art schools/colleges in Dallas, TX

**timblakenavy** · December 9th, 2009, 05:41 PM

Please forgive me if this is a stupid question, but I am having a hard time finding a good school/college in Dallas, TX. I want to spend any money properly and not waste $100,000 on a college with nothing but a degree to show for at the end. I was reading the stickied thread, The Reality of Going to Art School and a basic FAQ for those considering it, and I am still uncertain which route to take. I think a lot of it depends on locality and such. The big art school that I hear about in Dallas is the Art Institute, but I know that recruiters will say anything to pull a possible student in. Also, the figures for the Art Institute are pretty big. My main concern is getting a good education, no matter what school.

Does anyone know of any schools worth going to in Dallas? I mean, it's a huge city and there is bound to be somewhere that can offer what I want. Thanks in advance!

**totti1345** · December 14th, 2009, 10:11 PM

All I can tell is to stay away from The Art Institute of Dallas. I should have to say why just search the forum for that explanation. However I am going to the Gemini School of Visual arts in Austin and it is amazing! I am blown away by it. But its not Dallas though. Did you check out the SMU Guildhall video game art program?

**burning_chrome** · December 14th, 2009, 11:32 PM

Please be more specific concerning your artistic goals. What do you want to pursue? Fine artist, concept artist, traditional animation, 3D modeling, etc.? There are some good resources in the DFW area for life/figure drawing, but compared to where I'm currently at (Los Angeles), there's a tremendous difference in availability of learning opportunities and caliber of instructors/students.

I've never visited Gemini School of Visual Arts in Austin, but it does appear to be a solid little place for learning concept art, albeit with a very expensive pricetag ($73K for 4 years) without the availability of Federal grants or loans.

**timblakenavy** · December 18th, 2009, 11:37 AM

I'm sorry, I forgot to mention a more specific art goal. I think I want to pursue concept art. I am only 16 years old at this point, so many things are subject to change. But concept art seems to interest me most. So, in a nutshell, I want to learn concept art. I definitely can't afford a 73k school without government help. I am not that blessed lol. Thank you for your reply, burning_chrome. Please be patient with me if I'm ignorant to some things lol.

**burning_chrome** · December 18th, 2009, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by timblakenavy

I'm sorry, I forgot to mention a more specific art goal. I think I want to pursue concept art. I am only 16 years old at this point, so many things are subject to change. But concept art seems to interest me most. So, in a nutshell, I want to learn concept art. I definitely can't afford a 73k school without government help. I am not that blessed lol. Thank you for your reply, burning_chrome. Please be patient with me if I'm ignorant to some things lol.

Being 16 and ignorant and just forgetting to mention one or two details are somewhat different...you just forgot, no harm no foul.

My best advice, get started on life drawing NOW! Take advantage of any and all life drawing opportunities you can find in the DFW area - with a little luck and perspiration on your part, you may end up in Austin with Jason Manley and co. if all the pieces fall into place for the upcoming Art Department.

Here are some links for Life Drawing Sessions/Classes around Dallas/Ft. Worth:
http://www.artmodelbook.com/figure-drawing-texas.htm
http://www.dfwartmodels.com/leaders.php

And let me know if you have any other questions.

**totti1345** · December 20th, 2009, 05:14 PM

Yeah sorry I forgot to mention the price of going to Gemini. They are going to hopefully going to be accredited soon but if not soon enough I might have to leave! If that happens I guess I will maybe just do plan B which was to go the the Gnomon school entertainment design program in Cali.

**Kasei** · December 21st, 2009, 10:07 AM

Dude, Art Department in Austin would be fantastic.

I would second staying away from the Art Institute. I toured the one in Dallas as a high schooler and one of my friends ended up going...heard very bad things. The facilities are crap (I go to the University of North Texas and we apparently have a better program with better equipment for a quarter of the price tag) and they have no where near the job placement percentage that they boast.

From what I've heard, UTA has a decent art program as well, but if you're looking for something more geared toward concept art and illustration there isn't a whoooole lot in the area that I'm aware of. I would love it if someone could correct me on this.

**timblakenavy** · December 21st, 2009, 12:02 PM

Thank you all so much for your inspiring replies. I was not aware that the Art Department could be in Austin. Too bad that isn't literally "right around the corner". But with luck and determination I might be able to attend there. Also, burning_chrome, when you say "life drawing" what exactly do you mean by this? Sketching from life I'm assuming? And you say "Take advantage of any and all life drawing opportunities you can find in the DFW area"; once again I am unsure what you mean. Thanks a-ton everyone! Looking forward to your replies.
EDIT:
I should have viewed the links you posted first before asking what life drawing is. It is mostly what I thought it was. Thanks for those by the way, they were a great help. I've noticed a lot figure drawing involves drawing women unclothed. Is it bad that I feel somewhat wrong or guilty, if you will, for viewing these or sketching? I feel almost like I'm viewing pornographic images. Also, I own Andrew Loomis' book, Figure Drawing For All It's Worth, and if you know anything about that book, it is loaded with nude female images. I tended to avoid a lot of this when skimming through the book. And no, I'm not gay lol.

