What can you do with a degree in visual art?

I just recently got my Bachelor's degree in computer science. But im also gifted when it comes to Art e.g. realistic portraits, scenary etc. I want to go back to school and major in something that will sharpen my art skills. What are some courses?

• Answer:

  I was kind of in the same place a while ago...but unlike you, not great at realism, but a crafty girl with a good eye, and I ended up with a minor in photog., and worked in a multimedia lab, then taught it and web design. If you're bound and determined to go to school, most University art programs start with a few fundamentals: 2d, 3d, maybe color or drawing, maybe some art history etc. Weeder classes. Then come the intermediate ones, usually in a major...intro to fibres/graphic design/sculpture/painting/photog, etc. Then the 300 and 400 level classes. However, as a CS major, if you just pick up some skills, like photoshop, Illustrator, and especially Flash (coding in Actionscript) and Dreamweaver (html, etc) you are SO marketable. At a community college, you can take some of these courses, along with some art fundamentals, and then, if you really want to continue the school thing, don't bother with a second Bachelor's, believe me. Get a Master's in whatever. It will take you much farther. If you do an art school Master's, most MFA's are terminal, meaning that's it, no PhD in art. You can then teach at the college level, if so inclined. Oth, nowadays there is so much online info, that you can learn as much as you want without much cash expenditure, and on your schedule, though part of the art school experience is 'crit' - critique, to hear other's opinions, and to broaden your work, but there is even that online. Adobe should be shipping out the new version of their creative suite (cs4) at the end of the month. As a student (even 1 credit at a 2 year school) you can buy the student version. Also, there's certification for creative software just like in other IT things. If you are going to combine CS with art, and you draw/illustrate, take some graphic design, especially training in typography. There is A LOT about type online. Check out other's links at a link-sharing place like digg or delicious or stumbleupon or reddit. Any q's? HTH