Resources for Visual Arts Education and Training

Visual arts education and training helps you to refine your natural talent in the arts. If you have a visual arts degree, you will be more attractive to employers and may be more likely to get a job.

Some people may think that those who seek a visual arts education are not serious students, but it is entirely possible to have a visual art career. You may not sell many still life paintings, but many companies need artists to design product packaging and advertisements.

Some things to know before you go to visual art college:

1. While there are ways to make money in the visual arts, the skills learned are not as marketable as those in a business program are. You may face a lot of resistance from family members if you choose to go to visual art school.

2. You can learn various techniques by studying, but all the visual arts training in the world isn't going to help you if you don't have any natural talent.

3. It will be easier to find a job after graduation if you learn marketable skills while in visual art college. You may want to learn how to create your art on the computer.

Attend a four-year college to get a visual arts degree

You may be a talented artist, but the best choice is to get a well-rounded liberal arts education with a major in visual art. This allows you to specialize in what you want while learning other valuable skills.
Penn State School of Visual Arts. If that's not convenient for you, look at ArtSchools.com to find a visual art institute in your state.

Get a visual art certificate to boost your credibility

If you don't have a college degree, or if your degree is in another field, you may want to try to get a certificate in visual art to demonstrate that you have knowledge. This can help you get a job or get into a graduate program.
UC Berkeley Extension offers a post-baccalaureate certificate in visual arts. It offers a great introduction to the topic, from history and theory to hands-on learning. UCR Extension also offers a certificate program for teachers who want to implement visual arts into their classrooms.

Look for visual arts education and training programs in your area

Not everyone wants to study for a career in the visual arts. Many people want to brush up on their skills to improve their hobby. Local training programs can help you achieve these goals.
Get your feet wet by taking some online art lasses that teach you how to paint. You can find these at ArmChairPaintClasses. Another great resource for visual art education is your local community college. You can find a listing of community colleges in the U.S. by visiting the University of Texas website.

• If you are thinking about doing freelance work after you go to a school of visual art, take a few business courses to teach you how to run your own business.