**burning_chrome** · December 21st, 2009, 01:05 PM

When I write "Life Drawing" I'm referring specifically to gesture/quick sketch, figure construction, long pose tonal drawing, or head drawings. Basically, life drawing equals any attempt to draw the human figure (clothed or unclothed) in pursuit of better understanding of line, value, tone, shape, anatomy, gesture, and perspective.

If you're just starting out, focus on nude figure drawing simply because you need to learn anatomy - drawing folds in drapery and clothing is another subtopic altogether in the realm of drawing the human figure.

Whatever else you may use during the course of learning concept art, drawing still remains the bedrock of everything that follows. I just had a class with an Art Center grad who works full time as a concept artist and he told us: of all the skills that have served me well, drawing is the most crucial - everything else that you might learn (Photoshop, Painter, ZBrush, Maya, etc.) branches out from that foundational skill.

**timblakenavy** · December 21st, 2009, 10:10 PM

I am grateful for your following up posts, burning_chrome. You are a tremendous help thus far. A quick question: Where should one begin life drawing? I haven't really the time or money to begin any classes at this time, so I am speaking of practicing outside of any schooling.

**burning_chrome** · December 22nd, 2009, 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by timblakenavy

I am grateful for your following up posts, burning_chrome. You are a tremendous help thus far. A quick question: Where should one begin life drawing? I haven't really the time or money to begin any classes at this time, so I am speaking of practicing outside of any schooling.

Go buy the book Figure Drawing: Design and Invention by Michael Hampton and study it backwards and forwards.

And practice using Posemaniacs.com.

**timblakenavy** · December 22nd, 2009, 01:05 PM

I will definitely have to buy that book lol. It looks amazing! Thanks for providing that link. And I've practiced from posemaniacs before, but heard somewhere that it developed bad skills. IE: Bad muscle memory of fake figures. I'm guessing this is not true?

**burning_chrome** · December 22nd, 2009, 03:02 PM

Working with Posemaniacs - or any other 2D reference - greatly hinders the development of visuospatial skills. When drawing from any photo, all the hard decisions (lighting, angles, shadows, etc.) have already been resolved for the most part either from a great setup or in post processing via Photoshop.

Understanding how to translate a 3D object onto a 2D surface and successfully imparting a realistic sense of visual depth through the use of rendering remains a cornerstone of solid draftsmanship.

Now, with that being said, do exceptions exist in contradiction to this general developmental requirement? Oh yes indeedy. I was told that Marko Djurdjevic drew almost entirely from imagination, memory, and general everyday observations without the use of photo reference or figure drawing sessions; coupled along with his intense study of Burne Hogarth's anatomy book he taught himself how to churn out the work he does today.

**timblakenavy** · December 22nd, 2009, 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by burning_chrome

Working with Posemaniacs - or any other 2D reference - greatly hinders the development of visuospatial skills. When drawing from any photo, all the hard decisions (lighting, angles, shadows, etc.) have already been resolved for the most part either from a great setup or in post processing via Photoshop.

Understanding how to translate a 3D object onto a 2D surface and successfully imparting a realistic sense of visual depth through the use of rendering remains a cornerstone of solid draftsmanship.

Now, with that being said, do exceptions exist in contradiction to this general developmental requirement? Oh yes indeedy. I was told that Marko Djurdjevic drew almost entirely from imagination, memory, and general everyday observations without the use of photo reference or figure drawing sessions; coupled along with his intense study of Burne Hogarth's anatomy book he taught himself how to churn out the work he does today.

Are you saying that it is not appropriate to use 2D references? I am still uncertain of where to begin life drawing. In what manner or fashion should I shade the figure? Should I work digitally or non-digital?

**burning_chrome** · December 22nd, 2009, 09:39 PM

Originally Posted by timblakenavy

Are you saying that it is not appropriate to use 2D references? I am still uncertain of where to begin life drawing. In what manner or fashion should I shade the figure? Should I work digitally or non-digital?

No, by no means am I against the use of photo refs - many artists often MUST use photo reference when they cannot get a model for X-amount of hours to complete a drawing or painting. The path I do not advocate is solely relying on photos for drawing. There should be a 3 way balance between drawing from life, photos, and imagination.

Do not worry about rendering if you're just starting out. All the shading in the world will not help your drawing if the figure block-in is proportionally incorrect or too stiff if you've failed to capture gesture. Think "Leaning Tower of Pisa", i.e., despite all the work that went into the tower itself, what do people notice first and foremost when viewing it? Easy, crappy foundation.

Work with traditional mediums first. The draftsmanship skills you'll acquire when drawing using charcoal, graphite, Conte, etc. will transfer when working digitally.

