Art Student's Handbook Part I: Studying Art

This book is composed in two parts: this one on Studying Art, and Part II on Professional Preparations, Starting a Career, and Bibliography and Resources.

Both parts are available on-line allowing regular updates to the Handbook's information and its wide availability. If printed pages are desired, they may be printed on laser printers from any location. Any use of the book's content needs to be credited.

This handbook is written for the beginning or current art and design student and will serve as a guide for your program of study. The book outlines a full range of educational and professional topics and serves as a source book to find more detailed information. At any point in your study it will introduce, review, and emphasize important educational and professional needs. The text of the book summarizes knowledge from professionals in the field: educators, fine artists, graphic designers, and illustrators. Although written specifically for the art major at UWEC, the book is valuable for students studying art anywhere.

Contributing writers:
William Benson, Eugene Hood, Karen Horan, John Lawler, Anders Shafer, Steve Terwilliger, Christos Theo, Christina Yocca.

Graphic design and contributing editor: Kevin Graeme

Primary editor: Steve Terwilliger
Contributing editor: Karen Horan

This book was produced with the assistance of a Faculty-Undergraduate Student Research Collaboration Grant from the Office of the Dean, School of Graduate Studies, Research Services, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 1995.

Copyright; 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Any content use with permission only.

UWEC Art Programs:

Areas of Study:
The Art Department at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire offers degrees in these areas: art education, ceramics, graphic design, illustration, metals, painting, photography, prints and drawing, and sculpture. Minor programs are offered in studio art and art history. Each degree, and each area in each degree, has different requirements. It is essential for you to pick up the current published requirements for your degree and area from the main art office, Haas Fine Arts Center 104. It is also essential for you to meet with your advisor as soon as possible during your first semester. Draw up a tentative schedule of courses for each year of study.

Degrees:

Bachelor of Fine Arts
A BFA in studio art prepares students for a career in fields of design, illustration, and fine arts. This is a comprehensive degree with 78 credits required in studio art and art history. An additional 50 credits are required in general studies and electives outside of art. A minor is not required. However, the general studies requirements are the same as the Bachelor of Arts. A portfolio review, and a grade point average of 3.0 in the studio courses in the declared major concentration are required at the end of the sophomore year to continue in the BFA program. The BFA degree is offered at most public and private colleges and universities, and is a nationally competitive and prestigious degree. Students who are ready to immerse themselves in art studies should plan on working to get this degree. This degree is also necessary for those intending to go on for graduate studies.

The areas of study for this degree are: ceramics, graphic design, illustration, painting, photography, prints and drawing, and sculpture. Each area has different requirements as explained on the degree requirement forms obtained from HFA104. Graduating BFA seniors in graphic design and illustration are required to show a professional portfolio of work in a group display in the Foster Gallery. Fine arts BFA majors are required to show their senior work in a Foster Gallery Group Exhibition. Photography majors choose to either show a portfolio or display work in a group exhibition in the Foster Gallery.

Comprehensive Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science
Incoming art majors may start out in this 60 credit degree, and many will continue in this program through graduation. This degree is offered in these areas: ceramics, graphic design, illustration, metals, painting, photography, prints and drawing, and sculpture. Each area has different requirements as explained in the Degree Requirement forms obtained from HFA104. The general education requirements are those required by either the bachelor of arts or the bachelor of science programs. Although not required, a minor is possible. This degree may be particularly attractive to students who want to team an art major with another area of study. Students who have a late change of major to art or who transfer into our program may also find this degree ideal. There is no grade point or portfolio entrance requirement and no required senior exhibition.

Bachelor of Arts
The BA in Art requires 38 credits of studio art and art history courses. A minor is required, and the degree even allows room for a second major. The general studies requirements are those described in your general catalog for the Bachelor of Arts degree. A BA in art offers a general studio art experience and does not have a focused area of study. Be sure to review the published degree requirements from the Art Department, available in HFA104.

Art Education
The UWEC Art Department offers a 60 credit comprehensive major in art education that provides a license to teach kindergarten through twelfth grades. Students can complete enough additional credits in studio art to receive a BFA degree as well.

Art History
There is a 24 credit minor program in art history.

The Process Portfolio

All studio art majors and minors are required to keep a process portfolio of work from their classes. These portfolios must include examples of the range and quality of work you have done in all of your classes. As a central focus in your studies, a process portfolio will serve these functions:

· To develop personal identity with and pride in your work.
· To provide the most effective critical tool to use in the development of your work.
· To demonstrate the progress in your studies and help you determine future directions in your studio work.
· For use as a vital instructional tool. The portfolio will be presented at the beginning of new courses so the instructor can most effectively direct instruction to your needs.

Portfolio needs at each level and for each degree:
All program requirements are published in the UWEC Catalogue and departmental materials. These are reviewed in detail in Art 100 and can be re-reviewed at any time with your advisor.

* Progress Portfolio refers to all of the work you retain as the best examples of the variety of things you have done in every class. This type of portfolio is in particular a student's portfolio and represents the comprehensive development of an individual's art skills.

* Class Portfolio refers to the best and comprehensive examples of works you have done for a particular class.

* Targeted Portfolio is work from your progress (or later professional) portfolio selected to meet a particular need.

* Review Portfolio is a type of targeted portfolio that is required, for example, by the BFA review.

* Professional Portfolio is a selection of work from the personal portfolio targeted for use in professional career interviews. It is only the very best of your work from one area and represents the highest level of your achievement

General Needs
All work must be kept in good condition. This means no folded work, no work on two sides of a page, all drawings fixed and protected in folded paper or with cover sheets, all work on boards protected by folders or coversheets, and the entire group of work in a protective portfolio case. The portfolio case does not need to be expensive or even a purchased item to begin with. Cardboard, folded, and with the edges taped, will make a workable early portfolio case. A more professional case will be needed as students prepare to graduate, but there will be specific types for each area as explained by individual instructors. Three-dimensional work needs to be represented by professional quality slides or color prints, or, the actual work if it can be practically kept with the portfolio. Functional ceramics or metals work, for example, need to be represented by the actual work whenever possible - but will still need to be professionally photographed. You will learn to photograph two and three dimensional work during your time at UWEC. This will be a low cost process that you will learn how to do on your own or do with assistance. The equipment and studio for this work are part of the art department facility.

Freshman (Foundations) year
Through the foundations program all studio art majors have similar portfolio requirements. At the end of each foundations course your instructors will ask to see a portfolio of your work. This will be a comprehensive representation of all the types of work you have done during the semester in that class. At the end of all your Foundations courses your progress portfolio needs to contain several works from each class. Following is a suggested list: 5 drawings from At 107 Drawing I, 5 compositional/color works from Art 108 Color and Composition, 5+ life drawings from Art 109 Life Drawing, and 3 three-dimensional works (slides and/or actual work) from Art 110 Three Dimensional Art. In addition the portfolio needs to contain your Art 100 notes and papers, and written work from Art History 201 Art of the Twentieth Century. The written works need to be protected in a folder or the equivalent. Students applying for the BFA degree will need to display specific works from this portfolio as part of the review process for entering the BFA degree. Comprehensive BA/BS students, BA students and art minors use the portfolio for assessing their own progress and to show to instructors for help and advice.

Art Education students need to keep a progress portfolio like other art majors. The works in this portfolio will be used for assessment of your progress in the program, and, just as importantly, as personal resource materials for your teaching career.

Sophomore year
As you progress in your studies, some earlier work will be replaced by newer work. However, it is essential that most of the earlier portfolio works be retained, if not in the actual portfolio case, then in a protected area in your residence. BFA Reviews over work from the freshman and sophomore years are held at the beginning of the junior year. Be sure to keep work organized and don't "misplace it over the summer!"

For BFA applicants, the BFA Portfolio Review serves as a formal, pass/fail entry to that program. Be certain that you have read, fully understand, and plan for the specific requirements for this review and the program. This review takes place at the beginning of the Junior (third) year. There are meetings early every semester run by the faculty member in charge of the process covering current BFA requirements. You must attend a BFA Review meeting before putting work up for review. Listen for announcements and look for signs posted on the stairwell bulletin boards.

At the end of the sophomore year your progress portfolio should contain, in addition to your foundations work, about 5 works from each additional 2-D studio course or 3 from 3-D courses. BFA candidates need at least 6 works from the area of intended major and at least 3 portfolio works must show a diversity of approaches to the use of color. Written work from art history and seminar classes needs to be kept in a folder or notebook with the portfolio.

The following junior and senior level portfolio discussion is primarily for BFA and Comprehensive BA/BS majors. Art Education majors will have requirements given to them by their advisor. As personal guidelines, however, the following information can be very helpful to all studio art majors and minors.

Junior year
At this level, the portfolio starts to focus on work from your area of emphasis. It also, however, retains the best of earlier works in a protected area in your residence. By the end of this year the portfolio also needs to contain a finished early draft of your artist's philosophy/statement and a basic personal resume.

Senior year
During the last two years of study the larger process portfolio will be used as the source of work from which BFA and Comprehensive BA/BS students will select work to refine into a Graduating/Professional Portfolio. This portfolio primarily contains work from the last one or two years of study in your area of emphasis.

BFA students in Graphic Design and Illustration are required to show their final portfolios in a Senior BFA Exhibition in the Foster Gallery. BFA majors in Ceramics, Painting, Prints and Drawing, and Sculpture will show senior level work gallery-style in another exhibition. BFA Photography majors may show their work in either style depending on its character. The specific needs of the portfolio at this level are more completely explained in the chapter Professional Preparations latter in this book.

Department Facilities
The art department has studio facilities for all the areas of study in the comprehensive degrees. In Art 100 you will go on an introductory tour of the studios and other department and campus resources important to your study of art.

Studio Facilities:

Art Education
HFA 201 is a large multipurpose studio used to teach the art education courses. Classes in the area also make integrated use of many other facilities in the department and on campus such as art studios, computer labs and lecture /seminar rooms.

Ceramics
There are areas for throwing and handbuilding, clay and glaze mixing, and a range of kilns and firing processes - from high fire gas and electric to RAKU and pit firing.

Graphic Design
The Art Department has two computer graphics labs each able to hold classes of 20 students. These labs focus on traditional graphic arts of paper based publishing, image creation and web design. The second stage of a third high-end graphics lab shared with Theater and Music is underway fall 2000. This lab can handle production of any phase of traditional graphic arts but focuses on video, multimedia, web, 3-D and animation design. Graphic design majors are the most numerous users of these labs and they are kept up-to-date in terms of both hardware and software. The computer studios include: layout and image workstations, film and flatbed scanners, laser, inkjet, thermal wax, and dye-sublimation printers, allowing a full range of proofing and pre-press capabilities. Design for electronic media is supported by software and hardware for the design and publication of web pages, CD-ROM, and computer interface design. The computer facilities are fully integrated with the photography and illustration areas and also support the Art Education and general studio programs.

Illustration
This area uses all of the studio facilities involved in drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, and computer graphics.

Metals
The metals studio, new in 1996, has a full range of fabrication and casting facilities.

Painting
The painting facility is a large, open studio with easels, work stands, and storage racks.

Photography
Photography facilities include: a professional lighting studio, black and white and color darkrooms, computer based photography, video, and a print and display preparation area. The video facility is fully computer based and part of the new high-end shared facility with Theater and Music. The digital photography facilities are integrated with the graphic design area.

Printmaking
Printmaking facilities are provided for lithography, intaglio, woodcuts and relief, and silk-screen.

Sculpture
The sculpture studio has the traditional working areas of plaster, clay, wood, and metal, along with resources for work in nontraditional and mixed media. Sculptural fibers and paper are part of this area.

Fine Arts Shop
This facility is part of the three-dimensional studio program and also provides any needed support to all studios in the building. It is open to students during posted hours. A teaching assistant and shop methods educator is present during these hours to help students with work for studio classes.

Non-Studio Facilities

Foster Gallery
The Foster Gallery is a highlight of the educational program at UWEC. Every year there are four or more nationally significant exhibitions with openings and guest artist talks. A showing of UWEC faculty work starts the gallery year, and each semester ends with student exhibitions.

