Art Majors And Careers In Graphic Design

By Linda Jensen

Some of the best training for a career in graphic design may come from your local art school.

At an art school, you can often concentrate in either illustration, painting, photography, design or even sculpture. Most schools will offer at least an undergraduate degree, with some of the bigger schools having a graduate program for students who already have a four-year degree.

Students too young for college can also enroll in art classes offered at a local campus. These classes are often available for kids at the high school level as well as younger.

Although most school curriculum are similar, there will be differences from school to school. Some schools stress studio time and projects while others will also include many courses in history and theory. Which type of curriculum is best for you depends upon what career you see yourself in. Future art teachers, for example, will want to have been exposed to as much theory and history as possible during their college years.

Most successful artists come to understand that being an artist isn't totally about the art. A successful professional artist will also understand that they are a self-employed business person who needs to understand how to use their talent, market themselves and perform all of the menial tasks required of being in business.

Formal education and career training helps aspiring artists reach their goals and realized their artistic potential. Life and careers can be hard work and loaded with potential career-ending obstacles, but education and training and help a talented artist reach their career goals.

Not every art student wants to be a freelance artist their entire life. For many students, a career as a graphic arts designer is a terrific option where they can turn their art talent into a great career. Magazines, TV and Internet companies all use graphic designers, as do ad agencies and the internal marketing departments of many larger companies. Due to increased competition in hiring, almost all new positions are filled by students who are graduates of a four-year university.

And another benefit of enrolling in an art school is that you get to meet and become friends with other training artists. This group of young artists may become valuable contacts that will help you throughout your career in both artistic inspiration and career prospecting. The skills, techniques and contacts that you acquire while attending school may determine your future artistic career.

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