Tony's Art School

Drawing the Face 4 – NOSE (click-tap Video title)

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Drawing the Face 3 – EYES (click-tap Video title)

Drawing the Face 2 – HEADFORMS (click-tap Video title)

Drawing the Face 6 – EARS 6 min (click-tap Video title)

SSWR night 3, May 7 – PERSP. SCALE FIGURES -‘CLOTHESLINE AND MEASURING WALL’ 15 min (click-tap Video title)

Mature Student Considering Architecture (Tap-click title)

I wrote the following to a mature student considering Architecture:

You have indicated that you see this as a career change. Try to re-frame it as a logical ‘next step’ that you have decided to take at the appropriate time. So it should look like a logical development, not aimless experimentation.

Your age is not a problem, I would say 30 is about average. Career Testing at UBC is an option if you can afford it. If you were 45 now it will be a problem in the job market after univ. , because you would then be in your 50’s looking for a first job in an architecture office. Do you have any relatives who were architects or builders? I know it sounds strange, but I have been in conversations where ‘heredity’ was a factor…just sayin’… If you have it, don’t hide it. “My great grandfather was a mason who worked on cathedrals in Europe.” They wouldn’t ignore that.

Don’t be intimidated by the amount of things in the portfolio write-up (also in this blog). Do as much as you can and just APPLY. Think about how things you have already done can ‘creatively’ be restated to fulfill some of the elements in the portfolio pdf’. Everything can relate to architecture. For example, try googling ‘mime and architecture’,’ music and architecture’, etc. Even office work and organizing classes are related as ‘group work skills’, lifeskills. If you play a musical instrument – ‘architecture is frozen music’. Very few people can cover it all. (but some can(;-) The trick is to be strategic – do some 2D drawing, some 3D work, some measured drawing (drafting), some computer stuff, but don’t emphasize hardball CAD. Find a retired Architect, who can $$$tutor you in CAD and drafting, enough to cover that without BCIT. There are several weekend courses at ECUAD year-round in Continuing Studies. All of my own courses are aimed at producing portfolio stuff. Doing some architect interviews will show you are serious. Quote their names (important that you remember and are respectful), You can do it by email if nec. Also, you might find a mentor among them who can employ you, do reference letters, etc. The portfolio grid pdf in this blog is not official. It is only a general guide to the thinking. Some schools are very formal, some a little less so.

There is also a thing called the ‘minimum syllabus’. Google it in connection with the RAIC ( Royal Architecture Institute of Canada http://www.raic-syllabus.ca/ ‘ It is a kind of apprentice system by which most people used to get into architecture before universities got into the business. Universities downplay it and it takes a very long time, but at least you are working. Even the university route takes a very long time.

The way I look at it, if you don’t have the bucks to go to univ straight through, doing it in chunks that give you a piece of paper and a marketable skill at 1 -2 year part time intervals can be an option. : two years at BCIT (then you are a drafter), ECUAD cert Programs (develops your drawing skills), SFU urban studies (municipalities and planners will like you), each builds skills and has certificates at the end, plus serious portfolio pieces. That way, if you decide you’ve had enough or find an interesting alternative, at least you have some excellent resume building completions. Whereas, half of an architecture degree is worse than useless, in my opinion.

Just get as ready as you can for next year and APPLY to about five univs: U of T, UBC, U of Man,, Dalhousie, U of Wash, U of Calgary. plus any others you can think of, even if you don’t see yourself relocating – things might change by the time you have to accept. Be pushy about getting feedback if you are rejected, and apply again. Many are accepted on a second, more fine-tuned attempt. Also, ideally apply no later than November for the following year, because if there is a tie and all other things being equal, they can decide to take the earlier applicant. Also, do not wait until the last minute to ask for referral letters. These are now often done online and believe me refs hate to be doing it over Christmas holidays because students are slow or disorganized!!! Aim to do the work at the univs by Nov…you don’t submit portfolio at that time. You also should have at least one ‘academic’ reference, if possible. Always follow up with a sincere thank you, including (my suggestion) a Starbucks gift card. You might need the goodwill of these people next year for re-applying or for scholarship applications. Tell them how you made out, accepted or not.

Final point – You are trying to market yourself to universities as a future professional. Later you are marketing yourself to an employer and to clients. Think about what you look like as a job applicant: The university degree is GOOD, BUT IT’S NOT ENOUGH. What are you bringing to the party that will allow an employer to charge for your time? The pressure and competition never ends.

