aasthathakkar28
Jan 10, 2017
Graduate / Design, graphic and art is in my heart. Statement of Purpose for MFA in Visual Communication @SAIC [4]
@Holt Thank you for your valuable feedback. I have incorporated the changes that you have suggested and following is my edited SOP :
Creativity and composition, color and contrasts: they made up my world when I was a child. As a five year old, I pored over my grandfather's stamp collection, and always chose those that had the most visual impact and intricate detailing. No one told me that these were 'modernist' stamps that possessed artistic vitality; I chose them by instinct and in later years, suppressed this very trait in pursuit of more 'serious' things such as academics.
A love for numbers led me to choose Commerce for under graduation. It was the conventionally right choice, I reassured myself, and my grades always supported my belief. However, whenever I envisaged my future, I felt that a vital part of me was missing. My spirit was restless, urging me to find that missing component. It was while in college that I finally identified my true passion. I had joined the Fine Arts and Photography Society (F.A.P.S) and participating in art and design competitions gave me contentment. I allowed my heart to lead me. As my hand painted and digital posters for events at the university and plays for my college's theatre society received recognition and accolades, I was sure that conventionality was not meant for me. I dreamt of unfettered freedom and design gave me that opportunity.
2013 spelt a new phase for me. Through the prestigious Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design (CSM) in London, I was inducted into the core principles of graphic communication design. The pedagogy of learning through lectures, workshops, seminars and individual and collaborative projects opened a new world. Constructive critiques from an eminent faculty enabled me to develop the art of communicating my ideas verbally, visually and in writing. I could feel myself grow, and I loved being challenged constantly in doing what I loved. Group projects were hubs of stimulation, where I indulged in the entire creative cycle of research to the finished products. To illustrate, for a project called 'Unsung Hero', we worked in collaboration with V&A and I worked round the clock to create this zine. Design softwares fuelled my interest and I devoured online tutorials of Adobe Illustrator, Indesign and Photoshop.
On my return to India, I worked under Aman Khanna, designing newsletters, publications and reports for clients like Intellecap, Oxfam India and creating posters for NGOs like Toxic Link. His acclaim as a sculptor led me to experiment on the potter's wheel, and work on 'Claymen', his personal project. All these projects gave me hands on experience in layout design, typography and application of grid systems.
Compiling my projects into a portfolio to test my commercial value was a huge step for me. Reinforced by the offers I received in the form of freelance projects, and requests for collaborations with other artists and designers, I moved into new areas. I wanted to design websites, as I spent an entire year working in print. Branding and illustration based projects enhanced my technical and visual skills, and I found freelancing added diversity and depth to my portfolio. Only recently, driven by the desire to work and lead a team in a professional setting prompted me to join Design Route as a part-time designer.
Though I have accumulated myriad skills as a self-taught graphic designer, I believe that a structured and research based program will enable me to reach my dream of starting my own graphic design studio. Although I am from a non-design background, it is my passion that has brought me so far. A Masters in Visual Communication Design will not only enhance my skills but will give credibility to my talent and experience. SAIC's interdisciplinary approach and curriculum aligns with the trajectory I have followed. I worked in an information design studio and simultaneously experimented with a tactile medium-clay. Therefore, I know that a cross disciplinary approach expands the realm of ideas and helps focus better on core design projects. A meeting with Jacqueline in November who elucidated SAIC's vision strengthened my resolve to study here. I am confident that my quest for finding my creative voice and establishing myself in a highly competitive environment will end at SAIC.
Thank you.
@Holt Thank you for your valuable feedback. I have incorporated the changes that you have suggested and following is my edited SOP :
Creativity and composition, color and contrasts: they made up my world when I was a child. As a five year old, I pored over my grandfather's stamp collection, and always chose those that had the most visual impact and intricate detailing. No one told me that these were 'modernist' stamps that possessed artistic vitality; I chose them by instinct and in later years, suppressed this very trait in pursuit of more 'serious' things such as academics.
A love for numbers led me to choose Commerce for under graduation. It was the conventionally right choice, I reassured myself, and my grades always supported my belief. However, whenever I envisaged my future, I felt that a vital part of me was missing. My spirit was restless, urging me to find that missing component. It was while in college that I finally identified my true passion. I had joined the Fine Arts and Photography Society (F.A.P.S) and participating in art and design competitions gave me contentment. I allowed my heart to lead me. As my hand painted and digital posters for events at the university and plays for my college's theatre society received recognition and accolades, I was sure that conventionality was not meant for me. I dreamt of unfettered freedom and design gave me that opportunity.
2013 spelt a new phase for me. Through the prestigious Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design (CSM) in London, I was inducted into the core principles of graphic communication design. The pedagogy of learning through lectures, workshops, seminars and individual and collaborative projects opened a new world. Constructive critiques from an eminent faculty enabled me to develop the art of communicating my ideas verbally, visually and in writing. I could feel myself grow, and I loved being challenged constantly in doing what I loved. Group projects were hubs of stimulation, where I indulged in the entire creative cycle of research to the finished products. To illustrate, for a project called 'Unsung Hero', we worked in collaboration with V&A and I worked round the clock to create this zine. Design softwares fuelled my interest and I devoured online tutorials of Adobe Illustrator, Indesign and Photoshop.
On my return to India, I worked under Aman Khanna, designing newsletters, publications and reports for clients like Intellecap, Oxfam India and creating posters for NGOs like Toxic Link. His acclaim as a sculptor led me to experiment on the potter's wheel, and work on 'Claymen', his personal project. All these projects gave me hands on experience in layout design, typography and application of grid systems.
Compiling my projects into a portfolio to test my commercial value was a huge step for me. Reinforced by the offers I received in the form of freelance projects, and requests for collaborations with other artists and designers, I moved into new areas. I wanted to design websites, as I spent an entire year working in print. Branding and illustration based projects enhanced my technical and visual skills, and I found freelancing added diversity and depth to my portfolio. Only recently, driven by the desire to work and lead a team in a professional setting prompted me to join Design Route as a part-time designer.
Though I have accumulated myriad skills as a self-taught graphic designer, I believe that a structured and research based program will enable me to reach my dream of starting my own graphic design studio. Although I am from a non-design background, it is my passion that has brought me so far. A Masters in Visual Communication Design will not only enhance my skills but will give credibility to my talent and experience. SAIC's interdisciplinary approach and curriculum aligns with the trajectory I have followed. I worked in an information design studio and simultaneously experimented with a tactile medium-clay. Therefore, I know that a cross disciplinary approach expands the realm of ideas and helps focus better on core design projects. A meeting with Jacqueline in November who elucidated SAIC's vision strengthened my resolve to study here. I am confident that my quest for finding my creative voice and establishing myself in a highly competitive environment will end at SAIC.
Thank you.
