Art School Online

By Jean Littman

 

 

Online art school?  Internet art lessons? Art institute online? Twenty years ago, who would have thought it.

These days, with the majority of people living of hectic, busy lives, there is often little or no time left to squeeze in those highly sought after painting and drawing classes or that fine art course.

 

With the advent of the internet, a wealth of convenient learning opportunities has opened up, and never before has it been so easy to study art via the internet, right in the comfort of your own home.

Aspiring art students have plenty to choose from the wide array of online art courses which have become available over the past few years. Time-starved students can enrol in art school online. Many conventional distance learning institutions offer art courses and programs in visual arts. This would earn the artist a recognised diploma or certificate in art, which can be used as credit for further study, or as industry-recognised qualifications for obtaining work. Less formal art classes online and self-study programs are also available, offering live online workshops and innovative techniques which are interactive and immediate.

The particular online art program an artist chooses depends entirely on the artist's desired outcome and preferred learning style. Developing art skills online is now a reality, and one which is fast becoming mainstream.

For those who are not computer-savvy, "online" is a general phrase which refers to the accessing of information via the internet.

What is the internet?  Meaning literally "network of networks" , the "Internet" is a catch-all word used to describe the massive world-wide network of computers. It comprises thousands of smaller regional networks scattered throughout the globe.  

In the mid-1990s the internet finally entered most educational institutions and became genuinely accessible to all.  Many students including those studying art, immediately mounted home pages, published electronic articles and sought funds for online projects.

There is no doubt that the internet has revolutionised access to information at art institutes and schools and provided a new and convenient way of learning. Some of the advantages of learning art online include:

  • Ability to conduct all class activities from any location in the world with only a standard web browser.

  • Quick access to course material online

  • Students can learn at their own pace

  • Student can choose their own personal method of learning

 

Distance Learning Institutions

At many distant learning institutions, art students can study online, in print, or a combination of each. Students signing up for a fine art course can decide which method best suits their learning style. Enrolling in an art institute online is fast becoming a preferred method of studying by art students.

A good example is the Penn Foster Career School, which was established in 1890, and is one of the oldest and largest distance learning institutions in the world. Situated in the USA, but with associate institutions in many countries throughout the world, the Penn Foster Career School website offers program overviews, curriculum outlines, tuition schedules, student testimonials, and information on career services for graduates.

Art courses are designed for independent study, with a toll-free instructional support hotline available to resolve questions and problems. Art instructors can also be contacted by email or regular mail. At the end of each lesson, students take an exam. Exams can be completed online through the website, and can also be submitted by mail. Once each exam is passed, students can move on to the next lesson. New course material follows as soon as exams are completed, ensuring that students will always have books and learning materials to continue moving forward.

Once all modules and exams have been completed, students receive their diploma from Penn Foster Career. Depending upon the program chosen, training can be completed in just a few months or take up to two years to complete a program.

 

Online Art Classes

For those wishing to learn art online via a less structured and formal method, there are many online art courses offering innovative ways to learn painting and drawing. Typically, these are not places to learn about preparing for an "art career", but more for the fun and love of art. The main aim is for students to engage in creative art activity and develop their artistic ability. This type of program usually offers no career advice or counselling and is not a degree or diploma granting institution.

Online art classes vary greatly. Budding artists can download instructional e-books (an electronic book which you can open and read on your computer), watch videos, or participate in innovative classroom style sessions.

One example of this is the Interactive Art School, where students use a digital camera (supplied in their student sign-up kit along with textbooks, art supplies and materials) to take digital photos of their completed lesson artwork for each lesson. The student sends those photos as email attachments to the teacher who draws, paints and comments on the work, then posts a "how-you-could-have-done-it-better" critique of each lesson on the students personal web folder. This is available 24/7 for review on the internet.

Most of the study for each lesson is done away from the computer after lesson assignments are received from the school web site. Topics covered include composition, color theory, perspective drawing lessons, drawing the human form, landscape drawing and painting.

Art critiques are cumulative, printable and remain on the website at the online art school for three years. Students also receive a CD-ROM copy of all critiques upon graduation. Art critiques can also be placed in a common area where other students can learn from them.

Another example of innovation in online art education is the Cyber Art Learning site, where students can select from a variety of learning styles such as:

  • Live web cam

  • State of the art virtual classroom

  • Audio and text chat room

Art students get access to a special program which corrects their art digitally, thereby helping to ensure a better learning experience. Students simply power up their computer and tune in to the Cyber Art Learning site. The only hardware requirement is sound attached to the computer.

All instructors are fully certified, and the instructor's work is available for viewing by the student before they enrol.

This is important as it allows potential students to feel comfortable with the style that will influence them. If the instructor's work is appealing chances are this will rub off on the student.

Many of the painting styles are very similar to those that appear in the Art of the West and Southwest Art magazines that can be found at any large bookstore.

There are a multitude of online art programs available on the internet, each offering different learning methods and art types. A good way to check a few of them out is to open your favourite search engine (eg. Google, MSN, Yahoo, etc), then type in "online art courses" as your search term. You will find several pages of quality art courses, art schools and online art institutes  displayed - you're sure to find a course to suit your particular needs.

Art school online is a revolutionary idea whose time has finally come. Whether budding artists are seeking a career-oriented art degree or diploma, or simply want to develop their artistic ability, online art schools can be the start of a wonderful new educational experience.

Many students love not having to drag their art materials to a one-day class that costs the same as several classes of online instruction, all in the comfort of their own home studio. For these students, enrolling in art school online is definitely the way to go!

 

 

 
 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

Home  |  About Us

Copyright ©2006 by Accelerated Solutions Pty. Ltd.  All rights reserved.  Privacy Statement