Software Skills from Online Art Schools

Computer animation has been around for over twenty years, and artists are still finding new ways to use it. A rising star in Chinese contemporary art, Zhou Tiehai doesn't use drawings or sketches to create new paintings ? he uses Photoshop.

Some think he's an imposter, and others don't care, but one thing is for certain: Zhou Tiehai is a success, whose paintings can draw as much as $100,000 and international acclaim. And it's all thanks to computer software.

Using a PC to Paint

Tiehai uses Adobe Photoshop to create his paintings, manipulating lines and colors until he achieves the image he wants. He then prints it out, and a team of artists completes the painting.

Tiehai holds an art degree from the School of Fine Arts at Shanghai University, and has been one of the Pioneers in Chinese contemporary art. While you may not be able to do exactly what he does - you can certainly use the same tools. And you can do it all at an online university.

Online Art Schools

Art and design schools online are becoming increasingly popular, due in part to the nature of the degree. Many design jobs require CAD or other software certification. You can gain the software skills you need from online schools that specialize in art. There are a variety of online universities to choose from, with courses in software programs such as the following:

• Photoshop
• Illustrator
• CAD, AutoCAD
• Quark, QuarkXPress
• PageMaker
• FrameMaker

Online schools give you the benefits of keeping your own schedule and your own pace, while providing you the instruction you need to master art and design software. Check out the course listings at the online art and design school or online university that's right for you.