Graphic Arts

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Becoming a professional designer has been my passion since I was old enough to remember. My inspiration was my Uncle, an illustrator, who to this day motivates my desire for design. Through extensive research and visits to Universities, I understand the demands that this course will require of me and I cannot wait to take on this new challenge. All areas of design fascinate me, whether it be computer assisted or illustration by hand. It is very important to me that my pieces of work are original and I am grateful that I can promptly translate new ideas when given a task. What starts as a simple sketch results in a polished piece of work with a vital message. My long-term goal is to have a successful career in Illustration or Graphic Design. Objects, pictures, posters all of which originated as a simple design, surround us. I want to be responsible for initiating these ideas.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

I understand this from years of studying Graphic and Product Design at school and having developed my knowledge outside of school. By studying maths at A Level my precision in designing and making products has improved significantly. I developed an ability for drawing at a young age which has progressed more so into the area of design, as I feel my creative ability prompts unique and impressive ideas that make their way on to paper quickly. A real success for me was winning a competition this year. I created a logo for the school website, which is now in use as a whole school initiative in promoting good values. This is displayed in staircases around the school, and as the desktop background on every computer. I consider myself to be a hard-working and motivated student. My intention is to produce work to the highest standard at all times and I feel that the skills required for this course are matched to what I can provide.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

Currently, I am creating logos and branding for DesignCrowd and illustrating for Redbubble, where my work can be purchased and printed professionally. Living in London has allowed me to delve deep into the design world and see a vast range of work from artists who originate from different backgrounds. I have a particular interest in Photoshop and Illustrator, but I am always keen to experiment with alternative programs. One of my strengths is my capacity to have an idea and to always see it through to the final product. This has been supported with exploring my collection of the ‘Print & Pattern’ books. These feature a large array of various designers’ work and I ensure to always read what each artist’s inspiration for their work was. I get inspiration from many sources including magazines, advertisements and posters. I enjoy visiting museums and galleries in my spare time and am keen to see how designers develop small ideas into remarkable pieces of work. I was fortunate to have an opportunity to undertake work experience within the Home Office. During this week I assisted a number of professional designers from an external company called Hobs Repro. The benefit from the experience was immense. I adopted some transferable skills - working independently and as a team, having to problem solve and consider my own time management. It was beneficial to have a sense of working in industry. These skills have been aided by my completion of the Duke of Edinburgh bronze award, where teamwork and leadership is key. Being a keen photographer I was delighted to use a substantial amount of my own work to contribute to this achievement. Spending my spare time volunteering for a local charity shop and working in a Post Office has increased my self-confidence and customer service skills significantly.