Art School Faculty: Obnoxious or helpful?

[smily3t85]

Does anyone have some good firsthand experience with the fine arts/illustration faculty at RISD, new college, MICA, and/or CCA? I'm interested in those schools but don't think I'll have time to visit them all before I have to choose between one of them.

I have a loose illustrationy line-and-form style, but I admire the sophistication and freedom that fine art brings. Any schools that scream this to you?

I like this smiley:assspank:

[Wisteria]

I'm a risd freshman right now, I have yet to declare, but I am pretty sure I will be in illustration. I can tell you a little bit about each program.

Illustration: most of the illustration professors are well liked from what I understand. The illustration department is pretty focused. After the foundation year, your sophomore year is a sort of foundation for illustration year. You take two semesters of drawing and oil painting as well as a concept class, called intro to illustration, which introduces you to the fundamentals of design for illustration. After your sophomore year, you select major elective studios. You can pick a specific branch of illustration to learn about, and structure your classes around it. Many illustration majors want to end up in fine arts painting, but want a more structured environment than the one provided in the painting major.


Painting: I admit, I know more about illustration than painting, but here goes anyway. Work done in painting is much less structured, and much more self motivated. You choose to do as much or as little as you want, for the most part. Rather than focusing on developing technical skill, like illustration, painting is all based on developing a personal and unique style; it is more rooted in concept. There are classes you can take to learn about the technical side of painting as well, but I don't believe there are quite as many. Generally the painting kids have a reputation for being "out there" but I guess the illustration kids do too.

I've heard the painting department is a little better at MICA, but that's just talk. Illustration and painting have a bit of a rivalry.

[Maxine Schacker]

How can you do anything without understanding the potential of the medium first? On what basis do students "find a style?" Technique is the handmaiden of expression. Technical ability alone is meaningless, but
so is vision without the means of expression.

Knowing what you are doing does not take away from creativity. It sets you free.

By the way, do people real think that artists like Rembrandt, Degas, Goya did not have a "concept?"

[smily3t85]

How can you do anything without understanding the potential of the medium first? On what basis do students "find a style?" Technique is the handmaiden of expression. Technical ability alone is meaningless, but
so is vision without the means of expression.

Knowing what you are doing does not take away from creativity. It sets you free.

By the way, do people real think that artists like Rembrandt, Degas, Goya did not have a "concept?"

I don't know if you're replying to me, but in case you are, no one is belittling or arguing against technique. Read before you rant.
I really like the old masters' techniques (especially moses soyer) and completely agree that technique and creativity are both equally needed for an artist.

[smily3t85]

Thanks wisteria.
what would you say are the downsides of RISD?