Art students have a wide variety of college and career options.
Students who enroll in art classes are taking easier classes compared to their peers who choose math or science courses, according to a finding supported by a 2008 Durham University study. Dedicated art students, however, learn facts just as history buffs do, and experimental techniques as their science-whiz classmates do. Student artists have a wide variety of college and career options, and more opportunities to express creativity than their non-artist peers.
Art Students Are Dedicated to Artistic Communication and Expression
Students who enroll in art classes generally enjoy expressing emotions and communicating ideas through art or want to learn do so. They may choose courses in drawing, painting, sculpture or mixed media to learn convey their messages. There are also options within each art medium. Drawing and painting classes may cover render people, still-life scenes, landscapes or abstract images. Painting classes may include lessons on using watercolors or oils. Pottery classes may focus on freeform sculpting or using a pottery wheel. Students may have the opportunity to make art using found objects or use computer software to create interactive mixed media pieces. They may also study art history or specific art techniques, such as the chiaroscuro technique used in the famous painting "Mona Lisa." Art students don't have to choose just one specialty, but rather may explore all of the options available at their school before settling on one or more favorites.
Art Students Are Committed to Art Education
Students who choose to pursue the arts after high-school graduation are typically highly committed to the field and to their craft, as art careers are not known for being lucrative, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. College art students who are aware of their field's job outlook may vary their art educations to prepare themselves to be flexible and able to work in more than one type of media.They may choose traditional art-school programs for drawing, painting and sculpture, or they may branch out into related fields, such as fashion design, retail merchandising and display, animation, landscape design, architecture or graphic design. There are vocational art schools, like the Fashion Institute for Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, and four-year universities, such as the architecture, landscape and city planning and design courses offered at the University of California, Berkeley College of Environmental Design.
Art Students Have the Ability to be Flexible
Because art students typically take courses in a variety of media, they are prepared to work in a variety of art-related jobs. Students may work as painters, sculptors, art-gallery owners, elementary-school art curators, art teachers, graphic designers, ad designers, product developers, landscape designers, interior designers or fashion designers, among many other choices. Jobs that require creativity and the ability to express or communicate emotions in a tangible way may especially attract art students. Some art students find full-time work as administrative assistants, waiters or retail sales associates to pay their bills while they pursue art work on a freelance basis.
Art Students Seek Supplemental Instruction
Students who enroll in art classes are lucky. As state and local budgets decrease, school districts often look to their art programs when cuts must be made. Schools that receive grants designated for art-education programs, but fine-arts programs often must compete with performing-arts programs for funds. Federal education legislation, such as President George W. Bush's "No Child Left Behind Act," has also pushed schools to eliminate elective classes in favor of math, science and reading courses. Many art students supplement their educations with classes at local community colleges, recreation centers, private art schools and community centers. Students whose schools do provide an art program often take outside classes simply because they love art and want to expand their learning.
