[[Shizo]]

What are the options for studying design online? Such as product design. And what is the possibility of getting a job with an online degree?

[Returner]

From what I've read on CA and elsewhere is that what counts is the portfolio.
So sure there must be some course with good teachers but I would chose a IRL education to be around likeminded.
Guess conceptart.org has some threads on this do a search.

Good luck.

[Max Ostap]

I would find an affordable institution and go there. Online classes are a great way to squeeze money out of people with a false promise of convenience.

Technical skills you can learn at home with some seriously berserk motivation, but learning to present to a group of people, getting live feedback from a group of people, and adjusting yourself and your ways to be more effective in your presentation is probably best done in a design school.

Also if you know you have presentation on monday, in a room full of people who probably spent entire week before busting their asses to be the best in that room, you will be motivated to get some solid work done.

You are kind of locked in a box in more ways than one if you do everything out of your bedroom and never go outside to present it.
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[[Shizo]]

Returner, how are things in Sweden? Say if I went and got a BA degree there (not necessarily in CG), would it be easy for me to find a job?
I'm thinking of going to uni, but not really feeling the whole USA situation right now.

China/Russia is good for making money, but not good for getting an education. Besides, a degree from China/Russia isn't as well received as a degree from USA/Europe. In Sweden there are also more courses in English, although I wouldn't mind learning Swedish.

I'd appreciate any info, as I'm trying to decide which country I should go to uni in.

USA (passport, family, friends),
Russia (passport, family, friends)
China (friends)
Sweden (friends, close to all of the above)

[Returner]

Hi

It's good times for all swedes right now.
But if things are worse or better in the art/design field I don't know.
For architects things are sweet though.

If you are in to product design there's a top 10 ranked school (businessweek) in the north of sweden in Ume�. Heres a link:http://www.dh.umu.se/
And then you have the schools in stockholm which aren't quite as prestigious or specialized as the one above but they are still good. Here's the biggest one "http://www.konstfack.se/"

I've been to both schools. Konstfack had an open house were they showed the locals and there were students with portfolios you could talk to. It seemed ok. Just ok.
Then I went to ume�. The locals were GREAT. High tech machine park and collaborations with big companys. I was there there as a fly on the wall for one day on different lessons and I'll definetly apply next year.

But of course there are people form both schools who's gotten good jobs but I know ume� is the way to go for industrial design. (if you aim high)
If you wan't graphic design or commercial design (advertisment jobs)
There is a school called beckmans and another one called Berghs.

Hope that will set you off in the right direction.

[[Shizo]]

Damn it. It looks like I missed out on Sweden by 1 year. Their education used to be free for foreigners, but now - hella expensive!

If all it takes is a portfolio to get a job, then maybe I should get started..

[[Shizo]]

Lol... I was just looking at a site of Russia's most famous designer. His sense of humor is f***ing epic, ex: http://www.artlebedev.ru/everything/povodokus/

[[Shizo]]

For industrial/product design, is it really possible to get a job only based on a portfolio? Wouldn't the job require knowledge of ergonomics, architecture, physics and so on? Something that you can't see in a portfolio, but which is confirmed via a degree?
Just thinking aloud.. but any ideas would help.

[T_England]

Is it very difficult to get accepted into Swedish universities? I find it amazing that they don't charge fees for EU students...its making me want to go there and do an MA
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[T_England]

Shizo: Yeah portfolio is super important for those, there going to want to see your designs first and foremost. They can tell if you understand ergonomics by looking at the portfolio. I think backing it up with a degree helps a lot in those two subjects
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[[Shizo]]

I'm thinking to hell with everything, I'll just learn this sh*t on my own! And if I don't have a kickass portfolio in 1 year then I'll go to a design school. Hopefully I'll have some money saved by then too.

So what good books on design would you recommend? Something from your college courses perhaps? I would like to focus on industrial/product design, but anything design related would be good too.

[Max Ostap]

Good portfolio might lead to a better standing with the school when applying later. Scholarships/sponsorships etc.
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[Tomasis]

check scott robertson books and dvds from drawthrough.com

check lots of references, learn everything about design, DRAW lots and lots. the last is important, it helps you visualize something that didnt exist before.

learn 3d and make crazy good looking pieces and so on.

imho it is important to go in school but you can always wait with this while working on portfolio and get into a very good school after you done proper job on research.

good luck!
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[[Shizo]]

Thanks for your input guys, it's all appreciated.