Famous Artists School
Famous Artists School is an educational institution founded by a group of twelve prominent artists, including Albert Dorne and Norman Rockwell, aimed at providing accessible training for aspiring artists. The school was notable for its inclusive admission policy, which evaluated candidates based solely on their artistic aptitude rather than educational background, age, gender, race, or social status. The program featured personalized instruction, allowing students to receive detailed critiques and written guidance from experienced artist-mentors. Co-founder Albert Dorne, who overcame personal hardships to become a successful illustrator, exemplified the potential for achievement without formal training. The curriculum was designed to be affordable and offered the convenience of home study, catering to individuals seeking to develop their artistic skills at their own pace. In an era when higher education was increasingly emphasized, Famous Artists School focused on fostering self-motivation and discipline among its students, highlighting the importance of dedication in achieving success in the arts. Overall, the school has served as a significant resource for those looking to pursue a career in illustration and fine arts.
Famous Artists School
Identification Correspondence school offering courses in fine and commercial art
Date Founded in 1948
Place Westport, Connecticut
The Famous Artists School, guided by a faculty of outstanding American artists, became one of the world’s largest correspondence schools and began successfully training thousands of artists during this era.
Founded by twelve well-known artists, the Famous Artists School was approved for college credit. The entrance exam was simple: duplicate a sketch in the magazine advertisement and submit it for evaluation. Acceptance depended not on education, age, gender, race, or social status but on basic aptitude.
A self-taught artist and illustrator for Life magazine, Albert Dorne co-founded and directed the program, which provided students individual attention from artist-mentors in the form of written discussions along with specific critiques of student artwork. Another founder was Norman Rockwell , the prominent illustrator for Saturday Evening Post.
After a childhood of poverty and illness, Dorne quit school in seventh grade to follow the dream of being an artist, which he had held since the age of five. As director of the school, he was proof to students of their own potential for success. Never formally trained in the arts, he developed his innate talent into a successful career as the most sought-after illustrator for several national magazines. Truly a self-made man, Dorne received the Horatio Alger Award from the American Schools and Colleges Association in 1963.
Impact
At a time when college education was becoming important for employment, the Famous Artists School offered affordable, entry-level training in one’s own home. Furthermore, the school stressed that success depended on motivation and self-discipline supported by guidance from dedicated instructors.
Bibliography
Bogart, Michele. Artists, Advertising, and the Borders of Art. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1995. Examines the history of commercial art, with some discussion of the Famous Artists School.
Heiman, John. All-American Ads: The Fifties. Los Angeles: Taschen America, 2001. Showcases a collection of print advertisements from the decade, which provide good context for the rise of the commercial art form that the Famous Artists School encouraged.