Art students everywhere can relate to these daily struggles. We all have those projects that require so much work it makes us go crazy. In the end, our finished projects makes the struggle worth the while.
The smallest projects are often the most time consuming
Details, details, details! Any art student knows that if there is something to be draw, the simpler the design, the better. However, art students also know, the drawings with more detail always turn out looking better and more extravagant.
Having three classes a day is actually the worst.
Three classes a day? Sounds great right? Wrong! Although this seems like a great schedule, what you have to know is each class is most likely a studio class. Studio classes don't run for less than two and a half hours each. So sure three classes a day is great, until you realize you are in class from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with barely any break time.
Hand cramps are unavoidable.
Ouch! By the end of one class your hand begins to cramp up, by the end of a third class, you're lucky if you can still draw a straight line!
2.5 hour studio class? Hope you do not enjoy sitting.
So those studio classes I talked about ... yeah, they don't come with seats either. Pretty much your options are to sit on the ground and draw from a low perspective, or you can spend your class standing at eye-level with your subject (the best option for a successful finished product).
By the time you finish buying art supplies, you will be wishing your courses required books instead.
Art supplies have to be some of the most expensive school supplies on the planet. One class requires one chunk of supplies for $100, a second class requires $50 worth, and so on. By the time you can actually check off everything on your list, chances are that $200 Biology book your roommate bought costs less than what you spent on pencils, pens, and markers, etc.
You will never think your work is good when it is lined up in a critique.
Proud of your work? Happy with how your drawing is turning out? Your happiness is about to be crushed ... it's time for a critique. Of course, these critiques are simply used to point out your strengths and weaknesses, however, this is also when you realize your drawing of the human skull looks like mush compared to the drawing by the guy that sits across from you.
Most of your art supplies come from dumpsters or the hardware store, and the ones that don’t, cost you $10 million.
That's right, dumpster diving and trash picking are two new adopted hobbies. Hey, they do say, "one man's trash is another man's treasure" but in this case could it be that one man's broken vase is another man's stained glass mosaic?
Your hands will never be clean, and wearing nice clothes ... forget it.
You probably have yet to see an art student that has hands not covered in inks, paint, stain, etc. Having clean hands is just not in the cards for you.
Professors assume you know every artist that has ever existed.
Day one of class, Professor: "So everyone let's think back to Giotto's Lamentation piece." I'm sorry, let's think back to who? Wait, what piece? Professors assume that their students come in knowing every artist ever introduced into the world. False. It's shocking that Giotto was even remembered enough to include him in this.
People just assume you aren’t going to be successful with an art degree.
Family friend: "What do you study at school?"
Response: "I'm an art major with a concentration in graphic design. One day I want to own and operate my own art gallery and graphic design company."
Family friend: "So you're okay with making no money in life?"
Trust me, this conversation happens more than any art student ever wants to admit to.
While these struggles are all too familiar, I wouldn't change my major for anything. Why leave something I love for a boring desk job in the future?
