Fine Art Courses

catbird

Hi Guys

Im applying for fines arts for 2013 and doing a portfolio preparation corse at the moment.

Im just wondering what the fine art courses are like around the country

Its so hard to get a an idea of them online since they rarely have examples of student work.

I've heard NCAD pays a lot of attention the the theory , yet any student work i have seen is very much low concept

My course coordinator recommends sligo, but i have been down years before and found the area where the fine art students work very dreary

Im looking for somewhere that encompasses everything (paint , video , sculpture , multimedia) and concentrate on critique , theory and concept.

Can anybody shine some light , what are you guys thought on the fine art courses around the country?

artyeva

have you looked at LSAD? i went to LSAD but too long ago now for my experience to be relevant in 2013/14 but i found it a good mix between concept and range of specialisations. and in my degree year at least the line between disciplines was fuzzy enough to be interesting... 3d paining, printing on different media, installation/performance in sculpture... that kind of thing. no harm to ring 'em up and see if they have an open day on.... i think they might have had one recently but no harm asking anyway.

fleabag

I'm currently at LSAD and love the place. I'm studying Print and we get plenty of really good practical tuition (as well as the best print studio in the country) with both dedicated lecturers and visiting artists plus we have separate critical and contextual studies with some great, enthusiastic lecturers who encourage you to apply what you learn in their lectures to your practice. They really push making work with a meaning rather than things that look good and support you to that end.

In the final 2 years as the previous poster said, the distinctions between all fine art disciplines are blurred and you are as encouraged to make 3D work or video/sound/photography pieces as you are to print. Painting is a little more rigid, you can cross the boundaries but in my experience very few painters do. The technicians are great too and try to faciliate anything you want to try.

Plus there's a real buzz at Limerick. I interviewed for Cork as well and could really feel the difference between the two places. They really encourage experimentation and off-the-wall stuff but the traditional tuition is still in place, for example life drawing classes are available for all years. This year also, they've introduced dedicated animation and photography courses.

If you have time, visit the degree shows of a few places, I think you get a good sense of what each college is about then. I know LSAD has open days as well, maybe all colleges do so go along and talk to people and see what they think.

Chorcai

3rd yr DIT student here, over the last 2yrs we did - painting, drawing, print, scuplture, new-media, photography (B+W -film), video -

Painting - learned how to mix paint, make your own oil paints, acrylic, oil/chalk/pastels, watercolour -tube/blocks, canvass making, colour theory etc
Drawing - basic to experimental
Print - Screen print, etching, chine colle, emboss, multi plate etching and screen, hybrid printing, Photoshop
Sculpture - wood joints, welding, casting, theory, plaster, instalation etc
Media/Photograhy - Photoshop, Final Cut Pro (video software), b+w film development, printing images in darkroom, sound workshops,

Art history/Theory - electives such as Post modern theory, Art Society and Culture, Narrative, Everyday Objects, etc

As like others have said, distinctions between all fine art disciplines are blurred and you do more or less what interestes you. Call in and see the place, talk to the students hell even ask for me 3rd yr Class Rep I'll show you or anyone around if I'm there !

catbird

Wow guys , really helpful posts guys , thanks

What do you mean they blur the lines at the last two years? , because most courses put you in a specialized medium towards the end. I emailed LSAD to ask when the portfolio was due (no reply yet) , do you guys know?
Defiantly sounds what im looking for (a creative environment with critique and feedback as well as getting to grips with the theory end of things).

Why what vibe did you get from cork?

Chorcia i might take you up on the offer , i have DIT in mind for first choice , this is the challenge im facing , because of the way the cao operates i have to think clearly about my first choice. When you do choose Chorcia , what your specializing in , are you totally constrained to it?

I dont know are open days an option anymore at this stage , i think the deadline to register is the 1st , but if you can visit anyway i most defiantly will.

Im looking for a creatively stimulating environment , thats allows you freedom do work on your ideas but also the support of good staff that can challenge you and push you further. Really getting down to the nitty gritty of what art is and can be , dissecting it. Looking from all perspectives. What i dont want , is just dealing with the object and the naturalistic values , how this looks , how this textures feels , how you can bend this material etc

fleabag

By blurring I mean that at least at LSAD if you're in Print, you don't necessarily need to print all the time. You're considered a Fine Artist so can paint, make 3D work or use photography, video, sound, performance, basically anything that helps you get your ideas across.

For example in my year this year, we have some dedicated printmakers, who also use video and/or photography, some people do mainly photography, some people use digital print to make 3D installations, and someone is using dance in their work - but we're all classed as printmakers.

I'm sure it's the same in most colleges as it reflects the fact that today most artists use a combination of media in their practice.

On the art theory side we covered from Baroque to Post Modern in the first 2 years with additional seminars in the 2nd year on subjects like Gender in Art, Film Theory, Irish Cultural Studies. In third year this continues; Art and the Art World, the films of David Lynch, Trangressive Art, and a few others I can't remember!

Good luck in your choice, I'm sure you'll enjoy it wherever you go!

Chorcai

catbird wrote: »

Chorcia i might take you up on the offer , i have DIT in mind for first choice , this is the challenge im facing , because of the way the cao operates i have to think clearly about my first choice. When you do choose Chorcia , what your specializing in , are you totally constrained to it?

I dont know are open days an option anymore at this stage , i think the deadline to register is the 1st , but if you can visit anyway i most defiantly will.

I would find out date for submission of portfolios to colleges you need to get on top of that straight away.

If you are going to call to me, PM here just encase as Wednesday is a full on theory day, plus workshops on other days etc.

Last semester I mainly did drawing and print, this semester it might change but 3D work seems to be calling me !

Anything else I would add would be similar to Fleabag.

Try to think of 1st-2nd yrs as "tick-the-box" you complete the requirements and learn all you can about each area, your last semester in yr 2 is where you ground your work conceptually and context wise, 3rd yr is where the fun starts !

catbird

So i put DIT first LSAD second then galway and cork

Thanks for the help guys , DIT portfolio isn't until march , still have to find out lsad

Did you guys have the leaving cert or fetac requirements when you go into your courses?

Chorcai

I was a mature student so it would be best to check out the CAO/Colleges, 1st of Feb for CAO, best of luck to you !