September 28, 2005

Curious, George: Help The Visually Disadvantaged. Hi. I have an elementary question here, something I'm sure some of our monkeys can help me with — where are the best places to look for an education in visual design?

I have taken up the hobby of stained glass, as evidenced by this post I made awhile back. I very much enjoy this hobby, but so far I've limited myself to using patterns created by others. I now wish to learn how to come up with designs myself. Thing is, I'm a word guy, not an image guy. I know fuck-all about visual design. I'm looking for those who are in the know to point me to any books or sites that they know of that can help this literal monkey learn a visual skill, to the extent that that can be learned. I prefer more abstract design, interplays of form and color, if that helps. I admit that there's probably not a simple answer to my question, but I'm such a babe in the woods when it comes to visual design that I really don't even know where to begin. But if there is some kind of crash course in the fundamentals of visual design, I'd like to know about it. There's no real need to focus on stained glass-specific stuff. Anything relating to the 2-D visual arts will do.

posted by middleclasstool 19 years ago
  • I went to one of the better known art schools in America, and it's pretty much a scam if you don't want a diploma. Hang out with some artists, find a co-op, shoot the shit. Stained glass is fun, I did some.
  • Find great examples and be insipred by them. link
  • Could ya make a couple of these for me?
  • As a degree holder from one of the most prestigious art school in the country, and perhaps the most widely known in the world, I'd say don't do it. Find yourself a nice community based arts program and study there. Likely you'll get a primo education. The same instructors I was shelling out huge dollars for were also teaching about eight miles away as a school that charged about a nice dinner out for two per term. The only difference was less art wannabes and more poseurs at a "real" art school. So like ActuallySettle says, unless you really want a degree your money is better spent elsewhere. With art education is more about what you make of the class than where it is. If the instructor is good you can learn a lot, and if you go beyond the scope of the course they'll likely be thrilled to death to help you.
  • Draw. Paint. Copy. The best way to learn design is by doing it. If you learn how to handle a fast medium, you can take a very relaxed approach. You can just churn out sketch after sketch until you are satisfied. Watercolor is quite good for that purpose, though you may have fun with acrylics too.
  • I fear there is no golden road to the visual arts, except perhaps being Picasso. Yes. Being Picasso should do the trick.
  • Just look. Look at stuff like you've never looked before, goddam you! But really - try and see everything as possible inspiration - newspaper pics, websites, those things when you mis-read a shadow or an object and it looks like something else, go to an art gallery, or just a bookshop and look at art books. All artists borrow - great artists steal. You just need to be visually receptive and ready to be inspired by that funny blob of green moss on that stone gatepost you walk past on your way to work. Or whatever. As another art school graduate, my biggest advice to you would be just to have fun, create something that you above think looks nice - create strong images. Don't worry about concepts, ideas, themes - these will appear as you work. Realising I no longer had to justify what I did, upon leaving art school, was a great revalation and very liberating. Fuck it, I thought, I'm going to paint cartoon characters! Enjoy.
  • I hold a degree from a fair-to-middling art school, and it didn't do much for me. So, I'd second what AS, nonbinary and kitfisto said.
  • For god's sake, can't you come up wiyth something of your own to say? Bloody kanucktard.
  • Sure I can ... ... ... *sob*
  • There, there, kokey old chum. *pats koko on head, buys her an ice cream*
  • eeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! *gets ice cream all over face*
  • *sighs* *gets out Wet Wipes*
  • I think most responses here have exaggerated the original intent of mct's post. I didn't get that he was looking to chuck it all and go to art school--he's just looking for the basics (as I read it). If that's the case, here are some places to start: A class on 2D design at the local community college should set you straight. Basic color theory. Elements of composition.
  • hey, mct, mrs deconstructo is a visual artiste. I bought her a book by Jim Krause called Creative Sparks. Her gratitude was expressed in a tactile manner. You can just say thanks. Krause has other books on design, 2D, 3d, materials and what not, but CS is intended not so much to teach as to tap into one's creative core.
  • Yes, patita and deconstructo, that was the sort of thing I was looking for. Though I suspect the "just draw" and "look around you" advice is at least as important, if not more so. Thanks! If there's more, keep 'em coming.
  • I dunno anything about this topic but the name "Mrs Deconstructo" has a great ring to it.