watched a series of videos on some photographers I really admire and I was immediately inspired to do some shooting. I would love to reproduce their shoot exactly because duh, it must be awesome if it has me so excited right? The thing is, every person sees things differently. Cliche but true. If I force myself to create what somebody else has done, then I'm not giving myself a chance to develop or learn what MY style is. Having your own look is extremely important. If I copy somebody for long enough, not only will they eventually find out if I start getting jobs, but I'm limiting myself. Who knows, I could become better than them if I just took bits and pieces from all over the place and added myself to it!

An example. I see a beautiful fashion photo. Immediately I'm drooling over the clothes and the perfect model. Ok. So it's a bit dark and moody and I want to do a similar shoot. So what do I do? I notice that they used shallow depth of field. I choose clothes and props that suit my surreal fantasy style and I shoot my model with a shallow depth of field in soft lighting that is a bit moody! I don't try and find the same location. I don't hire the same looking model. I don't pose her the same. I'm still inspired by the beautiful outdoor, moody, and softly focused shot but I did it my way without making the same photo again.

I'm inspired often by religion and old paintings. I once titled a shot Eve and suddenly I got a horde of people telling me that the photo I took wasn't "accurate". At first I wanted to defend the image and tell them it was inspired by Eve and other things. Instead, I wanted to hear what THEY would have liked to see. They might not be a photographer but they have a point of view, a style if you will. Learn from that. Be inspired by that. Somebody mentioned pomegranates to me and I almost died from the perfection that came to my mind for a second image. If you see an image and you're inspired by it, think about the things you would change. Focus on why you would make those changes! That is part of your style!

You don't need to be anybody else to be successful. What you need to be is original and genuine in your efforts. You might not come up with a new lighting technique but be consistent in how you light, your mood, elements, etc. Be inspired from things all over the place instead of one thing you want to do. If you DO decide to make a look-a-like image then title it as such. Make it an "homage to ____" or "title of image in the style of ______" especially if you're a painter. They can be great ways to learn, just make sure that learning is what you're doing instead of conforming to something that isn't you!

#inspiration #copying #art school #college #hardships #artists

[artschoolhelp-blog]

Loans, Scholarships, & Financial Aid

College Board has tons of info on financial aid. For example, https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/financial-aid-101/how-to-complete-the-fafsa is an excellent link about the FAFSA or Free Application for Federal Student Aid. http://www.collegeboard.org/ is the home site where you can search for colleges, SAT information, financial aid, etc. I used this site a lot when first looking at schools. https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/financial-aid is another link to some information about questions to ask each college's financial aid officer. Apply for every little scholarship you qualify for, no matter how small!!!  Some of my friends didn't want to apply to a scholarship because it was "only $500".  Well, a few of those can add up quick. You should apply to every single scholarship you find that you qualify for. If you have a question about one, email the person in charge. Be professional, of course. Grammar, spell check, etc. Here is a good site for that. http://www.fastweb.com/  Also, know the restrictions. Some require you to keep a minimum GPA, some are only for the first year, etc. Also, look at the Dept. of Education.  They have a ton of information and resources such as Federal student aid, Pell Grants, etc. To qualify for any kind of aid you, and your parents, must complete the FASFA which is on the Dept. of Education's website. http://www.ed.gov/ and can also be found linked on the collegeboard.org site. As for loans, if you have a co-signer with a good credit score, such as a parent, you can usually get a cheaper interest rate.  After filling out the FASFA the schools will tell you how much in loans you qualify for and some places where you can apply.  But you can also look online and try to find the cheapest rate.  If you belong to a Credit Union, or your parents, check to see what the Credit Union offers too.   

 I used Sallie Mae for my loans and so far I haven't had any problems. Just be proactive. Ask them questions. My loans worked by sending a check directly to the school. If you want to take out loans so that you get a check sent to you, ask about that. Maybe your parents have a low credit score but your grandmother has a high one. See if she'll sign for you! If you don't know what a credit score is check this wiki article. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_score

When you graduate, you're usually given a "grace period" where you have time before your loans begin to collect. When that ends you'll begin paying. Mine is $50 a month. I could pay more or less. Just depends on what you have at the moment to give. You can always call and ask for a higher amount to pay it off quicker. If you lose your job, let them know. A lot of times they'll work WITH you to sort out payments. They don't want you drowning in debt, they want to collect without putting a burden on you. You'd be surprised how patient they can be with student loans.

Don't forget that you can apply for scholarships while you're IN college too! And grants! Remember to constantly be looking at links to see what you qualify for. If you need teacher nomination, ask a teacher that you are on a good standing with. Again, give them at least a month to write it and give them the stamped and addressed envelope so they'll have it all ready for them.