EDIT: Your uncertainty about where to begin life drawing will persist until you get over apprehensions about drawing the nude figure. Like I said earlier, while life drawing is not the only way to develop artistic acumen, it does serve its purpose in imparting critical foundational skills.

**timblakenavy** · December 24th, 2009, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by burning_chrome

No, by no means am I against the use of photo refs - many artists often MUST use photo reference when they cannot get a model for X-amount of hours to complete a drawing or painting. The path I do not advocate is solely relying on photos for drawing. There should be a 3 way balance between drawing from life, photos, and imagination.

The 3 way balance you speak of (life, photos, imagination), which should I attempt first? Or is there even a specific order that is beneficial? I cannot draw well from my imagination right now. That will take time to develop. Should I draw only a figure placing emphasis on muscles first? IE: Like on posemaniacs. Or should I attempt to draw a figure complete and whole first? Sorry I have so many questions, but you seem to know your stuff, and I am full of questions lol.

**Praemium** · December 24th, 2009, 01:27 PM

Speaking from my own way of learning, and burning_chrome probably has a different method, I think it would be beneficial to start drawing simple objects from life. 3 everyday objects (ex: pear, book, bottle) arranged and drawn for an hour. Do this *every* single day. If you don't see improvement within a few months, you're doing something wrong. Block in rudimentary shapes, then begin to shade. Try to do these exercises when there is good light available. I did this for three years.
Meanwhile, as for life drawing, there should be a big enough group in your town (100,000+ residents) if you start google-ing. Try community colleges in your area. Go to cafes and draw. Draw everyone around you. Just keep drawing, every single blasted day. It will get boring, don't let it get to you, find something to make it fun. Do a portrait for a friend.. make christmas cards, etc.
As for using photo refs, you can use them, but don't become dependent on them. Keep drawing from life. I know people who can draw beautifully from a photo, but it looks like tracing, and the result is a flat, dull, boring image. They can usually not draw from a model because they are so used to drawing from a flat 2-d photo. Get a bridgeman book and start learning how to block out the figure. Get an anatomy book and study. Observe life. As long as you keep drawing you will continue to improve. I have to go decorate for christmas, good luck to you, and happy holidays.

**timblakenavy** · December 24th, 2009, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by Praemium

Speaking from my own way of learning, and burning_chrome probably has a different method, I think it would be beneficial to start drawing simple objects from life. 3 everyday objects (ex: pear, book, bottle) arranged and drawn for an hour. Do this *every* single day. If you don't see improvement within a few months, you're doing something wrong. Block in rudimentary shapes, then begin to shade. Try to do these exercises when there is good light available. I did this for three years.
Meanwhile, as for life drawing, there should be a big enough group in your town (100,000+ residents) if you start google-ing. Try community colleges in your area. Go to cafes and draw. Draw everyone around you. Just keep drawing, every single blasted day. It will get boring, don't let it get to you, find something to make it fun. Do a portrait for a friend.. make christmas cards, etc.
As for using photo refs, you can use them, but don't become dependent on them. Keep drawing from life. I know people who can draw beautifully from a photo, but it looks like tracing, and the result is a flat, dull, boring image. They can usually not draw from a model because they are so used to drawing from a flat 2-d photo. Get a bridgeman book and start learning how to block out the figure. Get an anatomy book and study. Observe life. As long as you keep drawing you will continue to improve. I have to go decorate for christmas, good luck to you, and happy holidays.

Thank you very much for your advice. I appreciate people willing to help out a noobie. I have been drawing my whole life, but never really anything serious. I'm really trying to get into the habit of drawing every day. I will take into consideration the cafe idea. I live in a small city outside of Dallas itself, and there are a few cafes. Thats a terrific idea lol. And I'm going to check my local libraries for the bridgeman books. I hope you have a happy holiday as well.

**burning_chrome** · December 25th, 2009, 06:16 AM

Originally Posted by timblakenavy

The 3 way balance you speak of (life, photos, imagination), which should I attempt first? Or is there even a specific order that is beneficial? I cannot draw well from my imagination right now. That will take time to develop. Should I draw only a figure placing emphasis on muscles first? IE: Like on posemaniacs. Or should I attempt to draw a figure complete and whole first? Sorry I have so many questions, but you seem to know your stuff, and I am full of questions lol.

Draw from life as much as possible. Use photos for practice when you cannot get access to life drawing. Don't worry about drawing from imagination for awhile.

IMHO, you should pay attention to gesture, measurement of proportions, and construction first and foremost. Get Hampton's book and follow his roadmap for learning - I do recommend skipping the head drawing section and just focus on the figure for now.

I agree with Praemium's advice on putting in as much pencil mileage as possible - however, be aware of the fact that without adequate instruction, simply putting in tremendous amounts of practice time without knowing what you're doing right or wrong can be enormously frustrating if you cannot recognize your drawing problems, and more importantly, how to fix them.