Working in Design

[gingerbreadmann]

Yeah, just do as much as you can in High School, realizing that you will learn everything useful in college, not high school, at least not my high school. I would include smaller schools in your search too, as they tend to give better financial aid packages, and offer more one-on-one help, which is really useful, especially in this field. I went to Alfred University, in Alfred, NY, probably somewhere around where you are. I found that I could come in early, or stay after class and get as much help as I wanted from my teachers. Again, do as much as you can now and stay with it throughout school. I'm not considered successful yet, so take my advice while understanding that, but just stay focused.

Yep, know that school. One of my friends is a freshman at Alfred.

Thanks for all the help everyone, helps me a lot. If it's not too much to ask, do any of you know of some public universities that have good design programs? Cost isn't really an issue, my parents have lots of it.

I love that last line. sounds like someone from my town(our town is pretty high class), lol.

As for schools, I know BU has a good program for all kinds of fine arts, visual included(I'm thinking about it too, as early as it is). Their website sucks, but:

http://www.bu.edu/cfa/visual/programs/index.htm

[slapshot]

So, I need a good portfolio, even though I've never done anything professionally?

Art class. Take art class in high school (or independent art studios) and your projects will build your portfolio. You will get the structured education and critique needed to determine what your strongest specialty is.

[chestnutz]

Yeah, just do as much as you can in High School, realizing that you will learn everything useful in college, not high school, at least not my high school. I would include smaller schools in your search too, as they tend to give better financial aid packages, and offer more one-on-one help, which is really useful, especially in this field. I went to Alfred University, in Alfred, NY, probably somewhere around where you are. I found that I could come in early, or stay after class and get as much help as I wanted from my teachers. Again, do as much as you can now and stay with it throughout school. I'm not considered successful yet, so take my advice while understanding that, but just stay focused.

Yep, know that school. One of my friends is a freshman at Alfred.

Thanks for all the help everyone, helps me a lot. If it's not too much to ask, do any of you know of some public universities that have good design programs? Cost isn't really an issue, my parents have lots of it.

I love that last line. sounds like someone from my town(our town is pretty high class), lol.

As for schools, I know BU has a good program for all kinds of fine arts, visual included(I'm thinking about it too, as early as it is). Their website sucks, but:

http://www.bu.edu/cfa/visual/programs/index.htm

Hahaha, I knew I'd get some **** for that line. My parents just want me to do what I want in life, also considering they've paid for my K-12 tuition, which is about $15,000 a year, since I was 4.

[Davey]

So, I need a good portfolio, even though I've never done anything professionally?

Art class. Take art class in high school (or independent art studios) and your projects will build your portfolio. You will get the structured education and critique needed to determine what your strongest specialty is.

What if your done high school and still want to pursuit into graphic design(Like me)? Is their any classes in college for similar things? I heard classes like Art & Design Fundamentals ( I know we been threw this before, sorry if i didn't say it properly lol ) teach ya about graphic design, learn more about art, and ya make a portfolio from all your work that ya did threw out the year. If so, should I or anyone else go with that route ?

Sorry if no one understood that lol.

[oddball]

Don't worry so much about the portfolio in the beginning, because when they talk about you needing a good portfolio to get into a school, they are talking graduate school. They understand when you start that you'll have very little if any portfolio pieces. you make your portfolio in your first couple years while you take your general eds and your undergraduate classes. It's those undergraduate classes that you get your portfolio pieces from to make your portfolio and then in graduate school (your last couple years) is where you make your portfolio to take into the professional world. I will say this, that if you have an opportunity look at your local community colleges as it's a cheaper way to do the undergraduate and GE classes.

[leggman01]

Don't worry so much about the portfolio in the beginning, because when they talk about you needing a good portfolio to get into a school, they are talking graduate school. They understand when you start that you'll have very little if any portfolio pieces. you make your portfolio in your first couple years while you take your general eds and your undergraduate classes. It's those undergraduate classes that you get your portfolio pieces from to make your portfolio and then in graduate school (your last couple years) is where you make your portfolio to take into the professional world. I will say this, that if you have an opportunity look at your local community colleges as it's a cheaper way to do the undergraduate and GE classes.

good luck getting into a top design school with no portfolio...simply isn't going to happen, and i can tell you that from personal experience - i will concede that it doesn't have to be incredibly impressive, and most will emphasize quality over quantity, but gaining admission to a top design program without ANY portfolio doesn't happen often - not sure i would advocate a cc if you're going the BFA route, either, because there isn't as much gen ed stuff to take

[oddball]

If you're going straight to Art Center, no you won't get in without a portfolio, you won't even get an interview. But per se you're at Cal State Long Beach, you still have to apply for their graduate program after you've done your undergrad work; that's what I meant. I now understand what you meant by you won't get in without a portfolio, and yes the top design schools will take you and your classes from community college. Now what will transfer, well that's a whole different story and you have to find out in the states if they are regionally or nationally accredited. Westwood is nationally accredited and accepts classes from other schools but you can't at this point take classes at Westwood and transfer to UCLA per se because UCLA is regionally accredited. Westwood has just been accepted for to apply for regional accreditation. I do see what you're saying legg.

[slapshot]

Don't worry so much about the portfolio in the beginning, because when they talk about you needing a good portfolio to get into a school, they are talking graduate school. They understand when you start that you'll have very little if any portfolio pieces. you make your portfolio in your first couple years while you take your general eds and your undergraduate classes.

Wrong.

I was denied admission into Mass College of Art, simply because my portfolio did not contain a self portrait.

Any good specialized art/design college wants its applicants to demonstrate some artistic ability, to show they're more diverse than just colored pencils and tempera paints. It shows the student is devoted to the craft, and is willing to put in the time and effort to explore many facets of art before choosing a specialty.

