Need advice: Art schools in Canada
polycounter lvl 18
I'm looking at going back to school this year (I've been considering this for the last two or so years actually) and I missed out on enrolling into a course here in Melbourne because I was working in Singapore during the application stage.
I was considering either studying in the UK or in Canada, that way I can study and spend time in a new country as well.
I'm not after a game school, because that's clearly a waste of time and money. I know what game dev production is like considering I've been in the industry for over four years. I'm after a Fine Art course, where I can get instruction and practice in traditional mediums, solidifying my art fundamentals and ultimately get a degree.
I was recommended Sheridan College in Toronto and so far that is the place I'll be sending an application to. But I want to have a few back up applications in case I don't get accepted and such.
Primarily this course: Art and Art History (Bachelor of Arts)
So if any of you Canadian Polycounters have attended a school such as this or know of any schools that come highly recommended. I'd really appreciate hearing about them.
Thanks.
I was considering either studying in the UK or in Canada, that way I can study and spend time in a new country as well.
I'm not after a game school, because that's clearly a waste of time and money. I know what game dev production is like considering I've been in the industry for over four years. I'm after a Fine Art course, where I can get instruction and practice in traditional mediums, solidifying my art fundamentals and ultimately get a degree.
I was recommended Sheridan College in Toronto and so far that is the place I'll be sending an application to. But I want to have a few back up applications in case I don't get accepted and such.
Primarily this course: Art and Art History (Bachelor of Arts)
So if any of you Canadian Polycounters have attended a school such as this or know of any schools that come highly recommended. I'd really appreciate hearing about them.
Thanks.
Replies
http://www.ecuad.ca/
Try looking into Emily Carr like what haiddasalami said, really nice school on "Granville Island" in Vancouver, well it's not really an island, but the school is really nice!
I graduated from Emily Carr! I would not recommend that place to anyone.
My 3D instructor came in about an hour late every class. Completely stoned, and/or drunk, took attendance, then just left.
He was a somewhat 'acclaimed' abstract plaster sculptor, and the faculty felt he was the best equipped to teach a class he didn't care about. The following year, he didn't even bother showing up to the class, and just gave everyone a 'B'.
I had another teacher play that BBC documentary series 'The Shock Of The New' as his class. All we did was show up to that class and watch one episode of that documentary each week, and that's all we did that semester.
In fact, there's a number of teachers who are extreme feminists, women who's daughters who have committed suicide (and subsequently blame ALL men), oppressed individuals who play victim for everything like racism, homophobia, etc. A stable of mentally unstable teachers, some of whom use their teaching as their version of therapy.
The assignments will be completely abstract such as 'I am the Moon', where there is absolutely no work required. You can scribble something in 5 seconds, as long as you can talk up a manifesto on WHAT that scribble means, and how that is your moon that you carry with you.. bla bla bla its your conceptual idea that affects your political viewpoints on blablablabalblabla.
You have to realize what 'Fine Arts' really is, to understand what it means to go to a place like that.
I has little to do with traditional drawing or painting, and has more to do with creating political manifestos, organizing rallies and going to gallery openings, between your job waiting tables.
nick2730: See I would never go to AI or something like that. I don't need to go to a school where I'll be taught how to use 2D/3D software instead of being taught art theory and fundamentals. I agree, forums and tutes are better suited.
Which is why I'm looking at art schools and not "game" related schools.
Jacque: Thanks for your post! I had a course that was really similar to that many years ago, where students who did the most vague and obscure work that made no sense to anyone but them were graded far higher than those who actually met the brief criteria.
I guess just to clarify my reasoning for wanting to go back to school:
From what I've heard of their programs, research them a bit first. Some will be heavily focused on lots of drawing and art fundamentals, but others may be more of the wishy-washy concept art type. (Although, with almost any Fine Arts degree, you should probably expect a certain amoung of that anyway.)
Good luck with whatever place you choose, and if you make it over here, I hope you enjoy Canada!!
But overall, it'll be what the school can offer over the location of the school.
Chelsea, Royal College of the Arts, and Goldsmiths here in London offer incredible 'proper' art courses. I've got a friend who did his MA in art at RCA and another who is studying at Goldsmiths.
They are all regarded as the best of the best for UK creative courses, and being in London they have close links with a lot of galleries/studios.
The quality of the student work there is phenomenal, and it kinda seems a 'step above' a lot of other trad art courses in England.
The only problem is they are expensive, and competition is high, but I'm sure you've got a folio which should help a bit.
http://www.rca.ac.uk/
http://www.chelsea.arts.ac.uk/courses/11512.htm
http://www.gold.ac.uk/
Keep these coming.
Same goes for arts and 3d modeling I believe. For Seridan college.
As for AOD or AODT I cant say for sure because they have been after me to join them and learn their delicate game dev program and I was happy for it until someone told me that they are after cash and they dont have good profs or good program.
If you have your pre-reqs done you can go for uhh UOIT's (University of Ontario) game dev program.
VFS Vancouver Film School is another one you should put under consideration.
i attended Sheridan a few years ago, had a great time and learned a lot. They also have a great job placement program after graduation, well had at least, been a while >__<.
Their 2D arts and traditional animation program is seriously badass seabass.
