Since starting the Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, Pavithiran has pushed himself to try out new techniques and materials he’d never considered before. Thanks to the skills and work ethic he’s developed, he feels confident about applying to study design communication back in Singapore.
Working in the studio is a great way to get to know your peers better and also learn from them and help one another.
"Studio days are a great opportunity to learn from other students, as everyone comes from different backgrounds and they all approach projects with different techniques and styles.
Personally, I'm a perfectionist, so if I have an end outcome in my head for a final piece I often just work towards it. I don’t explore or do enough experiments and so I lose the opportunity to develop other ideas I might like. My advice for future students would therefore be to take risks, and don't always work on what you're comfortable with.
Try new materials and new techniques and take a very open approach towards your work – otherwise you might end up losing some pretty cool ideas! I also really recommend using the shared libraries and study areas across the various Colleges. For me, this is one of the best things about studying at UAL.
Studying at UAL has helped me to develop a strong work ethic, preparing me for my undergraduate course back home.
One piece of work I’m particularly proud of is my wearable book. It’s a dress made from the pages of a book called The Rosie Project. It took 4-6 weeks to craft and was something I’d never done before. It was a challenge but the end result was extremely rewarding and satisfying.
When I complete my foundation course, I’ll be applying for a design communication course at LaSalle College of the Arts in Singapore. I’m currently taking a graphic communication specialism as part of my foundation course, and this has given me a really clear idea of what to expect.
Pavithiran Charlas
Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, Camberwell College of Arts
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