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Degrees
School Information
Established: 1923
Main Campus Location
332 South Michigan Ave.
Suite 300
Chicago, IL 60604
USA
School Description
The American Academy of Art was founded in 1923 as a school for professional artists. Our classes have traditionally placed an emphasis on drawing and design based on the classical academic tradition. We are home to a distinguished faculty committed to providing our students with artistic skills and knowledge of contemporary tools and techniques. Today, the American Academy of Art continues to build on this strong reputation of educating successful professional artists.
Our curriculum is based on developing strong foundational skills and knowledge from which students can improve their abilities as they complete challenging projects of progressive difficulty. We offer seven majors in our Bachelor of Fine Arts degree: illustration, design, multimedia/ web design, 3D modeling and animation, oil painting, watercolor painting, and life drawing.
All of our students start their training with the foundations program. The foundations program helps students to develop the core skills of the visual arts. In Fundamentals of Art and Life Drawing, students learn figure drawing, composition, rendering, linear perspective and color theory. A variety of materials and techniques are introduced in these courses. Class projects give students experience in the full artistic process—from concept to sketch to thumbnail to finished work. This year is critical in preparing students to think and work as artists in their area of specialization.
The Academy also places a high priority on studio time to practice and improve on the skills and concepts covered in the classroom. Students spend many hours each week in hands-on studio work as they learn to develop and convey visual images. In addition, studio time gives students an opportunity to apply their unique inventiveness within the framework of a traditional approach.
We also recognize our experienced faculty as one of our most valuable assets in the classroom. Our faculty is familiar with all stages of artistic development and able to provide guidance and encouragement to young artists. Classroom collaboration often results in greater creativity and inspiration. The students benefit from instruction and critique from faculty members who are invested in the students’ artistic growth.
We include a core of humanities and sciences courses as an essential component of our curriculum. We realize that a well-rounded knowledge of other disciplines of human achievement can fuel a more diverse approach to artistic thought and expression. Our humanities and sciences classes prepare students for negotiating the professional world with strong critical thinking, assertive problem solving, and clear communication.
As part of the Academy’s initiative for life-long learning, we also provide a Master of Fine Arts degree for students who wish to further specialize and develop their abilities. Currently, the Master of Fine Arts provides advanced study in painting, drawing, digital media and design.
We are proud of the success of our graduates. Many of our alumni have established themselves in leadership positions in their fields. In the years that our students are with us, we make every effort to equip them for rewarding careers where they can have a positive impact on their culture and community.
