I haven't posted a blog in a really long time. But I wrote an application letter to be a part of the Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design program at Fresno State, and I figured I'd share it.
I want to be a designer. I want to create, I want to manipulate, I want to destroy, and I want to rebuild. I want to try, I want to succeed, and I want to fail. I want to experiment, I want to change, and I want to learn.
Since I was very young, I’ve been a creative person. I’ve had a way of looking at the world that seems to differ from so many people around me. I have had a childlike curiosity that shows no signs of going away. That curiosity has burned into me a need and a desire to learn more about everything. I have such an open mind that sometimes my thoughts actually fall out.
I have made the decision that being a designer is the way I want to live the rest of my life. I absolutely love helping people. I love getting requests, suggestions, and problems from other people. I want to be able to deliver a design that will make someone happy. I want to be able to create a design that will help start a business, or even save one. I feel that I have been given multiple talents that I can combine to help people. I have the ability to listen, understand, and sympathize with someone I’ve never met. I feel that I can put myself into their situation and really understand what they are talking about. I also have the ability to take images and thoughts out of my head and put them into a tangible, understandable physical form. By combining these two things, I feel that I have the potential to be a great designer. By listening and understanding what someone wants, I can help them create exactly the kind of image, brand, identity, or message that they need. Milton Glaser said that he would feel like a jerk for not using his gifts to help people. I couldn’t agree more. I don’t want to waste what I know is a gift.
I’ve already started working as a graphic designer, without even realizing that’s what I was doing. I’ve designed t-shirts, logos, websites and more. I’ve worked for The Collegian newspaper on campus for two years now and have won awards in state-wide and national conferences. But I know that I can be better.
The reason I want to be a part of the BFA program is the fact that I understand that I know so very little. With the help of instructors and the experience I’ll get in classes, I will be able to define my skill set and really get an edge that will help me to become a great designer. I know that there is only so much I can do on my own, and working with people who have been in the field and understand what they’re talking about will help me to really understand what it means to be a great designer.
As a graphic designer, I understand that my job will be to create more than just images, and that is exactly how I want it to be. I want to create new ways of thinking. I want to create new ideas. I know that a good design can do more than just communicate to people. It can give a person or a company the confidence they need to become successful. It can make someone feel better about themself by getting them the attention they deserve. A good design can make people feel something. Those are the kinds of designs I want to create.