Again, Good luck! Tony

Thinking of Going to Art School? (Tap-click title)

I wrote this to someone wanting advice for a young prospective art student. I am not involved in the portfolio process at ECUAD. I was a portfolio adjudicator in another university design program for quite a few years and now just teach in continuing studies. All this advice is totally non-official, just personal observation:

It is getting increasingly more competitive to get into any university. Many local studio-art programs (the “Art Schools”) have been disappearing. Art-based high schools, private lessons, foreign students, all supply impressive applicants. Portfolios often show diligence in copy-work and observation, love of detail and craftsmanship. These are all good things, but I would suggest there should be more representation in some of the following areas in a portfolio – colour; capacity for loose free expression; 3d work (eg abstract sculpture or clay modeling, perhaps human figure or similar); variety of subject matter (abstract, landscape, face/figure, still-life; evidence of creativity (creative solutions to a problem, making something out of nothing, ideally making something no one has ever seen); other art forms, such as video/editing, music, dance or other performance, creative writing. Don’t be intimidated by official portfolio requirements, but DO take it seriously. Many of these requirements can be addressed through continuing studies courses which will produce items for a portfolio. You can also get a certificate in various art forms through continuing studies (please don’t see this as a commercial for CS). This is what I would recommend for my own family members. Also, google: ‘Emily Carr Portfolio” to find important information and examples. This blog has info on portfolios for applying to post-grad architecture schools. It might offer you some other ideas about portfolios, even though it’s for design.

Important point – Emily Carr is now a “university” of art. This means it has academically trained instructors and requirements similar to any university. This also means that a student is required to take and do well in various fairly rigorous academic studies, such as history and theory. I have feedback on this from several 1^st and 2nd year students who were somewhat surprised to find that they spend significant parts of their week doing academic university work, reading in the library and writing essays.

Let’s not disregard the commercial schools. They are “businesses” which is not entirely a bad thing. They can cost in the $tens of thousands range for a one year program, but they can lead to good networking and potentially a job, particularly in the animation industry, for a focused individual. I know one person who studied in San Francisco for a year and has been working for many years in animation, largely due to the contacts he made in that year. Last week I met with a manager-friend in a 160 person animation and computer effects operation doing post production work on sci-fi shows who said his first choice for a new hire would be a commercial college one-year grad. For him, degrees don’t count (by the way -he has degrees) – It’s all about the “demo reel”.

Networking – Treat this seriously – Who you know and meet is so important to a career – Consider Van Gogh and Picasso, both of course premiere artists. Van Gogh – no network – seldom sold a piece in his lifetime and died in obscurity. Picasso – big network – lived well and prospered!

Final points – For a young person who is about to set out on a very long and potentially expensive journey. Give serious and realistic thought to your future career goals – don’t just follow an illusion: To become a practicing studio artist, consider taking many targeted Continuing Studies courses (taught by practicing artists (and for galleries it’s all about the work). If the aim is to become an academic or arts administrator, then a university BFA plus an MFA may be needed (all taught by academics). To clarify a young person’s aptitudes and goals I always urge them to take the Career Planning one day special at UBC Continuing studies – It is first rate. I have recommended this for my own nephews and other young people. I did something similar myself long ago. Anyone who would not pay $380 to get the very best intelligence on a future career choice is liable to be sleep-walking into making a costly mistake. http://cstudies.ubc.ca/a/Course/Career-Testing-Package/LC303/

Five Factors for Success (Tap-click title)

We would all like to be successful in our work, however we define that. We have all listened to pundits who offer the 10 or 12 rules for success. I heard these factors in a radio interview from THE most famous Canadian director being asked to explain his success on the CBC one morning. I was driving and I had to pull over to the side of the road and write them down. He wasn’t selling anything, sounded like he knew what he was talking about, and he was in fact successful in a very competitive field where so many others failed. (My comments in parenthesis):

1 – TIMING (Methodically follow the news in your line of endeavour)

2 – LUCK (Try often and keep your skills honed to take advantage when opportunity knocks)

3 – WHO YOU KNOW (Build a good network – or marry one (; )

4 – PERSERVERANCE (Identify and remedy frustrations)

5 – TALENT (Have some, by all means. But remember a very famous artist theorized that talent is an invention of people who want an excuse not to work hard – as in “She just has magic talent, so it’s pointless for me to even try”. Polish your skill until it is indistinguishable from ‘talent’.)