by Ramina Rai After graduating from my Graphic Design degree last year, I am now full to the brim of immense wisdom, intelligence and supreme knowledge – which is what is expected of an arts degree. I’ve decided to pass down some of the gems I have learnt from my time at uni to the next generation of artists and designers, in hopes that my profound ideologies will inspire and eventually bring world peace.
Buy better art products
Throughout the start of my Graphic Design degree, I thought I was the modern day Aladdin for getting such great deals and discounts at my local art suppliers. Not because I used a five-finger discount, but because I’d basically always buy whatever was the cheapest option therefore making me a smart shopper – right? I was horrendously wrong. It definitely always pays off to buy the elite brands. I know it makes your stomach ache just thinking about the price difference, but if you are serious about your art and want to make it look the very best it can, it’s gonna be well worth it. Art products tend to last for a long time as well, so investing in good quality products is the right choice.
Keep a journal, blog, tumblr, behance, anything
I’m sure your tutors have attempted to drill this in to your brain, and I’m gonna have to back them up on this, which hopefully inspires you to do it seeing as my opinion is more important than theirs. In this day and age it’s pretty vital to have a website where people can find and view your work. It’s a great way to show off your stuff and attract new people/fans – it’s crazy how many people can stumble across your art just from it being online. Having a website that you’ve kept up to date throughout the year is also really handy for the end of year exhibition, then it won’t take hours to scramble all your work together. As well as having your work stashed online, it’s also a very wise idea to keep a physical portfolio that’s ready to be flung at your potential employers face should they ask to view it.
Look after your workspace/studio/creative cave
This concept is nothing new but it’s so important, I’d feel a little bit embarrassed if I left it out. Keep your supplies organized and easy to access – it just makes getting stuff done so much easier. Surround your space with things that inspire you – art, posters, books, coffee, Ryan Gosling, music, good lighting etc. The area you choose to make your art in plays such a big part in your creativity and it deserves to be cared for and made beautiful. Unless of course mess and untidiness is what gets you in the zone, in which case you should probably just take a wee all over your desk every time you go to create.
Playlists are a good time
I’m gonna estimate that at least 97% of artists are inspired by music, and a good tune will get their creative juices flowing all over themselves. That’s why you should take some time creating some solid playlists to make some good vibes as you design. You should probably make a playlist specifically for all-nighters because it’s quite likely you’ll need to crank that a couple of times throughout your degree. If you really can’t be bothered compiling a playlist, perhaps you should hit up Spotify or www.8tracks.com, both of which stream some great playlists for free.
Support your fellow artsy friends
Even though student life severely decreases your desire to fork out money for anything at all, I’d still go to the effort of suggesting you purchase some art/books/prints and other things of that nature. One of my favourite sites to buy from is www.society6.com, where artists can upload their work, and then you can buy the art as a canvas, print, iphone case, laptop cover, cushion, bag, or t-shirt! The quality of their products is excellent - I’m especially a big fan of their iphone cases – guaranteed to elevate your hipster status to the next level. The pricing is actually very decent considering these are really talented artists selling high quality products. It’s also nice to be supportive of your fellow artists and send some coins their way for the hard work & talent, cos if you’re a creative cat yourself, you will know that a lot of new artists don’t even get much recognition, let alone any good dollah billz. So not only will you get some cool new art, but you’ll be helping another artist, which makes you that tiny bit closer to getting into Heaven. Sounds like a good deal to me. Every few weeks they offer free shipping as well, so definitely keep your eyes peeled for that.
Make.
Stop procrastinating and just make some damn art! Although it is impressive if you genuinely do spend the suggested amount of hours on your project, it’s also wise to make some art that isn’t uni related. If someone had told me that in my second year of uni, I would’ve already decided to never speak to that person again - who in their right mind would want to spend their spare time on personal projects as well as managing the uni workload?? Craziness, I know. But it is a good idea, because when you go out into the big bad world, employers are going to like seeing the art you produce in your spare time. You want to have a vast portfolio that shows what you do with briefs but also have some pieces that you’ve made out of your own passions.
www.ausm.org.nz
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