What should I do after foundation diploma in art and design?

I want to go to central saint martins for an art foundation - when should i apply? HELP PLEASE?

• i've always wanted to do my foundation diploma in art and design at central saint martins in london. i know they get loads and loads of applications and i'm currently in year 12 doing my a levels. should i apply next year so i have one year left of a levels and i get my application done quickly or when? i really need some help! thanks so much! xx

• Answer:

  hi- i went to st martins for my BA. yes- you apply now, while youre at school. as a supplimentary bit of advice- if you want to do your degree there, or at one of the other london art collecges- camberwell, LCP, chelsea etc- its worth doing your foundation at one of those, all those art colleges all allow 'pre interview' interviews. ie- before they let all the regular art students apply, they have a day a month or so in advance where students from the other london art colleges apply- youre more likely to get in that way. its kind of secret. so aplly to chelsea and lcp etc too, things to have in your book (portfolio) are things that show you are obsessed and creative and unusual. get an a3 or a2 book with plastic sleeves- easier to carry about. get this book by paul arden- its not how good you are... http://www.amazon.co.uk/Its-Not-How-Good-Want/dp/0714843377/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258220167&sr=8-2 and try out the stuff about drawing in weird pens etc- it really does work, i prmise you! its cheap anyway- about the price of 20 cigs and a lighter- so you cant go wrong!!! have stuff which shows you can take an idea of your own and follow it- eg- iwas interested in typography, so took hundred of pictures of old -victorian- adverts painted on the sides of buildings, etc- which are almost faded off now, then produced pictures and fonts from there. i like the way the angles from where i stood changed the lettering too, and that most people ignored them. one christmas proj i had to do on foundation was a pack of cards- everyone else did tarot- i did a pack of cards linked to a book or film to help blind children learn grammar- the cards had high contrast pictures (only about 15% of blind people see nothing) and teh words in braille and large type,a nd tehy were to be laid out on the floor and made into sentences, like a game (it looked really nice- im not describing it well). do stuff like that- take an ordinary idea and push it to the limit- its an ideas college- they dont care about polish- its your brain they want. stick all your alevel crap at the back of your portfolio- to show you can do as youre told- and put your own stuff at the front. they really are not very interested in drawing of a cut pepper, or an aplhabet of photographed found objects (i hope you dont think im being rude- but most alev clases and even foundations do the same stuff). they also really LOVE you to make stuff from rubbish- we spent the whole time being urged to rifle through skips, and my friends who did csm foundation made theatre costumes from rubbish etc. remember you'll have to sort out accomodtion somewhere, though. its a college which does not expect skill, or even much proficiency, in stuff like photoshop etc- so dont worry- what they want is people who have a unique vision and are super creative. your portfolio should beat least 2/3 stuff you love- even if its pictures of your dog's left ear, elading to a project on dog ear jewlery (or think of fleas and ear mites, then look at stephen webster's jewelery and design something similar!), that will say more about you than some mono prints of a landscape. get the arden book. dont make up stuff in a sketchbook- its so obviously done- start keeping a sketchbook now if you dont aleady, a nd keep scrap books too. get everyone you know to save magazines and packaging, and cut up every single tiny pice you liek and stick them down in a4 or a3 spiral bound sketchbooks ( as the pages are easier to turn over)- you'll have not only a really excellent resource of ideas and images, but will eventually be able to trace where some of your work comes from. i haev masses- and love them- def something to save in a fire!!! hope this all helps- my good deed for the day!! you can PM me if you like. ;-)