Part 2: Continuation of 2023 uni (and other) applications for those pursuing art and creative routes

[Duchessofmuchness]

As requested transferring us all over hear for the continuation of the 2023 journey. Have so enjoyed the company and support of all on the first thread. Link to original thread copied below (I hope!)

2023 uni applications for those pursuing art and creative routes www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/4626697-2023-uni-applications-for-those-pursuing-art-and-creative-routes

DD is at Herts and they are keeping her very busy with assignments. She's enjoying it - just worries about having several deadlines on the go.

Yes I heard that Herts really piles it on! Glad she is thriving!

Get her ready for working life ;)

Thanks for the suggestions. We looked at all those mentioned. ARU and Kingston, the course wasn't what dc was looking for as she's not interested in illustration. Was very impressed by Kingston foundation course though so if dc does apply for foundation this would be top choice. Falmouth just too far. And dc really didn't like UAL. Top choice is UCA based on course and feel for the place.

@Okisenough UCA was second choice - feel for the place was really good and very different to Herts - (very charming - felt like a Swiss finishing school 😁and very good resources) but the course at Herts won out in the end - and although it really is not the most attractive campus dd, despite being otherwise quite aesthetically driven, does not seem to mind. We also visited Falmouth but it was just to be just too far. Dd wouldn't consider anything in London.

@Acinonyx2 The course is clearly amazing at Herts but we are just not sure about the campus. UCA feels like a warm blanket lol and the staff are lovely. I guess dc can take another look around if and when she is called for an interview before making any final decisions. Glad to hear your dd is having a lovely time at Herts.

@Okisenough I know exactly what you mean - they are chalk and cheese. UCA was so lovely, cosy - and because much smaller class, resources were actually better (nice set of posh digital boards for every student - dd has taken her own). Cohort at Herts is big - totally different feel.

The big question for me is graduate employment prospects - that tops all considerations as I'm a bit obsessed with her being able to get a job eventually.

Hah! I think we all are here.

Once DD has some kind of job, and DS gets into uni, can I please have a couple of years off from obsessively worrying before I have to think about DS's employment? (Probably not if DD does a master's, the worry will be evenly spaced out that way.)

@PhotoDad I don't know about that. irl I have heard some parents say kids must do a passion subject before getting into regular employment. I suspect those parents have more of a financial safety net. Also there is a semi-tradition of doing a niche obscure academic degree then going to civil service, cite etc. I don't think that's much of an option with these degrees though. This should not be just a transient hobby degree - 😜

My own subject is so totally niche (not sayin') this logic makes dd totally roll her eyes at me. But in a sense - I am proof of my own point!

Well, I did a niche academic degree and I'm now a teacher... so, yeah. But that's not the path that DD wants, and I'm happy to worry on her behalf.

Similar outcome here but hell would freeze over before dd would teach so yes that's a worry 😅

I hear you on this! From the open-day talks we attended, I think a lot of them are very aware of this issue. All suggested opportunities to work in industry from the second year onward and there are lots of networking events.

I imagine that dcs who go into arty or specialist degrees have their eyes open. I know mine are under no illusions that it will be easy after graduation.

it is a worry the post degree work position. But then DS is learning so many transferable skills. His Fine Art course at UWE is v unstructured so he has to be self motivated and a good time manager. He works really hard with no real deadlines (well the 'end of module one' when he has to have 2 exhibitable pieces ready). He speaks up in tutorials, was asking the curators at a recent gallery trip some difficult questions. He is resarching a lot in the library. Self reflecting in his journal and he is learning loads of new techniques. So far this term he has done etching, aquatint, wood cut, lino, learnt more detailed stuff on Illustrator, given laser engraving a go and played around with concrete! He is still not sure what his final pieces will be but he is certainly grabbing the opportunities at UWE..
I think it's the kids not the degree that determines future success.
He says only about 50% of the cohort rock up to lectures/ seminars or the field trips. And then they moan about the lack of contact hours. The hours are there but they have to organise them themselves.
It's a shock to a lot I think. For Fine Art a Foundation year has proved invaluable!