I hope this helped!

#college #applications #advice #art school #financial aid #fafsa #scholarships #grants #student loans

[artschoolhelp-blog]

Any tips on keeping loans down & getting the most out of scholarships?

Sure!! My mom helped me with this a lot so let me get some tips from her and I'll post sometime tomorrow or Wednesday! Awesome question, thanks!

[artschoolhelp-blog]

How can social media help you?

So obviously if you're reading this, you use some form of social media because you're looking at my blog. However, do you use facebook, google+, twitter, deviantART, myspace, linkedin, monster, or other sites? What kind of blogging do you do? How does any of it benefit you? That's what I want to discuss.

The first thing you want to do is find a name. I go by aliciaraft for most things because it makes sense. My twitter is aliciaraft my website, etc. You want it to be consistent. You don't want people trying to find you by your 13 variations of your name and nickname, etc. A great resource is namechk.com. This is where you can type in aliciaraft and see where all it's been taken. If you see that the name you want is taken in several areas, choose another name. You want something that you can then go and use everywhere that is useful for you. Choose something that will stick with you, not some random thing you're into at the moment. This is going to be what people use to recognize you. Stay classy, folks.

Now, let's say you are on twitter. How are you managing your twitter? I use an app called tweetdeck. This lets me have lists of feeds. For instance I have a photographers feed, celebrity feed, news, etc. It's great for organizing what information I'm getting and makes it easy for me to reply and involve myself in conversations. The important thing is to make your bio page have keywords so other people can find you. Mine has photography, photo illustrator, expert in photoshop, etc. so that no matter what people can find me when searching those words.

I don't go on twitter or any other site to sell. Instead, I become the solution. I post funny things I enjoy but I also post tips. I write about things I have insight on, such as art school. Then, I'm letting people know that I'm somebody they can rely on for information. People start to come to me, wanting to hire me for my services. It's a great resource. Eventually people will recommend you to their friends or family because you helped them with some inquiry. Now, I don't work for free. I don't just give somebody an hour long lesson on how to do something. I give them a tip, solve general questions, and then when they want to hire me for something larger I can provide that help!

I highly recommend you all get on this train. Blog useful things, showcase your art and talent, follow people and network with them. All of this will help you in your quest for work and contacts/clients.

#social networking #art school #advice #jobs #twitter #blogs #google+

[artschoolhelp-blog]

More about getting into art school!

Hey! I got a question about the application process and I went over the portfolio a bit here http://artschoolhelp.tumblr.com/post/15741795404/application-process but I want to talk about the other aspects as well.

SAT/ACT scores. I took the SAT 3 times. I recommend you take it a couple times at least because if you get higher scores, they'll take the top scores you received overall. STUDY. I barely studied and when I took the test my first time it showed. Pathetic couldn't begin to describe my score. So then I took some classes and scored MUCH better my second and third time. I don't recommend taking the tests more than three times because the schools seem to frown on more than 3. Just a note.

Letters of recommendation! This is absolutely important and you should take time in considering who to ask. FIRST. Ask somebody like a teacher, boss at work, etc. that you get along with. Make it somebody who is already rooting for you. Make sure they are intelligent and won't be like, "Yo take my boo she greater than frosted flakes son!" You want somebody who can clearly express your greatest qualities. Then. Give this person a few months. YES. MONTHS. A month at the latest. If you're choosing a teacher, chances are other people are as well. They're busy people. Give them a stamped and  addresses envelope and put a sticky on it saying the date the school needs it by. Multiple schools, multiple envelopes. Schools want sealed documents straight from the person, not you. Send the teacher a thank you note. They're doing you a favor and you need to be appreciative. Take them to lunch, buy them flowers, something. At the least a note.

Personal statement/admissions essay. Sometimes they'll ask you a question but most of the time schools want a personal statement (or both). One page to tell them why you rock and what makes you different.  Make sure you write about the school and why you want to be there!!! Don't make this totally generic where you copy and paste. You can have parts you use for each school but also write something special for that school! Make sure you change the title of the school if you're copying and pasting. No school wants to have it begin like, "can't wait to go to Vtech blah blah Alabama you're my faaavorite." Attention to detail. Get it. Proof read! Get your friends to read it. My best friend is a kindergarten teacher. She sent out her resume and cover letter to 145 places. One place wrote back to her and finally told her that she didn't spell principal right. These things count! She got ONE interview. (luckily she got the job) If you make the mistake of copying and pasting the wrong info, you might only get into ONE school. It's competitive and a school wants smart and dedicated people. If they can tell you blew this off, they don't want to chance you blowing off their education. The more they want you, the more scholarships they'll give. I didn't count for financial aid but I got scholarships galore because I made myself sound like JUST the person they needed.