Visual Resources Facilty
The slide library includes a comprehensive collection of historic and contemporary images. These slides cover all cultures and media studied in the art program. A number of video tapes also cover history, artists, processes, and art in cultural context. Additional videos, CD-ROMs and audio recordings are located in the McIntyre Library Center for Reserve and Instructional Media.

Fine Art General Access Computer Lab

New in 1997 was a general access computer lab in HFA 275. This is the place to do email and write in Fine Arts.

McIntyre Library
The McIntyre Library provides essential support to the art student. Important areas include: Center for Instructional Media and Reserve - the CRIM, Periodicals, General Art Holdings, Reference, and General Access Computer Labs. The McIntyre Library is a vital link to the regional, national, and international art communities. Get in the habit of looking through and reading as much as you can from the periodicals in the McIntyre Library. For listings see the Bibliography and Resources at the end of the Handbook.

Staff

The art department staff will fluctuate due to program changes and retirements. In 1997-1998 there are 16 teaching faculty.

Department Chair: Steve Katrosits, HFA 104.
Program Assistant: Jeanine Hegge, HFA 104.

Art Education: Jane Herrick, Karen Horan.
Art History & Humanities: Dr. Eugene Hood, Greta Murphy, Steve Katrosits, Christos Theo, Steve Terwilliger.
Ceramics: Mike Weber.
Computer and Electronic Arts: Taught within the Graphic Design, Illustration, Photography, and 2-D studio areas. Li-Ying Bao, Bobby Pitts, Steve Terwilliger, Christos Theo.
Foundations: Mike Christopherson, Steve Katrosits, Deirdre Monk, Tiit Raid, Scott Robertson, Andy Shafer, Sandra Starck, Steve Terwilliger.
Drawing: Steve Katrosits, Tiit Raid, Bobby Pitts, Scott Robertson, Andy Shafer, Sandra Starck, Steve Terwilliger.
Graphic Design: Li-Ying Bao, Bobby Pitts, Christos Theo, Steve Terwilliger.
Illustration: Bobby Pitts, Andy Shafer.
Metals: Mike Christopherson.
Painting: Steve Kratrosits, Tiit Raid, Scott Robertson, Andy Shafer.
Photography: Deirdre Monk, Steve Terwilliger.
Printmaking: Sandra Starck.
Sculpture and 3-D Arts: Mike Christopherson, Mike Weber.
Shop Practices: Tom Wagener.

Foster Gallery Director: Tom Wagener

Department Activities and Opportunities

Field Trips
An essential and perhaps most cost effective part of your study as an art student, will be the field trips you take to major art centers. Each semester there are required trips to the Minneapolis area for students in Art 100 and the seminar courses. Any student may go on these trips for a small cost, provided there is space available. Every fall there is a field trip to Chicago . During every spring break the department conducts a field trip to New York city. There are often additional field trips to nearby art centers in Madison and Milwaukee, often in conjunction with the Chicago field trip. The need to plan and budget for field trips can not be over-emphasized. These will be your primary, direct contacts with art work.

Scholarships
Here is a list of the Art Department scholarships. Look them over and apply! Don't be discouraged if you don't get one the first time you apply, as they are competitive: re-apply! Get application sheets with the details and current monetary award levels from HFA 104 at the beginning of every spring semester.

• Charles Campbell Scholarship. For incoming Freshmen art majors.
• Jim Christopherson Scholarship. For an outstanding student in the visual or performing arts. Awarded every third year to an art department student.
• Patrick Danen Memorial Scholarship. For a photography major, awarded every year.
• Edward S. Fish Art Scholarship. For studio art majors.
• Ruth Foster Scholarship. For studio art majors.
• Gretchen Grimm Art Education Scholarship Award. For art education majors.
• Gerald W. Newton Scholarship. For studio art majors.
• Sigrid Rasmussen Memorial Art Scholarship. For studio art majors.

Awards

Given at the end of each year or as noted. These awards vary from year to year depending on the character of shows.

• Outstanding Senior. To a senior BFA major.
• Best In Show. A juror's award for a best overall work in the Juried Student Show.
• Best In Each Media. Juror's awards for a best work in each medium in the Juried Student Show.
• Art Student Association Awards. ASA members select a two-dimensional and a three-dimensional work for awards in the Juried Student Show.
• NOTA Awards. These are monetary awards given in the fall and spring to selected works from those chosen for publication in NOTA.

Exhibitions
Every spring the Art Department brings in a nationally recognized outside juror to select work from the last year's art classes for the Juried Student Exhibition in the Foster Gallery. All students should be entering work in the selection process for this exhibition by the time they are juniors.

The L. E. Phillips Public Library hosts ARTSWEST , a regional juried show each March. All students should take advantage of this professional opportunity to enter work for possible inclusion in a very high quality exhibition. This will be an essential opportunity for all students majoring in a fine arts area.

Art Student Association and other groups of students arrange for exhibitions at private gallery spaces in the area, such as Latte Coffee Shop or Acoustic Cafe. The L. E. Phillips Public Library may be approached with an organized exhibition proposal. Davies Center has been the site of many student arranged exhibitions, particularly through Art Student Association.

Graduating Seniors in the BFA program exhibit their work in either a Senior Exhibition or a Senior Portfolio Exhibition at the end of each semester in the Foster Gallery. Graduating students also arrange additional exhibitions in alternate spaces at the end of each semester. These are exciting events! They are a real cause for celebration and are heavily attended.

Art Student Association
ASA is open to any student at UWEC with an active interest in art. The group is involved in a wide variety of activities such as: social gatherings, discussion of their work, student exhibits, guest artist visits, field trips, NOTA work selection, art sales, and whatever else the student members feel they would like to do. Activity in ASA is a key preparation for an art career and a very important line to include on your resume.

Art Education Student's Association
Art Education students organize to do the following types of activities: social gatherings, field trips, discussion of professional topics, attending workshops, and listening to speakers.

NOTA
NOTA stands for None of the Above and one of its major activities is the student creative arts magazine published each fall and spring. Printed in NOTA are student-selected written and visual art works from UWEC. The magazine is also designed by an Art Department graphic design student. This magazine is an excellent opportunity for students to participate in an interdisciplinary endeavor that involves all aspects of written and visual creative activity. It is an opportunity to have work published and for graphic design students to produce a printed portfolio work.

Guest Artists and Speakers
Every major exhibit in the Foster Gallery brings in a guest speaker and or guest artist for a workshop. All students in art need to attend these events. Students in the Foundations and seminar courses are required to attend. Guest artists and speakers are on campus at other times as well.

Campus Arts Events
UWEC has a yearly Artist Series. Students receive a great discount on ticket prices for these events. This series brings outstanding performances and artists to the UWEC Campus. Some may be required for Art 100 or the Seminar courses.

International Study
While you are an undergraduate student you should plan to study in another country. International study can be the most effective and rewarding way to satisfy foreign language and diversity requirements. UWEC has a wide range of these opportunities, many of which are not very expensive. Pick up detailed information about all of these opportunities from the Office For International Studies.

Career Resources Center
Located in Schofield 226-230, this office integrates services for UW-Eau Claire students from enrollment through graduation and into the working years. The Center houses a Career Resources Laboratory to assist students in defining their values, interests, and abilities at any and every stage of college life. Services provided include:

• Academic Advising
• Academic Testing
• Counseling
• Internship Programs
• Adult Opportunity Office
• Services to Students with Disabilities
• Academic Skills Center
• Special Services Office
• Upward Bound
• American Ethnic Coordinating Office
• Career Development and Placement Service

It is never too early to start using the services of this center. Intelligent planning and assistance are keys to a successful program of college study. Review the materials given to you in Art 100 and respond accordingly.

Internships
Internships integrate academic learning with related work experience. By combining work and study, students can test career choices, improve work skills, and develop professional competence. Students may earn money or receive academic credit as part of an internship. The university also offers opportunities for international internships.

Work Study
The Art Department hires students to assist in running and maintaining various art facilities. While providing money, these jobs also can be a valuable part of an art education. Check in the main office and/or with instructors for additional information. Students must determine their eligibility in the Financial Aids Office, Schofield Hall.

Jobs include:

* Computer Lab maintinance
· Studio maintenance and assistance
· Slide library work
· Foster Gallery monitors
· Office, clerical, and program assistance
· Classroom modeling
· Lecture course grading assistants

It is important to remember that university study never intends to train people for specific jobs. This can be a confusing issue for beginning students, particularly in an art program. The university or college, through a liberal arts program, seeks to educate the whole person so that he or she can take a place in society as a fully productive and balanced individual. It is these qualities that future employers will value most and that will be most valuable for you in an employment search. An example of two types of school experiences may help to clarify this point:

A technical school, for example, might offer study in how to use desktop publishing software to make a page layout and refer to a standard list of rules for placing elements in a page layout. This is not graphic design.

A university graphic design program will begin by developing basic visual-compositional artistic skills to the level of "second nature" confidence. A general history of art and a specific history of the field of graphic design will be studied in the context of cultural values. Drawing and composition skills will be translated into specific skills for the graphic designer. These skills will be gained while creatively solving visual communication problems. The appearance of each finished design work will be a unique design that responds to the needs of a problem and an effective, original composition. The specific concepts communicated through each design work will express the thinking of a liberally educated mind.

The ability to problem solve, make decisions, and take an enlightened, leadership position in society might describe the goal of our program. In doing this the program also guides your development as a fully capable, creative fine artist/designer. The average person will change jobs seven or more times in a working career. The ability to respond to what will be ever increasing changes in career fields will be the most important survival skill you can gain, and one that the college or university experience can provide you with.

Art Fields

Art Education
Becoming an art educator is a way to combine a people oriented vocation with an art avocation. If you enjoy working with young people, and have effective communication skills, this may be a career to look into. It can be a very rewarding occupation that can also enable you to continue your art making.

Students with art education degrees, who have prepared themselves well, and who actively look for work, find employment in their field. It is important to be able to relocate when first searching for a job. People skills and communication skills (writing and speaking) are essential. Some art education majors also complete a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Art Education program enjoys a top reputation in preparing art teachers and has maintained a 100% placement rate for its graduates.

Fine art
To the dedicated artist to be, asking whether or not one wants to be a fine artist would be like asking if eating seemed like something he or she might want to do. Fine artists need to have exceptional dedication and personal energy to be successful as exhibiting artists. There are about 2,000 "full time" fine artists in the United States. These are people that make their entire income from patronage of their work: sales, commissions, grants, etc. Another 5,000 or so make a large portion of their living directly from their fine art work. It is estimated that of the 2,000 or so students completing Master of Fine Art degrees every year, 20 or less become full time exhibiting artists. This says nothing of the 20,000 or so who complete undergraduate art degrees in the United States every year. The goal of pursuing fine art work should be personally defined. It must be tied to personal development needs and most likely pursued as a dedicated avocation. Occupational rewards may or may not present themselves. It is most realistic to think of working as a fine artist in the context of being a member of an artist's community, and, on a larger level, the public community. Most fine artists will have a paying job outside of their studio work that allows them to do art.

For some students, undergraduate study serves as preparation for graduate school. Our program is designed to provide this preparation, and many of our students go on for advanced study. Despite the statistics mentioned above, it should also be mentioned that students from our program have gone on to become practicing artists and college art teachers.

Fine Art Crafts
The area of fine crafts includes ceramics/pottery, metals, fibers, and wood working. A career in one of these fields requires several things: strong individual creativity, highly developed skill, determination and personal stamina, and, effective small business skills. With perseverance, many students in these areas go on to operate a successful business based on their craft. Remember that you will be an independent operator, and the success of your studio depends at all times on your own initiatives. Be prepared to endure uncertain and uneven levels of income, particularly in the beginning. You might look initially for a partner (sometimes a spouse) who can help sustain a fledgling operation. Many choose to apprentice with a successful craftsperson as a way of "learning the ropes." A number of graduates from UWEC have gone on to become successful craftspersons. Usually this is after going to graduate school at another institution.

