art school is hard

Art School IS Hard!

By Keith La Rue

Art School IS Hard!

I wish I could go to school to finger paint...

WOW! You have it so easy!What exactly are you doing?

Your an Art Major?!

Why are you doing that?

You must not do anything in the Art School

Is that all you do?

I wish I could go to school to finger paint...

WOW! You have it so easy!What exactly are you doing?

Your an Art Major?!

Why are you doing that?

You must not do anything in the Art School

Is that all you do?Art is not hard...

candidate in a selective BFA program

peer reviewsfinal submissions

I can’t go out tonight, I am doing sketches for class

explorationshours in the studio...

candidate in a selective BFA program critique day

final submissionsI can’t go out tonight, I am doing sketches for class

explorationshours in the studio...

Art is hard!!!

Grab your coffee mug, filled with the most powerful and full-bodied coffee- that is promised to keep you awake- along with your sketch pad, pencils, erasers, and iPod; most Art majors spend their nights with these things.

Countless hours in a coffee house, or at home thinking of concepts for a project, is just one part of coming up with the idea of the year. After one idea, another concept pops into your head that makes you second guess your first idea. In return, you crumple up the first idea into a nicely formed paper ball, and throw it onto the floor with all of the other “good ideas” you have come up with. This process can take more time than one might expect. Friends never understand that, instead of going out on a Thursday, for the “Thirsty Thursdays” festivities, you are going to stay in and think of a concept that will wow all eyes that view it.

concept

Phot

ogra

phy

by: K

eith

La

Rue

inspiration daunting task libraries and coffee shops

countless hours

hours or weeksperfect combination

graphite stained fingers,GOT IT!erasers, paper, pencils,ect.

excitementprocess of conceptdeveloping an idea

inspiration libraries and coffee shopshours or weeks

perfect combination

combination of elements graphite stained fingers,GOT IT!

erasers, paper, pencils,ect.

process of conceptdeveloping an idea

research

A detailed study of a subject, especially in order to discover (new) information or reach a (new) understanding, is the definition of research. Friends think that they have it bad when they have to re-search for a single paper. We spend hours, if not days, sitting in a library looking at books just for a concept. We read all sorts of materials just to get an idea for what we want to have happen on the paper, or in the medium that we are studying. From what type of paper, to what type of pencils or pastels to use- we explore all materials. In the world of art, there are countless possibilities to explore.

We could also spend days going to visit galleries around town to get some inspiration for our upcoming piece. When researching for our piece, we explore whether we should use a different medium. We rarely get one idea and stick with it. Art Students explore millions of differ-ent ways to convey what our piece is saying.

Photography by: Keith La R

ue

gallery visitsread all sorts of materialdetailed study of a subject

explore all materials100 sketches of concept

books, encyclopedia’s, internetin the librarydefine

looking at reference books

selection

The selection process can be quite overwhelming. At this stage, you select exactly which way you want the piece to go. You choose in which medium you would like the piece to be done. From going and looking at different weights of paper, to check-ing out the way various paints work on the canvas, we spend time decid-ing how we want this to feel.

During this process we also start thinking about the reasons why we are doing this. One of the big things in art is to be able to explain exactly what you were trying to convey with your piece. Some art students do works based on a certain phobia they may have. Some might do works that deal with family and friends. Regard-less of the work, you must be able to explain what the work means and what it is supposed to be about. Its not just saying, “ Oh I did it because I like it.” Or, “ I did this because it was cool looking.” In art there is always a deeper meaning to what a piece is about. Whether it is discussing the rhythm of the piece or the way the work is designed, the meaning is just as important as the process.

Phot

ogra

phy

by: K

eith

La

Rue

pencils or pastels...maybe I should use mixed media...I could use both crayons and pastels...

acrylic or oils?I really like this one, but I like this one as well...glossy paper or matte paper...

dry mount or spray mount...what colors should I use?

feedback

Feedback is constant throughout your art school career. Hearing constant comments about whether or not your work is understandable/ liked, can be hard to endure. Unlike many other programs, peer review is a must. That’s the only way you’re going to know if you are doing good work, or if your work makes sense to others.

