What career can I get with a Drawing Academy diploma?

Question from Jerritt

I am interested in taking this course. What kind of career or job can I get with a Drawing Academy diploma? Also, is this a work-at-your-own-pace kind of course?

Dear Jerritt,

The main question you need to solve is what is more important for you—to get good drawing skills or a piece of paper that says you are an artist.

You can get an artist diploma after four years in a contemporary art college. It might cost you anything up to $100,000 or above. The time and money spent won’t guarantee your art skills, though.

Art colleges have many teachers who are not successful fine artists; otherwise they would be busy doing their art and not working full time as teachers. If you think otherwise, just do some research—find a college you like and check who the art teachers are and what quality of art they do.

Also, a contemporary art college curriculum is not aimed to give you strong constructive drawing skills, good understanding of perspective, human anatomy, in-depth knowledge of proportions, and so on. Actually, in such a college, you won’t be even shown how to hold a pencil the right way.

(Photo from one of contemporary art colleges in the UK)
Would you learn much by drawing with markers hanging ropes?

In a contemporary art college, you will spend a great deal of time talking about and writing essays on the topic of what is art, rather than practicing traditional drawing techniques.

As one graduate told me: “I entered a college without drawing skills and graduated the same way, but I have a piece of paper that says I can put any shit together and call it art.”

What you will get in the Drawing Academy online course

If you want to improve your drawing skills, in the Drawing Academy you will get a far more comprehensive curriculum than in any contemporary art college.

At any time after three months, you will be entitled to apply for a Drawing Academy Diploma of Excellence, which is to commemorate your achievement of completing this online course.

In the Drawing Academy, you will receive a lifetime of personal support from the Academy tutors, which includes critiques of your artworks and tailored advice on how to improve your art skills. This support is unlimited and comes at no extra cost for a lifetime, even after graduation. No art college would ever offer the same deal.

Regarding a diploma, if you think of a career as an artist, no client or art gallery would ever ask you what diploma you have. They are interested in other things—how good your skills are, how professional your art is, how creative you are, whether your art is a good investment, and similar questions.

A diploma doesn’t make any difference whatsoever. I’m talking here from my personal experience and knowledge shared from many fellow artists, art collectors, and gallery owners.

However, if your goal is to become a fully qualified art teacher, then (unfortunately for college students) your art skills are optional, and qualification papers are more important. The choice is yours.

To answer your second question, yes, you will have a lifetime Drawing Academy membership and can study at your own pace in the comfort of your home. 

I hope this gives you some more information to think about your art career and what art courses to take.

Best regards,

Vladimir London

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