It is one thing to be born with artistic talent and create amazing, museum-ready works of art out of finger paints and construction paper, but realistically, most of us are born with curiosity and imagination, and need to be instructed in the ways of craft and technique. This is where an education in the visual arts comes in. At an art school you will have a chance to experiment with and master new skills amongst a class of colleagues who will challenge and inspire you with their own artistic endeavors.
During the course of your class work you will have access to the school's facilities - many art schools offer studio space to students 24 hours a day - to create your artistic visions. You will also develop your art portfolio, which will be your visual resume once you are ready to embark on your career path. And by attending a program and earning a degree, you show an employer that not only are you a creative and talented individual, but that you have the dedication and discipline to complete formal studies in art.

Are You Drawn To It?

Many art schools request that prospective students provide a portfolio of their existing work upon application. Though requirements vary from school to school, generally your portfolio will contain high quality slides or photographs of recent work that will represent your creative aesthetic and artistic intent to the school's admissions committee. The work may be created in school, or as part of your extra-curricular activities. Ideally, your work will be in a few different media (sculpture, paint, video), be recent, and perhaps even reflect a theme that interests you or inspires your art.

Alongside the portfolio, the school may request a resume (great place to mention any public exhibitions you've been involved in) and/or an introductory essay, stating what you hope to achieve within their program. It sounds like a lot of work - and it is - but entrance into the bigger art schools is very competitive so it's a good investment of your time to ensure that your entrance package represents you and your talents to their best advantage.

Designing Your Focus

Visual art schools in Canada come in many forms. Some are college programs, technical institutes, or universities - but there are shared themes throughout. In learning how to create art, it is beneficial for the student to have experience in line drawing, mixed media, photography, and art history. Many schools offer a foundation year for their arts students, where all first year students must take the same survey courses to develop a uniform base of understanding in art history, different mediums and techniques. In any given first year foundation program, you may be exposed to figure study, 2- and 3-D design, woodwork, metalwork, ceramics, illustration, painting,
 

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