Art appreciation courses

The world has come to a general agreement that aesthetic sensitivity is the key that opens the hearts of millions of people across the globe when they come across “A thing of beauty”. If one has the innate flair to appreciate the beautiful it can be rewarding for the individual and if the individual shows an inclination it is not very difficult to carve a blooming career out of this quality.

If your have a passion for the visual arts and have a natural inkling of all things bright and beautiful besides having a keen and observant eye, you could be on the threshold of a vital career in an area which gives you a sense of fulfillment.

Study routes

There are several ways to nurture your creativity and gain insight into an eclectic culture. Artists imbibed these qualities on the job or by interacting with working artists and by observing masterpieces even as early as a decade ago. Of late leading art schools across the country have floated several hobby classes and art appreciation courses to assist the latent sense of aesthetics in people from several walks of life. For instance the Chitra Kala Parishath in Bangalore has a six month part time course for interested candidates.
The Ken School of Art and Kala Mandir in the city have hobby courses.

Eligibility

If a responsible adult has basic language skills in English or Kannada besides having a natural flair for the arts and has an inexhaustible passion for the arts then he/ she can enrol in such a course.

Course content

The course per se introduces amateur artists in the basics of line drawing, sketching, portrait drawing, still life drawing, collage, landscape painting, and rudiments of clay modeling in the initial stages. Several, lectures, demonstrations, and explanations of great works of art expose students to their subject with a greater depth. Over a period of time, the guide identifies the potential in the student and channelises the aptitude in the desired direction. The aptitude of the student is encapsulated in a comprehensive manner at the end of the course.

Students who have passed out of Chitra Kala Parishath say that students who take up these courses recognise the distinction between pursuing art as a hobby and as a profession as they tend to learn the nuances and subtleties in the field through the mistakes of others even as they observe creativity in action.

Career prospects

As mentioned earlier, academics or marks do not make even the tiniest of difference in the career of the individual; on the other hand it is the uninterrupted enthusiasm for the subject and a bent of mind to experiment constantly which can see a person weave his way to the top.

Successful candidates can find jobs in the field of visual art in several capacities. Many of them are in the field of re-copying masterpieces, murals and illustrations of another era.

The technically savvy artists have a great scope in the field of animation, book illustration and visualisation.

Interior designing, designing brochures for advertising agencies are also areas which are yet to be tapped extensively after the successful completion of the course.
Graduates from a wide variety of areas and talented housewives who have taken up these short-term courses have found themselves applying for BFA courses which will eventually give them a recognised degree in the field of their choice.

Remuneration

Most fledgling artists start off as assistants in the offices of architects or illustrated magazines with a very modest salary ranging between Rs 3000 and Rs 5000. Once they gain hands on experience and are able to network with a larger section of clients on their own these people can start freelancing. This allows them to quote their price on the strength of their works and then, the sky is the limit.