The portfolio I went over before, just make it your best work. Go to portfolio reviews. Be honest about your talent and work your tail off to succeed. Printed portfolios show the best. Especially with traditional work. Bring originals, not scans on an ipad. (I use my ipad with clients, not for gallery shows)

#art school #college #applications #applying #help #advice

[artschoolhelp-blog]

Tips for your portfolio!

I found this link from edu.artbistro.com and thought I'd post the tips listed plus my own.

1. Have an online AND printed portfolio

2. Keep that work recent. You want to show your best, not your oldest work. If you have something old that was printed somewhere big or is still really good, then by all means include it. Just for the most part keep it recent work only.

3. Have an artist statement. "Many things can inspire you. It may be exposure to a specific kind of art, artist or color. Or, you may have started off loving graphite drawing, but now enjoy illustrating on the computer. Whatever the situation may be, your artist statement (the statement that speaks how you, the artist, views your work and explains why you do what you do) must be up-to-date. This may require a lot of thinking for oneself. The hardest part is recognizing the ideas and mottos that drive you to create and realizing when they are no longer relevant to your art. You might think it’s rare to be an artist who’s beliefs are erratic and always changing — but it happens. Keep present in the ways you think about your art and it’s creation. Maintaining an up-to-date artist’s statement is a great way to make yourself aware." -artbistro.com

4. Show your portfolio to lots of people and get tips! Ask about the order of the images, if they look consistent, do they have a cohesive theme, landscape or portrait, don't make the viewer turn your book around.

5. Change your portfolio to suit the interview. Bring your printed portfolio to a fashion place and show fashion images. Don't show your concert photography to a landscape gallery. Research who you are meeting!

6. Include a business card, post card to leave behind, and resume with your printed portfolio. If you're taking your portfolio back with you then leave the reviewer or interviewer your card, a print or post card, and your resume!

#portfolio #tips #art #school #help #advice

[artschoolhelp-blog]

Applying for jobs

This is mostly for people who are in their summer break or graduating soon and want to apply for jobs.

How to find them?

Monster.com, linkedin, networking with people you've met in the past, friends, career center at school. All of these are resources for you to tap. Then there's the miscellaneous factor. An example would be me going to work on a ranch this summer. I thought about traveling, places I wanted to go, etc. I wanted to be in the West taking landscapes. I thought about what those states have to offer jobwise that I'm qualified for. Eventually, I found links to ranches on coolworks.com. I started applying to positions for guest services and I included my expertise in social media, photography, everything I've ever done that could apply. ALWAYS write a cover letter. If it's optional, do it. Want to work for a magazine? Look in one, find the junior editors and send your stuff to them. Often the junior editors are the best resource because they have an in and they don't usually get swamped with postcards, emails, etc. The order listed is the order of importance. It's the details and extra thinking that will get you the job.

So jobs require resumes. Keep yours updated so that every time you win a contest, hang in a gallery show, do freelance work, add that so you don't forget it later! If you go to my website you can download my resume and see how it's formatted. http://www.aliciaraft.com/about/

Make it a PDF so they don't accidentally delete part of it or change something without realizing it. My resume has my skype, my email, cell number, website address all at the top. Then I list my experience, skills, awards, affiliations, and education. I list education last on my website's resume because it's the last thing people care about when hiring me for freelance. However! Organize your resume for the job you're applying for! Then save it (example), Raft_Alicia_Eatonsranch.pdf so it has your name, the place you're applying to, and you don't confuse it with your regular one if you changed the order. Include BOTH last and first name in case they get more than one David applying.

#art school #college #jobs #resume #help #advice #marketing #applications

[artschoolhelp-blog]

Questions?

Hey guys. I only have about 3 weeks before I leave for my job and I don't know how my internet is going to be there. Do y'all have any questions you want answered? Don't be shy! <3

#ask me questions #art school #help

[artschoolhelp-blog]

Telling your parents about art school

Just as a disclaimer, this is how I would go about it. If you don't think these solutions will help with YOUR parents, take what you can and apply it how you feel comfortable.

If you're in high school and you're thinking about art school, research it. See if art school is where you want to be or if you would just like to be able to take art classes where you get a different degree. Explore both options because transferring is hard, and I speak from experience. (http://artschoolhelp.tumblr.com/post/15742516254/selecting-art-schools) is the link to a post about how to decide what is best for you. http://artschoolhelp.tumblr.com/post/15845485189/list-of-art-schools is a list of art schools I made.

