Pink Form
1. What information did you include in your Personal Statement?
I wanted to be as honest as possible in my personal statement, I didn’t want to sugar coat anything from my past, so I spoke about my previous education. My achievements and how I as an individual have improved myself both with skills and confidence. I also wanted to focus on what I enjoy doing in my spare time as well as what my strong skill set in the medium of graphic design. I mention what drives me and gives me passion to succeed and how that has helped me become an overall better person. As well as where I hope to be in the future, and why I want to be on my chosen course.
2. How much time did it take to generate the Personal Statement? How many drafts were made?
I spent around 2 Months on my personal statement from start to finish. It went through many stages of drafting. My initial first draft was significantly altered from what the final outcome was. I also had it reviews and was given comments and suggestions on where it could be improved, or if I had forgot to mention something key. It went through around 4 drafts before I was happy with the outcome of the personal statement.
3. What were the difficult aspects of creating the Personal Statement?
I wanted to make sure everything flowed nicely. The word count became a problem towards the end of the process, so lots of sentences needed restructuring and rewording. Being confident enough to speak about my past, especially during school was somewhat, as I don’t enjoy talking about it, but gave a more legitimate personal statement.
4. Why have you chosen the 4/5 Colleges/Courses you have applied for?
Well, I spoke to a previous student from the University of Hertfordshire a year ago who was doing a course that I was really interested in. (3D Games Art & Design). This aligned with what I was doing at the time of my FMP last year. Since then I was really fixated on getting into that specific course. During the UCAS Fair in Manchester I was given the opportunity to speak with other really good Universities so I made five choices. They were for similar courses to the Hertfordshire in the event where I wasn’t accepted to that course I’d have some strong Universities.
5. Describe the amendments, alteration and refinements that had to be made to your work? How did you improve the presentation of certain work? - Cropping, Mounting techniques, measuring.
I think I’m described as a perfectionist to those around me so making sure my work was of the highest quality I could possibly present it was really important to me. For certain pieces of work I had to present them differently, whether this was having two laser cut out a signage project so the designs could be truly appreciated or simply a black mount board plain and simple to see. I made sure to consider every small detail, in my portfolio.
6. Did you have to take new Photographs of your work? Did you include different scale, angles and perspectives?
Yes, I made sure to include as many examples and photographs of my work so it would give the best representation of my work, even if I couldn’t bring the real example. Any 3D work I made sure to get around 10 different angles and photographs so I could then decide which would work best. My wine bottle in particular had a variety of angles that enhanced the work.
7. Write a rationale as to why you have selected the particular work you have chosen for your Portfolio?
My physical portfolio was something I had as a more general portfolio showcasing my wide range of skills and media. I included around 22 pieces and around 6 of those were life drawing. It was made clear to me by Universities that life drawing was a huge aspect of the course I wanted to study. So making sure I had plenty of my strongest life drawing was key.
8. Write a rationale as to why you have selected the particular work you have chosen for your Digital/ Online Portfolio?
For my digital portfolio I mainly chose artworks that Universities had specifically asked for instead of perhaps a splash of everything. Where as my physical had a more general range of work where I hadn’t been specifically asked to show anything. My digital portfolio was generally asked for specific work so I could choose what pieces would fit their asking. After receiving a request for a digital portfolio where I had to do twice both had specific requirements. One in particular only wanted the best 4 Pieces, along with a written piece for each roughly 250 words. So you can see the difference between both physical and digital.
9. Describe the process of selecting appropriate work, what were the strengths and weaknesses of your work? What did you do to redeem the situation if you noticed a particular deficiency in your work?
I wanted to make sure there was a sigh of progression in my work. Now that didn’t mean putting my worst piece right at the start by I wanted somewhat of a journey. However, after my interview at Hertfordshire it was clear to me that I had included too many graphic based works. However, I made sure to make some successful 3D Modelling that allowed me to have a place. I also created some more life drawing as I didn’t really feel I had enough strong life drawing in my portfolio.
10. Did you create a list or a timetable/action plan highlighting what you needed to do to get your Portfolio sufficiently prepared for an interview?
Yes, I created lists of my strongest pieces of work that I knew I had to include in my portfolio. I also gave set days to when I wanted to work on my portfolio, however, I feel like I should have given myself more time to prepare the portfolio.
11. Did your time spent working on your portfolio interfere with the time spent on your specialist units? How did you compensate for this?
This was an issue that I found to be during my block B. Trying to juggle both Block work and portfolio was a stressful time, however I managed to get both to a high standard with time management. Making sure I was doing enough in the time I had set myself.
