The differences between an interior decorator and an interior designer may seem inconsequential, but there are actually many things that set these two careers apart. People who work as professional interior designers typically have more education, typically in the form of a bachelor’s degree from a four-year university. Some designers also extend their education and complete a graduate degree in a design specialization, which makes them more desirable to future employers and clients. Interior decorators may also receive training and education in their chosen field, but usually it is either from a community college or online distance learning institution. This difference is just the beginning, though.

The essence of an interior design career is more than just creating the outward appearance of a room, building or space. Interior designers often have experience with architecture and understand how to pull elements from the building itself into the room and implement the other items that are arranged throughout the design space. They can handle everything from choosing and arranging the furniture to configuring the lighting to dressing the windows and doors, or even choosing where the windows and doors will go in the case of new construction. Interior designers may also change the current structure of the architecture if it fits with their design plans.

Interior decorators are more concerned with the outward, aesthetic appearance of a room, building or space. They may choose the furniture, paint colors, wallpaper, flooring, cabinetry, tiles, linens, window treatments, artwork and accessories that are placed in a room. They are experts at picking out and arranging things to achieve a desired look. Interior decorators may be hired by individuals to decorate a room or an entire home, or they may work for corporations, small businesses and/or nonprofit organizations that need help decorating their offices or retail space.

While interior decorators usually work with all types of homes and businesses doing all sorts of decorating, interior designers typically have a specialty such as commercial spaces, offices, art galleries, private homes or building exteriors. These two professions also have a lot in common, though, and it’s not uncommon to find designers and decorators working hand in hand.

Institutions offering quality Interior Design Programs include Academy of Art University, International Academy of Design & Technology, The Art Institute, The Institute of Interior Design at SW Florida College and Harrington College of Design.

Find the perfect Interior Design School or Interior Design College today and start your path to a rewarding career.

There is great debate over who the most influential photographers in history are. Although in terms of art, photography is still a relatively new art form, there have already been enough photographic masters to fill volumes in the last two centuries. That being said, there are a few photographers who stand out as the most influential. Here is a list of some of the most influential photographers in history:

• William Henry Fox Talbot: Mr. Talbot was one of the first masters in the field, having published his first account of photography in 1839. Talbot greatly influenced those who came after him with his book, The Pencil of Nature.
• Matthew B. Brady: Born in 1822, Brady was a pioneer of photography who recorded many of the most well known images of Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War.
• Alfred Stieglitz: In the 1890s Stieglitz became active in the camera club movement and edited Camera Notes and later Camera Work, publishing photo-gravure plates. His greatest achievements were promoting photography so it was recognized as a fine art.
• Ansel Adams: This famous photographer is best known for his black and white pictures of the great outdoors in the western United States in the 1930s and 1940s, particularly of Yosemite National Park and the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Margaret Bourke-White: She never let danger get in the way of her art. Bourke-White’s most influential photos include scenes of breadlines during the Great Depression, concentration camp survivors of World War II, Gandhi just a few hours before he was assassinated and many more.
• Diane Arbus: This famous female photographer of the 1960s and 1970s was passionate about revealing the darker sides of society through her work. Her subjects included midgets, tattooed men, circus freaks and other individuals considered out of the mainstream.
• Annie Leibovitz: An American photographer known for her work in the entertainment industry, Ms. Leibovitz has been producing provocative and well-known photographs in magazines such as Rolling Stone, Time and Vanity Fair for decades.
• John Shaw: He’s shot photos all over the world for Audubon, National Geographic, National Wildlife, Nature’s Best, Outdoor Photographer and many other publications from the late 20^th century until the present.

Institutions offering quality Photography Programs include Academy of Art University, International Academy of Design & Technology, The Art Institute, Nossi College of Art and Harrington College of Design.

Find the perfect Photography School or Photography College today and start your path to a rewarding career.

Wondering how to become an art restorer? Perhaps you have a love of antiques, a passion for artwork or a perfectionists’ personality that drives your desire to make everything look as fresh, clean and beautiful as the day it was created. An art restorer is someone who specializes in the professional cleaning, repair and restoration of paintings, sculptures and various antiques that have been damaged or devalued through aging. It isn’t exactly an easy profession to go into but for someone who is passionate about art, it is a worthwhile endeavor.