Graphic Arts: Graphic Design, Illustration and Photography
This field includes any graphic design or art work done for a client to solve a specific communication need. This includes: graphic design, illustration, and photography. Most art students around the world do their major studies in one of these areas. A career in one of these fields can be an exciting and practical way to use creative visual skills. There are about 500,000 people working in applied art and related fields in the US. There is always a shortage of well prepared, creative people in these fields, although about two people are trained every year for each opening. What this means is that if you are well rounded personally and professionally well prepared, and if you search, there will always be opportunities for you. It is necessary, however, to be able to adapt yourself to the needs of the situations you find. Flexibility, secondary skills, and the ability in many cases to retrain, are key attributes for finding and maintaining a career. Applied art degrees at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire include: graphic design, illustration, and photography. Our graduates have a high placement rate in their fields, and some have become leading designers, illustrators, and photographers.

General list of art fields and occupations:

Architecture
Architect, urban/environmental designer, interior architecture (designer), landscape architect, architectural model maker, architectural photography, architectural drafting, architectural illustration, furnishings consultant, lighting design, display design, manufacturer's representative.

Art Education
Elementary, secondary, vocational or technical school, college or university, adult education, community art centers, artist in residence, and museum education departments.

Art History
Teaching, museum work, art critic, art curator, fine art consultant, art appraiser, researcher, archaeology, anthropology, corporate art consultant-buyer, art or slide librarian, art business, publication design, educational design

Art Therapy
Private, clinical, school, community, researcher, consultant.

Arts Administration
One of the most common career opportunities for art graduates. Many fine artists are administrators by day and artists by night and weekend. Team an art major, studio or art history, with a business or management major or minor as a starting point. Have strong people and organizational experience. Administrators work in: schools, foundations, museums, galleries, government, private corporations, organizations, and public and private institutions.

Film Making, Video, Television
Camera operator, animation, title design, graphic design, illustration, photography, multimedia, art director, set design, directing, audio/visual design, costume design, promotions.

Graphic Design
Layout, typographer, calligrapher, paste-up, sign designer, advertising design, newspaper layout, art director, copywriter, photography director, film, television, multimedia, education, display designer. Consider the following agencies and institutions: freelance, small design agency, medium size design agency, large design agency, business/corporate In-House design, publications and publishers, television producers, film producers, photography agencies, institutions: schools-museums-hospitals and medical clinics-public services-community organizations-nonprofit organizations-government, public relations departments anywhere.

Illustration
Editorial, advertising, technical, medical, product, fashion, display, photographer, muralist, cartoonist, film, television, multimedia, animation, industrial, architectural, portrait, story board, courtroom, airbrush artist, electronic imaging and retouching, cartographer, calligrapher.

Industrial Design
Product design of all manufactured goods. Requires excellent freehand drawing and 3-D sculptural skills, model making skills and computer modeling knowledge.

Model Making
Buildings, industrial products, legal cases, displays, proposals, interiors, theater, illustration, demonstration, museums, urban planning.

Museums and Galleries
Installations, promotions, graphic design, illustration, manager-reception, tours, education, acquisitions, matting and framing, restoration, art librarian.

Packaging Design

Involves 3-D sculptural skills and engineering/materials skills along with graphic design and illustration.

Studio Art
Gallery artist, commissions artist, studio craftsperson-ceramics-metals-fibers-wood-glass, printmaking technician, museum artist-designer (for historical-science-industrial-natural museums), portrait artist, muralist, foundry-metals fabrication, film maker, corporate art consultant-buyer, art materials retailer, art museum or gallery assistant, illustrator or graphic artist.

Theater and Performing arts
Set design, costume design, make up, illustration, graphic design, photography, video.

Review the last section in this book, Bibliography and Resources , and research the possibilities. There are many sources of information on this subject. Career planning centers are part of every college and university. The web is of primary importance is career research. Every form of the arts and its associated organizations have web sites. Start at www.wwar.com. Public libraries have excellent sources of information on career development in general. Go now to the web and Academic and Career Services to start your research .

Art School

For those that are ready, art schools can provide a powerful way to prepare for an art career. If you are reading this book you have probably already chosen a school, however, the following information can help you more fully understand the nature of your school, its position among art schools, and what your expectations for it might be.

Types of Art Schools

Technical Schools
These schools provide to-the-point technical training in the production of applied graphic work. Schools of this type are located in most urban areas. Most states include graphic arts courses in their technical school or technical college programs. If you are looking for job training in how to make graphic art work this might be the best school to attend. The schools are inexpensive (public) to expensive (private). Courses can be taken on a "need to know" basis. Many times people take courses at these schools to fill-in or update skills. One or two year degrees might be offered. Although oriented to training for applied art occupations, these schools commonly offer elementary courses in fine arts areas for those who have a personal interest.

Private Art Schools
Typically these schools are accredited colleges or universities offering the same four year liberal arts degree as public colleges and universities: The Bachelor of Fine Arts. The central focus of these schools is professional preparation in a chosen field of fine or applied art. These schools are known for very competitive, effective programs. Their facilities and programs are very complete and up-to-date. Faculty are well know practicing designers and artists and typically there is a regular visiting artist, workshop, and speakers program bringing in "big name" guests. The liberal arts components of the programs are handled by selected faculty, or selected courses from neighboring liberal arts colleges or universities and usually are very high quality. These schools tend to be very expensive.

Public Colleges and Universities
Most public schools offer art degrees in studio art and art history. These degrees are all part of the larger purpose of the well rounded liberal arts education. The study of art in state supported universities and colleges blossomed after World War II in the United States. By the end of the 1960's all major universities had well staffed programs and established facilities. Degrees are usually offered on several levels and emphasize both fine arts and areas of applied design. With two thirds more or less of student costs subsidized by taxes and contributions, these schools can offer very cost effective education. These schools often provide opportunities for non-degree study as a student at large or through outreach or continuing education programs. This can be a way to take courses on a "need to know" basis.

It is important to emphasize that colleges and universities do not offer job training. The mission of these schools is to provide a larger, more personally and socially important education. The knowledge and interpersonal skills gained from study at college or university are the most important needs for a successful career. They are also, on the larger level, essential for the well being and improvement of society through its citizens.

It is common for students with degrees to take post graduate course work to refocus or supplement their undergraduate work. Often this can be a way to become involved in an art community in a new location as you begin a career.

Looking for a School

It is wise before applying to any school to "shop around." In this way you can compare types and qualities of programs. Make appointments to talk with the schools that interest you and tour the actual departments and studios. Look to see examples of student works on display and talk to currently enrolled students on their feelings about the program. Attending school for a degree program is a major commitment of time and money.

Many students transfer from one school to another for important reasons: relocation, continuing work on a degree from a two year school in a four year school, cost reduction, change in focus in a major, discovery of a more suitable program, etc. Be sure to check with the school you transfer to to see how your credits will transfer. If you have credits that have not transferred, find out why. Sometimes they may apply in another department. Persistence may pay off in this matter. Some loss of credit can result from the transfer process. Check with the new school to see what the program requirements are, both in the art department and within the university. It is very important if you have studio art work from another school to form a portfolio of that work for review by the new school. This is crucial in helping to guide you on what courses to take at your new school.

Guides to help find art schools

National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) . www.arts-accredit.org
This is the only professional association that sets standards, reviews, and accredits art and design programs. They cover undergraduate and graduate programs, and degree granting and non-degree schools both public and private. Member schools will indicate their affiliation. For listings:

National Association of Schools of Art and Design
11250 Roger Bacon Drive, Suite 21
Reston, Virginia 22090
Telephone (703) 437-0700

College Art Association (CAA). www.collegeart.org
This is the major professional association for college level art education activity in both art history and studio. Among their publications are guides to graduate level programs in studio and art history (descriptive only, not reviews or accreditation) and listings of available teaching positions. There are national and regional meetings yearly for professional presentations, workshops and placement services. They also have published college art program expectation guidelines.

College Art Association
275 Seventh Avenue
New York, New York 10001

All colleges and universities have web sites describing their programs and this is the most efficient way to start a search. There are many guides listing and describing colleges and universities nation wide. Go to your nearest library and look in the reference section. Most of these guides give only a brief overall description of the schools, not individual programs. Write to the schools of your interest and ask for specific information on their art programs. If your choices are somewhat open concerning where you can go to school, be sure to write to a number of schools so that you can make comparisons.

Materials, Equipment and Work Space

Schools vary greatly in the amount and quality of equipment and space made available to students. Facilities are almost always shared. Schedule your time to take advantage of what is available outside of class time. Equipment you don't need to purchase can save you money and the time it takes to earn that money.

Use all equipment and work space as if it were your own and as if it will be in use into the indefinite future. Nothing is more exasperating or causes more anger to students and faculty than school equipment and facilities misused or not cleaned up/put away.

A personal studio and associated equipment can be a compelling dream for art students. Be sure to weigh the time and cost involved with the benefit and real need while a student. Some lower technology mediums need little beyond the materials one already has, except space. It is probably important to provide space for basic drawing and idea development work. See the latter topics on setting up a studio and health and safety concerns in the arts (keep all art working strictly away from food and eating areas).

A computer is a valuable tool for all students. UWEC has very good general access labs that are open to all students. Some of these labs have excellent computer art software. A family hand-me-down may be good as a start for a computer of your own. The cost of computers is rapidly decreasing and $500 can purchase a very capable new computer for general studies and even computer graphics work. See Computers for Artists for more information. A computer is a constructive tool for students where as a car can be detrimental (and far more expensive).

Shopping for Supplies
Variety, quality and price of materials and equipment are all important to the art student. Do some research into how to find the best of these three things. In smaller towns, variety (and quality) may be low and prices high. Take advantage of field trips to larger cities and shop at discount art supply stores. The web and catalogs are certainly the best way to get the best of all three of the above if you don't live near a large discount art supply store.
* See the Resources section at the end of this handbook for a run-down of local, regional, and web/catalog art supply sources.

Art Health and Safety

Areas of Health Concerns In Art
· Toxic potentials of materials
· Safety in working methods
· Tools and equipment.
· The work environment: ventilation, heating, air-conditioning, furniture, light, sound, clothing

Sources of Information

Artist's Complete Health and Safety Guide, second edition, Monona Rossol. The author is an international authority in the field; an artist, scientist, industrial hygienist and gifted presenter. She is doing health and safety evaluations of the University of Wisconsin System Campuses and Evaluated the UWEC Art Department fall, 1992.

Acts Facts is the monthly newsletter published by Arts Crafts and Theater Safety (ACTS) the organization Monona Rossol heads. $10 for 12 issues: 181 Thompson St., #23, New York, NY 10012.

First Steps is an award winning video on art hazards produced by Artsafe Australia based at the University of Melbourne. Available through ACTS.

Health Hazards Manual For Artists , second edition, Dr. Michael McCann. Also a major international authority in the field, he is extensively published and has done workshops and art program evaluations nationally for many years. He is editor of Art Hazard News , a newsletter published by Center For Safety in the Arts (CSA) which he heads.

Points of Emphasis

· Health and safety concerns in the arts are not a minor or trivial subject. Inattention to these matters has led over the years to numbers of deaths, serious injuries, permanent disabilities, serious chronic health problems-often permanent, and countless cases of significant illness, depression and lost time/work.

· Although any activity carries some level of risk, art does not need to be significantly, physically risky.

· Refer to published professional sources for authoritative information.

· Never assume that other artists, art materials sales people, or art teachers have correct information on these subjects. Although the concerns have been known for some time, only recently have they started to be covered in the educational process. The art community has been operating with great amounts of inaccurate or missing information. Check your information source's background: has the person taken workshops and carefully studied the information from the above professional organizations?

· Seek out current information when working as an artist. This may not be made available to you, or its importance may not be fully emphasized if it is available. You will frequently need to look for it on your own.

· Start out your own studio work on the right foot. Plan for the long range.

· Health concerns are not a threat. Concern for health issues strengthens (not weakens) art programs, activities, and careers. Planning ahead prevents future problems when corrections may cause considerable difficulty.

