Florida illustration(besides ringling)

[Xeom]

So besides the southern atelier which seem good, although their website lacks a lot of information. Does anybody else know a good place to study illustration in Florida?

Ive tried looking all over with no luck, at best it seems all the state university's provide fine art degrees which doesn't even come close to what I want.

So has anyone had any luck?

[Justin.]

Flagler I heard isn't bad. Why not Ringling?

[Xeom]

$-120,000.00 USD is my problem with ringling.

I've never heard of flagler, whats its full name?

EDIT:I looked it up but it seems to only offer a minor in illustration. Trying to find the curriculum so I can see exactly whats offered.

[Mirana]

Good lord it's gone up.... Well, you do not have to take all 4 yrs of schooling at a private art school, you can take two yrs at a cheaper uni/comm college for your core and then transfer in to finish out at an art college (hopefully having had an extra two yrs to beef up your portfolio for better scholarships).

[Justin.]

well, what is it you want to do exactly? A high quality education can be expensive- but worth it.

[Xeom]

Concept art, But I'm also looking into texture artist .

I also plan to on the side learn to model.

[Meloncov]

Good lord it's gone up.... Well, you do not have to take all 4 yrs of schooling at a private art school, you can take two yrs at a cheaper uni/comm college for your core and then transfer in to finish out at an art college (hopefully having had an extra two yrs to beef up your portfolio for better scholarships).

That's including room, board, about ten thousand a year of miscellaneous expenses.

[Justin.]

that's alot of miscellaneous expenses... I took out 12k per year at my school that pays for room, board, gas, materials, groceries, and other miscellaneous expenses, and I've still got a small amount left over. If you're spending 5k per term after rent and food are taken care of, maybe take a look at your money management skills. not that it will drastically change the amount of loans you take out- but either way.

I know you didn't ask for this but I'm going to say it anyways; looking at your sketchbook, you might want to spend a few years at a community college, rigorously training your drawing and painting skills before entering art school. A very large part of drawing ability pertains to mileage, and how much you have drawn and how much you have experienced. From what I have seen, the more mileage you have when you go in, the better. I know people who went into art school having never drawn "seriously" (in an effort to massively improve their skills) before, and by 3rd-4th year, they are still at a pitiful state of ability. I also know people who went in having drawn seriously for 2-4 years before hand, who were already quite decent going in (and got scholarships too! woot!) and who came out absolute drawing and painting monsters! This is not always the case, but I can guarantee getting more drawing hours under your wrist will do you alot of good. If you can do 10 sketchbook pages a day for 2 years, you might not even need art school.

[Meloncov]

Ack, I miscalculated. That's only about two thousand a year in misc. expenses.

[Metalclay]

Heh, yeah when I got my bill for Ringling it was +38k, not including insurance, so maybe 39k for everything (not including misc. expenses). Granted, 1st year is supposedly always more expensive.

Not much going on in Florida though as far as school (apart from Ringling). I wouldn't recommend the Art Institutes, they are very expensive for what you're getting in return, you're better off going to an AICAD school at that price.

Only suggestion I would give, is UCF's animation program. Got to chat a bit with someone from there and it's going pretty well. The program is new, but as far as I know (which isn't much), it is indeed going well. It seems like the courses are rather rigorous and the work I saw wasn't too bad. Plus, you're in a CC right? State colleges are usually very good with transferring credits. I mean, by law, they have to. So, you'll get more bang for your buck if you go that way. I also heard they have some things going on with Disney. Not sure if it's that a former Disney Animator teaches there or advises there or if they have some relations, but I read some where that they had something. Yeah, I know.

Definitely consider if you're not up to moving from Florida. Which I think you should, there's nothing here really in terms of art other than the few events arranged by the government's "Cultural Affairs". Also, if you're really wanting to do modeling and 3D texture there aren't too many opportunities here that I know of other than EA's Tiburon. There's always freelance work, but I digress; having a day job is better.

[Xeom]

that's alot of miscellaneous expenses... I took out 12k per year at my school that pays for room, board, gas, materials, groceries, and other miscellaneous expenses, and I've still got a small amount left over. If you're spending 5k per term after rent and food are taken care of, maybe take a look at your money management skills. not that it will drastically change the amount of loans you take out- but either way.

I know you didn't ask for this but I'm going to say it anyways; looking at your sketchbook, you might want to spend a few years at a community college, rigorously training your drawing and painting skills before entering art school. A very large part of drawing ability pertains to mileage, and how much you have drawn and how much you have experienced. From what I have seen, the more mileage you have when you go in, the better. I know people who went into art school having never drawn "seriously" (in an effort to massively improve their skills) before, and by 3rd-4th year, they are still at a pitiful state of ability. I also know people who went in having drawn seriously for 2-4 years before hand, who were already quite decent going in (and got scholarships too! woot!) and who came out absolute drawing and painting monsters! This is not always the case, but I can guarantee getting more drawing hours under your wrist will do you alot of good. If you can do 10 sketchbook pages a day for 2 years, you might not even need art school.

miss calculation on my part,I went over around 10k.

And yes i currently am attending CC, It lacks the amount of figure drawing id like to do(one 5 hour class a week). I've begged my teacher so many times to have some kind of open session but she says her hands are tied.

On the side of my portfolio believe it or not for the last ~8 months I have started to take it more serious. It has lot of shitty and old work and its severally neglected. Even the latest two posts are just drawings from the first two days of drawing class for this semester. Not to say there was a huge jump from those and the later works but some of it is better, I will probably update it once I finish a cast drawing I've been working on.

Your portfolio is amazing, I saw it about two months ago(or whenever the portfolio thread was put up).I must admit when I see work like yours I am completely ashamed.I have no idea what to do to get that good, I draw yes but all of it ends up in the garbage next to my desk. You are totally correct, my portfolio is probably no where close where it needs to be. I plan to take yet another drawing class this coming semester as well so hopefully I will continue to improve.I have a appointment at Ringling this Wednesday for a tour and portfolio review, not even sure if I should bother.

Anyways thanks for the advice, and thanks metalclay ill check UCF's program out.

[Mirana]

Ack, I miscalculated. That's only about two thousand a year in misc. expenses.

Christ, way to give me a heart attack. There's not way to justify 10k in "expenses" (unless you're in a program like film and buying equipment instead of using the school's....). 2k is closer to reason, but you guys should take a hard look at any "room and board" dorm bullshit they throw at you. That shit is highway robbery if you get it through the school.

Also, GET A JOB. Support yourself, not charge yourself.

[Lizzybeth]

I don't know where in florida you are but if you're near Winter Park you may want to check out Crealde in the meantime. http://crealde.org/index.html I've never attended any of the actual classes there due to time conflicts and the cost (which is really strange to say now that I'm at Ringling...) except for the open figure sessions on sunday, so I can't comment on instruction, but it could be worth checking out to fill in any gaps/supplement the CC.

As far as figure drawing goes, 5 hrs per week isn't bad. At ringling my figure class met twice a week for three hours. You don't have to do all your figure work at your CC too you know. Do some digging, there should be some other local places with open sessions where you could get more practice in.