Seattle Area Schooling

**Gonzo** · June 27th, 2004, 03:55 PM

I am currently enrolled at AIS but am looking to bolster my traditional skills (drawing/painting). I have another 3 quarters left at AIS but it's all digital. I've been going to the life drawing sessions every chance I get (3-4 times a week minimum) but I am searching for something a little more class-like.

I am interested to know if anyone has any experience or knows someone with experience in regards to the Seattle Academy of Fine arts (http://www.seattlefineart.org/about%20us.html) or the Pratt Fine Art Center (http://www.pratt.org).

Any advice is much appreciated.

**puffin** · June 27th, 2004, 04:22 PM

Seattle Academy of Fine Art is an excellent school. I took my first classes there in April, Beginning Figure Drawing with O'Higgins and Beginning Figure Sculpture with Buckner. I was so impressed with the instruction that I'm enrolled in two workshops by O'Higgins, Expressive Figure Drawing which ran last week from 9:30-4:30 daily, and Expressive Figure Painting which starts tomorrow. The school also does an Open Studio where you can pay $10 for a 3hour life drawing session (1:30-4:30 Sunday-Friday, 6:30-9:30 Tuesday), this is over for a bit but starts again in July or August. I've learned a tremendous amount in just the past few months, you can see some of the stuff I've worked on here

http://www.travisgreenstreet.com ). Nothing spectacular but considering I was drawing stick figures a few months ago it is a world of change. Hope this helps, also, ask about the 25% discount for students 25 or under. Take care,
Travis

**pmiles** · June 27th, 2004, 07:25 PM

Hey Gonzo! I've missed you at the open life drawing sessions... I'll be back again this summer quarter. Perhaps Faye will straighten me out in Advanced Life Drawing? LOL, I doubt it.

Where do you see yourself going with your education? I know a lot of people who can draw but can't transfer that skill into 3D and I also know a lot of people who can't draw that are masters at 3D. I guess what I am trying to say is, honing your drawing skills is definitely a plus, but not necessarily the only skill that we need to hone. I say, go where your heart takes you. If that means attending a school like the Art Center, then so be it. Life is about learning, not getting a job. Get the education that you feel you need. You have entire lifetime to work, but you have so few opportunities to spend just learning. Take advantage of it while you can.

**Gonzo** · June 28th, 2004, 01:01 PM

Hey Pmiles! Yeah, I kinda had to do all the classwork that I neglected for the first 8 weeks of the quarter.

I'm not dropping out of AIS. There is still a lot to be learned in the digital/3d realm. I just feel that my skills at drawing are not what they should be nor where I want them to be. Now I know I can be drawing day in and day out (which I do) but I feel that I can get "that much better" with more guidance and instruction.

The classes/workshops at SAFA are not the cheapest around nor are they the most expensive. The classes that I'm thinking of taking fit my schedule at AIS nicely (like 30 minute overlap or days that I'm off). The atelier at SAFA was also recommended by the ARC (Juliette Aristides specifically).

I guess I'm in the position to take advantage of it; might as well!

**pmiles** · June 28th, 2004, 04:29 PM

Gonzo, your stuff has really improved (from your early posts) and from what I've seen you do at open life. Heck, you even paint better than me. I say go for it. I wouldn't overlook some of the workshops offered at AIS either, you seem to want to explore a variety of mediums. It's all drawing, whether it be a brush, a pencil, or clay.

How did the conference go? Or has it yet to occur? I'd really like to know how things turned out. Sometimes throwing yourself to the Lions is a real eye-opener... on a lot of levels.

I didn't think that you were going to leave AIS, I just meant to say that sometimes the right education is achieved through a variety of avenues, not just one.

Keep it up!