12. How did you decide on the appropriate sequence of your selected work?
Like I mentioned earlier, a clear journey of improvement while still showing strong pieces. Having it checked by my Tutors as well as other classmates as beneficial, so I could get a second opinion.
13. Did you create a Digital Portfolio/Blog of your work? What do you think about it? How many Pieces have you uploaded?
I created three digital portfolios for three different Universities that required something different. As well as this I have a fully operational website that I use as my blog. It contains almost all of my most successful work, work that I myself am most proud of and show the most improvement. There has to be at least 25 Pieces of my work that doesn’t include many screenshots and development images that I have uploaded alongside them. I find that the blog allows me to more effectively showcase my work with Animations and graphic based work.
Green Form
1. Do you think that the work you have created is original?
Making my work is as individualistic and original as I possibly can is fundamental to me. I think the difference between being inspired by and artist or designer and straight up stealing work. I think I’m influenced by what is around me. Where I’ve been brought up, what experiences I’ve gone through is what makes me stand out. Everything has already been done in my eyes. However, how you create something, how you interpret a brief, that’s what makes your work original. I participated in a competition at the end of last year between 20 people. We were all given the same ground rules and brief. To create a poster promoting the Welsh Art and Design industry. None of the outcomes were the same. I placed second, because my poster stood out and was original.
2. Is your work braking Personal barriers?
I enter each and every project with an open mind. Now that might sound vain, but I want to try and explore something new each project. My ambition to learn and keep developing skills is what’s given me as much success as I’ve already had. So I am breaking my own individual limits by constantly evolving my own current skills as well as adapting to new programs and ways of creating.
3. Are you venturing into new avenues of thinking?
Yes, all the time. I try to come up with original ideas. Whether this is by constantly developing my research or working together in a group environment. Group work I feel is highly underrated as the ability to bounce ideas off one another can eventually lead to the best possible outcome.
4. Are you challenging yourself within your Projects?
To be honest, I think that I try too hard sometimes. Sometimes that can be a negative thing for me. I set my ambitions so high that they sometimes become unrealistic. However, I love it. Being able to constantly work towards a goal and having that satisfaction of a successful outcome, is what motivates me. I think it’s also important to challenge yourself within any given project, because if you aren’t pushing yourself you’ll never reach your end goal.
5. Do you think your work stimulates the Viewer? Why?
I’d like to think it does yes. I try to almost make my work not only understandable to myself, but also so that it invites others to enjoy it. Without being big headed, I think that my work does inspire others. I think one main reason is for the fact that I created things that others don’t attempt. I push myself in that regard.
6. Have you developed initial ideas inspired by other artists/ designers to create own unique visual language?
Having that initial inspiration from other artists is key to generating ideas. Being aware of what’s been done and learning from others is only a positive way of thinking. Even now in my FMP I plan on using the works of Alan Lee to inspire my own work. During block A I created a signage project that was inspired by the works of Massimo Vignelli on his New York signage system.
7. Are you exploring traditional and nontraditional methods, techniques and processes within your work.
During my block B project I combined many different techniques to create my final design. Initially, I was going to create my wine label fully on digital based media. However, this block taught me the importance and reminded me that I had a whole skill set in other media. So I combined my digital design with embossing, laser cutting as well as spray painting my design. Traditional working is always used in my work, during block A I sketched my ideas and later refined them digitally.
8. Have you aimed to be unique and innovative with the work you have produced? What influences informed your innovative development?
My Block C was something that I had to adapt to and be innovative. Coming up with completely unique characters and bring those to a 3D was extremely challenging. I try and incorporate my experiences and personality into my work. With these characters I had to make completely from scratch, I took inspiration from games that I had previously played as well as things I enjoy doing.
9. What were the catalysts that spurred your ideas and concepts within your work? Where did your ideas come from? (Books, Magazines, Films, Internet, Newspapers, a location, an event, experience, shop, exhibition etc.)
Although, I always do some research using the internet as it’s a direct source of information that can be gathered fairly easily. I also make sure to look further than just google. By visiting these galleries over the years I’ve collected dozens of influence. I think the area where I grew up is also a huge part of my work. It’s filled with history and is a great well of ideas that I can always go back to. Books are also used frequently within my work as they definitely give you a different perspective compared to using a computer. Having something physical, gives you a different feeling and can sometimes generate much more personal ideas.
10. What did you do to generate a unique perspective and insight into your brief and personal investigations?
Communicating with others Is a strong way to gather ideas initially. Having a second opinion on something can give you better results. I always try to see the bigger picture of a brief. By going the extra step and setting goals further than the brief it can give me a different perspective and can broaden my final goal.