Art Schools in Tennessee

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For people in Tennessee to be successful with a career in art, they must be totally dedicated and possess a great deal of skills and knowledge of the art industry.

There are many different fields of art that people may choose to work within, from art education and painting to web design and game design.

Whatever people enjoy doing, there is a career and a school with a program to train them for that career.

Following are some terrific schools in Tennessee where people can train for the career of their dreams.

Schools of Art and Design

Below are some of the best Art Schools in Tennessee.

The Art Institute of Tennessee at Nashville

The Art Institute of Tennessee at Nashville, accredited with the Commission on Colleges, offers a vast array of art programs including interior design, graphic design, fashion retailing, video production, web design, media arts and animation, and culinary arts. Prospective students can find out about the admission requirements by calling the institute at-615-874-1067 or by writing to them at-100 Centerview Drive, Suite 250, Nashville, Tennessee, 37214. They can also visit the institute online at-http://www.artinstitutes.edu/nashville/.

For students to gain entry into the institute, they must schedule an interview with a school official and submit an essay describing their educational and career goals. While a portfolio is not required for admission to the school, students may submit one if they choose.

Students, who choose to pursue the bachelor of arts degree in game art and design, must complete an intense curriculum of both basic education and program-specific classes. The basic education courses included in the curriculum are as follows-Applied Mathematics, English I and II, Public Speaking, Topics in World Mythologies, Introduction to Psychology, Critical Thinking, and two additional General Education electives.

The program-specific classes included in the curriculum are as follows-Drawing, 2D Design, Introduction to Design Applications, Color Theory, Life Drawing, History of Games as an Art Form, Game Design and Game Play, Fundamentals of Painting, Character and Object Design, Scriptwriting and Storyboarding for Games, Sculpture for Animators, Interactive Experience Design, Art History I through III, Programming for the Artist, Introduction to 3D Modeling, Introduction to 2D Animation, Science of Light, Introduction to Game Scripting or Advanced Drawing for Animators, Intermediate 3D Modeling, Game Modeling, Texturing for Gaming, Developing Rich Media Applications or Advanced 3D Modeling, Background and Environment for Game Design, Interface Design for Games, Introduction to 3D Animation, Intermediate Game Scripting or Intermediate 3D Animation, Advanced Game Animation, Level Design I, Interactive Game Prototyping, Level Design II or Advanced 3D Animation, Special Topics, Advanced Game Prototyping, Careers in the Game Industry, Contemporary Art, Portfolio, and at least two additional program-specific electives.

Watkins College of Art/Design and Film

Located in Nashville and accredited with the Commission on Colleges, Watkins College of Art/Design and Film offers many fascinating art programs for aspiring artists. Some of the many fabulous programs at Watkins include film, fine art, graphic design, photography, and interior design. Prospective artists can find out how to enroll within Watkins by calling them at-615-383-4848 or by writing to them at-100 Powell Place, Nashville, Tennessee, 37228. They can also request information online at-http://www.watkins.edu.

Students, who wish to attend Watkins, will need to submit at least one letter of recommendation and an essay describing the student’s talents and educational goals. They may also submit a portfolio, containing 10 to 15 pieces of original art work, if they wish.

The bachelor of fine arts in fine arts program consists of various general education and art-related courses of which the general education courses are as follows-Anthropology, Fundamentals of Speech Communication, English Composition I and II, History of World Civilization I and II, Mathematics for Visual Arts, History of Scientific Thought, and three additional General Education electives.

The art-related courses that students must take are as follows-Art History Survey I and II, 2D Design/Color Fundamentals, Drawing I and II, 3D Design, 4D Design/Time-Based Media, Photography I, Figure Study I, Modern Art History/1800-1945, Art History Special Topics, Sculpture I, Painting I, Clay I, Printmaking I, Time-Based Media I, Contemporary Art Theory, Seminar I and II, Senior Thesis Exhibition, Digital Imaging I, and at least four additional Fine Arts electives.

Memphis College of Art

Accredited by the Commission on Colleges, Memphis College of Art offers a wide array of art programs including drawing, photography, sculpture, graphic design, printmaking, painting, illustration, animation and digital cinema, digital media. Individuals, who would like to schedule a tour of the college, can call them at-901-272-5100, or they may write to the school at-1930 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee, 38104. They can also find out all about the programs online at-http://www.mca.edu.

