Ringling-Illustration or Computer Animation

[Joshaft]

Hello Everyone. I'm new to the forums. Just wanted to get your opinion on my education progression. I'm interested in a career in concept art/story development/story boarding for animation, video games or feature films. I'm contemplating applying to Ringling for the Fall 08 session and I was wondering if you guys thought it'd be better to apply to the illustration or computer animation curriculum given my goals stated above. Any thoughts?

[CatHicks]

I'm interested in a career in concept art/story development/story boarding for animation, video games or feature films.

In that case you'll want to apply for CA. You'll have to do more outside work as an illustrator if you want to get into the video game or feature film industry. It's possible, but you have to be lucky. It's a tough one... because in CA you have to be able to animate to stay in. Though through the animation department you will be more fully equipped for a job in story development, boarding, concept, ect.

Have you taken a look at the difference between the curriculum?

[Joshaft]

Yes, I've looked at the difference in curriculum. The illustration major does seem to me to be a bit more generalized while the CA major seems to contain a lot of classes that speak specifically to my desired career path, but I'm just trying to figure out if the animation courses factor into my goals. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to garner the skills and DO have a passion for animation, but the story development entices me a bit more than the hands on animating.

[thesinfulsaint]

I agree with Cat. You should probably go for CA. Besides that, if you get into CA, you can always switch to Illustration later if you change your mind. It doesn't work the other way around.

There's a Visual Development minor that can be taken all by majors other than CA, and the only reason that CAers can't minor in it is because the classes included in the minor are already part of their major. If you decide to major in illustration instead of animation, that might be a route you could choose.

[Amaranthine]

I don't know, I sort of disagree. If you're about making a successful image and not animating, I would go for illustration. My boyfriend is an illustration major with a minor in visual development as he wants to be a storyboarder for movies. Talk to any artist in the field and I guarantee you they'll say that a solid education in drawing and painting from life is the greatest thing you can possess. The visual development minor is run by the CA department and focuses on the classes that you've probably noticed are the classes you want to take as an aspiring concept artist. Storyboarding, concept development, and the thesis idea generating class that CA students take are all a part of the minor. Since it is part of the CA department, Jim McCambell is he head and the minor offers the same teachers and curriculum. Ultimately it depends on where you want to see yourself but I wouldn't discredit the illustration department. We just had El Coro, the art director of Massive Black, visit our school as part of the illustration department, giving both a painting and digital demonstration as well as judging the Illest of Ill show. There's a post in the lounge about it.

Another important thing to note though is something thesinfulsaint said which is that you can switch very easily from CA to illustration but it's nearly impossible to do it the other way around. A lot of students don't know exactly what major is right for them when they come in so it's okay to be second guessing your options.

[jennibell]

I agree with Amaranthine. I am a senior illustrator at Ringling and if you are interested in storyboarding only, then CA is going to be WAY off track for you. When you start to get into the fine points of animation, you are going to be bogged down into a whole other universe than what you are looking into. You are going to be a Maya slave and your thesis is going to be an ANIMATION, not a bunch of storyboards. The storyboarding classes will be available to you in the minor mentioned above, and the skills you will learn as an illustrator will help you so much more than a CA major will.

Also, many of the recruiters coming to Ringling looking for storyboarders are looking for IL's with the minor, not CA's now. Just a thought. Best of luck!