Graphic Design Personal Statement
Design has the power of always being different in every project, never being repetitive and constantly requires you to expand your own culture and to research ideas within a creative process. I believe all design fields are related and share this fact, but I especially like graphic design for its omnipresence and diversity, as it is present nearly everywhere: on printed material, web, signage, packaging, advertising, or branding and visual identity.
I learnt graphic design by myself before studying it as a vocational subject. I have successfully completed a BEP (roughly equivalent to NVQ Level 2) Graphic Industries, that included prepress, on-press and finishing work. This gave me a great experience as a graphic designer, as I have an understanding of all the prerequisites of the conception of a printed material. I am now completing a Baccalaureat Professionnel (equivalent to a BTEC National Diploma) in Graphic Communication, which is more focused on graphic design. I learnt to investigate and research for graphic projects such as logotypes and visual identities, posters, leaflets, illustrations, etc., and I know how to use every component that is part of designing, either theoretical (layout, composition, colour theory, etc.) or practical (sketch drawing, CAD using the Adobe suite).
In my own work, I am mostly inspired by the Swiss style, for its simplicity, minimalism and heavy use of typography; it is graphic design in its essence, as a way to efficiently convey a message without being superfluous. Typography is a field that I have the chance to explore in details due to an enthusiast teacher, and it is a complementary skill that I would like to specialize in after graduation. I believe it is one of the core points of visual communication and it inspires my meticulous aspect.
These courses included several work placements, where I had the opportunity to work on concrete projects that gave me an overview of the business world. I created websites, logos, layouts for printed brochures and helped staff with various projects, from small graphics and icons to a complete visual identity. These were really rich experiences that taught me to work with a team of other designers, to be more autonomous and more productive in a professional environment.
At school, I was vice-chairman of the School Life Council, where I improved and went further in depth into the understanding of the school functioning and management. By working in a team of students and managing projects, I was able to organize meetings and debates which helped improve life at school for students. I am also in charge of communication in a national student union. I have learnt about the functioning of voluntary associations, and by managing important projects and information campaigns, I became more aware of current affairs and issues. I wish to study in the UK as I admire both the country (for its great artistic culture and atmosphere) and the English language, which is very versatile with its ability to create new words and adapt to the times. As required, I will be undertaking the IELTS test in June and improve my English daily by reading newspapers and corresponding with native speakers.
I wish to study and work in graphic design because it is something that I have a real passion for: I have been practising it on my own and studying it as vocational training for several years, and yet, I still have the feeling that there is a lot more to learn about it. I am always eager to discover new things in a never-ending graphical lookout, and I am really eclectic about that; I think this is a very important skill for any designer because it helps improve versatile creativity. I am extremely self-sufficient, and can work independently with high attention to detail. I believe all these qualities put together with my previous experience and skills will allow me to succeed into higher education and into the working world.
Universities Applied to:
- Edinburgh College of Art (Graphic Design) - Conditional offer (IELTS 6.0) - Declined
- University of Dundee (Digital Interaction Design) - Conditional (IELTS 6.0) - Firm
- Edinburgh Napier University (Graphic Design) - Unconditional - Insurance
- University of Dundee (Art and Design General Foundation) - Unsuccessful due to portfolio
- Glasgow Caledonian University (Graphic Design for Digital Media) - Withdrawn
Grades Achieved:
IELTS 6.5 (No uni asked me for my current qualifications, the equivalent to BTEC ND.)