New students must submit a portfolio of their most recent and original art work along with their applications for the school to consider them. Graduate students will also need to submit an artist statement describing their skills and educational goals, two letters of recommendation and a resume listing their talents, skills and experience.

For students to earn a bachelor of fine arts degree in sculpture, they must take the following basic education classes-Writing I and II, Social Science, Math or Science, and seven additional basic education courses. Students must also take the following program-oriented classes-Sculpture I through V, Ceramic Sculpture I, Metalsmithing I and II, Drawing I and II, 3D Design, Idea/Process and Criticism, Art History Survey I and II, 2D Design, Sculptural Forms, seven Studio electives, two Sculpture electives, and four Art History electives.

Nashville International Academy of Design & Technology

Accredited with the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, the International Academy of Design and Technology at Nashville offers many splendid art programs for those who want to work in the field of art. Some of the fantastic programs that the academy offers are fashion design, graphic design, photography, interior design and audio production. If people would like to study in any of these areas, they can contact the academy for admissions information at-615-232-7384, or they can write to-1 Bridgestone Park, Nashville, Tennessee, 37214. They can also view the programs online at-http://www.iadt.edu.

The admission requirements for the academy are relatively simple, in that students need only submit an application, fee, and transcripts. They will also need to schedule an interview with a school official, sign an enrollment agreement and undergo various placement tests.

Those students, who wish to pursue their bachelor of applied science degree in graphic design, will need to take the following basic skills courses-Interpersonal Communications, Global Economics, English Composition I and II, Information Literacy, Literature and Film, Quantitative Literacy, Ethics, Psychology, Environmental Science, Physical Anthropology, Cultural Diversity, and Political Science.

They will also need to take the following program-oriented courses-History of Art I/Renaissance to 20th Century, History of Art II/Pre-History to the 14th Century, Web Design I and II, Digital Illustration, Typography, Advertising Design, Digital Imaging, Interactive Media I, Advanced Creativity and Design, Color Theory, Graphic Design I through III, Print Production, Digital Layout, Rendering and Illustration, Digital Prepress, Advanced Typography, History and Theory of Design, Advanced Digital Imaging, and Branding and Corporate Identity.

Colleges and Universities

Below are some of the most popular Colleges that offer Art Classes, Courses and Credits.

East Tennessee State University

Located in Johnson City, East Tennessee State University has remarkable art programs in studio art, art history, digital media, interior design, music, and theater, all accredited with the Commission on Colleges. Those persons, who would like to begin careers in any of these fields, can find out how to apply to East Tennessee by calling them at-423-439-1000 or by writing to them at-807 University Parkway, Box 70267, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37614. They can also find the application procedures online at-http://www.etsu.edu.

Students, who want to earn a bachelor’s of fine arts degree in studio art, must complete all of the following basic skills classes-Critical Reading and Expository Writing, Critical Thinking and Argumentation, Oral Communication, Mathematics, Natural Science, The United States to 1877, The United States Since 1877, Literature, Humanities, and Social/Behavioral Science.

They must also complete all of the following art-related classes-Art History Survey I and II, Drawing Fundamentals, 2D Design, Color Theory, 3D Design, six Level 2000 Studio courses, five Level 3000 Studio courses, six Level 4000 Studio courses, Modern Art, Contemporary Art, BFA Portfolio Review, Portfolio and Exhibit, and at least one additional Studio elective.

Freed Hardeman University

Located in Henderson, Freed Hardeman University offers amazing programs in music, theater, graphic design, fine arts and interior design, all of which hold accreditation with the Commission on Colleges. Prospective students can call the general office for admissions information at-800-348-3481, or they can write to Freed Hardeman at-158 East Main Street, Henderson, Tennessee, 38340. They can also find useful admissions information online at-http://www.fhu.edu.

Those students, who choose to pursue a bachelor’s of art degree with an emphasis in studio art, will need to complete several general education courses as follows-two Bible electives, Values in Human Thought and Action, English Composition I and II, Speech Communication, Quantitative Reasoning elective, University Foundations, Lifetime Wellness, Physical Education, Behavioral Science, Natural Science, two Humanities electives, Literature, History, and one additional Humanities or Fine Arts course.

