Sample Art and Design Personal Statement
Growing up with an internationally-known designer as an uncle and a master builder as a grandfather, I was inspired to use my technical ability and creativity to invent products with the potential to change the way we live. A Product Design degree would equip me with the skills and knowledge to fulfil my ambition.
I find A-level Product Design fascinating. I love observing the development of a product through the various stages, from a concept to a developed idea, from 2D hand-drawn technical designs to 3D computer aided design models, then through the manufacturing process to perfect the end product. The technical skills I have acquired through my ICT A-level enhance my design capabilities. I take great satisfaction from building something from scratch using my own hands. At the initial design stage, it is important to analyse the needs of the user, and I have found the study of how design can affect consumers’ lifestyles particularly interesting. I have also enjoyed researching the development of environmentally-friendly products; with issues such as global warming, shortages of land fills and the massive rubbish island in the Pacific Ocean, consumers are increasingly demanding biodegradable products. I look forward to learning more about the ground-breaking ways polymers once regarded as hazardous pollutants can be broken down using bacteria, and hope to play a role in making the world more sustainable for future generations
I also appreciate the history of design, such as the impact of the Bauhaus movement which I studied as part of my A-level course. Beyond my syllabus I enjoy learning more about historical design such as that during WWII by reading books such as [give an example] and watching the television series ‘Design through History.’
I have had the opportunity to put my Product Design skills into practice through my six month employment at Tidy Files UK. I was heavily involved throughout the design and manufacture of a new filing solution, the Tidy Box, from initial ideas and concepts right to production. I learnt that in addition to creative and technical skills, a good product designer must communicate effectively with the client to ensure the product meets their brief and lives up to their expectations.
My current employment as a sales assistant at Sports Direct has broadened my knowledge of consumerism and cutting-edge sporting equipment, combining my two passions: Product Design and sports. I dedicate most of my free time to sports – I play football for two local men’s clubs and my school 1st XI and have previously represented Forresters FC U18, who won the league twice, Northern Johannesburg County U16, and Rand Burg FC since the age of 9. At school I also play rugby for the 1st XV, run the 100m for the senior athletic team and hold the long jump record. I represented South Africa in the U14/15 long jump, used to race motor cross bikes and now competitively play paint ball. I am constantly reading about new performance enhancement products and sports equipment in magazines such as Cycling Monthly and would one day love to work in Product Design within the sports industry. Following my degree I hope to work for a major company with a reputation for high quality creative products such as Nike or Adidas.
My sporting pursuits have given me the ability to work well within a team as well as individually, and the discipline to work hard to achieve my goals. I am a highly self-motivated student with time-management skills that enable me to balance my studies with a wide range of extra-curricular pursuits. I am the Sports and Product Design representative at school, part of the Year 13 gospel choir, play guitar and bass guitar and was part of my church youth band in South Africa. I have also volunteered at Ikholwa Aids and HIV orphanage, which was incredibly rewarding. I easily adapt to new situations and quickly grasp new skills; I look forward to embracing the challenges posed by university life.
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