TEXAS Highschool Senior asking YOU for advice

[mikeyjwest]

Hello. I will be a senior when school starts up again. Untill that time I have decided to dedicate myself to finding a good college in Texas. I am not interested in getting an associates degree so I have ruled out the art institute.
I am interested in working as a character designer for a computer game company and as far as that is concerned I have no idea what to look for next. I also know that I would like to duel major in English.
Is anyone here familiar with colleges in Texas and if you are, do you have any suggestions? Also, if anyone has any advice regarding my career intrest I would love to know that as well. So far I have visited University of Texas at Austin and the university of Texas at Dallas. I have heard good things about Texas A&M but I can't find mention of art in their catalog. Does anyone know if Texas A&M would be appropriate for what I looking for?
I would love any thoughts on this at all. Thank you.

[Doc]

I think you should choose a school that specializes in 3D animation, if you want to be in the gaming industry. I don't know of any schools in the Texas area but, make sure you inquire, from admisions, about the art program at any school that you are looking at. Make sure you tour the school's art facilaties as well. While doing that ask any questions you might have. You can even ask employers where good schools are.
However, keep in mind that you should try to be "a jack of all trades." Just drawing characters will not make you favoritable to an employer. Besides, that is only part of the job that those people do anyways. They have to be able to do everything or else deadlines are missed. But, if you want to do that I would suggest you familarize yourself with these areas as well:

-Fundimental design
-Fundimental 3D drawing
-Life drawing (This skill is very important so learn it and refine it as soon as you can!)
-3D computer modeling
-Painting (all medias)
-Storyboarding
-Pencil drawn animation
-A fairly good understanding of Architecture and history
-Computer compositing
-Animation principals
-concept art
-Photoshop, after effects, Adobe premire, lightwave, Maya, 3dsMax, Byrce, Deep Paint, and Illustraitor. (I would at the time focus on drawing before you learn any of these programs.)

I hope this helps.
-Doc