Hi Folks,
Ya know people are always encouraging me to go to back to school. I say "back" but my collegiate life boiled down to three weeks in fashion college, after which I decided that college is not for me.
So 10 years later, I'm basically still doing the same job. Which is FINE by me. I have dolls and tiny kids, I don't have time for my career to be my life.
When you're creative and you work as an office monkey people can't help but tell you to go to school. But why? To take something like Graphic Design and then to start all over in a new industry at 40ish? To take something boring like Business? To take something perfect like English and be sad I don't live in a town with publishing houses?
So what would my idea college situation look like? Online classes, super flexible, a major that I truly love but won't throw me into a cut throat competitive field, something that appeals to my crafty nature and makes me more excited about the learning than all the mula I'll be making after graduation. Oh and cheap, possibly free.
It would be a dolly university. It would cover interior decorating, architecture, fashion design and sewing, woodworking, I dunno, sculpture. You know what I'm talking about. Even stuff like how to post things on ebay.
So my friends, I have created:
My qualifications? Well I was a preschool teacher and I'm certified to teach ESL. Hurray, I'm a college professor!
So after I got this idea, I collected tutorials from everywhere, printed out the challenging ones and put them in a 3 ring binder. Ta da! Text book! I designed the curriculum, which covers all areas of the doll world, including things I don't want to learn like e-commerce and fashion doll history.
I could just learn like everyone else, but the Figurevore challenges really taught me something. I love doll assignments. The deadlines gave me a push to actually DO something. How long have I been talking about rerooting and repainting? Forever! With the kids, it's so hard to do much more than set up a scene and take some quick pictures.
AND I love the easy way out. I just "figure it out" instead of doing all the research, then doing the job right. I use what happens to be around instead of the best tool. Case in point, this table painted with nail polish. Seriously:
So anyway, I will present to you each assignment, my deadline and my results. No embarrassment, no inhibitions. Just like I'm in school. And I'm opening it up for you to give me assignments too. My husband came up with one that will be good for the E-commerce section: Remove a doll from her packaging without destroying the box. Way easy for Fashion Royalty but do you see the fortress they put Barbie in?
I even have a major: Doll Home Customization. So a lot of time will be spent getting actual books (as opposed to web sites) on architecture and design.
I'll share my curriculum and assignments with the next post. I welcome all input!
smooches,
dani
Ya know people are always encouraging me to go to back to school. I say "back" but my collegiate life boiled down to three weeks in fashion college, after which I decided that college is not for me.
So 10 years later, I'm basically still doing the same job. Which is FINE by me. I have dolls and tiny kids, I don't have time for my career to be my life.
When you're creative and you work as an office monkey people can't help but tell you to go to school. But why? To take something like Graphic Design and then to start all over in a new industry at 40ish? To take something boring like Business? To take something perfect like English and be sad I don't live in a town with publishing houses?
So what would my idea college situation look like? Online classes, super flexible, a major that I truly love but won't throw me into a cut throat competitive field, something that appeals to my crafty nature and makes me more excited about the learning than all the mula I'll be making after graduation. Oh and cheap, possibly free.
It would be a dolly university. It would cover interior decorating, architecture, fashion design and sewing, woodworking, I dunno, sculpture. You know what I'm talking about. Even stuff like how to post things on ebay.
So my friends, I have created:
My qualifications? Well I was a preschool teacher and I'm certified to teach ESL. Hurray, I'm a college professor!
So after I got this idea, I collected tutorials from everywhere, printed out the challenging ones and put them in a 3 ring binder. Ta da! Text book! I designed the curriculum, which covers all areas of the doll world, including things I don't want to learn like e-commerce and fashion doll history.
I could just learn like everyone else, but the Figurevore challenges really taught me something. I love doll assignments. The deadlines gave me a push to actually DO something. How long have I been talking about rerooting and repainting? Forever! With the kids, it's so hard to do much more than set up a scene and take some quick pictures.
AND I love the easy way out. I just "figure it out" instead of doing all the research, then doing the job right. I use what happens to be around instead of the best tool. Case in point, this table painted with nail polish. Seriously:
So anyway, I will present to you each assignment, my deadline and my results. No embarrassment, no inhibitions. Just like I'm in school. And I'm opening it up for you to give me assignments too. My husband came up with one that will be good for the E-commerce section: Remove a doll from her packaging without destroying the box. Way easy for Fashion Royalty but do you see the fortress they put Barbie in?I even have a major: Doll Home Customization. So a lot of time will be spent getting actual books (as opposed to web sites) on architecture and design.
I'll share my curriculum and assignments with the next post. I welcome all input!
smooches,
dani
How fun! :)
ReplyDeleteThat sounds interesting, and like a great project for you! And I know what you mean about people telling you that...Ditto. Of course, I went back and did it (for other reasons) but a degree in art still doesn't do much if you're not a schmoozer. :P
ReplyDeleteOnly thing I'll say about your projects & tutorials---make sure that you give credit and back links to the websites & people you get/got/will get the information from. :)
So when do classes start???????????????
Of course I'll give credit! Without my "teachers" I'd still be painting tables stuff with nail polish. Though I know why you say that. The internet makes it so easy to rip people off.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking I'll get started in mid-late May. I post the curriculum and assignments in the next few days, then I have to wait for my finances to recover from being out of work for 3 months AND I have to get some basic tools for Section 1, whatever that may be. So I think mid May is a good estimate.
I can't wait to see your projects Dani! I LOVE that photo of Alana(TJ). Love the books and bookcase in the background...you've got a lot of great props!
ReplyDeleteGood luck, I know you'll do an awesome job.