Helpful Attitudes

· Be conservative in use of materials and working conditions.
· Resist pressures of "fast culture," or "just do it" thinking. Think things through.
· Don't get stuck in the "I'll stop tomorrow" syndrome.
· Remember its not just you that can be at risk, it is also people working around you, your family or people you influence/teach (see following outline).
· Be ready to find and accept new information. Be prepared to give up a favorite material or process if it is too dangerous. Find a substitute.
· Get the professional publications for your area. Don't think you know it all without reading.
· Common types of understanding or reaction to art-health concerns include: Ignorance, willful ignorance, hysteria, sinking pessimism, and balanced awareness. The last of these is the place to be.
· Appropriate concern and action on art health matters will strengthen not limit your creative activities.
· The artist has access to an incredible range of industrial materials and processes. Remember that unless you are a trained Industrial Hygienist, admit that you may not know how or whether a material or process should be used.
· Bring in a qualified, outside, objective person from ACTS or CSA to examine the health concerns in a school or other institutional situation. This helps avoid uninformed, internal arguing and lack of needed action.

Specific Issues

Ventilation
All studios need to be ventilated in appropriate ways. These systems need to be designed and installed by persons knowledgeable in both ventilation engineering and specific studio needs. This DOES NOT include heating and ventilating companies/engineers. A person must be art hazards trained and or have American Council of Governmental and Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) certification. Do not do your own ventilation system unless you have this type of training. There are three major types of ventilation:

· Dilution: better than nothing but not really adequate for any purpose.

· General: or whole room ventilation. There must be a make-up fresh air supply and positive exit of room air. Fresh air take up must not be placed so that it picks up air from exhaust location. Used for a wide variety of low or non toxic art processes.

· Local Exhaust: strong, directed ventilation in close proximity to toxic materials & processes. There are several types of local exhaust systems specific to each type of ventilation need. A properly located make up air supply is, of course, needed.

Cleaning
Although well meant, many cleaning methods create the most hazardous health problems of all. Know the proper method for your studio.

· Never sweep in any art studio. Sweeping stirs up dust in the highest concentration containing particles of all the materials being used in the studio. They go into the body in one of the quickest and highest exposure level ways: microscopic particles through the lungs.

· Never vacuum in an art studio. The most hazardous form of art materials is dust so fine that it passes right through a standard vacuum filter and enters the air in very high concentration. These particles are so fine that one is not aware of their presence. They can stay suspended in the air for hours or days, and travel throughout a building in the heating and ventilating system. Only expensive industrial vacuums with very fine filters may be safely used in art studios (HEPA vacuums).

· Wet mopping is the preferred method of cleaning in most art studios.

Obtaining Materials
Obtain complete information about any art product or equipment you use. Get this information from the listed publications. Do not rely on word of mouth, or in many cases, outdated lists.

· Labeling: CP, AP, Health Label. CP and AP are tested materials that by the methods of the testing agency are found to be (legally) non-toxic. NOTE: this does not mean that, in reality, they are necessarily non-toxic: indeed, they may be extremely toxic. What the law allows a manufacturer to say and what the real hazards of a material may be are not the same thing. The Health Label appears on materials that have a level of hazard and must be used as directed. Another label found on some materials is the CL label which also indicates a health caution. These labels can be more confusing than helpful in determining which materials to buy. Do not rely on them as your basic source of information. Know before you buy by being fully familiar with the materials in your studio area. AP and CP do not mean safe for any age level. For younger artists look for materials specifically labeled as tested and safe for that particular age group. On all materials look for the: Conforms to ASTM-D-4236 label. This means that the material has been tested and labeled according to new, stricter methods.

· Many art materials have no testing label. Look for a clear, complete listing of ingredients. If not present, don't buy. Labeling and testing laws have often been poorly enforced due to lack of funding for enforcement agencies.

· Use imported materials with great caution. Although labeling, testing and regulations are poor (but improving) in the USA, they are still the best in the world for art materials.

· Support art health concerns and labeling laws.

· Art Educators: know what materials are age appropriate.

Tools, Power Equipment, and Machinery
Be familiar with all professional and manufacturer's information. Do not rely on word-of-mouth, or amateur instruction. Be sure that your instruction in these areas comes from a certified/qualified instructor in the field. Check out as many sources of information as possible. CSA is a clearing house for publications on almost any area of safety in art processes and equipment use.

"It's Not Just You" Art Health Concerns
When familiar or favorite materials or processes appear on a NEVER USE or AVOID USING list, artists often times response with statements such as: "I can do what I want, its my life," or "I can use this stuff. I know how to handle it safely," or "students have been told that the material is dangerous and shown how to use it." The following concerns might put such responses in a different perspective:

Using Hazardous Materials Supports Hazardous Materials Industries
· Mining of raw materials. Worker and public exposure.
· Transport and refining of raw materials. Worker and public exposure.
· Manufacture of goods, production of by-products, disposal needs. Worker and public exposure.
· Transport, storage and retailing of finished products. Worker and public exposure.

Problems for the Artist in Studio Work
· Stored materials are a potential hazard for family, friends and other artists.
· Materials are often mixed in with other materials.
· In use, materials get spread around the studio: on brushes, on furniture, on floors, walls, mixing cups, tools, gloves, clothing, rags, washing and clean up materials. They may go down the drain, disperse in the air, go out ventilating equipment contaminating building exteriors or outside air, get taken up into building heating or air-conditioning equipment.
· Other people working in the studio, friends and family members are all at risk for exposure, particularly when they are not able to understand or are not aware of the hazards involved. This is particularly true for children, whose growing bodies are effected at 5 to 10 times the level of adults.
· Disposal of contaminated empty containers and cleaning materials is a major concern.
· An artist and particularly an art educator serves as an example to others and will encourage the use of particular materials and processes.
· In the real world, very few people are able to understand and practice the meticulous procedures needed to handle highly toxic materials.
· In a school situation, even after instruction, general student populations should not be expected to fully understand let alone reliably follow procedures for the use of highly toxic materials and processes.
· With acute and chronic health problems of the severity posed by materials on the NEVER USE list, any risk is too great. No exposure or chance of exposure is permissible.
· In a school, the likelihood of careless use and accidents must always be taken into account.
· Substitutes exist for all hazardous materials. The simpler precautions in the use of safer materials and processes make for much easier or "freer" creative use.

The Art Work Itself
· The art work produced with hazardous materials might be hazardous just to touch.
· A person other than the artist will probably end up with the work and not know or understand its potential dangers. Many works will end up in homes and in contact with domestic traffic including kids.
· How long will the work last? If you are doing fast developing student work will this piece one day end up "in the barrel?" Will it possibly end up being burned? Will someone get the work who does not understand its toxic nature? In 10 or 100 years will it end up harming someone?

Studio Areas: Some of the Big Questions
The purpose of this section is to raise awareness and start you thinking about health and safety concerns in all studio areas. This outline doses not intend to be complete in detail. Consult the sources at the beginning of this chapter for complete, up-to-date information.

Painting
· Do not eat, drink, or smoke in the studio area. Have clothes or apron for use in studio. Clean hands thoroughly after working.
· PARTICULAR, NEVER-USE PIGMENTS: flake white, lead white, cremnitz white, mixed white, true Naples yellow, chrome yellow, cobalt violet, vermilion (red), cadmium vermilion red.
· Hazardous pigments to avoid using (find substitutes): all true cadmium pigments, zinc yellow, strontium yellow, cobalt green, cobalt yellow, cerulean blue, manganese blue, manganese violet, burnt umber and raw umber that contain manganese, and alizarine crimson and all anthraquinone based pigments.
· Do not use turpentine, use low odor mineral spirits.
· Formaldehyde is used in many acrylic mediums. Being toxic, it requires ventilation.
· General ventilation is required in all painting studios. Local ventilation for some applications.
· Do not do turpentine or mineral spirit washes. Use acrylics for washes and under painting.
· Wet mop to clean studios.
· Air brush work requires a powerful, industrially approved spray booth.
· Keep all solvents covered while working. Keep all solvents in air tight safety cans, never in glass or unmarked containers! Put all rags with solvents in air tight containers. Do not put solvents down drains, allow paint to settle and pour off clean solvent to reuse.

Printmaking
· Do not eat, drink, or smoke in studio. Have studio clothes or apron.
Clean hands thoroughly after working.
· Wet mop to clean.
· Pigment problems similar to painting list. Lead is much more prevalent
in printing inks. Add to NEVER USE list: chrome green, milori green, molybdate orange.
· High powered local ventilation is required for solvent based printing. Requires explosion proof fans.
· All solvent work must be done with local ventilation (within 3 feet of take up).
· Use water based processes for silk screen. Solvent based work should not be done in schools at any level.
· Intaglio and Lithography use highly dangerous acids: nitric, hydrochloric, phosphoric.
· Talcs probably contain asbestos (French chalk, talc/ rosin mixtures).
Substitute baby powder.
· Carbon arcs for photo processes must be carefully vented. Ultraviolet light from carbon arcs can cause severe eye damage. Avoid use of carbon arcs if possible. Substitute florescent or quartz lights.
· Photo etching materials are exceedingly toxic, avoid.
· In photo silk screening: concentrated hydrogen peroxide can cause severe eye and skin damage, ammonium dichromate emulsions are toxic. Local
ventilation is needed for clean up with bleaches.
· Use care with presses. This machinery uses great pressure and weight and can cause great bodily harm.
· Solvent cautions: see painting.

Photography
· Do not eat, drink, or smoke in studio lab. Wear apron or darkroom clothes. Wash hands after working.
· NEVER put hands into chemicals. Use print tongs, rubber gloves when appropriate.
· Mixing of chemicals with instruction/supervision. With local ventilation of correct design only. Use face protection, gloves and apron.
· Substitute liquid chemical concentrates for all powdered chemicals. They are much safer and easier to mix. They also tend to be the most advanced formulas.
· Do not use stop baths they are a major, unnecessary hazard. Use water rinse.
· Use local ventilation over open fixer tray and developer trays.
· Ventilation must be designed to meet published (ACIGH) standards. Never work in unventilated or improperly ventilated darkrooms.
· Black and white processes are fairly safe, as studio art areas are concerned.
· Do not use color processes before college level. Send work out. At college level, do color work with advanced students. Use color negative processes which are simple and lower toxic level (and inexpensive).
· Avoid these color processes at any level: Cibachrome, E-6 (slide developing). These processes should only be done by trained professionals in an approved professional lab.
· Do not use stabilizer in color negative processing as it contains formaldehyde. Use photo flow.
· Do not use intensifiers, some bleaches, and many toners and dyes
(see publications for list).

Ceramics
· Do not eat, drink, or smoke in the studio. Have separate studio clothes. Wash hands after working.
· NEVER SWEEP, NEVER VACUUM. Wet mop to clean only.
· Avoid clay dust. Can cause silicosis in a very short period of time. Keep studio clean by wet mopping.
· Avoid talc in low fired clay bodies as it contains asbestos.
· Use ACGIH designed local ventilation and tight fitting dust masks for clay mixing. It must be done in a room separated from classes.
· NEVER USE glaze materials: lead, lead frits, nickel, antimony, chromium, cadmium, uranium, manganese, vanadium compounds, chromates.
· Dust masks and ACGIH designed local ventilation required when mixing glazes. Wet mop to clean up.
· All firing including electric must be done in completely ventilated area. Equipment must be professionally designed.
· Do not look into kilns without infrared goggles. Causes cataracts.
· Do not use asbestos gloves or kiln gaskets, or transite (asbestos) table tops.
· Do not use Fiber Frax, KaoWool or other ceramic fiber materials. Highly toxic.
· Use only fully approved, manufactured, gas burners on kilns.
· NEVER reach into or put any object into a running clay mixer. Causes death or dismemberment.

Graphic Design, Illustration, Commercial Art
· Many of the same cautions as in painting and drawing (pigments, solvents, etc.)
· Avoid rubber cement, contains toxic solvent. Use wax or tacking paper.
· Spray glue, fixatives in spray booth only. Do not remove until dry.
· Air brush in spray booth only, never work in an open room. All types of media. Wear mask as well.
· Do not use solvent markers. Use water based markers only.
· Computer graphics work stations need to be ergonomic.
· Get shielded monitors for computers.
· Have general ventilation in computer work rooms.
· Take frequent breaks from chair or stool-based work and do physical stretches.

