Let’s start with my experience with college.
Applying to colleges was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do. In one month I found out that SATs mattered more than grades, college applications weren’t free, and many places like RISD required portfolio reviews AND extra work to be done for submission on the side. Also, they kept that extra work so I couldn’t use it for other applications. FUCKERS!
It’s hard not to get caught up in the idea of going to the most PRESTIGIOUS schoolplaces like RISD. But in my opinion, places like RISD charge 3 times more than other art schools and they certainly don’t give you 3 times the education. Don’t get distracted by their propaganda regarding “prestige”, how amazingly “selective” they are or their “placement rates”. Most of my progress in art was made without anyone’s help: alone at 3am with a cup of coffee. In the end, all artists are self-taught regardless of whether they spend a lot of money on college. Your greatest asset is yourself, your commitment, your talent, and your hustle. College can be important, but don’t give them too much credit.
I spent a year as Mass College of Art in Boston. The great thing was that it was cheaparound $8,000 a year if you lived in the state (it was a state school). The education was mostly goodart history, color theory, and life drawing are some classes that are necessary for any artist. But a lot of classes made me furious because they wasted my time3D, performance art, sculpture, etc. I admit that learning things you DON’T LIKE is important sometimes, but I’d argue that 33% of classes at ANY art school are useless to your degree. Luckily I was only spending $8,000 a year for it.
But in the end I transferred because they weren’t too keen on comic book art. SCAD (Savannah) was one of the few schools that offered a degree in comics, so I transferred all my credit from MassArtapparently my $8,000 first-year education was the same education as their $25,000 first-year. Go figure.
SCAD Savannah was a huge disappointment from the start. Most of the professors weren’t working pros like I was told they would beeither they used to work or they only worked once in a while. The ones who were good artists were bad communicators, and the ones who were bad artists were bitter. To this day I bump into old professors at cons every now and then and it’s always uncomfortableespecially when they try to take credit for teaching me X Y and Z. That always pisses me off. The things I learned at SCAD Savannah I could count on one hand. Maybe I picked up a tip every now and then, but mostly I was wasting money.
So I started teaching myself more challenging stuff on the side: advanced perspective, Photoshop, color theory, etc. And a short while later I met Shawn Crystal, a grad student who was just as unhappy with SCAD as I was. With the friends I made I started hitting cons, making contacts and submitting to editors. And THAT is what helped me out. In a way, SCAD is responsible for helping me make that step because I was surrounded by people who wanted what I wanted. But SCAD only did it by it simply existingno odds were dramatically improved by anything SCAD actively did.
I graduated summa cum-laude. And from that day on I’ve NEVER been asked for my degree. Art careers are portfolio basedbut good luck trying to explain that to your parents.
So, do you need art school?
Here is a list of attributes that are important to success. The fewer of these you have, the more likely you’ll need art school.
1. Motivation. You are your own boss, you always push yourself to work, and you’re always searching out new information to teach yourself.
2. Talent. Your brain is wired in a certain way where “art” comes naturally to you. Some call this a gift. Loving art isn’t the same as being talented.
3. Education. You are looking at all kinds of different art, dissecting it, appreciating it, or tearing is apart. You have your art heroes and you’re constantly analyzing why you love them so much. Also, you’re getting yourself into life drawing classes or at least drawing from photos.
4. Networking. You’re attending conventions alone or with friends. You’re getting yourself in front of editors, getting emails and phone numbers, and following up with new portfolios each year. You’re also meeting other pros and doing your best to make good impressions.
I had everything from that list except for #4. I didn’t know what a convention was at the time, so I didn’t know that I could have done #4 without spending a fortune at art school. But I had to go to art school to learned what a comic book convention was. Oh wellit’s too late now.
I’m happy to report that my friend Shawn Crystal is now a Marvel exclusive artist working on characters like Deadpool and Wolverine. Also, he heads up the department at SCAD Atlantathe newer facility. But don’t roll your eyes because Shawn is doing it rightjoining the system and changing it from within whereas I’m just complaining. I had the honor to teach there for a few days and not only was I blown away by what Shawn had going, I was also stunned by the caliber of portfolios. A few of his students are working professionally already while the rest are on their way. I see a lot of portfolios at conventions, and when I see a SCAD Atlanta portfolio it shows.
And now I’m just bitter than SCAD Atlanta didn’t exist when I was 18. Damn you Shawn!!!
So that’s my advice for comics and most other “fine art” sorts of degrees. If it’s computer animation or video game design, then I’d suggest college for sure because a lot of companies hire at specific schools. But comics don’t work that way.