Date of Award

5-2020

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Departmental Honors

Department

Art and Design

Abstract

Students who aspire to become realism artists are faced with a difficult decision about where to learn classical drawing and painting skills. Where should they study and what type of education should they pursue? These students can attend a college or university and obtain a traditional contemporary art education. This choice will provide young artist with a basic education in painting and drawing. Students will also receive an education across different areas of art as well as a liberal arts education. However, students may select to attend an atelier, fashioned after the 19th century pattern for training classical artists. This decision will provide a highly focused classical drawing and painting educational path, but little else. This research will examine documents, articles, and professional journals related to art education. Additionally, interviews were conducted with instructors and administrators from 16 of the best college and universities in the United States that teach painting and drawing. Interviews were also conducted with instructors and administrators from 16 of the best ateliers across the United States. From the literature, personal interviews, and surveys the research has uncovered a series of pros and cons associated with each path. In evaluating the pros and cons the research finding is that for students who wish to pursue a classical realism art career it may not be the best decision to simply default to one option. Rather, the research points towards a conclusion that a prospective classical artist should pursue a carefully crafted individual academic roadmap. This roadmap may include a college and university degree program, however incorporating atelier training is equally important. Conversely, a student may choose a full-time atelier program and augment their education with college and university studies. Each prospective artist must weigh the benefits and opposing factors of each educational option to decide for them self how best to balance the best of each in order to achieve their goal of becoming a classical realism artist.

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Faculty Mentor

Raymond Veon