Drawing
· Do not eat, drink, or smoke in studio or before washing hands thoroughly.
· Do not use spray fixative outside of an approved spray booth. Do not remove work from spray booth before it has dried.
· Wash hands thoroughly before leaving studio.
· Charcoal is NOT a toxic material.
· Examine pastels carefully before buying. Avoid pastels without pigment labels (these are often imported). Use care in not blowing pastel dust into air. Clean carefully from studio by wet mopping only! Never sweep or vacuum. Wash hands with great care. See list of pigments to avoid under painting.
· Turpentine washes or other solvent techniques (like image transfers) must be done only in approved spray booths. Do not remove before dry.
· Have an ergonomically designed work area. Repeated hand motions can lead to wrist problems over time.

Fiber Arts
· Understand hazards associated with fiber dusts. Can cause chronic respiratory problems through particles or allergies. In advanced stages damage can be irreversible. Anthrax can be present on some animal fibers.
· Dyes: do not use benzidine dyes (not as common today). Avoid Rit and household type dyes.
· Fiber reactive and cold water dyes can cause allergies.
· All powdered dyes must be handled in a dust booth and with a dust mask.
· All dyes must be used with local ventilation and protective gloves.
· Acid dyes have not been studied. Acetic acid, formic acid and sulfuric acid if used must have full protection for face and skin as well as local ventilation.
· Extremely toxic dye mordants include sodium or ammonium dichromate, do not use.
· These mordants are also very toxic: copper sulfate, ammonia and oxalic acid.
· Wax and its vapors are very flammable
· Do not over-heat wax . Causes release of extremely toxic fumes. Heat only to melting point, with no exposed heating elements. Have fine temperature control.
· In batik, iron out wax at lowest temperature and use local ventilation. Use solvent to dissolve wax with strong local ventilation. Never use carbon tetrachloride.
· Avoid carbon arcs as a light source in photoprinting. Use quartz iodine lamps.
· Non-silver photographic processes on fiber can use exceedingly toxic and hazardous materials. Review the safety precautions in detail before using. Some should be avoided altogether.

Metals (Jewelry) and Enameling
· Do not eat, drink, or smoke in studio. Clean hands thoroughly. Do not wear studio clothes in house.
· Never use lead solders, never use silver solder containing cadmium.
· Do not use fluoride fluxes, use borax fluxes.
· All soldering, brazing and wax work must be done with strong local ventilation.
· Do not use sulfuric acid to clean metal, use Sparex.
· Never use cyanide solutions in electroplating.
· Never use lead based enamels, find substitutes now available.
· Also do not use nickel, manganese, chromium and cobalt containing enamels.
· Use dust mask when handling enamels. Clean studio thoroughly. Do not vacuum or sweep.
· Enameling kilns must be in separate kiln room with professionally designed local ventilation hood.
· Use infrared goggles to look into kiln, otherwise cataracts can form in time.

Sculpture
This is the last and largest area. It can include practically any material or process used for any purpose. This outline covers major concerns in common areas.

· Do not eat, drink, or smoke in studio. Clean hands thoroughly. Do not wear studio clothes in house.

· For all power tool operation: eye and face protection, long hair tied completely and securely out of the way, no loose clothing, arm, neck and hand protection, proper shoes, ear protection for loud tools, dust mask for all dust producing operations. Be sure to know and follow the complete professional requirements for each type of tool used. Do not rely on "homespun" instruction or examples.

· Stone working: protection from dust (silica, asbestos), flying chips (eyes, face, neck, arms, hands, body in general) and sound from tools. Vibration from tools can cause chronic or permanent hand damage. Heavy stones present crush hazards, particularly for the hands and feet.

· Plaster: take care not to inhale dust when mixing. Do not get in contact with hands: use Vaseline or rubber gloves. Do not use for casting body parts, can cause severe burns. Do not use with children, use Plaster of Paris designed for use with children. Do not let children mix it: the teacher must do this with a dust mask.

· Clay: see section on ceramics.

· Wax: natural waxes are in themselves safe, but never heat with an open flame or exposed electrical element. Heat only to lowest temperature to melt. Overheated wax decomposes into highly toxic fumes.

· Never use chlorinated waxes.

· Never use carbon tetrachloride or benzene as solvents (for wax or anything). Substitute low odor mineral spirits or benzine (VM&P Naphtha) under strong local ventilation.

· Wood: working with wood can be the cause of chronic and even acute health problems. If breathed in, many types of sawdust can cause strong
respiratory problems ( for example red wood saw dust can cause sudden acute illness similar to pneumonia). Hardwood saw dust has been show to
be particularly unhealthy (cancer causing with chronic exposure). Dust collection machines are a must for all wood work.

· Glues, finishes, strippers, preservatives and solvents can be very toxic. Find out about them and follow all working cautions.

· Know all professional procedures for wood working equipment. Do not rely on "homespun" instruction or examples.

· Plastics: do not work with any plastic in any way before reading in detail about the health concerns for that material. Some of the main concerns:

Acrylics: requires professional local ventilation for casting, cutting, drilling and use of any acrylic glue or solvent. Casting catalyst must not touch skin. Splashing in eyes causes blindness.

Polyester Resins (fiber glass): avoid using, can not be worked with safely in a school setting. Fumes toxic, materials pass through plastic or rubberized gloves. Adequate ventilation systems are not available in school settings. Catalyst must not contact skin. Splashing in eyes causes blindness.

Epoxy Resins: similar to polyester resins.

Polyurethanes: avoid use. Never use in a school setting. Never burn or chemically decompose.

Vinyl Polymers (PVC, PVA): used for vacuum forming. Do not over heat. Use local ventilation. Never burn or chemically decompose.

Polystyrene (includes Styrofoam): polystyrene sheets used for vacuum forming; do not over heat. Do not heat, burn or chemically decompose styrene materials especially Styrofoam .

Plastic catalysts age and can spontaneously explode (they are very highly explosive). Do not keep past expiration date. Do not store near flammable materials.

When working with plastics in sanding and cutting use dust masks and local ventilation.

· Metal casting: many of the best school foundries in the country are being closed due to health and safety concerns in a school setting. Most sculpture casting work today is done in professional foundries. Here are some of the major concerns:

Molds: sand molds, avoid formaldehyde resins. Local ventilation for all mold making to avoid free silica from sand or clay.

Never use asbestos in any form.

Never use plastic foam or other plastics that are highly toxic when burned.

All burn out procedures require professionally designed local ventilation.

Burn out equipment must never be located in a general classroom.

Metals: never use lead, nickel, cadmium, or chrome by themselves or combined in any quantity with other metals.

Never use found (or "junk") metals. Use only known metals from professional suppliers.

Melting and Pouring: must be done only under professionally designed local ventilation. It should never done in general class room.

Always have a clear area and professionally adequate space. Absolutely enforce professional procedures during pour. Equipment must be kept in flawless condition.

Never use asbestos or Kevlar clothing or gloves, use leather.

Have all current safety controls on furnace burners.

Do not use "home made" equipment.

Eyes and skin must be protected from infrared radiation damage.

· Welding: dangers include, electric shock, molten metal burns, infrared radiation burns (eye damage, "sunburn" and possible skin cancer from chronic exposure), acetylene torch burns, equipment explosions (building leveling).

· Do not use arc welders. Rods may contain asbestos or other hazardous fibers and release differing highly toxic metals (use CO2 shielded line feed welders and plasma cutters. Avoid acetylene welding in schools when possible).

· Welding is to be carried out only under high powered, professionally designed, local ventilation. No breathing of fumes from welding operations is acceptable.

· Do not weld surface-coated metals.

· Demonstrate great care when moving metal. Protect eyes and extremities from possible cuts and crushing.

Children and Art Materials and Processes
Here are some major issues to be aware of to start your thinking. All education majors MUST have current professional literature on art health and safety and be familiar with it.

· No talc low fire clay bodies or slip casting clay (contains asbestos). Usually "white" clay.

· No lead or lead frit glazes. Use extreme care if choosing commercial glazes. Do not use glazes with students under Junior High age (have younger students paint work with non-toxic paint). Do not use glaze colorants or materials listed in section above on ceramics.

· Never locate a kiln in a classroom. Kilns MUST have professionally designed ventilation.

· NEVER have students mix dry clay. NEVER have students mix dry glazes.

· Wet mop clay working area carefully. NEVER sweep or vacuum.

· Review section on ceramics for other concerns.

· Never work with any solvent based materials with young children: paints, dyes, inks, markers, rubber cement, other glues.

· Water based does not mean non toxic.

· Never work with lead in any form including stained glass, metal casting and soldering.

· Do not work with photographic processes with students under high school age.

· Never use color reversal processes even at high school age (E-6, Cibachrome, Ektachrome).

· Use plaster of Paris, not commercial mold making plaster with younger children.

· Labels on materials such as AP and CP may or may not indicate materials safe for children. Know what the materials are. Do not use adult materials with children. Look for materials labeled for children as well as the AP and CP label. Even then, some materials, labeled as safe for children, may be inappropriate for their use.

· Talk to art health professionals about materials. Art teachers, and even many textbooks can be very uninformed or unaware of needed information.

· The damage done to fast developing young people is many times greater than to adults.

· Young children do not have the understanding to use more advanced materials safely.

· Even older students are not consistently able to use more advanced materials safely.

· Never work with art projects in the kitchen, dinning room or any eating area. Never use any food preparation materials in art projects. Do not eat
or drink while doing art projects or in art project areas.

· Do not use "Sculpy" type materials with young children. Do not heat them in kitchen ovens. They must be heated in a separate oven that is never used for food and that is under local ventilation.

Study Advice

There are a number of basic study hints that are useful to the art student. Attention to these can make the time and money spent on school a much more effective investment.

(a) School should provide you with a comprehensive program of instruction in: materials, techniques, mediums, ideas, and historical and contemporary art. You also join a community of working and learning artists. Complete and up-to-date working facilities should be available. Constructive, professional evaluation and advice on your work and progress should be given.

(b) A core study in the fine arts is basic to any career in the art field, be it fine artist, applied artist or art educator. The strength of your experience in graphic design, illustration, art education, or fine arts, will depend directly on the strength of your experience as a fine artist.

(c) It is essential to follow the published outlines for your program of study. Courses need to be taken in the developmental sequence these outlines indicate. See your advisor to go over your program planning. Write out a tentative four + year plan. Although course availability and some conflicts will almost always prevent the ideal, try to stick to this plan.

(d) It is important to understand that highly developed and creative artistic ability in themselves will not be adequate to land you a career in the arts. While you are in school develop these essential skills: confident people skills, personal responsibility and sense of organization, effective writing and speaking skills, basic financial skills, and, acquire a general, worldly knowledge base. Without any one of these you can have trouble finding your way professionally. As an artist or designer you will draw upon the amount of knowledge you are able to gain about society and world culture. This means that your strength as an artist or designer relates directly to the strength of your liberals arts studies.

(e) Bring energy, personal strength and curiosity to your studies. School can provide a rich environment to learn in but it can not teach you art. An essential ingredient in any art work is the individual solution it contains. This applies to problems or projects you are given to solve as well as self initiated work. Art springs from individual uniqueness and this should show in all the work you do.

(f) Keep your art connected to your life. Avoid thinking of your art studies as somehow separated from everything else you do. How can your life experiences and interests be incorporated into and drive your visual development? How do other art forms relate to what you do visually: music, dance, literature, theater?

(g) You are the client the school is designed to serve. Ask questions and know the purpose of what you are doing. Speak up and be involved. Understand your goals and the school program expectations. Remember that when you are learning you will not at first always know just what is going on. Many of the things you need to do will be unfamiliar. Experimentation, discovery, and development are the very basis of the creative and educational process.

(h) Be ready to put in the needed time. College level study of 12 to 15 credits or more is a full time job. A standard guide line for study nationally is to spend three hours of work each week for each credit you take. For example, a three credit art course will need six hours of in class time and at least three hours outside of class time each week.

(i) It will take years of regular work to become proficient in your field. It is often said by professional artists that basic development in the arts takes five or more years of regular, dedicated activity - and, it takes another five years to be really strong in your field.