So you've decided- you want to go to art school and you've selected a few that you think will be best for the major you're interested in. Maybe request a couple brochures if your parents are the type that want to see how far you've thought this out. It might impress them to see you took it upon yourself to get all the information you could first. Maybe pull up the websites or find out who famous alumni are that they might know.  Make sure they know art is a respectable field of study that you CAN make a living at!

Sit your parents down, don't spring this on them randomly. Talk to them calmly, listen to their responses, and if they seem uncomfortable or disappointed try and get to the bottom of that emotion. Ask them what their fears are, and have thought out responses to those thoughts. Don't get defensive, think about it. If they say that you procrastinate too much, tell them your plan to counteract that.  If they talk about drugs, let them know that art schools don't tolerate drugs. They are real colleges with real degrees and credentials. They have class presidents and clubs just like other universities. Have a plan so that when they ask you what you want to study, what your back up plan is, etc. you have answers. Visit campuses TOGETHER so they see for themselves what the schools have to offer.

Transferring to art school. Let them know you've talked to people about your credits and what will transfer and how. You might need a year off to build a portfolio but you'll be working hard, not slacking, and you WILL go back to school. Taking a year off was my mothers worst fear for me since she saw me as lazy and didn't think I'd ever go back. I proved her wrong and earned her respect. I worked, I studied, and I built a portfolio just as I said. Then I visited schools and went to portfolio reviews.

Enter contests and seek other artists thoughts on your work. You're only going to be successful if you can handle critique and if you can see your weakness. Often I've had to do portfolio reviews where the person wanting to draw or take photos was clearly lacking in skill. Be honest with yourself. These degrees do not come easy and if you aren't up to the critique and hard work you'll need, look elsewhere. You can learn to be great but natural talent goes a long way. If you win contests, tell your parents so they know you already have some things to show for your efforts.

They'll come around, just work hard and prove to them you're going somewhere to learn and do what you love. Most parents just want your happiness and their defensiveness comes from their fear that they might not be able to protect you. Respect that and love them for caring so deeply.

#art school #telling your parents #help

[artschoolhelp-blog]

How do I tell my parents I want to go to art school? I feel like they might be disappointed in me. My mom went to MIT and my dad is a doctor..

My mom is scary brilliant as well.  I lucked out that she guessed what I wanted and brought it up first to let me know she understood. I'm going to write an article on how to bring it up, deal with the backlash (if there is some), and make your family and friends understand that art school is NOT easy and requires just as much work as their profession or studies do. Give me a day or so. I'll post soon. Don't give up hope! You can do this!

[artschoolhelp-blog]

Writing papers

Somebody requested I write a post on how I wrote papers while in school. I know a lot of my friends struggled with this because literature was a weaker subject. Be prepared, you WILL have to write papers while in school.  The longest paper I wrote was for Adult Psychology and it was 15-20 pages. The longest you'll have to write without classes like that is probably 5-10 pages once or twice your college career.

How I start: I open up Word and put the question or topic at the top so I can quickly reference it. Then I say ok, this paper has to be 3-5 pages long. I'll make an outline that looks like this. For example purposes I'll say I'm writing about Sam Cooke. I start with the max pages because sometimes it ends up being less and it's good to prepare. Don't choose the lowest number, that will not earn you an A.

Page 1- introduction. What made Sam Cooke famous, why is he important, what am I talking about in the paper. (Form your thesis statement here)

Page 2- Background. Grew up ___, married ___, had __ kids, began career how

Page 3- Struggles in career, personal life, any key members that helped him?

Page 4- Civil rights era and how it relates to Cooke, death, controversy

Page 5- conclusion, wrap it up. Lead back to the thesis and explain how what you talked about in previous pages relates to thesis argument. (Feel free to CHANGE your thesis if along the way you went a different direction)

Once I have this outline of what to write on each page, the writing comes much easier to me because I've broken it down into simpler tasks. Remember to CITE.  If you quote somebody without properly citing them or mentioning it as a quote you are stealing and you can get in serious trouble at school if caught. I use http://www.easybib.com/ all the time for my bibliography. It's simple and gives you the right format with the information you input. Seriously takes 2 seconds. Also, if you're going to go onto wikipedia, scroll down and see what books the article cites from. Click that link and then use that book. Don't cite wikipedia. Ever. I've had great luck taking book names and putting them into google books to read sections. Go to your school library. Teachers LOVE to see you cite from books. I got A's on almost every paper I wrote in college and most of them had a note about my "great bibliography."

Spell check. Proof read. Have your friend proof your paper for proper grammar. If you still struggle, chances are your school offers tutors. Use them! It's not stupid to get help. It's stupid to fail because you didn't get help.

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