Programmer->Artist! Back To School? Help!

[BagOBones]

I ramble on here for a while so feel free to hop down to the summary if you like.

Here's my situation:

When I was young I divided my time between art and science. When I went to college I got a software engineering degree. I did this because I enjoyed it at the time and it was financially promising. I took several computer graphics programming courses during college and liked it more than the other course work. After I graduated I got a regular programming job. Over the past 3 years I have progressively lost interest in everything that is software and programming. What has happened is that I picked up art again as a past time when I got my first job and I have become progressively more interested in art as a full time pursuit/career and less so with software. On top of this I had a temp-job as a patent illustrator with the company my brother worked for as a when I first got out of school. I have to admit that I found that job to be far more satisfying than any work I have done since.

I have decided that I need to move into a career that is more artistic/creative but I'm not sure how to go about doing it. My art interests include illustration and modeling with 3d apps. (I find actual key frame animation to be boring).

I feel like I should go back to school to get an art degree.

My quick reasons are:
1.) I know in the software industry there is a big difference between programmers who finished school and those who didn't. Usually the ones who didn't finish school or go at all are good at knowing the technical details and can write a lot of code quickly but create a lot of problems/crappy software because they do not understand the fundamental concepts of good design. I can see this happening in an artistic field as well.
2.) I have been to college once and have learned a lot about how to get the most out of it as far as skill development, navigating the bureaucracy, financial aid etc. (You don't have to go to an expensive school!). I feel by going back I will have time, educational resources and a portal into a community where I would be able to develop and learn about the industry more.

Summary:

1.) Do you think I should go back to school?

2.) Since I like illustration and 3D modeling what type of study program would you recommend?

3.) Continuing from 2. Any recommended schools?

4.) Considering my interests and being an experienced programmer is there a career I might utilize these talents in?

Thanks

[dguy]

I would recommend you finding some kind of continue education program.

Especially illustration and 3D are never taught together. They are quite separate fields. So you won't find one curriculum that will teach you both.

Learning keyframe animation is a MUST for 3D. Even if you don't plan on being an animator. It's a fundamental part of 3D that everyone must know the basic of keyframe animating.

Illustration means learning how to paint. But as a career, I can tell you that is every difficult. I have a group of illustrators friends who i think are amazing painters, but they are struggling because it's not a stable profession.

If you can program then the natural profession that combines art and programing is web designer. But instead of illustration or 3d you need to learn the basic of Graphic Design.

But I'm not too clear on your reason to wanting to go into illustrations and 3d. Do you like to paint? (illustration) or do you like to sculpt, and animate? (3D)

If you just want to be in a creative field, there are thousand s of professions, but you need to think about why you would chose one over another.