(j) Know where the problem is if one comes up. If something is unclear or not working, speak up. Avoid blame shifting: did you read the outline? did you ask questions? did you come prepared? were you late or did you miss class? do you "have an agenda" other than the work at hand?

(k) Teaching approaches vary and you will find some that you identify with more than others. Remember to make the best of your classes and make an effort to understand what is being presented.

(l) Look for the best examples, know what is current in your field, and visualize where you are going. You MUST look at all art and art publications and visualize yourself as working to join people at this level. Actively visit schools to see what students elsewhere are doing and share that information with your peers. Attend all field trips and plan to visit major art centers: New York, Chicago, and Minneapolis among them. See all available original art works. For this there is no substitute.

(m) Know the difference between academic projects that expose you to ideas and techniques, and self initiated work. Classes often follow a project structure. Do projects to understand, learn, and practice. Projects should never be taken as setting limits and establishing right and wrong, but rather to focus on particular concepts.

(n) Perhaps the central goal of studying art is to become an effective decision maker, on your own and within groups. Only at this level can you be an effective artist or designer.

(o) It is essential to schedule your time effectively. Don't forget that this does not mean working yourself to death. Set realistic goals, and, plan in uncompromisable personal time. Short breaks also can greatly improve the quality and efficiency of your work. Students often talk about "freezing up" on a project or work. The best time-tested thing to do in such a case is to take a break from your work and defocus: go for a walk, visit a friend, read, see a film, etc. Ideas and solutions can come to mind more freely when you refocus on your work from a clear head. Often, an idea or solution will pop into your head during a break when you aren't trying to force the issue.

(p) Another must is having the best practically available materials and facilities. Along with this, be sure to use the right tool and process for the job. Avoid picking away slowly at tasks that can be done more efficiently with a better or larger tool and a more confident approach. You will need to put "la-de-da" hobby approaches behind and work efficiently.

(q) Find a work place where you can concentrate on what you are doing. Television, gossiping, people coming and going, all can greatly reduce the quality and efficiency of your work. It is essentially impossible to carry on a conversation and work effectively.

(r) Have the best practically affordable tools and materials. Your time is your greatest expense. Don't overspend, though, on things that are beyond your real need and level of development. Shop around for the best prices. You might go together with friends for bulk discounts. Don't get left holding the bag though - collect everyone's money before you send in the order. Use discount catalogs as a price reference when shopping in local stores (see next topic).

(s) Be direct and objective in evaluating your work and the work of others. Seek out and put to use the give-and-take of constructive criticism. This can only result in great and ESSENTIAL benefit to all. A friend will say directly what does and does not work. Value effective criticism most highly and seek out people who provide it. Trade criticism with those who can give criticism. In this way you can develop and excell in your field.

(t) Bring mature attitudes to school. Replace right and wrong with: what is effective and what needs work. Replace "what are we supposed to do" and "what do we have to do," with, "what are the possibilities," "how much can I gain from this," and "how can I use this in other work." The expression "I like it" is an empty, non-evaluation. What is it that works? Why? How? What other solutions or new ideas have you thought of? What could use further work? Why? What would you do? What has not worked? Why?

(u) Don't get hung up on reworking an individual piece of work and obsessively try to make it into a "perfect masterpiece." While your best effort is always needed, use common sense to see when it is time to go no to the next. It is from a flow of work that you will learn the most and that will net you the best evaluation in the long run.

(v) Be self starting. At the college level instructors will not and should not come around to get you going. Part of the college experience is developing reliable self-motivation.

Snakes and Ladders
"Classic" dysfunctional attitudes that can wreck havoc with the progress of art study. They are expressed as quotes all too common to every instructor's experience. They are followed by "ladders" that everyone should read.

(a) "I got A's for doing this in high school. What's wrong with this teacher? I only got a C." College level work will usually be more demanding and more focused than high school. The type of work will probably be different and expect some type of development, not more of the same old thing. Remember that in high school you may have been in the top 25 % in your classes, but in college you will find yourself among students who were all in the top 25 %. You will need to work hard to excel. The school may expose you to a more worldly range of art than you have known. You may be working with many students who have a greater exposure to and experience in the arts.

(b) "I'm so good I don't need to come to class." This type of statement most typically comes from a student who misses the point and opportunity of projects, puts in inadequate effort, has the weakest work in class, and ends up with a low grade. An essential part of the educational process is what you learn from classmates and what they learn from you. Much of the value in courses comes up during the daily progress of class and can not be planned ahead: individual questions, effective examples, impromptu discussion, review and emphasis, and student interchange.

(c) "I hate that _________ kind of art and I won't do it. Its meaningless." This is a fill in the blank statement. One could use anything in the blank: abstract, realistic, loose, tight, charcoal, clay, etc., etc., etc. All forms of art have meaning. The question is: what is the meaning and purpose? Look for the significant benefit from working in a diversity of styles. These experiences are related and all support one another. Become aware of the history and diversity of the arts and how they can make you a more successful artist..

(d) "I don't want to do a project that other people are doing. I don't want to look at or study any other art work. I just want to do my own thing and express myself." This is a statement often typical of students doing the most stereotypical or cliché "own thing" work. The purpose of school projects is to focus on particular concepts, skills, and purposes. On a significant level, and within parameters, these projects also require a unique solution to the problem given. See how you will be able to put the project ideas and skills to future use, and, brainstorm an effective, unique solution.
The study of other artist's works and the history of art is not done to limit or conform the creative process, but rather to do the opposite, through the following: development of an identity with the art community in the largest sense, avoiding "reinventing the wheel", opening minds to possibilities, learning from other's solutions-not copying them, and by being inspired by and participating in the fundamental purpose of art: social communication.

(e) "I like it just the way it is and I wouldn't make any changes." In almost any beginning art work there are changes that could be made or more advanced ideas that the work might suggest. The italics statement indicates a common type of defensive insecurity that will close off development before it begins. By looking for changes, other possibilities, improvements and future possibilities, one does not devalue what has been done, but rather truly values it. While in school, continuous advancements will be made in the sophistication of your work. You will find that what seemed accomplished one semester will seem like an early work the next. Those that can give and take constructive criticism or suggestions will be the most successful in their careers.

(f) "I want to do one of those ____________ kind of art things." Avoid doing imitative work. The full course of studio art study at the college level will be directed at individually composed, original art work. If you have seen works repeatedly done in the same style, look for something different. It may help to do some research into popular or commercial "artsy" works (the mall, commercial or decorator galleries, gift shops, truck stops, magazine advertisements, etc.) so that you know more fully what to avoid.

(g) "I'm not going to say anything about someone else's work in class discussion because then they will cut on mine when its my turn." This type of attitudes defeats a critically important part of developmental education. It also indicates a fundamental misunderstanding of the method and role of the critique process. An honest reaction, constructively expressed, is one of the most useful and generous things that you can give to others. In doing this, others will, in return, give similar benefits/gifts to you.

(h) "I want to be an artist and do art work right now." All work you do needs to be the best effort you can give, otherwise your development goes nowhere. The process of developing as an artist takes time and dedication to the tune of several years of practice and study.

(i) "The school needs to tell me what's right and what's wrong, what's good and what's bad. (That's what I paid my money for)." A central purpose of going to school is to become an effective decision maker and develop the ability to evaluate for yourself what is effective and not effective in the design of art works. Superficial and categorical judgments will destroy this central quality needed by those who want to become effective artists.

(j) "I should just be able to do what I like and get a good grade for it." In this case there is no point in being in school for there is nothing to learn. Art school is based on the idea that all people can develop as artists and the school is designed to guide people looking for this developmental experience. The choice to come to school is voluntary, and assumes the desire to benefit from what is offered.

(k) "Art can't be judged. Its just whatever anyone likes." In an open, public context this is certainly true. However, it is important not to misapply this idea to a school program because of what is most likely a personal insecurity. Any society will pick out its most accomplished works of art because they are more effective in communicating the ideas and feelings that are important to the group. More successful skill in visual communication can be developed through study and practice.

(l) "Grades are just some art teacher's subjective opinion." All art styles, purposes, and mediums are essentially valid. Art teachers do not (or should not) promote a particular style, purpose, or medium over another. This is different, however, than studying a particular style, purpose, or medium as part of a learning process. Within any style, purpose, or medium there are definably more and less effective ways of making an art work. On these points art instructors can (and must) make assessments on the quality of particular works. This italic statement can also be a classic form of denial motivated by personal insecurity. Remember that an evaluation of a work is not an evaluation of a person. Many works will be done by the rapidly developing young artist, some will be more effective and some less. It is essential to seek out and value critical assessment of your work, and, to develop your independent ability to do this evaluation.

(m) "You need to tell me what my work should look like. (That's what I paid my money for)." This statement fairly well spells out the death of art and creativity. All art works need to incorporate an individual and original idea. This is not something that another person or the school can give you. Beginning courses are most frequently set up in terms of projects or problems to introduce specific concepts or skills. However, all effective projects or problems also will insist on individual solutions. Indeed, in effective projects there are an infinite number of effective answers.

Creative Problem Solving & Coming Up With Ideas

This is a large topic about which much has been written. This handbook will outline basic thinking common to the process.

(a) For some, ideas flow in an endless stream. For others artist's block is a chronic problem. Anyone can, however, learn how to fairly readily form an effective idea when they need to. There are methods of study to do this, which, like all things of value, take initiative, effort, and the will to re-apply oneself when things don't go just right.

(b) For a person with endless ideas, a common problem is how to choose which idea to pursue. Sketch out or list ideas. Then put them in a stack (or column) with the ones you feel the strongest about on top. Take the one that hits you most strongly and develop it. If in the preliminary stage it encounters technical or time problems, go to the next one in the pile. Don't, however, keep switching around, based on mood or whim: only change for a concrete reason. Remember that you must select an idea to concentrate on and stick with it to completion. This does not devalue the ideas not developed. No idea will be successful if you "lock-up" with indecision or constantly change focus.

(c) Understand the difference between a project or problem that you are given to solve creatively, and a personally initiated idea. While in school you will be expected to work in both modes. The fine artist will work towards personally initiated ideas, and by about the Junior year should be mostly operating in this mode. For the applied artist, most ideas will continue to be in response to given problems. It must be emphasized, though, that fine art experience will continue to feed vitality and resourcefulness into this problem solving mode of thinking.

(d) Self belief and personal confidence are a necessary ingredient in problem solving and idea generation. If needed, have a talk with yourself or with others about bolstering these feelings. It is important to avoid negative environments. Do you have friends, roommates, or family members who dump on you or your studies? If so, confront them, ignore them, or avoid them.

(e) Many people freeze-up when confronted with a problem to solve. This is often from over concentration or worry. Take a break and defocus: go for a walk, read a magazine, or see a film. Often the idea will come to you when you least expect it. In any event come back to the task with a freer mind. This can be the most efficient way to work. But don't misunderstand this a an avoidance tactic: you must end up back at work before too long.

(f) Take short breaks regularly during a work session. These may only need to be a couple of minutes. Upon returning to work, you will find decisions and changes easy to see and make. The quality of your work will also go up. This is also a much more efficient way to work than in a relentless, unbroken grind.

(g) Two approaches to working that all artists find themselves using are the concept and the process approachs. In the concept method, an idea is formed first, often spontaneously, and then effort is applied to figure out how to turn it into a art work. The process approach starts from the other direction. An artist goes into the studio without a fixed idea and begins to experiment with materials and their arrangement. From this direct contact an idea develops. While most artists employ a balance of the two approaches, some tend to work towards one extreme or the other. The concept artist usually benefits most from attention to process, and the process artist from attention to concept development and evaluation.

(h) An approach to idea development that works for many is what is sometimes referred to as "right brain" thinking. For this approach you "just dive in." It can work for anyone at times when starting seems difficult. Draw or jot down as many things as come into your head. They can be in any order, complete or fragmentary, serious or ridiculous, obvious or ambiguous, seemingly related or unrelated, etc. In purely visual terms, the ideas start as quick sketches or model studies. They might be abstract or descriptive, and might not be more than a scribble or strong gesture in the beginning. The key to this approach is freedom from particular expectations and time constraints. After many sketches, models, or notes, gather up the results and start to edit, focus, and develop. Begin to be more methodical in your analysis. How do the materials, process, and composition support the purpose of the idea? Keep editing, working, and refining until the work is clarified.

