Do you think that the more expensive, or well known art school will make you a better or successful artist?

Question

Or do you think that it's totally up to individual talent, and it doesn't matter if you go to an expensive or more well-known art school? But to a less-well known, but still excellent in itself!

Answer 1

I think it's just down to individual talent ,you don't need to go to an expensive art shool to be successfull,maybe it helps i really don't know.there are artists who are successfull that have never even went to art school,i think its down to yourself as an artist.

Answer 2

If you have the talent and skills, art school is a moot point other than for connections. Many artists do very well as self-taught artists. Neither my husband nor I have ever taken an art class until this year and both of us have been successful artists. We have pieces in museums in several states and I have supported myself entirely on my art sales for 3 years. Individual talent, creativity and imagination are probably the most important factors in being an artist.

If however you have talent but are learning the skills, you want a school with better teachers. This does NOT mean the one with higher prices. Look at the staff of the art departments and look at their work. If it is high quality work in a style that is somewhat similar to your own or to what you want to learn then go there. Going to an impressionist teacher when you want to learn photo-realism is never going to work.

Also, if you want to be a graphic or commercial artist, then you will need to go to school. These jobs usually require a degree.

Answer 3

Generally i believe that a better known art school has benefits, i go to a well known London art uni, as above i attend London uni of arts. We get wonderful well known artists to come in and talk and inspire, we have brilliant lectures on various subjects, plus we regularly get invitations,and opportunities to show our work(in shows and gallery's)! and unlike above at Chelsea, i have a full week (minus wed afternoon, and optional Friday workshops) so i am constantly learning and bettering myself!). i do feel that individual talent is important! but more so a passion for the subject, and total personal self motivation! if a less well known school is "excellent" then why not, perhaps one should look around at places and go to where seems to fit themselves best regardless of how much, or how well known, because that is where they will probably do best for themselves! but wherever they go they should always push themselves further than the college does, making sure it doesn't just end up being about meeting deadlines and bullshitting (like it does with many fellow students!) and enjoy it.

Answer 4

It's all well and good to say it only depends on individual talent, but the better schools also tend to be more selective. The freshman year is the time to root out the ones who are less motivated and thought this would be fun and games, regardless of what talent they showed. The ones who apply themselves have the advantage of a good education and a brand name to back them up. If they're going into commercial art (there are quite a few fields) this is useful. For example, I heard that Martha Stewart only hires graduates of the Rhode Island School of Design for artistic/creative positions.

Answer 5

If you go to a more well known or expensive art school (in other words, a better one) you will have better teachers and courses than in a less expensive school. but going to a better school does not necessarily mean you will be a more successful artist, because you have to have a certain degree of individual talent that does not depend on the school you go to.

Answer 6

As someone who went to an expensive art school.....
It is what you make of it. Talent, is quite honestly, Bullshit. Talent gets you nothing, if you do nothing with it.
I have a friend who is very successful as an artist, and he is self taught. I have another who is very successful and he went to art school.
Art school is the framework for you, you paint/create of yourself what YOU want. Yeah, professors might have a famous name, or a famous label, it doesn't mean they can teach, and it doesn't mean you'll learn.
Yes, in an expensive school, you will meet people who are driven, and people who know what they want.
But,
The key is knowing what YOU want, and if you ask an admissions officer to tell you why you should go to a school, a good one will ask you the same question back.
Art school is like a pair of shoes. You need to be the right fit for each other.

Answer 7

Well, it depends on your talent, but at expensive or well-known art-schools you make better contacts. The difference between expensive and well-known can be huge though. An expensive school might be one, where people go who haven't made the entry requirements for a good or well-known school.
On the contrary on a well-known school you have to have more talent (unless your daddy knows someone).

Answer 8

Of course talent is innate, and it can reveal itself in even the humblest of circumstances. But the merit of attending a renowned art school is in the faculty, as well-known and highly respected art schools are able to attract more talented teachers - with higher pay.

Additionally, better art schools tend to have more renowned alumni, and offer better networking opportunities for both students and graduates.

If you cannot go to a famous art school, go where you can afford to go, and work as hard as you can, but if it at all possible to attend an upper tier one, the chances are that it will be all that much easier for you to begin your career - assuming that you have some talent that is.

Answer 9

I went to a very well known art school. In london, and am still unemployed.

Its good for links and if your friends ever become famous?!!! (though this is called sponging and is not good for self esteem or pride!)

It can also look good on a c.v and become a talking point in interviews.

It can also mean that they have little tuitoion, we had about 20 mins a week. Not good, I rarely learnt anything d=from a tutor exept how to self motivate myself. I did learn alot from my fellow students.

My point is if you have a tutor you can connect with and who knows there stuff, AND someone who is preferably around more than 20 mins a week for a full time course, it doesnt matter where your at.


Our uni is world renbound- it houses about 6 colleges from central saint martins,. the london college of printing ...camberwell... and still has one of the lowest employment rates for unis.

Still a fab course/college though and I wouldnt take back what I have learnt ever!

Answer 10

By going to an expensive or well known school you have the potential to meet very influential people. You could make contacts and pursue 'friendships' with those people. Of course, talent is very important but in many cases it's not what you know it's WHO you know. Important people can put you in contact with other important people. By going to a school like that you also increase your chance of 'being in the right place at the right time'.

Answer 11

I'm afraid that as you realise the world of art is a business like any other as it was always so .
I did read an article lately that the art world is very clicky,
So going to a Better art school wont make you a better artist but will give you better connections . And we spend our lives trying to make better connections , their is no greater truism its not what you know etc.
Recently it was remarked we dint live in a Meritocracy but a dumbocracy don't believe me look at the dumbed down celebrities