Submitted by Hnmusician on September 29, 2010 - 11:54am
Posted in
Hello - First let me commend the new website - excellent, informative, attractive!
What are your recommendations for colleges, universities, programs that would further the development of an high school senior interested in Science, Art, and a career in Scientific Illustration. ( Just ordered "Careers in SI".)
Thank you.
Senior looking for SI opportunities
There are many programs across the country, especially those opening up in the digital media forms. My suggestion is to start NOW with the your current high school coursework. Take as much science as you can fit in your schedule and ask your high school Art Teacher to help you integrate your assignments with this in mind. Find opportunities throughout your school to illustrate: school newspaper, yearbook, class reports, school spirit, community. These will show your motivation and start building a portfolio for those ever so important college entrance interviews. Good Luck!
Undergraduate studies in scientific/medical illustration...
There are a number of great programs across the country that provide excellent instruction in scientific illustration. I graduated from the Biological & Pre-Medical Illustration program at Iowa State University, and though I may be biased, I consider it to be one of the top programs in the country. Regardless where you decide to go, the best thing you can do right now is to simply soak in all the science you can... the art is important, but if you don't know the science you simply can't "fake it". With regards to art, just draw, draw, draw. Draw from life -- from direct observation. Developing those skills is the best thing you can do in preparation for continuing college-level education and training to become a scientific or a medical illustrator. Best of luck!
-David Cheney
cheneymedillustration@gmail.com
cheneybiomedart.com
Consider This Choice
The Savannah College of Art and Design currently has a minor in scientific illustration and is preparing to open an undergraduate major (BFA) in scientific illustration as well as an MA and an MFA in Scientific Illustration. At this point the projected opening for the BFA, MA and MFA looks like fall of 2012.
The undergraduate major will incorporate traditional, as well as digital, media and allow for 5 elective courses in art and design areas so students can personalize their direction. SCAD has a wide range of majors (60 or more) so students could move into the digital realm, film, painting, anatomical sculpture, underwater photograhy, etc. to develop a specialty, or select their elective to maintain a general approach. One of our current seniors in the minor program has already landed a job with Tribold Paleontology. We're very proud of her accomplishment!
The MA course work will have traditional and ditigital components in both 2-D and 3-D realms. The MFA will help students to take advantage of regional resources and professional relationships with science organizations such as the Oatland Island Wildlife Preserve, NOAH, the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, Triebold Paleantology and more. The MFA student will pass through the MA program as the first year of study and then in the second year move into a direction of his/her choice, incorporating internshps and other directed studies to help students pursue their specific career goals, all the whle working closely with the program professors.
SCAD's strengths include the access students have to amazing cutting edge technology and the wide range of curriculum directions that could be used to peronalize their education. If you would choose to attend, SCAD I would recommend that you get as much science as you can along with drawing practice. That will set you up to make the most of the exceptional experiences the college has to offer.
The Student Portfolio
The portfolio is an important part of a college application as it opens the door to scholarship opportunities.
At SCAD we have academic scholarships, portfolio scholarships, and scholarships for a combination of strong academic and portfolio work. Other colleges may have similar opportunities.
That being said, the advice offered about studies and activities is very sound but I think the science education and the strong portfolio are the largest players in the current climate.
Another strategy I would recommend is to attend portfolio days at various colleges, or information sessions that may come into your area, and get your portfolio reviewed by college professors. Students should start these reviews early. If you were a sopjmore or junior I would recommend attending summer programs at schools with strong reputations for science and/or drawing education can help polish your academic record and portfolio for college scholarship applications.