I've talked to a lot of people about my major. I've heard things pertaining to how my major is like a major in kindergarten, how easy my major must be, and how lucky I am to be so naturally talented.
My inner response is always no.
This major isn't something where we just finger paint all day. Yes, painting is a class that you can take but it is so much more than going to a craft store and getting cheap paint and throwing together a painting. I've never taken that class so I can't really be a pro on how hard it is but I have plenty of friends that have.
Most of the classes within an art major are classes that you might not specialize in. I took a class called 3D design and let me tell you, not my thing. I am a graphic design major so I work mainly on a computer, things like sculpting are not something I'm good at, but it's required.
The one thing that I'll never understand from non-art majors is the fact that some of them think that because there are not that many tests, it's easy. Dare I say it, no. Where we lack in tests, we make up for in projects and critiques. Now a critique isn't something easy, but you tend to get used to it. A critique is where you stand up in front of your entire class and they tell you all the things wrong with your project. The project you spent four all-nighters and 20 plus hours in the studio to finish and perfect. Now it's not all mean, it's mostly to help you learn what you need to improve on.
An art major also requires a lot of money spent, because if you go cheap on your supplies, your art won't be the best it can be and your grade may suffer. It's especially expensive when you get classes where you don't have the paper provided. We'll go back to 3D Design. For that class, we had to buy fabric and various sewing materials for one project. Fabric isn't that expensive until you need a lot of it.
You also have to take a lot of time for each project. You can easily spend four to five hours a day in the studio finishing something plus every studio class period is two and a half hours long.
The hardest part so far of being an art major is all of the learning curves. There are a lot of different skills that I did not possess coming into this major. I had never extensively used an X-Acto knife but I very quickly had to learn. I also never used wire to make a sculpture (and I never will again.)
Being an art major has its perks but it's certainly not an easy major. It's just as hard as any other major, just not in the same way. I wouldn't change my major for the world but please, don't call it easy.
