6701 S. Park Ave.
Student Project Details
Sarah Y.
Name: Sarah Y.
Grade: 10
WTSA Event: Concept Art
Current Post-High Plan(s)/Career Goal(s):
After graduating, I plan to go into a four year industrial design program, though I haven’t settled on one college quite yet. While I’m most interested in working at a design studio, I’d be happy doing anything from architecture to IT and cybersecurity, depending on where the world takes me.
Why This Event?
The concept art completion blends elements of traditional art with client facing design and documentation. Since I plan to go into the field of graphic design, this allows me to gain experience in multiple important parts of the profession.
The Design Brief
This year’s event theme was “a device from a dystopian movie used to steal memories”. Core components were a digital portfolio, including a written brief, mood board, sketches, a model sheet a a final illustration. One extra part of the theme was the ability of your device to be repurposed as a popcorn bucket, which was a very important part of judging.
Toolset & Engineering/Design Methodology
I used both Procreate and Clip Studio Art, but most digital drawing apps (Fresco, ibis Paint) would meet the requirements. All of my art was done on an 11” iPad Pro, but again, any device you can draw with would work. It’s important to note that none of the finalists’ core pieces were done on paper, though some used it for early sketches. I would recommend using multiple sites for mood boards and inspiration, including Unsplash, Dribbble, and Pinterest. Lastly, never hesitate to ask your peers for feedback. The more you can get, the better your product will be.
Overcoming Challenges
The most challenging part of the whole process was getting all of the document into one portfolio. Some aspects were done in text-based applications, and some were raster-based. I would recommend having Adobe Acrobat to compile your portfolio, and pay close attention to the resolution of your pieces (Ex. 1000x2000), so all of your pages are relatively the same size. Lastly, it is VERY important to plan on submitting as early as possible, so you have time for technical issues.
WTSA State Conference Experience
There were two (2) memorable events that stand out the most. The first one was going to Lowes with (Co-Director) Higgins in order to get a lightbulb for Sam’s animatronic, Alfred. The second was having dinner with the whole group in the lobby cafe. Nothing incredible happened, but it was a great experience being able to talk with so many people I would have never spent time with in school (since none of us see each other much at IDEA), and seeing all that we had in common.
The Veteran's Brief (Advice for Newcomers)
Choose at least two events, and at least one that’s not early entry. There’s so much to do, and this conference happens only once a year. My best advice to make the most of it you possibly can. (Also, STICK TO THE RUBRIC. That’s the first way they weed out contestants at the state level)
Future Competitive Goals
I’m absolutely going to do concept art again. Most of what I lost points was in documentation, which I can easily improve. In addition, I want to do Extemporaneous Speech, Board Game Design, Promotional Design, and Infographics. I’m going to need to work on my public speaking and game design, but I’m sure I can do it!