Being an art major is a lot different than any other major you’ll encounter. Here are a few reasons why:
- Classrooms:
For one, the learning atmosphere is nothing like a lecture hall. With every class there is a completely different studio to work in. Computer labs for graphic design classes, the print lab for printmaking, the drawing room for drawing, and the ceramics lab for ceramics. Of course, there are other classes that are held that also have their own studios. - Uniform: Fancy clothing has no place in the art building, especially if you’re mid-project. The art major uniform is anything you don’t mind getting remotely dirty. And even then, you’re wearing an apron over it. But somehow you will get paint on your nose or swipe charcoal on your cheek. There’s no way around it.
- Textbooks: There are no textbooks. Yay, right? It’s not like you don’t have to pay for textbooks (I mean, I am, since I’m at a liberal arts college and have liberal arts classes that require textbooks) but you get to pay for art supplies. And art supplies are pricy. (But worth it.)
- Homework: Typical homework consists of papers and research. An art major’s homework is research and sketches. And by research I mean pulling up a picture to make sure you’re sketching it realistically, or taking photos for something that has to do with the project. It can also mean making sure a project is done over the weekend.
- Group Projects: Group projects don’t tend to be group presentations or research papers and surveys. Collaboration projects can turn out really cool, like the massive one we did in printmaking last year. You get so many different flavors and styles from the different artists you get to work with that mashes up to be a sweet representation of your department.
- Surplus Supplies: Let's be real here, most times there will be surplus supplies that will just end up lying around. Use it. Create something. Usually if I’m really feeling it I make artwork on my own time. (I really like Captain America and I had some ink and watercolors left over from last semester.)
- Making a Mess: ALL ART CLASSES (with the exception of the computer driven classes like graphic design or publishing design) ARE MESSY. In drawing charcoal is everywhere, in ceramics there’s clay and clay dust everywhere, in printmaking there’s ink. If you’re an art major the sooner you accept that there is no ‘clean studio art class’ the better, because there is no such thing. This is the time when you get yourself a microfiber cloth because they clear up practically everything (they are magical and my printmaking professor loves them). Also get used to grainy TKO hand soap and Simple Green solution to clean up with.
- Friend Support: The art department is kind of small, and, though I have a lot of art friends, I also have a lot of non-art major friends. It’s always awesome getting their support through projects. And they’re a great resource to have to see the project in a non-art perspective. Freshman year I had a project that I struggled with to get that non-art perspective so I asked the advice of one of my good friends to see the project through their eyes. It was very helpful. Also, if you create something cool, your friends may want a copy of it.
- Sleep Deprivation: There will be at least one project in an art major’s life that will compel them to stay in the art building until it is finished. This means they stay late and end up watching the sun rise through the art building’s windows. I, personally, have not done this, but there will be some point where that will probably happen. We take our work very seriously. Especially when we reach that point.
- BEING an Art Major: As an art major you could basically do anything and call it performance art (as one of my good art friends told me once). This basically gives you permission to be "weird" (as society would call you). It's totally acceptable. Be yourself and express yourself through your art.
- Finals: Finals are your friends. Finals are really just projects, which makes for a super chill finals week. You work for the last three weeks of class in the semester to work on said final project. During the final exam period (which I will point out is actually SHORTER than the typical studio class time) you present your work, get critiqued, maybe do a little cleaning of the lab, and are free to leave. There’s hardly ever a written test.
For one, the learning atmosphere is nothing like a lecture hall. With every class there is a completely different studio to work in. Computer labs for graphic design classes, the print lab for printmaking, the drawing room for drawing, and the ceramics lab for ceramics. Of course, there are other classes that are held that also have their own studios.
Fancy clothing has no place in the art building, especially if you’re mid-project. The art major uniform is anything you don’t mind getting remotely dirty. And even then, you’re wearing an apron over it. But somehow you will get paint on your nose or swipe charcoal on your cheek. There’s no way around it.
There are no textbooks. Yay, right? It’s not like you don’t have to pay for textbooks (I mean, I am, since I’m at a liberal arts college and have liberal arts classes that require textbooks) but you get to pay for art supplies. And art supplies are pricy. (But worth it.)
Typical homework consists of papers and research. An art major’s homework is research and sketches. And by research I mean pulling up a picture to make sure you’re sketching it realistically, or taking photos for something that has to do with the project. It can also mean making sure a project is done over the weekend.
Group projects don’t tend to be group presentations or research papers and surveys. Collaboration projects can turn out really cool, like the massive one we did in printmaking last year. You get so many different flavors and styles from the different artists you get to work with that mashes up to be a sweet representation of your department.
Let's be real here, most times there will be surplus supplies that will just end up lying around. Use it. Create something. Usually if I’m really feeling it I make artwork on my own time. (I really like Captain America and I had some ink and watercolors left over from last semester.) 
ALL ART CLASSES (with the exception of the computer driven classes like graphic design or publishing design) ARE MESSY. In drawing charcoal is everywhere, in ceramics there’s clay and clay dust everywhere, in printmaking there’s ink. If you’re an art major the sooner you accept that there is no ‘clean studio art class’ the better, because there is no such thing. This is the time when you get yourself a microfiber cloth because they clear up practically everything (they are magical and my printmaking professor loves them). Also get used to grainy TKO hand soap and Simple Green solution to clean up with.
The art department is kind of small, and, though I have a lot of art friends, I also have a lot of non-art major friends. It’s always awesome getting their support through projects. And they’re a great resource to have to see the project in a non-art perspective. Freshman year I had a project that I struggled with to get that non-art perspective so I asked the advice of one of my good friends to see the project through their eyes. It was very helpful. Also, if you create something cool, your friends may want a copy of it. 
There will be at least one project in an art major’s life that will compel them to stay in the art building until it is finished. This means they stay late and end up watching the sun rise through the art building’s windows. I, personally, have not done this, but there will be some point where that will probably happen. We take our work very seriously. Especially when we reach that point.
As an art major you could basically do anything and call it performance art (as one of my good art friends told me once). This basically gives you permission to be "weird" (as society would call you). It's totally acceptable. Be yourself and express yourself through your art. 
Finals are your friends. Finals are really just projects, which makes for a super chill finals week. You work for the last three weeks of class in the semester to work on said final project. During the final exam period (which I will point out is actually SHORTER than the typical studio class time) you present your work, get critiqued, maybe do a little cleaning of the lab, and are free to leave. There’s hardly ever a written test.Being an art major is really fun. You get out of the box projects and- if they’re portable enough to do on campus- people are genuinely interested, even though they’re totally intimidated by the art building itself and probably wouldn't set foot in it unless you were with them.
If you’re an art major, keep making cool art. If you’re not an art major, look into somebody’s cool art. (And yes, that's a unicorn in the printmaking studio. It's a magical place. With magical microfibers and art majors.)