(i) An approach contrasting to the above works for many. It is methodical to begin with but loosens up during development. Begin by clearly defining the goal of the work and an effective quality or attitude that you want it to have. This may be expressed in terms of adjectives or action words. You will find descriptive and abstract works use similar descriptive words. Next review composition, materials, and processes that work together to accomplish the qualities you have determined. As you reach this stage try to think of as many variations as possible. As you build, respond directly to visual changes that the process suggests in order to make the work freer and more dramatic. Notice that both of these methods get to the same point form opposite directions.

(j) Both of these processes speak to first making thumbnails or models. This is an essential thinking process natural to successful students and artist/designers. Develop this stage of working to a level of efficiency and free investigation. Although numbers vary from medium to medium and artist to artist, twelve to twenty four studies or thumbnails would be typical before starting a painting or design.

(k) At some point both of these approaches also speak to synthetic reasoning. This type of thought process employs very high level intellectual skills. It operates on a non-time aware, non-linear basis, where many things can be simultaneously examined. The term intuitive is often associated with this thought process, and here it can be defined as assumptive logic or simultaneous-source conclusions. These thought processes are not hypothetical or mysterious. They have been well researched and understood. We rely on them constantly to be able to function mentally and physically. It is essential for all beginning art students to read and do the exercises in Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, by Betty Edwards. This book remains the most effective explanation and guide to practical experience in how these mental skills work. The visual art student who misses this understanding at the very beginning point of study will operate with a serious handicap.

(l) The use of the verbal in idea development can be a help or a hindrance. Avoid just substituting visually undeveloped or cliché symbols for words in an essentially verbal idea. The verbal can only assist in developing a visual idea or exist as a partner in a mixed-media relationship. A visual art work must be visually successful on the basis of a fully visual, non-verbal "language."

(m) The preceding points have spoken to a cycle of learning and idea development well known to successful visual artists: information is gathered from diverse sources and through the senses enters the mind. Here it is reflected on and processed through synthetic reasoning to produce an idea. This idea serves as an answer to an emotional need. The idea is translated into an art object through appropriate, developed skills. The art work communicates its ideas and is evaluated. It becomes part of the world of experience brought back into the mind for further reaction.

(n) To emphasize the very first point in the cycle above: Be as actively curious about the world as possible. Look for all types of sensory and artistic input. Learn about and experience the diversity of world peoples: their histories, arts, and cultures. This is a critical part of the process of problem solving. To be able to have ideas, you need the raw ingredients: life experience. Your art and art ideas must come from your life experience! An important and related fact: People who speak two or more languages are much more successful in their chosen careers and earn significantly higher incomes (many thousands of dollars, on the average).

Discussing and Evaluating Student Art Work
Information on this topic has been covered to some extent under the preceding Study Tips. Following is a more complete and methodical discussion of the process. This is the evaluation phase of the art-making cycle just discussed.

(a) Remember: giving and taking constructive criticism is the generous, friendly, right thing to do. This can only be beneficial to all, indeed, it is a critically important development tool.
(b) Discussion must have substance. Identify what you are commenting on. Is it effective or not effective? Why or why not? What could be changed? How? Why? What did you learn from this work?
Avoid all fluff comments: "I like it," "that's neat," "gosh, how did you do it?," "wow, what detail," "it works for me," etc., etc., etc.
(c) Comment on these aspects of the work: (1) Use of materials and their contribution to the purpose of the work. (2) The process and technique of construction, its appropriateness, quality, and contribution to the purpose of the work. (3) Specific description of compositional type and devices and their contribution to the purpose of the work. (4) The purpose of the work. Honestly, how did you react to it. How does the work relate to a given project? Does the work demonstrate an individual's original idea? What historical or contemporary references can be made? Does the work suggest future ideas? what have you learned from the work? Discuss this and the other points with your classmates (in a conversation: comments go back and forth).
(d) When evaluating a work, an instructor will be asking these same questions. When reviewing your portfolio, a client or prospective employer will be asking these same questions. When looking at your work for possible exhibition, the juror, curator, or gallery director will be asking these same questions. When looking at your work in a gallery or as a graphic design, the viewer will (more or less) be asking these same questions.
(e) When writing an evaluation of your work or the work of others, comment on the same questions. The section on Writing About Art will add points for discussion as you become more experienced in the writing process. The process begun at foundation level will mature as you go on in school. As a reminder: speaking about, critiquing, and writing about art are essential skills you need in any art field. Starting in the junior year and finishing in the senior year you will write and refine an artist's statement about yourself and your work. The writing work you do will lead up to this statement. It is a necessary part of professional preparation in all fields.
(f) The sum of any work is equal to more than the whole of the parts. It is important to clarify that being able to talk about an art work and attaching professional terminology and ideas to it does not make a work successful, nor is it the measure of success. Discussion is also not the meaning in or appreciation of an art work. The discussion is no more than an allusion to the meaning and appreciation.With skill and attention the speaking and writing can draw attention towards meaning.

Art Information

In smaller communities, students must make extended efforts to stay in contact with the main-stream of the art world. The first choice is to see actual art work at every opportunity.

· Second to seeing actual art is studying quality reproductions of art works in periodicals and books. Every art student needs to read through the art periodicals each month and read as many articles as possible. The UWEC McIntyre Library has a comprehensive range of art periodicals and a large number of art books and art reference materials. There are also media resources such as web sites, video tapes and CD-ROMs on art.

· In Art 100 there is an informational tour and short projects designed to familiarize you with these resources. The last section of this book, Bibliography and Resources , covers the following: a selected, general bibliography of important art titles, periodicals in the UWEC McIntyre Library, media titles, art organizations and agencies, and art supply sources.

· Professional organizations are a major source of information on specific art fields. Literature from them will be available in classes and the art office. As you move into an area of study you should be developing contact with these organizations.

* The internet has become an invaluable source of information. The World Wide Web is accessible from all campus general computer labs, including the HFA 275 lab. In Art 100 we will review Web basics and have you do a short research project through the internet.

Seeing Art

There is no substitute for seeing actual art works. Reproductions of works in books and magazines, the internet, slides and CD-ROM's provide incredibly important resources for the art student, but they can only be really appreciated and fully used if you have seen and studied original art works. Opportunities to see actual art should be a top priority in your studies. University galleries provide very excellent but limited exhibitions of mostly contemporary work. Smaller cities have limited gallery and exhibition activity. Take all possible advantage of school organized field trips to larger art centers. These field trips are unequaled in educational value. Nothing you can do will offer more inspiration, expanded awareness of art, and real contact with the vitality of the world art community.

In Eau Claire
There are many fine opportunities to see important art in Eau Claire and students should take advantage of them. They make short field trips you can do on foot:

The Foster Gallery shows nationally prominent art work in its changing exhibits.

UWEC has a large number of works in its Permanent Collection.

The Eau Claire Regional Center of the Arts Gallery has a yearly schedule of works by regional artist.

The L. E. Phillips Public Library Gallery has a yearly schedule of exhibits of regional artists, and sometimes artist from outside the region, as well as special topic shows.

Smaller Private Galleries and special exhibition spaces are found through out the community, often in connection with small businesses such as restaurants or coffee shops.

Luther Hospital has an extensive collection of mostly two dimensional art work by regionally, nationally and internationally well known artists.

UWEC Art Department annual field trips:
These are a highlight of the quality instruction at this university. Plan on one or two Minneapolis trips each year and at least one or two trips to each of New York and Chicago during your years at UWEC. Budget money ahead for these trips.

New York
Every spring break since the late 1960's the UWEC Art Department has sponsored a field trip to the world's largest and most influential art center. This is an unparalleled opportunity to see and study historical and contemporary art, and, to have some great fun! New York has top activity in all the arts and is as international a city as you can find in the United States. On top of this is the greatest shopping, eating and entertainment you can find. The city itself is beautiful, exciting, often upsetting, and a fine chance to experience the sociology of an urban metropolis.
Among what you will see in the visual arts are: The Metropolitan Museum of Art , the largest collection of art in the United States from all eras and world cultures; The Museum of Modern Art , the world's largest collection of modern art; The Whitney Museum of American Art, The Guggenheim, The American Craft Museum, The International Center of Photography, International Center of Design , many other museums and art centers, hundreds of major galleries specializing in contemporary art (You can't get to them all. We give suggestions, though), and a full range of new-world urban architecture.
Round trip bus and a place in a four person room for six nights in down-town Manhattan is about $400. Plan on at least $200 for economy trip expenses. Add money for shopping, paid entertainment and sightseeing to this. You will find the greatest art supplies and books at the greatest prices. New York makes a great Christmas present to ask for! Study ahead and plan this trip into your educational budget.

Chicago
A major international art center in the visual arts, music, dance, and theater. The UWEC Art Department sponsors a field trip every fall and sometimes again in the spring. Chicago is a "favorite" city to visit. Shopping, eating, entertainment, urban life, all are top-notch. Many students go several years. There is great shopping for art supplies and books.
In the visual arts you will see: Chicago Institute of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art , several gallery districts of contemporary art, many specialized exhibitions and museums, and a wide range of new-world urban architecture. As a bonus, the bus may stop in either or both Milwaukee and Madison to see exhibitions.
Round trip bus and three nights at a hotel in down town Chicago currently costs about $150. Plan on at least $75 for economy living expenses. Add to this money for shopping, entertainment and paid sightseeing. The CASS is the hotel for fall 2000 on the north side of the loop.

Minneapolis
At least one field trip per semester goes to The Walker Art Center, Minneapolis Institute of Art and area museums and galleries. Minneapolis St.Paul is an international art center only an hour and a half from UWEC. Although not as large or extensive as Chicago or New York, the quality of art activity in the Twin Cities is of an equal level. There are outstanding art supply and book stores in the area. The cost is usually about $10 for the round trip bus fare. A bag lunch or another $5+ for lunch is needed. Some special exhibitions may have an entrance fee - always bring your student ID. Plan on going on as many of these trips as possible. They are required as part of the Art 100 foundations course.

International Studies
UWEC has an extensive international studies program. Get information on these opportunities as soon as possible from the Center for International Studies . Credit course work for the study of art is possible.

Writing About Art

The Notebook/Journal/Sketchbook
A journal is an informal written and or visual record of learning experiences. In it people record information, discussions, thought analysis, ideas, feeling, and interests. Students in Art 100 will be keeping a journal/sketchbook for such purposes. The journal itself is best a durable, portable book of many pages. Entries can blend back and forth between writings and sketches. there is no set format for the entries. They will vary with the person. Many people will want to actually chose a small sketch book for their journal. This journal is part of the art making process that has been used by artists down through time. It involves reflection. information gathering and new thinking.

Formal Papers
As you go through art school you will develop your ability to write effectively about art. The following basic model provides a guide line to build from. Some of the points will fill in as you learn more from your classes. Other points might be added or these reconfigured or approached in a different order. Needless to say, formal papers need to be typed, use correct grammar, and have effective organization and writing style.

Basic Information:
This information should be placed on a title page with the title of the work and artist's name again above the writing on the first page.

· The title of the work (artist, or exhibition) being written about in Italics. If you are writing about an individual work, include the artist's name: Red Cube, Isamu Noguchi.

· Date the work was completed, if applicable.

· The medium of the work(s) (sculpture, watercolor, photography, ceramics, etc.). Include particular materials, if identifiable.

· The size of the work(s). Give height and width of 2-D work, add depth dimension for 3-D.

· Where (and when) the work or exhibition was seen (or the name and issue of a publication).

The text:
The next items are individually listed, but in writing they may be blended or approached in a different order, as common sense dictates. Approaching this list in the reverse order (except for #1) might work more effectively for many.

(1) Why did you chose this work or artist? What were your initial reactions? This information may be noted on the side and later used for the paper, or, you may just use it for a comparison to see how your understanding has developed.