The degrees needed to become an art restorer vary, as each restoration business has different requirements, and many art restorers also go into business for themselves. The most common degrees required for art restoration jobs are Bachelor of Art degrees in art history, fine art and/or studio art. If you’re serious about this job and want to impress future employers with your skills, you may also want to think about earning a master’s degree in fine art conservation with specialization in a particular field that interests you.

If you want to go into antique or art restoration, you may find employment with antique dealers, art conservatories, art galleries, museums or restoration companies. Your job duties will include examining and cleaning works of art, doing research on them, deciding what repairs need to be made, if any, and using the resources you have available to make those repairs. Museums are the most prestigious places to work, but these job positions are the most sought after and hardest to get, so you might not be able to find a museum job right away. If you do, though, you can make as much as $100 an hour based on experience. Entry level positions with galleries, conservatories, dealerships and restorations companies may only start at $15 an hour, but salaries in this field increase based on experience and merit.

As an art restorer, you may have other career options such as giving lectures on art restoration at conferences or teaching college courses based on your specialty if you have earned a master’s degree or PhD.

Find the perfect Art and Design School or Art and Design College today and start your path to a rewarding career.

Are you dying to find out how to become a fashion designer? Want to become the next Giorgio Armani or Coco Channel? Well, you’d better get started now, and you’d better know people – the chances that you’ll reach the levels of success that those famous names did are slim to none. The good news is that if you have talent and are willing to work hard, you can have a fashion career that gives you a comfortable and fulfilling life, even if you don’t become a household name.

The first step to becoming a fashion designer is to assess your abilities. You must be able to sketch and sew, and you must have an eye for colors, patterns, designs and details. You’ll also need an inner drive and a strong will to succeed even when things look bleak and people are critical of your work, because the competition is fierce in this industry. If you still think you have what it takes, the next step is to get at least a two-year degree in fashion design, if not a bachelor’s degree. Business courses will be very helpful in addition to the designing and design-software courses because they will teach you how to market yourself and get ahead. Internships are also very helpful for you to gain experience.

Make sure to keep all your sketches and take photographs of your completed work to put together a portfolio. Once you’re done with school, training programs and/or internships, then you can begin showing the world how creative you are by applying for jobs with fashion houses, and you can begin marketing your own creations to local shops with your portfolio in hand. If you completed an internship, you may also be able to get hired on as an employee when your internship is completed. If anything, use your internship as a place to make connections—this is what you need more than anything to get ahead as a fashion designer.

The median expected salary for fashion designers is just under $50,000, but if you are one of the lucky ones you can make millions. It is important to be realistic, however, because there are only so many Versaces in the world.

Institutions offering quality Fashion Design and Merchandising Programs include Academy of Art University, International Academy of Design & Technology, The Art Institute, Berkeley College and Fashion Careers College.

Find the perfect Fashion Design School or Fashion Design College today and start your path to a rewarding career.

By attending one of the top photography schools in the nation, you will be well on your way to an exciting career in the photographic field. Whether you want to become a fine arts photographer, advertising photographer, news photographer or freelance artist doing everything from portraits to weddings, you have to get the right education and have the proper tools to succeed. The following are some of the top photography schools in the nation that you should consider if you’re interested in pursuing a career in the photographic arts:

• Academy of Art University – San Francisco: This large, private accredited university is located in one of the most creative cities in the world and has produced such graduates as Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Deanne Fitzmaurice.
• The Art Institute of Colorado – Denver: The Art Institute of Colorado is a private arts and crafts college that has offered associates and bachelor’s degrees in photography since 1952.
• Brown College – Mendota Heights, Minnesota: Earn your Bachelor of Arts in Digital Photography and choose from fine arts, freelance, fashion and other specializations.
• The Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University – Washington: While earning a Professional Photography Certificate from this institution you will learn camera techniques, lighting, workflow and much more.
• The Illinois Institute of Art: There are two branches of the Institute of Art in Illinois in Chicago and Schaumburg. Both schools offer a variety of photography courses and degree programs in a vibrant setting.
• International Center of Photography – New York City: This photography museum in the Big Apple offers full-time and continuing education classes in lighting, photojournalism and other areas of study related to photography.
• Miami International University of Art & Design: This is another school from the network of colleges within the Art Institute. You can earn a BFA in photography while living in one of the most picturesque settings in the country.
• School of Visual Arts – New York City: This prestigious fine arts school is among the finest of the top photography schools, and has been offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees in photography for generations.

