Art school is a colloquial term for any educational institution (whether elementary, secondary, post-secondary/undergraduate, or graduate/postgraduate) with a primary focus on the visual arts, especially graphic design, illustration, painting, photography, and sculpture. They are distinguished from larger institutions which may also offer majors or degrees in the visual arts, but only as one part of a broad-based range of programs (such as the liberal arts and sciences).

France’s École des Beaux-Arts is perhaps the first model for such organized instruction, breaking with a tradition of master/apprentice instruction. If accredited as a college, most art schools grant a Bachelor of Fine Arts, B.A. or B.S. degree. Associates degrees and professional diploma programs are common as well.  In recent years a number of art schools have begun to offer some or all of their curricula online, which by nature transcends national boundaries.  When online courses require production of traditional drawings or other such materials, they are usually photographed or scanned for submission and review by instructors.

Art education is the area of learning that is based upon the visual, tangible arts—drawing, painting, sculpture, and design in jewelry, pottery, weaving, fabrics, etc and design applied to more practical fields such as commercial graphics and home furnishings. Latest trends also include photography, video, film, design, computer art, etc. Within art schools “visual arts education” encompasses all the visual and performing arts delivered in a standards-based, sequential approach by a qualified instructor as part of the core curriculum. Its core is the study of inseparable artistic and aesthetic experience and learning.  Finding the right art school is a very individual decision. Everyone has their own approach to learning, their own ideas of what makes a school appealing (or not), and their own extracurricular priorities and considerations.

Your own personal approach is going to determine the path that’s best for you.  One of the biggest questions you need to answer when considering your path to an art education is what you hope to do with your skills when you’re done. Will you be a full-time artist? Will it be a part-time job? A hobby?  If you want to study art for your own personal enjoyment, maybe you don’t need a degree – though you may want to take a class or two to broaden your awareness of the particular area or aspect of art that interests you. Learn the technique, the vocabulary, the best tools, and then continue on your own.  On the other hand, if you are looking to make a living at it, extensive training is almost always required. Sure, raw talent may get you places, and if your work is good, credentials may not matter to a buyer. But in a wide world of art, you’re more likely to make your mark if you learn from those who have gone before you at art school.

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