(2) What is the Function and general style of the work? Why do you think so? Art works function in one these broad categories: physical, social, or personal. Style refers to characteristics of a work that relate it to other works that have some similar qualities. A style can be descriptive, form-based, expressive, or surrealistic. It can also refer to a type of work done by a specific group or even an individual.

(3) What other art works can this work be compared to? Why? As your study of art history expands you will be able to make greater use of this information in your writing.

(4) How has the work used materials to communicate ideas? Do the materials provide character or are they used anonymously?

(5) How has the work used the process of making to communicate ideas? Is the making process obvious and supply an important quality, or does it act "behind the scenes."

(6) How has the work used composition to communicate ideas? Describe the basic type of composition and its most dominant or important elements and visual methods. Do not, however, launch into an elaborate, merely descriptive discussion.

(7) What reasons might the artist have had in dedicating his or her life to making such art work? Personally functioning art relates to a person's ultimate concern. Social art works speak to the concerns of groups or clients. Physically functioning art works must solve a need such as a tool or dwelling. In doing this they also transcend being merely functional and become a visual/tactile art-expression or experience of the group that uses them.

(8) What is the cultural context of this work? That is, how does this work relate to the culture it was made in and shown to? What does it say to or about that culture and how might it be received by that culture? How widely will it be seen and by what group?

Post Graduate Studies
Many people, probably most people, will find themselves back in school at some time after completing an undergraduate degree. The fine artist often finds a need for more practical preparation in applied art or art education. The graphic designer might decide to spend time in very serious fine art study. In any field of the arts there will be a need to update abilities, or often, to fill in missing spots in one's background.

Art Education students will be required to take 6 credits every five years to retain their teaching license.

A return to school can take many forms:

Professional workshops, seminars and conferences
Join the professional organization(s) in your field: American Institute of Graphic Artists (AIGA), Society of Illustrators, American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP), College Art Association (CAA), Foundations in Art Theory and Education (FATE), National Art Education Association (NAEA). Through their publications you will find many opportunities. Also read all of the professional publications in your field and talk to working professionals.

Business and Corporate schools
The largest higher education system in the country, but often unrecognized, these schools deal with job specific training within a company. Often a company will send a new employee to one of these schools as a term of employment. Retraining, or training for promotion is also done at these schools.

Professional Applied Art Schools
These schools usually involve shorter term classes: one week to several months. The courses are selected on a need-to-know basis. They may or may not offer a degree of some type. Although generally expensive, they provide intensive and directly useful training. Read the professional literature in your field and talk to working professionals.

Community Art Centers
Almost every city or area has community art classes. Although many are of a beginning or hobby level, some larger and more active centers offer very professional level instruction. Becoming an active member of an art center that has educational or studio facilities also provides learning through association with peers.

College and University Art Programs
Visit schools within a comfortable distance of your home. There may be very useful classes to take within an art department as a student-at-large or through extension courses. A different department with new instructors can often provide additional information. This may also be a way to find an arts community in your new location.

Graduate School in Art
Graduate School in art can be an extremely significant period in your life or career. It is a concentrated, creative environment, and an intensive two to three year art experience. The studio degree is the Master of Fine Art (MFA) although some schools offer a Master of Art (MA) degree as well. An MFA requires 64 or more credits of study that includes primarily a studio concentration in one area. Additional course work outside the concentration includes: art history, drawing, design, and in some schools, liberal studies.
Graduate Art Education degrees are the Masters of Professional Development (MPD) or a Master of Art (MA) in Art Education.
In fine art disciplines, it is important to be dedicated to the personal value of graduate study. At least 97% of the people with graduate degrees in art do not end up making a living either as fine artists or teaching art at the college level. Please read the January 24, 1994 News Week article by Peter Plagens, "School Is Out, Far Out" for a basic discussion of these facts. With this said, here are some direct needs to be considered for college level teaching positions, for which the MFA degree is an essential requirement:

(a) Don't be a clone working in the latest fad style. Look for a school and instruction that supports development of your work. This search can be something of a challenge in itself.

(b) Stay connected to reality. In the all-too-often insular world of art school it is common to find most students making art that speaks only to themselves, the art school, or the major "art world only" magazines like Art Forum. It is a very great shock after several years and tens of thousands of dollars to discover that the rest of the world, including other colleges and universities, may have little or no, or even negative interest in what you have done. Be ready to demonstrate and explain how your work and you as an artist are important to society and in particular to a university community.

(c) A person limited to making conceptual, essentially non-visual art work, will probably have no practical value to a teaching studio art program.

(d) Be well rounded. Draw well descriptively and understand the full range of composition approaches. Understand and be able to work with traditional materials, processes, and compositions. Have a practical understanding of art history and the contemporary art scene. Be able to explain the range of art activities to people of varied backgrounds both in speaking and writing.

(e) Know a second area and foundations studio needs. Most teaching jobs ask for these abilities.

(f) Take courses in how to teach. It is very unfortunate that just getting an MFA is qualification for teaching at the college level. It will be of the greatest value to you and the art education community if you prepare yourself to teach. Just being a student and watching others is not adequate.

(g) Take advantage of every teaching opportunity. Apply for graduate assistantships. Teach at community art centers. Resume entries in this area will give you an important leg up when job searching.
(h) Be prepared. Follow the advice in this handbook for professional preparation: resume, artist's statement, portfolio, teaching outlines, and slides of your student's work (if possible and appropriate to the position being applied for).
(i) Be organized, take control. Meet deadlines, be on time, keep all personal files and information up to date. Read all professional publications. Budget money for the job search, professional materials and travel. Follow up on contacts. Join the CAA.
(j) Be personable by nature. Be friendly and positive. Speak well. Take every opportunity to present yourself to groups. Be confident but not pushy. Stay on track with conversations. Don't run on too long.
(k) Check your attitude. Be ready to spend the greatest amount of your time teaching. Competence in the field demands dedication. It comes as a shock to many that no one will hire you to mainly do art, with some teaching on the side. Although it is essential to maintain status as an artist to teach effectively, the career you are applying to is one primarily in teaching. It is important to understand this and be comfortable within such a frame work. Otherwise students are short changed and colleagues and the department are burdened.

If you can build an experience on these guidelines, and actively, professionally, pursue a position, you will stand a good chance of teaching in your field.

Applying to Graduate School

Consider sitting out for at least one year.

Advantages:
· Gives adequate time to create and photograph the best (senior) art work.
· So the application process does not conflict with creative work done in senior your year.
· Provides at least seven months to research graduate schools.
· Provides at least seven months to properly get materials together.
· Allows time to visit schools.
· Allows time to earn money.
· Gives time to get over "undergraduate burn out."
· Gives time to become eager and excited about art school again.

Disadvantages:
· May lose artistic momentum.
· May be swayed by the enticements of the "real world", i.e. earning money, freedom, laziness.

Considerations:
· How long have you been continuously in school? 14 or 15 years?
· Are you at all tired of school?
· The average age of art graduate students is probably late twenties.

Write to at least 10 graduate schools.

How to choose places to write:
· Talk to advisor and teachers.
· Study the College Art Association Guide To MFA Programs in the Visual Arts. This is the most comprehensive and up-to-date source of information.
· Look at catalogs in the library.
· Use computer networks.
· Consider the school's reputation but look for substance.
· Find out the school's assistantship/fellowship availability.
· Consider how important location is to you: urban vs. rural, non-midwestern, climate, part time employment possibilities, etc.
· Do you know who you want to work and study with?
· Look for advertisement posters; this may indicate a need for students.
Ask for application, catalog, assistantship/fellowship information and application.

When to look for schools:
· September of the year before you plan to enter.
· Most application deadlines are in January or February of the year in which you intend to enter. Assistantship application deadlines are usually one month earlier.
· It may take a month to receive your materials (October).
· Allow a few weeks to look them over (November) and visit the schools if possible or practical.
· Allow a month to write your application essay and put together your slide portfolio (November).
· Application packet should be complete by December.

Application Considerations

Application fees may be $25 or more.

Questions to answer:
· What is your area of specialization? This is one area only. Graduate studies are never general.
· Where are the best places that have this area?
· What is your particular style or interest?
· Who works and teaches in this style?
· How often do these people actually teach?
· Would these people make good mentors?
· Does the teaching atmosphere at the schools you have looked at foster development of individual style (healthy) or tend to produce clones of faculty or department styles (unhealthy).

Apply to at least four schools:
· One or two schools with a particular area or person with whom you would like to study.
· Two schools with strong overall reputations.
· One or two larger schools with a favorable admissions ratio.
· Schools with some type of inside connection: your advisor went there, your major professor has friends there, etc.
· Apply for assistantships at all schools you apply to.

Application packet includes:
· Application form. This may include a resume of art related activities.
· Transcripts.
· Three letters of recommendation.
· GRE test scores.
· Essay on why you want to go to graduate school in art, your goals or philosophy of art, what you hope to accomplish in art school, the particular direction or focus in your work, etc.
· Slide portfolio of 15 to 20 examples of your work.
· Resume.

Application packet considerations:

· The slide portfolio is the most important component of your application. It will make or break your admission and chances at assistantships/fellowships.

• Choose your work very carefully.
• Send only slides of your best, most mature work. Never include slides of works that are seconds or filler.
• Solicit advice from professionals on choices.
• Send work in your area only. In some cases three to five slides in a second area of related, mature strength might be appropriate, but never in place of strong work in your major area.
• The slides themselves must be of the highest professional quality. No compromise of any type can be accepted on this point. Have them professionally done, or, if you do them, have them professionally critiqued (study section on Photographing Your Work).
• Type slide labels with correct information in the correct order. Mount in plastic not glass.

· Polish your essay. It is read by non-art people - scholars, who are picky. The essay must be passed by these people for you to be admitted.

• Go through several drafts.
• Show it to professors.
• Indicate your serious, professional approach to making art by writing a serious, well-considered essay. ).

· Ask professors or others for recommendation letters in plenty of time before the deadline: at least three weeks.

• Ask if the recommendation will be a strong one.
• State the deadline clearly: give a date.
• Check back to see if letters are ready or on file.
• Have letters on file with transcripts so they can go out together automatically. Don't ask for letters again and again for each new application or round of applications (letters can not be confidential these days, and so can go from any source).

Follow-Up

Write to the faculty person with whom you wish to study.

Write to the head of the area in which you wish to study.

Visit the schools you apply to if at all possible. Do this before applying or certainly after applying or being admitted. If admitted to more than one school do this to be able to make the best choice. Remember that this is an expensive, three year or more decision.

• Make appointments in advance.
• Take work along if possible, certainly take slides.
• Look over the facilities and look at student work.
• Talk with the Chairperson about assistantship possibilities.
• Talk with the professor in your area.
• Talk with present graduate students and ask them:

* How accessible are the professors?
* Are there any departmental politics to worry about?
* Are the facilities adequate?
* Are the assistantships adequate?

If you are not accepted:

· Remember that your application will be in competition with a small percentage of the top undergraduate BFA graduates and a school's final selection will represent a small percentage of this group (only about 5% of BFA graduates finish an MFA degree). Check the application to admission ratio for each school in the College Art Association Guide to MFAs. Your work and your application can be strong and there may still may be a number of others that are stronger.

· It is impossible to know or predict how a particular department will make its final selections or to know the strengths of the other applicants.

· Call the department graduate admissions director. Don't be angry; this would be silly and out of place. Always be polite. This is professionally and humanly correct. Ask specifically if something was deficient or lacking in your application.

· Determine if you will reapply the next year after further research or preparation. Many times another year's maturity in working can help gain you admissions to graduate school.

· Did you apply only to schools with too high an admissions ratio? Would you be wise to apply to some larger state university programs where your chances are better?

· Here are three more strategies used by many to start graduate school:

(1) Apply at mid-year if allowed. Students may drop out or graduate, leaving openings.
(2) Apply during summer session and excel. You may need to register as a student at large, but this can be a chance to prove yourself if you can. Some schools have a summer session tactic of advertising and openly filling courses and then separating the wheat from the chaff come fall.
(3) Apply as a student-at-large and excel. Although not in a program, this is a chance to prove your value, if you can, and then apply for program admission.