Find the perfect Photography School or Photography College today and start your path to a rewarding career.

The following list of the top 10 qualities of a great designer can be very helpful for anyone considering going into the deign industry. These are the qualities that are needed to create beautiful designs and please clients, whatever type of design you go into. If you don’t have these qualities, you should consider either working to cultivate them or consider choosing a different career. From hands-on fashion design to virtual design on the Web, these are the top 10 qualities of a great designer.

1. Artistic Skills: Anyone interested in going into a design career should have some innate artistic ability that enables them to learn the latest techniques and please clients.
2. Artistic Vision: This is perhaps the most important of the top ten qualities of a great designer. You have to be able to visualize the end result and achieve it.
3. Communication Abilities: As a designer you must be able to communicate with clients and colleagues to understand what needs to be done to create what the client wants.
4. Creative Side: Designers must have a creative side to come up with new ideas for projects, drawing inspiration from different sources and using different methods.
5. Eye for Color and Texture: Whether you’re working with interiors, clothing or Web sites, you must have an eye for color and texture to choose shades and materials for your work.
6. Modesty: Great designers are also humble, able to accept criticism and ready to give clients what they want even when it differs from their own personal taste.
7. Problem Solving Skills: You will have to put out fires and solve problems on the fly as a designer, and it helps if you can remain cool, calm and collected.
8. Technical Ability: Technical skills are a must for any designer. You’ve got to be able to use the latest computer programs and tools to get the job done.
9. Understanding of Your Audience: You must be able to read your audience and customize your work to meet their wants and needs.

10.  Work Well With Others: It’s important to be a team player as a designer, as you will often be working with other designers and professionals on projects.

Find the perfect Art and Design School or Design College today and start your path to a rewarding career.

There are many tools and programs used by animation majors. It is necessary to have the right tools to complete all the assignments and move forward with your career, especially if you plan on doing freelance work rather than working in an office. With the right tools and software programs, animation majors can learn how to create virtually any animated world imaginable. But without the right tools it’s virtually impossible.

Most animators obtain all the tools that an illustrator would use for their work, including all the professional pencils, pens, paints and paper that are needed to create drawings. This is because animators often create sketches before making their vision come to life using 2D and 3D animation software. The most important tools and programs used by animation majors, though, are related to the actual creation of computer generated animation. Every software program has its own specialized focus for particular features of animation, and as students advance through their courses and their careers they may also advance to higher levels of software.

When animation students begin learning the basics, they typically start out with Macromedia Flash, which is meant for cartooning and creating Web pages. Another popular animation software package is 3D Studio Max, which is commonly used for creating video games. Such well-known games as Grand Theft Auto 3 and Metal Gear Solid 2 were created using this software. As students advance in their training, they may begin using software programs like Maya, which is a more sophisticated program used to create 3D graphics and complicated models. This type of software takes a while to master but once you’ve got it down you can create some truly amazing moving images. A good computer with a large screen and various animation features is also necessary for any animation major.

The tools and programs used by animation majors are always changing as technology improves and new products hit the market. It is necessary to stay on top of trends in the tools and software programs in order to get the best training and have a successful career in this constantly evolving industry.

Institutions offering quality Animation Programs include Anthem Institute, Academy of Art University, International Academy of Design & Technology, The Art Institute, The Career Interior of American International College and Westwood College.

Find the perfect Art and Design School or Animation College today and start your path to a rewarding career.

Before you can enter the art and design industry, you must figure out how to pay for art and design school. There are art and design programs at traditional colleges and universities, as well as a variety of dedicated technical colleges that focus specifically on training artists and designers for their careers. It is fortunate that there are a number of financing options available for art and design school programs.