Having your work scrutinized by your peers and/or professors is part and parcel of being in art school. It might be hard to listen to at times, but it is rewarding in a sense that you get an understanding as to how people are viewing your work. The feeling that we get during this feed-back can be gut-wrenching. Some-times, the criticism is hard to listen to because you feel that you have conveyed the meaning of your piece via your explorations of the medium and composition of your piece.


ue

I like that but...well, what if you try this...try it this way

it doesn’t look right...why are you doing it that way?

maybe you should try this...

something about it just doesn’t fit...

what will they say?you need to push it more...

I like that but...well, what if you try this...

why are you doing it that way?maybe you should try this...

I don’t like it...

it reminds me of...hey, can you give me your opinion...

something about it just doesn’t fit...

what will they say?you need to push it more...did I do enough?

production

Grab yet another cup of coffee and get ready for a couple of sleep-less nights getting exactly what you want your piece to look like. This is one of the most important parts of being an art student. During the production phase, you explore different ways in which to establish the look of your concept. Hour after hour, we begin putting piece by piece together to get that perfect composition. Whether it’s trying different colors, or seeing the perfect angle, the production of your piece relys heavily on your eye.

Cut after cut, mark after mark, you begin seeing the outcome of your perfect piece. Through many explo-rations and hours of sitting in the studio, you’ve finally got it!

Phot

ogra

phy

by: K

eith

La

Rue

paint brushesWhite or black mount board?Should I try it this way?

can you please print this out on 8.5x11 regular paper?

oh no! I need more paint!

Why doesn’t this look right?I need an exact-o knife...

where can I get supplies at this time of night?I don’t like the way this is looking...

paint brushes

paint brushesWhite or black mount board?Should I try it this way?

oh no! I need more paint!

Why doesn’t this look right?I need an exact-o knife...

where can I get supplies at this time of night?I don’t like the way this is looking...I think this is it!

paint brushescanvas

refinement

This part of being an art student is by far one of the most meticulous, nit picky parts of an artist. When refining a piece of art, one goes through each and every inch of the composition and makes sure every-thing is exactly the way it should be. I would describe refinement as trimming all of the excess fat off of a beef tenderloin; it has to be done. This also takes time and talent. With refining a piece, you study all outs and ends and make sure all the t’s are crossed and all the I’s dotted. Just like the photograph suggests, you go from a dull point and refine it to its sharpest point possible.


ue

clean up the edges...aline all elements on the page...

make it your own...put a finish on...

erase the smudges off...add a little more color here...

making sure everything is cohesive...use feedback to refine more...

use feedback

critique

Grab yet another cup of coffee and get ready for a few sleepless nights, while you attempt to get exactly the end product you want, as you finagle the piece to look perfect. This is one of the most important parts of being an art student. During the production phase, you explore different ways in which to establish the look of your concept. Hour after hour, we begin putting piece by piece together to get that perfect composition. Whether it’s trying different colors, or seeing the perfect angle, the pro-duction of your piece relies heavily on your eye.

Cut after cut, mark after mark, you begin seeing the outcome of your perfect piece. Through many explo-rations and hours of sitting in the studio, you’ve finally got it!

Phot

ogra

phy

by: K

eith

La

Rue

This is what I was going for...I really enjoy the rhythm in your piece!I don’t understand...Why did you choose to do it this way?

I really like it!The negative space is very interesting.

Very Cool!Brilliant!

This is what I was going for...I really enjoy the rhythm in your piece!

Wow! Nice job!

I don’t understand...Why did you choose to do it this way?

The negative space is very interesting.

Very Cool!Brilliant!Interesting...

relief

After all is said and done, and the dust has cleared from the night of producing the actual work, the sigh of relief is extremely welcomed. Not only did you just go through the most intense critique of the semester, but you also made it through, and your work did exactly what it was meant to do.

Most art students will go home, have a beer and a smoke, and relax after a long couple of weeks of getting their piece together. Some might even spend a couple of days sleeping; not thinking about any-thing that has to do with art, before going back to the drawing board for another go at another project that will wow audiences that view it. The only thing we have to say for ourselves is, “Glad that’s over!”


ue

Glad that’s over!Thank GOD!

That wasn’t so bad.

Back to the drawing board.Mmm, Mmm, Mmm...

It wasn’t quite there yet...

I need a drink.

Glad that’s over!That wasn’t so bad.

Back to the drawing board.Mmm, Mmm, Mmm...DoneIt wasn’t quite there yet...

I need a drink.

art school is hard

Documents

art schoolis

art majors

art students

world of art

idea inspiration libraries

type of paper

single paper

coffee shopshours