Art Majors

[zen5887]

Inspired by the "40% of College Students get this question wrong" thread, and a few people in it slamming art majors, I've decided to defend my choice for studying music.

Firstly, I am studying Popular Music and Performance, so the focus of the course is to enter the industry in one way or another. I decided to study music because I enjoy playing and writing it, and I thought that having a degree would help me find a job in the industry. This is disputable (if I had a dollar for everyone who said "you don't need a piece of paper to be a rockstar lololol" I would have about $9), what isn't disputable is what I have learn in the time I've been there. If I didn't study, and tried to crack into the scene by playing in bands a lot I would still be a shitty bass player who isn't really going anywhere. Since studying, my playing ability has improved greatly and I've learnt so much about the business side of it all, which is hopefully going to keep me from starving when I leave. I am still very aware that rock stardom (which isn't the only job in the industry, but its a good example) isn't going to be handed to me once I've finished studying, in fact I am planning on doing a Diploma of Education next year, just in case.

To sum that all up, I am studying Music because of what I learn in the 3 years, not what I get at the end. I can guess that this is true for the other art degrees, like Theatre and Art.

For those who say that we won't produce anything useful, I say that lots of people enjoy Art, Music and Theatre and with the skills I've learnt, I hope to be able to sustain myself off something that I enjoy.

Any other art majors, feel free to jump in =)

 

[Random Argument Man]

I'm not into any art majors. However, I boiled out of fury when someone said that art majors were useless. (I will not give any names. However, you should know that I almost replied to someone with some banning material).

I respect arts. Someone who says to me it's pretty much a free pass for a lazy person is pretty much dead wrong. It's a great lot of work. Creating something of quality is probably a very fucking hard thing to do.

It's also pretty confusing that someone ,on a game forum, says that art is useless... People saying that "there's no job with art majors" are people that really didn't put their imagination to it. They don't do research on how many jobs there's out there.

 

[ottenni]

At first i was all confused because i'm used to Arts being used to describe things like history and literature (which makes no sense but hey) but you seem to be talking about, well actual art. Which makes way more sense.

Anyway, if you can go to university to study it, it isn't a cop out. Unless you are studying arts (as in literature arts) at Monash in Australia, in which case hahaha there is going to be a goon tax!

 

[Erana]

I remember when I was a little girl, and I was musing to my mother about how if I could be anything I wanted to be, I should be something like a doctor, because it would help others. She told me, "The world needs a lot of things realistically, but it also needs art."
I think that's true.
I'm in art because I'm good at it, and art can make an impact. I don't know if I'm going to be a drop in the bucket or what, but its something to dedicate my life to.
Education and healthcare are often about some sort of purpose, but rarely do I ever see someone passionate enough in biology or marketing to say they're getting an education for more than just a degree and a future career.

 

[Dramatic Flare]

I remember when I was a little girl, and I was musing to my mother about how if I could be anything I wanted to be, I should be something like a doctor, because it would help others. She told me, "The world needs a lot of things realistically, but it also needs art."
I think that's true.
I'm in art because I'm good at it, and art can make an impact. I don't know if I'm going to be a drop in the bucket or what, but its something to dedicate my life to.

Don't let them bother you. It's not worth it in the end.
My only concern would be... why pay all that money for college to learn art? Why not just grab a bunch of friends and start painting? I would have the the concern of getting out and finding you can't really afford to do art, because you owe someone money, and art doesn't pay well enough. By all means pursue your dreams, I just don't want to see your dreams crushed by red tape.

Yeah, I lurked in the other thread. Did the math without really thinking too hard about it, but avoided the flame war.
-Tic

 

[DP155ToneZone]

If anyone doesn't believe that the study of the craftsmanship of arts then they really need to evaluate why they joined the Escapist.

Anime culture, Music culture, Games, Reviews of media text, and of course the comedy sketches.

The Arts, to put it very sparingly, is the arousal of emotion and stimulation of the mind and heart through the senses. Synonym with Entertainment.

It reeks of hypocrisy when people say that the Arts isn't an important avenue of study. Every human being appreciates the Arts in some way and if anyone were to deny this then they really are stubborn ignoramii.

Also, my challenge for those who believe that the Arts isn't as involved as other Majors:

Tell me the intervallic structure of the Locrian mode.

Pretty basic har har har I'm elitist /sarcasm

 

[Divine Miss Bee]

anyone who believes that art majors are lazy should look up how many MORE classes we have to take in an average semester as compared to any other major. your european history class gets you 3 credit hours? well, music history gets me 2, which beautifully supplements my 1-credit theory (which i spend three days of my week earning-UNFAIR!!) and 1-credit aural skills. so, using your fancy, useful math degree, can you figure out how many MORE hours i will be spending in JUST the classroom setting (not including homework) per week than you?

if my friends are any indication, it's about 10 more hours for my "useless" music degree. and for homework? i forget how i made those friends in the first place...

