Painting Schools

Overview

Art serves as the primary signature of a culture, carrying our individual and collective images and ideas from one generation to another. Some people enjoy producing paintings. If you want to become a professionally trained painter, then you should go to a painting school.

Almost all colleges offer painting courses with a fine arts degree. A bachelor's degree in fine arts ranges between three years and may extend up to five years. The curriculum of arts schools includes art fundamentals, design and crafts, advanced drawing, advanced painting, 2D portfolio preparation, 3D portfolio preparation, ceramics, and painting techniques. They also include design concepts like line, color, texture, and space.

Benefits

Art gives us the ability to express ourselves. There are huge benefits for every person involved in art and painting. The major advantage is that, it gives you a competitive edge in the design market. With the increase in use of websites and other forms of multimedia, the demand for painters is sure to increase.

Professionals can choose to work in fields like advertising, marketing, architecture, and interior designing. Famous paintings sell for millions of dollars. You can also display your work in local art galleries. The median annual earnings of painters and other fine artists is around $41,970 and this income can vary significantly based on an individual's talents, experience, and type of formal training received.

Costs

The cost is increasing as far as painting schools are concerned in the United States. Costs can be as much as $35,000 for the whole program. If it is pursued in a community institution, it would cost only around $6,585 annually for a four-year program.

Schools

There are many schools and universities in the United States which provide painting degrees. The University of Southern California, University of Florida, Art Institute of Chicago, and University of Houston are some of the universities which offers degree program in painting.

Testing & Preparation

For pursuing a degree in painting schools, you are expected to have a good academic score in your high school or graduation and the completed certificates may have to be produced. You may also be required to take up the American College Test (ACT) or the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) to determine your eligibility for the admission. If you happen to be an international student, then you will also be required to produce your Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score. Certain colleges also conduct entrance examinations. You can prepare a portfolio of all your paintings, which will be an added advantage. Attending crash courses and workshops related to painting, and having a passion for it might help you in having a better chance in joining a full-time degree course.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available in the form of scholarships, loans, and grants for reducing the burden on the students. The Arts Students League of New York provides various scholarships for the students pursuing painting courses. Private banks such as Citibank and Fifth Third Bank offer student loans. Art Institute of Chicago offers scholarships and grants to meritorious students.