No. This is like game programming.
I'm not sure that it's really much closer to the American cities you mentioned than Toronto, but it's definitely a cool one to check out!
O man totally forgot about that college. Heard they have some nice painting courses.
I have quite a few of my uni mates who went to study at the RCA and goldsmiths after our batchelors (postgrad) and all recomend both very highly...
I thought it was like everything. Including modeling and mocap.
Have a look at some of their student galleries...
www.academyofrealistart.com
The fine art aspect of the program was great. There was a big emphasis on painting, experimenting in new mediums and life drawing, and there was extra life drawing every evening.
In all honesty though (and with apologies to anyone from) Oakville is probably one of the blandest cities out there.
Right now it definitely looks like Sheridan will be at the top of my list and with all the extra info I got via this thread, PM, e-mail, MSN, etc I have a few more schools to apply to as well in case I don't get accepted.
Thanks to everyone who replied, it's been really helpful and I really appreciate it.
Sheridan college have http://www.sheridanc.on.ca/Programs%20and%20Courses/Full-Time%20Programs/Programs%20A-Z%20Index/Bachelor%20of%20Applied%20Arts%20-%20Animation.aspx
and its one city away from my place. Right now I am doing Bachelors of Software systems design at the college that is 2 cities away. Like I have to go all the way to scarborough.
Now that I think that OSAP will cover this 3d animation degree program and I am hoping to get an answer from any student or ex student who have been to Sheridan college.
Ok. Right now I am doing IT degree program in centennial college which does provide the promising end results. That you can get a job in IBM, MS, RBC, TD, etc etc. But anyways my idea was to do that degree program learn 3d at home but I have to learn a whole bunch of business courses that are not even related to that.
Now that I see Sheridan's applied science (animation) degree program I think its going to be better for me to actually learn arts professionally then to spend hours reading books, watching online tutorials, and using ref images.
The problem is I am past a year and changing your field professionally might force you to start over from the scratch. (which makes sense because none of the programs match to overlap or to transfer)
any hoo; now I am thinking that I am better off practicing math and programming at home and taking this program.
My question is. Is it worth transferring to this field knowing that your one year in IT degree program might go to waste?
Second question: What is this degree like?
Losing a year isn't so bad, especially if you want to transfer to something you enjoy more. I personally regret not doing a fine art course earlier.
But have a solid think about it, you may be able to get some things credited if you transfer over. Maybe I'll even see you at Sheridan later this year :P
jks
Let us compare:
http://www.centennialcollege.ca/Programs/ProgramOutline.aspx?Program=0103&Calendar=2011-2012
This is what I am taking right now.
http://www.sheridanc.on.ca/Programs%20and%20Courses/Full-Time%20Programs/Programs%20A-Z%20Index/Bachelor%20of%20Applied%20Arts%20-%20Animation.aspx
Nothing is over lapping. So its going to be the fresh start.
I gotta start talking right now if I am to join them in sept.
I found teachers without game experience will teach you the basics, teachers with past experience will teach you the old ways that are slower than the newer techniques which recent game industry teachers would show.
Essentially though... I learned most of my techniques from forums and tutorials that all of those teachers pointed me towards, because the technology is always changing and upgrading. Usually teachers are out of date within a year or 2 of being out of the industry in my opinion.
a terrible terrible place to gain any sort of relevant art schools. It's one of those 'tough' schools in canada to get into, but teach you nothing. Best comparison for OCAD i ever heard was "ocad is like my stuck up artsy but not talented full of himself brother"
Sheridan is better in my opinion in the animation department really. They lost quite a few of their talented art teachers recently.
I still hear tons of good things about sheridan though.
Stay far away from ai programs so academy of art and design programs, or privately owned colleges/universities. They're usually not all they are cracked up to be. ai programs went bankrupt in toronto area due to their lack of skill and lack of teaching their students anything really relevant. (so students stopped going, thus they lost all their monies lol)
I would lean more towards suggesting sheridan or an art college/university, a government funded one.
I heard many good things from schools in vancouver or montreal/quebec area.
Unfortunately, a lot of people now adays go by what they read about a college/university and think ZOMG this one sounds great! then turns out to be crappy.
*cough-ai toronto-cough-ocad-cough*
anyway besides knowing some bad ones through experience, i don't know any strong solid 'good' ones i'd feel comfortable reccommending besides maybe sheridan but again, they did lose a bunch of their staff.
hopefully others have more info on good ones then i. but yea i strongly suggest staying far away from ai programs in toronto (no idea if the vancouver one is decent), ocad, and privately owned schools.
Don't worry, I'm purposely staying away from any and all game related schools. I attended a year of on here in Melbourne about 6-7 years ago and within the first few months I realised how much of a waste of time it was. I didn't go back the following year. This is why I'm specifically looking for traditional art related schools/courses.
Also, it's still good to know which schools are bad just the same as knowing which of the schools are good.
Thanks once again.
you mean this?
http://www.sheridanc.on.ca/Programs%20and%20Courses/Full-Time%20Programs/Programs%20A-Z%20Index/Art%20Fundamentals.aspx
Basically if you are meaning to take such things via college you can take em anywhere doesnt really matter. Its just a matter of practice.