Here is today's first ever attempt at aquatint. He's quite pleased with it!

That's a lovely piece, @Lottsbiffandsmudge! DD loves all the printing techniques and has only started aquatint in Y2!

DS has always been a relief printer. He has moved into other areas and developed his digital, 3d and painting skills last year especially.
But he always seems to end up back with printing.
Something about it works in his (slightly odd) mind. I can't get my head round the backwardness of it!!! He described how this 7 layer aquatint was achieved and my head hurt!!!
I guess you can't fight what you feel at home with! Apparently UWE only have one third year specialising in etching. Which surprised me as UWE is a centre of print research!! More studio space for DS I guess!!!

Fabulous @Lottsbiffandsmudge !
Career prospects are what turned my DD off Animation in the end. 2D is not a big industry here and she's adamant she doesn't want to work freelance. She follows a lot of animators on YouTube/Instagram, and has been dismayed at how some very talented people have had to get second jobs in between animation work.
@Okisenough if future work is a major factor I'd lean towards Herts - it is rated number three IN THE WORLD by Rookies I believe - that has to carry a lot of weight in the industry. However, my daughter looked up the studio behind the recent Bridgerton credits (2D animated) and the heads of it were both UCA graduates. I think one major issue is AI has taken some work away from junior staff and one studio head said a lot of what were entry level jobs when he started are now done by work placement students or interns.
Also quite a high percentage of animators have a masters, something to perhaps plan ahead for. My daughter was thinking of Gobelins in Paris.
Also Kingston for Foundation was my daughters top choice (even though she did not enjoy their pre-Foundation short course at all) but she didn't get in. It's less than 10% acceptance partly as 50% are international students! Agree about UAL - DD got an offer for Foundation there but didn't like it at all at the Foundation year end show nor Open Day (Camberwell). When she turned it down they followed up with a survey about why- maybe they will learn something!

Off to Hobbycraft to get her A3 acetate sheets now - she says she needs 20 and they are £9.50/5!

It's lovely to hear the updates on how everyone is doing and to see the artwork. Dd and I have just been to the Glasgow School of Art open day today. She is only 16 at the moment but starting to think about where she wants to study. We've also visited the Edinburgh College of art and were in London last weekend to visit some galleries (didn't manage too much though as we both had a bad cold).
The strangest thing is happening; visiting the art schools is actually putting dd off studying at them! She definitely wants to study art, but the focus is so much on ideas over skills, that it's not impressing her. Some of the 4th year work doesn't really look that great. She is very keen to do traditional drawing and painting and is quite talented. The portfolio team at GSA today were impressed when she showed them a couple of bits of her work today.
What to do now?
Is there a course in the UK with a focus on the traditional skills and where technique is taught? That's not a rhetorical question! All help welcome.

I went with DD to one of the open days at LCF. She wasn’t impressed. Nothing against the place she just found it a bit corporate and soulless and the courses too geared up to trade-which is exactly what it is and I’m sure others would love it.

You’ve probably said @mondaytosunday , but I can’t remember, what was wrong with the foundation at UAL Camberwell?

@FriendlyLaundryMonster Byam Shaw used to specialise in technique but was taken over by CSM. I’m not sure if CSM teach any of their courses, or just use their building ( the CSM art foundation campus).

Thanks @ArtGarfield I'll look in to that.

I have no idea how people choose between the different UAL colleges?

@FriendlyLaundryMonster choosing between the UAL colleges becomes clearer as you get deeper into it. They generally have different specialisms but even say for a course where they don't - eg fashion design is available at both CSM and LCF the slant they take is quite different. So you can probably filter some out by virtue of not providing relevant course and then narrow down to more detailed review of one or 2. So for DS and fashion design it's just CSM and LCF he's looking at for UAL.

Interesting re more trade focus for LCF - I'd noticed some courses on bespoke tailoring which sounds like that. CSM seems v much about the uniqueness of your design/creating something v different/your own label.

Art foundation does seem to give access to new techniques but even so it's relatively unstructured.