The first option for any prospective student wondering how to pay for art and design school is to seek federal funding. If you are trying to choose a college, you must make sure it is accredited and that it passes the requirements for student funding from the Department of Education. After filling out and submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid form you can find out whether you qualify for government grants. Although grants are given out on a limited first come, first serve basis based on income and financial needs, if you qualify for grants, you will also likely qualify for low-interest student loans. Federal student loans are the best kind to take out because they don’t have to be paid back until after college, and you can consolidate them with various monthly payment plans that fit your budget.

There are also a variety of private student loans, grants and scholarships from various organizations that have a vested interest in promoting artists and designers. There are loans from banks and other financial institutions as well, although you will probably need to start making payments on these while you’re still in school. This should be a last resort. Make sure to check out scholarship opportunities from independent companies and organizations—these do not have to be paid back. If you’re a good artist or designer with promise you never know what you’ll get. And finally, there are also work-study programs that pay money if you agree to work for a design company while you’re learning the trade.

In order to get a good education and get a head start on your career, you must first figure out how to pay for art and design school. Fortunately, there are many financing options available.

Find the perfect Art and Design School or Art and Design College today and start your path to a rewarding career.

Web design jobs are extremely important in today’s economy because so much business is done online, and organizations need to have well designed Web sites to get their message across. This job is certainly in demand, and there are many career options for those who have the skills and experience in Web design. As long as people are doing business and spreading information via the Internet, Web design jobs will be crucial to our global marketplace.

Most people want to know about the salary potential when they consider Web design jobs, but there are different factors that will influence your earnings in this profession. The average salary range for a Web designer is between $35,000 and $65,000, but it all depends on your skills and experience. If you’re interested in this career, you’re also probably wondering about the degrees needed, which also ties into the salary. It’s a good idea to get a degree in art or design from an accredited institution. This way you can prove that you have the computer skills and the art aesthetics needed to do the job well.

In order to qualify for Web design jobs, you must have knowledge of technologies such as HTML, PHP, SQL, Dreamweaver, Flash and Photoshop among others. And then you need to get some experience. Most Web designers complete internships for several months, either while in the last year of college or directly after college, to get some experience and hopefully land a paying job. Many other Web designers prefer working freelance, although a great number of independent contractors in this field got experience working with a firm before they went off on their own. It is necessary to build up a portfolio before you can expect people to trust you with their Web site.

Web design jobs are crucial to our society because they help create the Web sites that promote commerce and provide information to the masses. Just like brick and mortar business owners need sign painters and advertisers to make their businesses look sharp, Web site owners need designers to give them the best functioning and looking site possible.

Institutions offering quality Web Design Programs include Academy of Art University, International Academy of Design & Technology, The Art Institutes, DeVry University, ITT Technical Institute and ECPI College of Technology.

Find the perfect Art and Design School or Web Design College today and start your path to a rewarding career.

The top design schools are preparing creative and talented students for exciting careers in fields such as architecture, fashion, graphic art, interior design, web design and much more. There are many schools all over the nation offering a variety of art and design degrees. There are schools that are dedicated to art and design, and there are traditional community colleges and four-year universities that also offer a variety of art and design programs. These following institutions are considered to be among the top design schools in the nation for students looking to earn a practical degree and hit the ground running in a new career upon graduation:

• Academy of Art University: This trusted institution, which was founded in 1929, is known as the largest private school in the country that is dedicated specifically to art and design.
• The Art Institutes: This school is an excellent choice if you are looking to get a practical education in an artistic subject such as culinary arts, design, fashion, media arts and many others. Many creative professionals got their start here.
• The Art Institute Online: Now the Art Institute also offers online programs to fit the needs of adult students who have jobs, families and other obligations that may keep them away from the campus. This is an especially good choice for students of web design and other subjects that require a great deal of time on the computer.
• Harrington College of Design: This reputable college has been around for nearly 70 years. Known for interior design in particular, many of today’s professionals in this field got started here.
• International Academy of Design & Technology: You may choose from a variety of degrees at the International Academy of Design & Technology, including computer arts, graphic design and visual communication.
• Westwood College: If you want the practical skills and the academic knowledge to get started on a career in art or design, you are sure to find a good program here. This is one of the top design schools known for preparing students to begin their careers as soon as they graduate.

Find the perfect Art and Design School today and start your path to a rewarding career.