 

[Erana]

I remember when I was a little girl, and I was musing to my mother about how if I could be anything I wanted to be, I should be something like a doctor, because it would help others. She told me, "The world needs a lot of things realistically, but it also needs art."
I think that's true.
I'm in art because I'm good at it, and art can make an impact. I don't know if I'm going to be a drop in the bucket or what, but its something to dedicate my life to.

Don't let them bother you. It's not worth it in the end.
My only concern would be... why pay all that money for college to learn art? Why not just grab a bunch of friends and start painting? I would have the the concern of getting out and finding you can't really afford to do art, because you owe someone money, and art doesn't pay well enough. By all means pursue your dreams, I just don't want to see your dreams crushed by red tape.

Yeah, I lurked in the other thread. Did the math without really thinking too hard about it, but avoided the flame war.
-Tic

That's a commonly asked question, Dramatic Flare, and for me in an undergraduate environment, its largely been a matter of learning technique. It wasn't until late in Junior year that I really took a step away from learning how to make what I wanted, and discovering my style and into the development of a body of work. My wanting to go to Graduate school is largely about being in an environment that helps enforce diligent practice, but I'd also get the imput from other, like-minded students and the experienced facuilty there.
I know it sounds arrogant of me to say this, but when twelve people in unison comment, "You're not famous yet," I can't help but feel that I might have a chance in the art world. If I don't, then I don't. I'll wind up finding some way to make a living, like everyone else who got a degree in the arts and didn't go anywhere with it. I'd be just another person.
But isn't everyone just another person?

 

[Dramatic Flare]

I remember when I was a little girl, and I was musing to my mother about how if I could be anything I wanted to be, I should be something like a doctor, because it would help others. She told me, "The world needs a lot of things realistically, but it also needs art."
I think that's true.
I'm in art because I'm good at it, and art can make an impact. I don't know if I'm going to be a drop in the bucket or what, but its something to dedicate my life to.

Don't let them bother you. It's not worth it in the end.
My only concern would be... why pay all that money for college to learn art? Why not just grab a bunch of friends and start painting? I would have the the concern of getting out and finding you can't really afford to do art, because you owe someone money, and art doesn't pay well enough. By all means pursue your dreams, I just don't want to see your dreams crushed by red tape.

Yeah, I lurked in the other thread. Did the math without really thinking too hard about it, but avoided the flame war.
-Tic

That's a commonly asked question, Dramatic Flare, and for me in an undergraduate environment, its largely been a matter of learning technique. It wasn't until late in Junior year that I really took a step away from learning how to make what I wanted, and discovering my style and into the development of a body of work. My wanting to go to Graduate school is largely about being in an environment that helps enforce diligent practice, but I'd also get the imput from other, like-minded students and the experienced facuilty there.
I know it sounds arrogant of me to say this, but when twelve people in unison comment, "You're not famous yet," I can't help but feel that I might have a chance in the art world. If I don't, then I don't. I'll wind up finding some way to make a living, like everyone else who got a degree in the arts and didn't go anywhere with it. I'd be just another person.
But isn't everyone just another person?

And that's a fair point, I'm just saying I don't think it would be fair to you as a person for you not get to do art which is clearly something you enjoy, and reduced to that state of, "another person," merely because you stuck to a school far longer than you needed.
A structured environment is nice though. You could also get some sort of tutor, though. Cheaper, likely as not, and as much to learn.

 

[teisjm]

I'm starting on a 3d digital artist/game artist education in a week, at one of the best 3D schools in the world. Dunno if it's a major, we have a different school system over here, but it's sortof like a bachelor degree.
Eventually i will end up working on stuff like movies and games amongst otehr things.
Anyone who says games are pointless and useless, should prolly consider why they are on this site in the first place

 

[NewGeekPhilosopher]

I remember when I was a little girl, and I was musing to my mother about how if I could be anything I wanted to be, I should be something like a doctor, because it would help others. She told me, "The world needs a lot of things realistically, but it also needs art."
I think that's true.
I'm in art because I'm good at it, and art can make an impact. I don't know if I'm going to be a drop in the bucket or what, but its something to dedicate my life to.
Education and healthcare are often about some sort of purpose, but rarely do I ever see someone passionate enough in biology or marketing to say they're getting an education for more than just a degree and a future career.

I had to defer my place at University since the art school I was accepted into was too underfunded to continue integration programs for people like me. I look back at my four weeks in art school hell and think "why didn't I just take a break for a year like my mother told me to since I'd been writing a book and my publishing contact wanted to help..."

I just think for me art school in a small cramped and underfunded for disability support university campus isn't very good. I mean I love working in visual concepts - I just hate having a panic attack every Friday because it's so cramped in the photomedia studio with 40 kids in the same class fighting over camera equipment.

It's like my disappointment that I'll never draw like Osamu Tezuka all over again. Only not as bad since I actually can still do photomedia outside of university.