Fit for visual arts | Cindy, SVA and UAL

I see the process of creation as a journey of finding my identity, being the director of my own story and contributing responsibly to society. Illustrations can change the way we see the world. They are everywhere: at your local mall, on your TV, in the school library, in the newspaper, on the back of your t-shirt, on your smartphone, in coffee shops and more. I hope to publish my illustrated books and create narrative images that ensure marginalised people’s voices are heard. I want to bring joy and elevate the mood of anybody who views my work.  

It was not obvious at first. When I first came to Wellington in 2018, I had originally planned to study business or music at university. I wanted to be an entrepreneur, songwriter or music producer. But when Parsons School of Design visited Wellington in 2019, that changed. I started getting interested in fashion design. But the more research I did in that field, the more I had my doubts. Did I really like the idea of sewing and patternmaking non-stop in the studio for 72 hours? The answer was no. I still enjoyed doing fashion illustrations, however, so I turned my attention to other drawing and painting courses. I eventually discovered that illustration and animation are powerful media for telling stories. This was when I decided to study visual arts. A BFA in Illustration is an incredibly versatile degree, it turns out. For example, some illustration majors go on to become children's book illustrators, comic book artists, editorial and advertising artists, tattooists, costume designers for theatre and TV, concept artists for video games or even textile designers.

Every aspiring illustrator’s dream school is the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). I also choose to apply to several other top-ranked schools, such as University of the Arts London (UAL), the Pratt Institute, the School of the Visual Arts (SVA), the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Art Center College of Design and Maryland College of Art and Design. These schools are exciting for so many different reasons. RISD, for example, is the alma mater of one of my favourite illustrators, Victo Ngai. SVA has produced illustrators like Joe Quesada of Marvel comics, as well as artists like James Jean, Kaws and Keith Haring. My favourite illustrators, Lisk Feng and Yuko Shimizu are also on SVA’s faculty. I also applied to several Canadian universities, such as the University of Toronto, Ontario College of Art and Design, Emily Carr University of Art and Design, University of Western Ontario, McMaster University, York University, and Ryerson. University of Toronto and OCAD.

Shoutout to Mr Beard, who helped me a lot in shaping my persona and conveying my ideas through my personal statements. Ms Huang and Mr Tippen also urged me to follow up with the deadlines and school choices in Canada and the UK. They are all very nice and helped me to follow my heart and discover my passions.

The most challenging part was preparing my art portfolio, which ranged from 12 to 45 pages. Since I applied to art schools in the US, the UK and Canada, I had three different sets of requirements to meet. For example, UK schools look for process and US schools look for finished works, while Canada looks for both. This took a lot of preparation. There were also ‘art challenges’, specific assignments given by each school. These were quite time-consuming. I spent a lot of time brainstorming, creating and arranging the pieces I would submit. And I had to balance this work with my IB studies. I was under a lot of pressure, but the University Guidance Team helped me to manage my time and allowed me to use my CCA time for preparing my portfolio.

I was surprised at just how many opportunities were available in this application season. I did get not into my ED school, but every other school I applied for accepted me, and nearly all of them offered me scholarships. SVA even offered me a $94,000 Silas H. Rhodes Scholarship. UAL offered me a BA (Hons) Illustration instead of a foundation programme. This surprised me a lot because UAL is one of the hardest schools to get into, and their international applicants tend to study a foundation diploma in art and design before taking their BA courses.

Follow your heart. Sleep well, eat well and be passionate. Wellington provides a fabulous flatform and environment to be ourselves. It has allowed me to organize my own art illustration CCA, express my creativity and enhance my leadership skills. This experience could play a vital role in the university applications process. The teachers are all very supportive and nice. They always encouraged me to do what I wanted to do and become a better version of myself. So, go discover your areas of interest and talents. Lastly, do not hesitate about the number or types of schools you apply to. Be brave and push yourself further. Remember, your life is limitless, and the best is yet to come.