how to travel to laguna beach after the workshop?

[dorian]

heyaa,
damn I can't wait....argh!

I've got a question, I will go down to laguna beach after the workshop to visit the laguna college of art & design. [http://www.lagunacollege.edu]

now, I've never been to the USA before, could you tell me how I can get down there? I heard about greyhounds, but how does that work? Where do I get tickets? where do they start? should I think I should go from SF to LA first, but how do I get from LA to laguna beach?

OR, is someone from laguna coming to the workshop? could you take me with you?

I don't have a driver's licence. (this is not uncommon for a 19 year old swiss btw. so don't laugh :))

[feral714]

Laguna Beach is about 1 to 2 hours (depends on traffic) south of LA taking either the 5 or 405 freeways. Exit Rt 133/Laguna Canyon Road and go south. I live about 45 min from Laguna Beach but I don't know how I'm getting to SF myself so I can't offer a ride. If I can help I'll let you know or ask me in a week or so and maybe I'll have my plans figured out.

How are you going to leave Laguna once you get there? Maybe a Greyhound ticket would be good.

http://www.greyhound.com

Peace,

Don

[dorian]

thanks!

as said I don't have a driver's license.
if I can leave from laguna by greyhound I surely can get there the same way, right? (I'm just asking to be sure, because you described wich road to take etc.)

maybe I wont fly back from SF but from LA, have to get a ticket. (pretty fast, that is..)

I'm going to have a look on greyhound.com, thanks again
I'm gettin back to you if I'm too dumb to succeed ;)


edit:
1st problem already:
seems there is no stop in laguna beach.. is there other public transportation from laguna to the nearest greyhound stop or am I completely lost without a car? :[
.
.

[feral714]

Is there a way for you to search for the closest stop near Laguna Beach? Or, I live in Huntinton Beach, about 45 min away, I could give you a ride to Laguna but I can't drive you around all day and I don't think there would be much transportation around there besides a taxi--$$$$$. Try to contact the College and see what they could help you with-info or maybe even a ride. I guess if you made it real easy for me I could drive down there and then back if you can find a greyhound station near me. How long do you plan on being at the college or in Laguna? What day exactly?

peace,

DOn

Actually, depending on your goals, you could do much better (time and $$$) going to a place like Watts Atelier for a couple of years. The big college experience is cool and valuable as a life experience but I talk to lots of artists who don't have the skills they need when they graduate. You get connections, maybe access to internships, but the actual skills to get a paying job...maybe, if you get lucky with the right teachers. But like I said, it depends on your goals, if you need a degree or want the well rounded experience of a big school or will be needing financial aid then go for the accredited college. If your goals are to just be such a kick-@$$ good artist that you can get work then you can do better at a smaller studio like Watts. There is also AI in San Diego and Santa Ana you could check out while you're here.
Talk to Ron Lemen about Watts at the WS.

Peace

[dorian]

hi there,

trip infos:
11th of Jan.: Departure from San Francisco after the workshop, journey to Laguna Beach
12th of Jan.: Staying in Laguna, visiting the city, find out where the school is and how I can get there
13th of Jan.: 10:00am, meeting with the assistant dean of admissions at laguna college.
14th of Jan.: Travel back to LA (!) and fly home, dep. at 19:35

getting to laguna:
I've sent an email to the school a few days ago but didn't get an answer yet. I'll probably call them today.
Thanks a ton for offering a ride! I don't know "how to make it work", though. I didn't find a station in huntinton beach, the station nearest to laguna I found, is in long beach..
But I mean.. am I the only one who travels to laguna by public transportation?? There MUST be some sort of busses, shuttle service or something? Maybe someone from the school can help me, there must also be other students without a driver's license coming to visit the school, there must be a way.
If not, I would be glad if we could arrange something, feral714.

art schools:
thank you for sharing your thoughts, really appreciated! My goal is to master the techniques, to draw and paint very well, so that I can easily bring my ideas and the pictures in my head down on canvas. If I paint today, it's mostly digital, but I want to get a solid traditional painting and drawing education. My favourite field of work would be doing book, cd & vinyl-covers, snow- and skateboard decks and stuff, plus personal "fine art". Maybe running an e-shop. It would also be very nice to organize and/or partizipate in group and solo exibithions "all over the world".

I think laguna offers a "good" (not bad, but not the very best too [these are just too fucking expensive]) and solid education and has some emphasis on the "business side" of being an artist. That's maybe not too bad.

I will definately visit two other schools wich are the "florence academy of art" and the "angel academy of art", both in florence, italy. They're both very traditional realist painting and drawing schools and offer the draftmanship-like education and training I want. Plus they are in florence which has some advantages: I can work there, living there is a lot cheaper than living in laguna, I can easily and quickly go home to switzerland at a cheap rate, moving to florence is a lot easier than moving to laguna, etc.