They will also need to complete several art-related courses as follows-Drawing I and II, 2D Design, 3D Design, Painting I through III, Ancient Art or Medieval and Asian Art, Renaissance and Baroque Art or Modern Art, Sculpture or Printmaking I, Digital Photography for Design, Readings in Art History, Senior Exhibit Seminar, Senior Exhibit, and Portfolio.

Lipscomb University

Lipscomb University, located in Nashville and accredited with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, offers extraordinary programs in visual arts teaching, visual arts administration, textiles and apparel, theater, studio art, music, graphic design, and art therapy. If people would like to schedule a visit with the school, they can do so by calling the main desk at-615-966-1000 or by writing to-1 University Park Drive, Nashville, Tennessee, 37204. They can also find useful information within the university’s website at-http://www.lipscomb.edu/.

For students to earn a bachelor’s of fine arts degree in studio art, they must take the following basic education courses-The Story of Jesus, Lipscomb Seminar, The Story of the Church, Composition and Reading I and II, Introduction to Communication, two Social Science courses, two Biological Science courses, The Story of Israel, Literature, College Algebra, and Physical Science with lab.

They will also need to take the following program-related courses-Color Theory, Surface Design Studio, Foundation Studio I and II, Digital Photo Mechanics, Adobe Creative Suite, Conceptualization and Presentation, Foundations elective, Art History I and II, Fundamentals of Painting, Spatial Design Studio, Fundamentals of Photography, Fundamentals of Printmaking, additional Art History elective, Christianity in the Visual Arts, Art Theory, Art Since 1940, and three additional Studio electives.

Tennessee Tech University

Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, accredited by the Commission on Colleges, offers several sensational art programs including, art education, fine art, studio art, music and theater. Those people, who would like full details pertaining to any of these programs, can find them online at-http://www.tntech.edu. They can also request information by calling the university at-800-255-8881 or by writing to-1 William L Jones Drive, Cookeville Tennessee, 38505.

For those students, who want to earn their bachelor of fine arts degree in art education, they must fulfill the following basic skills classes-Writing I and II, First-Year Connections, Natural Science, Mathematics, Social/Behavioral Science, Communicating in the Professions or Introduction to Speech Communication, American History I and II, Natural Science, American/British or World Literature, and Educational Psychology.

They must also fulfill the following program-related classes-Art Education Theory, Two-Dimensional Design, Three-Dimensional Design, Drawing I/Introduction, First-Year Art Connections, Art History I and II, Drawing I and II, Painting I/Introduction, Introduction to Clay, Introduction to Fibers, Introduction to Glass, Introduction to Metals, Introduction to Woodworking, Elementary and Secondary Practicums, Printmaking/Relief, 35mm Photography, Digital Art Basics, Methods and Media, two additional Art History courses, Residency I and II, and Professional Seminar I and II.

Other First-Class Art Institutions in Tennessee

While the above schools are excellent institutions for people pursuing art degrees, there are many more schools in Tennessee that aspiring artists may want to consider, as well. Following are some of these other institutions.

  • Austin Peay State University in Clarksville
  • The University of Tennessee in Knoxville
  • Belmont University in Nashville
  • Tennessee State University in Nashville
  • Carson/Newman College in Jefferson City
  • Southern Adventist University in Collegedale
  • Cumberland University in Lebanon
  • Rhodes College in Memphis

Essential Information for Prospective Art Students

Careers in art are exciting and fun careers that also offer much in the way of satisfaction. There are many schools in Tennessee that offer art programs for aspiring artists, where they can perfect their existing skills and learn many more new ones. When students apply to an art school, they may need to submit a portfolio of their work, as well as, a letter of recommendation and an essay. Some students may have to perform an audition.

There are several materials that students may need for school; however, the necessary supplies may vary from one school to another. Some basic supplies they will want to acquire, though, include painting supplies, drawing/sketching pads, writing utensils, cutting tools, measuring tools, erasers, sharpeners, stapler, glue stick, masking tape and a digital camera.

For students to graduate from art school, they will need to complete either a thesis, an art capstone, an internship, an apprenticeship, and/or a junior or senior project. Students can complete capstones and projects in various ways such as portfolios, research projects, presentations, art projects, essays and exhibitions. Knowing all of the above requirements is an essential step in beginning an exciting and fun career in art.

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