Illustration/Visual Communication Personal Statement Example

Since starting my National Diploma in Graphic Design, I feel I have had the opportunity and freedom to experiment and explore my ideas fully. I have been able to expand and develop my visual communication skills and I am now able to create more effective and convincing imagery. I feel I am investing much more of myself in my work and am exploring ideas, media and techniques in addition to my main programme of study.

I have a broad range of influences that I am inspired by. Music has always been a passion for me since an early age, from almost every genre. I still listen to most of the same bands I listened to when I was 8 years old, and I find music to be a big source of inspiration for my illustration work. I am always listening to music and I regularly attend underground gigs, getting inspired by the raw sound of unsigned acts. I also love film; from Film Noir and Japanese Horror, to big blockbuster's and thrillers.

Reading is another major influence. My favourite genre is Transgressive Fiction, which includes the work of author Chuck Palahnuik. I love how he portrays the horror of 'ordinary' life and his suspicion of the 'modern'. I am also interested in creative writing myself and recently successfully completed an evening class. This helped me build my confidence to read my work aloud to the rest of the group, who were all older than myself. It also helped me to give constructive criticism as well as apply it to my own work.

Other interests include photography; I am a big fan of Lomography. I take images with a Holga camera, using 120mm and 35mm rolls of film. I feel that I have much more of a connection with the final images than I do when using a digital camera. I am experimenting with various lenses such as fisheye, eight image lenses and a ring-flash and am taking these images in to Photoshop to develop them even further.

I also feel that I am very much influenced by my environment. Those around me have always inspired me the most; being able to see how a person works and chooses to communicate their designs, motivates me to work creatively too. I think that this has been the biggest factor in my decision to study at university level. I am looking to study on an exciting and open course with other creative and motivated people. I am looking for course that will help me explore and combine my different creative interests and support me in creating a professional portfolio of work.

I am a self motivated and broad minded. I am looking forward to moving away from home and gaining more independence. I am eager to meet like-minded people and I feel that I have the attitude, skills and enthusiasm to be successful at university and in becoming a professional designer/illustrator.