Watts and similar ateliert look pretty interesting too, yes and I will definately talk to ron about watts. (If this genious has any time for me..)
The problem there is, that I need a degree for lots of jobs in switzerland. It's another system than in the states.
But it's also my opinion that it's the kick ass work that counts, not a piece of paper that only proofes that somebody has attended several years at a school, which tells NOTHING about his or her skills.
well well.
sorry for the mumbling and grumbling :)

[feral714]

Looks like I will be driving to the WS and driving back home on the 11th, or 10th if I'm not tired, (I prefer to drive at night). Talk to me during the WS. My name is Don, dirty blond/long hair, stocky, 5'9". I also know someone who goes to the school, maybe he could meet with you. I'll send him an e-mail.
Peace,

Don
714-345-2028

[PT Osborne]

ok dude.. I think you can do it on your own if you have to .... by train primarily.. and here's how..

in SF take the bart to Oakland

(this site shows where the bart transfers to amtrak are.. )
http://www.bart.gov/guide/transit/transit.asp

the easiest station to get to looks like 245 second street in oakland.. there is a bart stop on 12th street.. so its only a short walk (ten blocks)

from there the coast starlight line can get you down to union station los angeles..
from that station you can transfer to most southern california transit lines..

i think the best transfer will be to the pacific surfliner line
take it from los angeles to san clemente (it runs long the ocean... and past disneyland.. its a nice ride)

get off in san clemente..
take bus route 1 up the coast on pacific coast highway and get off in laguna..
and there you are

http://www.octa.net/busrail/routes/dec2004/1.asp

I dont know how long that all will take you. ... good luck..
the two train rides are beautiful..

patrick

[dorian]

great! thanks, you two!

don: will you be wearing an avatar-batch? you'll probably not be the only one with long blond hair :]
I have my hotel booked in laguna from 11th to 14th, so we could leave on the 10th if you wish, then we would arrive on the 11th, that'd be fine.
The laguna college finally wrote back, they think there are busses. I could jump off at the point when we're nearest to laguna, then I could search for a bus stop or take a taxi or something, for the last few miles.

This would be very comfortable for me, much easier than the route which PT osborne described (many thanx there mate, really appreciate it!!).
What you think? Should we PM? I could pay for the gas/petrol/fuel [don't know how you call it in the states :] and a nice meal or so, if that's ok.

Whaa, I'm leaving tomorrow morning! 12 hours flight :D

[daveau82]

Hi Dorian,
I am a graduating senior Animation major at LCAD, and a friend of Don's. As an animator, I've learned a ton from this school. I was also an Illustration major for a time, and that kind of sounds like what you would be doing. You're right, the school is not bad, and not the best. The Illustration program is awesome here, there are a lot of talented students. The staff is also pretty cool, George Zebot is the Illustration dean, you should try to talk to him while you're there. When were you planning on going? We are on winter break until the 18th, and it's always best to visit the school while its in session, because otherwise, you'll just be looking at our scenery. We have a great classical training program, but I'll come out and say it: if you have the opportunity to learn drawing and painting in Florence, DO IT! I like it here. You get from LCAD what you put into it. We have a few OUTSTANDING teachers, but not necessarily more than any other school. I'm starting to find that most of what I'm learning here, my best friends are learning at other 4 year colleges like Cal State Fullerton (and at a fraction of what I'm paying for). Any other questions, I'll try to help you out.

-Dave

[dorian]

wow you registered just to write that post?! thanks!

George Zebot, ok, hope he's there when I am :)
I'll arrive at laguna on the 11th (or 12th if don can drive me but wants to drive in the night from 11th to 12th instead 10th to 11th) and will stay till january 14th.

I have an appointment with Susan DeRosa at 10:00am on the 13th of January.
Yes it's bad luck that you're on winter break, but it's my only chance to come to the states :[
Do you have access to the school during the break? It would be more than cool if you could come on the 13th and if we could meet after my campus tour with Susan. You could give some further insight and tell me what you do most of your time at school. (we could do this via email, too, though. if you can't or don't want to come: no problem)

thanks again for posting in here!

[feral714]

I posted a pic in the general "post a pic so everyone can see.." thread , just pitch in for gas would be great. I meant I'll be driving back the night of the 10th if I'm not too tired, or early on the 11th, I won't hang around all day just to drive at night. So you'll be there at least by the 11th sometime.

peace

Don

[dorian]

awesome!
we'll discuss the details there, ok?

harrr ya look eevil! :)


I'm leaving in an hour, see you guys in S.F.!!!

[daveau82]

If you can make it, give me a call before then at (714) 866-7354.