[Davidson]

you need a portfolio. unless you are a mature student in the uk, you will probably need to have completed a gnvq or a btec art foundation class (unless you study in scotland where a degree is 4 years and includes this).

design isnt something that you wonder into. i went to nottingham trent uni and thy take around 8% of applicants. leeds is a very similar course (one of the guys i work with did the same course as the one you posted). its tough to get on and you need a decent portfolio of work. it doesnt neccesarily need to demonstrate a series of design projects, just relevant thinking and an aptitude for that sort of thing.

the us might be different but in europe its a really competitive environment. you need a portfolio.

[gingerbreadmann]

Don't worry so much about the portfolio in the beginning, because when they talk about you needing a good portfolio to get into a school, they are talking graduate school. They understand when you start that you'll have very little if any portfolio pieces. you make your portfolio in your first couple years while you take your general eds and your undergraduate classes.

Wrong.

I was denied admission into Mass College of Art, simply because my portfolio did not contain a self portrait.

Any good specialized art/design college wants its applicants to demonstrate some artistic ability, to show they're more diverse than just colored pencils and tempera paints. It shows the student is devoted to the craft, and is willing to put in the time and effort to explore many facets of art before choosing a specialty.

Could you get into a normal college, say BC or BU, and do Design as a Minor (or maybe even Major) and then use your work from those years to get into MCA to get a more advanced degree?

[leggman01]

Could you get into a normal college, say BC or BU, and do Design as a Minor (or maybe even Major) and then use your work from those years to get into MCA to get a more advanced degree?

bc...don't think so...couldn't find graphic design as a major or minor offered

bu...yes...they have a bfa program, but be prepared to submit a portfolio with between 8 and 20 pieces, including a self portrait (drawing), a still life drawing and a drawing, painting or sculpture of recognizable objects...along with at least 5 other pieces

"Portfolio Reviews - Applicants to the School of Visual Arts are required to submit samples of work as part of their application. This material is an important means of evaluating their capability, interest, and experience. These portfolios can either be mailed (by undergraduate or graduate applicants) or reviewed by faculty members during an on-campus portfolio review day (for undergraduate applicants only)."

there is no short-cut to gaining admission to a top design school (or any top-notch program, for that matter)...you've simply got to have the goods and be willing to do the work

[oddball]

Okay, so let's not confuse the everyone who reads this. You all who failed to get into these schools are talking about post graduate Master Degrees aren't you? Okay so people don't get confused I do a time line of what I'm talking about.

High School then Community College or straight to a four year school, where you build your portfolio and get your Bachelor's then to a school where you get your Master's and yes, you do need a portfolio.

I apologize for misunderstanding that you guys were talking about post graduate schools.

[leggman01]

Okay, so let's not confuse the everyone who reads this. You all who failed to get into these schools are talking about post graduate Master Degrees aren't you? Okay so people don't get confused I do a time line of what I'm talking about.

High School then Community College or straight to a four year school, where you build your portfolio and get your Bachelor's then to a school where you get your Master's and yes, you do need a portfolio.

I apologize for misunderstanding that you guys were talking about post graduate schools.

oddball - i'm talking about being admitted to undergraduate graphic design programs - most well established, quality programs are going to require a portfolio, even on the undergraduate level

[chestnutz]

So, in 2010 when I graduate high school, I will need a portfolio in order to get into a good design school?

[Davidson]

So, in 2010 when I graduate high school, I will need a portfolio in order to get into a good design school?

i reckon. i doubt it would all need to be graphic design (i had virtually none, but i dont know how it works in the us).

here universities look for a general artistic/ design aptitude.

[gingerbreadmann]

So, in 2010 when I graduate high school, I will need a portfolio in order to get into a good design school?

i reckon. i doubt it would all need to be graphic design (i had virtually none, but i dont know how it works in the us).

here universities look for a general artistic/ design aptitude.

De s photography count?

[Davidson]

So, in 2010 when I graduate high school, I will need a portfolio in order to get into a good design school?

i reckon. i doubt it would all need to be graphic design (i had virtually none, but i dont know how it works in the us).

here universities look for a general artistic/ design aptitude.

De s photography count?

it would here but i dont know about your end.

as i say, here they tend to look at general aptitude for art and design.

its almost better to have not established a particular style. to be honest i would almost

advise against showing much ofthe content produced on this board because sports

identity is such a specific genre and has such a unique asthetic vernacular.

generally schools initially disuade you from adhering to any strong style.

[chestnutz]

Ahh. I'm not much of an artist, I can illustrate pretty well if I put my mind to it, but I'm more of a computer guy.

[quantum]

Being a artist/designer is not the only path to take. Some people are employed for the sole purpose of modifying graphics for production use. For example, an artist can create graphics for brochures, magazines and the like, yet the artwork created doesn't work for point of purchase displays. That type of employment only needs a two-year school and you can still earn a comfortable living. While working, you could work on your skills and go on from there. Granted, you rarely create something from scratch in this scenario. It does give you an opportunity to get practical experience, build up your portfolio and you make a living on working in a field that you like.

[Davidson]

Ahh. I'm not much of an artist, I can illustrate pretty well if I put my mind to it, but I'm more of a computer guy.

well i dont mean that you have to be a skilled painter or anything.

but you need some sort of sense of various disciplins. i would suggest that you should be able to draw to some degree

and have a sense of composition and proportion. this may relate to photography or such.

however you have to be more than a computer guy. if you are not creative in any sense and just a mouse jockey then

that isnt really design. like anything else though, drawing etc CAN be learned. ive seen people go from being shocking life

drawers to producing some great work.

without trying to sound rude, i dont think what quantumfreak is talking about can really be considered being a graphic designer.