Scholarship / Chevening Study Essay - Career Change to Arts and Illustration Field [2]

Chevening Study Essay - Career Change to Arts

Hey everyone. Please help me reviewing this essay for Chevening scholarship. Also I am still not so sure about the last paragraph. Thanks!

I am aiming to be an art student. Which is why, when I started looking for universities, a large part of my decision criteria was the student work displayed on the institute's websites, the teacher profiles, and the facilities provided. After thorough research, I chose to prioritize the universities listed below.

My first choice is MA Concept Art at Teesside University. The modules and staff profiles at this university sparked my interest the most. I'm particularly excited about the "Environmental Design" module. The course aims to provide students with the freedom to create designs based on their studies while using a variety of techniques. I am also looking forward to meeting Miss Alex Todor, a lecturer at the university who is experienced in children's cartoons. I believe that by taking this course and working with experienced faculty, I will gain professional skills and progress in my career.

My second choice is MA Concept Art at the University of Hertfordshire. This is the second university in the UK that offers a masters in concept art. The university acknowledges career growth, which is reflected in their curriculum, specifically in the course 'Exploring Professional Practice'. They offer shared courses with other media programmes and allow their students to explore their industry by engaging and speaking with experts. I expect that by enrolling here, I will be able to not only improve my practical and professional skills but also broaden my social spectrum by meeting individuals from distinct but equally interesting professions.

My third choice is MA Illustration at the Arts University Bournemouth, which specializes in creative industries and business. They offer the course 'Resolving Practice', which allows students to attend workshops that provide expert advice on business skills, reaching out to potential clients and pricing the work. I am also very excited to meet Ms. Lisa and explore her very unique research gallery. I am positive that learning here will be incredibly useful for my already growing career.

During my bachelor's degree in engineering, I worked on a number of CAD software, which fueled my passion. I started to experiment with various digital drawing tools, watched tutorials, and continued to practice my art. After graduation, I decided to pursue a career in arts and illustrations rather than my subject of study. From here, I started taking several online digital arts classes, followed many artists, and earned expertise in the field. In order to polish my skills and develop my profession, I also began working as a freelance artist and illustrator.

By attending the universities listed above, I will be able to gain both academic and professional experience. Furthermore, through meeting artists of all styles, I will be exposed to an infinite number of possibilities for development. In the future, I hope to expand my career and help others develop their digital art skillsets.

Scholarship / Chevening Leadership and Influence Essay - Digital Illustration [2]

Leadership and Influence for Chevening

In my journey as a digital artist and illustrator, I've encountered opportunities to showcase leadership and inspire change, driven by my passion for advancing digital art. While my early experiences as an event participant and organiser laid the foundation for essential leadership skills, my recent endeavours underscore my capacity to lead and influence effectively.

My involvement in my department's design and hosting club offered me valuable chances to shape event outcomes. I distinctly remember a sports event where our team was entrusted with the task of embellishing the venue. My specific role was to create and prepare artworks to enhance the space, granting creative freedom to execute my vision. The department heads and senior members commended my artistic contributions for infusing vibrancy into the event, which had a positive impact on participants' experiences.

Furthermore, I demonstrated my leadership capabilities by volunteering as a lead designer and artist at various departmental events within my university, often collaborating with two close friends. Together, we meticulously planned and executed decorations and artworks. Typically, I oversaw material management and ensured the quality and successful realisation of our creative vision.

One remarkable incident comes to mind, when a last-minute addition was needed for a sign decoration meant to be suspended in the sky, and it had not yet been created. My friends and the volunteers were exhausted, ready to call it a day. Without hesitation, I took charge and proposed that the team volunteer for this final project before heading home. My friend and two team members willingly joined in to assist. I carefully assigned different tasks to each of them while personally taking on the responsibility of designing the sign, which featured the department's name. In the end, we successfully completed all tasks, and the event concluded smoothly, receiving praise from all quarters. These experiences substantially sharpened my organisational and teamwork skills, both of which are vital for effective leadership.

One significant example of how my digital art has influenced people around me is through my self-published comic, "Nowere," available on the Webtoon app. Driven by a desire to portray women's empowerment, I meticulously crafted a storyline, illustrated scenes, and conveyed powerful messages through dialogue. Although I did not secure victory in the Webtoon contest, my comic garnered an impressive audience of 200 readers. This reaffirmed my belief in the persuasive power of visual storytelling for addressing global issues, motivating me to further develop the comic as a platform for impactful storytelling.

In conclusion, my journey demonstrated my leadership qualities, evident through my unwavering commitment to organisations, mediation of conflicts, and effective communication during challenging situations for achieving common goals. These experiences have prepared me to be a future leader, ready to contribute to my home country's creative industry, and promote the value of digital art and illustration.