Tag Archives: creativity

Holiday on a (Creative) Budget

Hi Again Everyone,

The holiday season is right around the corner, and I’m sure everyone has someone in mind they would like to give a gift to. In college, of course, most students are looking to budget their expenses. The not only thoughtful, but wallet-friendly solution? Make a gift! There are so many creative ideas out there for DIY gifts that and friend or family member would adore. And fear not, a handful of these ideas do not require artistic talent- just some extra heart! Here are a few of my favorite…

Make a Mini Scrapbook:
This is the perfect gift idea for someone that plays a special role in your life. Putting together a collection of memories with a loved one is not only creative, but a thoughtful gesture. While you can be artistic for a present like this, it is definitely not a requirement; decorate the scrapbook with pictures, stickers, little tokens that are special between you and your friend/family member, or use glitter/marker…. glitter (usually) makes everything better.

Calling All Artists: Draw a Portrait/Name Poster!
This idea is more geared toward the creatively inclined, but is still accessible to everyone. Drawing a portrait of you and a friend is the perfect way to keep a memory timeless, but still give it a personal and heartfelt touch. Pick a photo from a memory you two share, and draw a rendition of it! You can draw it, paint it, collage it…. whatever is your favorite.
Not big on drawing? No worries- another idea is to write out both of your names and decorate the paper with photos or symbols. To jazz it up, pick out a cute frame to place it in when you are finished!

Buy Two Tickets for a Painting Class (Hack: Groupon):
Still not feeling your art-making side? Well, there is nothing more memorable than making memories. Sometimes spending time with a loved one can be the most valuable gift of all. Participating in a painting class with a friend is a great way to spend time together and have a product to remember the day! Services like Groupon usually offer affordable tickets to these classes, so keep your eyes peeled.

Personalize It: What Does Your Loved One Like?
One last idea is to consider what your friend/family member/etc. likes and personalize it. Is your best friend a huge coffee addict (like most college students)? Personalize a mug! Design and personalize it using different markers that are made specifically for ceramic. Do they really like flowers? Buy a small bouquet and personalize the vase! Anything individualized gives your gift that extra “pizzazz.”

There are so many creative options for gift giving. While I’m sure there are a ton of options for the perfect, purchasable gift, creating it yourself makes it unique from any other. At the end of the day, your loved ones are sure to appreciate anything you put your heart into- whether that be a simple card, or a 20 page scrapbook. How do you usually get creative during the holiday season?

Enjoy the rest of the week,
Annmarie X

Let’s Get Creative!

“The Foundation Year”

If you have been applying to other arts universities, you will recognize this as the first year of school that is dedicated not to your major of choice, but rather a general sampling of a majority of the visual arts mediums. The idea is to allow students to experience as many forms of the creative process as possible, before they decide what they want to focus in for the rest of their time at college, and potentially the rest of their lives.

The fact that FIT does not have a foundation year was actually one of the main draws for me when I was a senior in high school. Back then I thought the foundation year seemed like a waste, since I was already so sure of what I was going to do for the rest of my life (and we all know how that turned out – cue self-deprecating eye roll). I never like to be wrong, but I must admit that in hindsight sixteen-year-old me may have been slightly too self-assured.

Honestly, one of the hardest parts of FIT for me was continually pushing myself creatively. Of course, projects require a certain amount of creativity, but it is usually restricted by some guidelines or simply time restraints. The workload at FIT is exhausting, so it can be very difficult to  carve out time for personal and uninhibited creation. Even when I had time, I was usually too tired from all the work I had just finished to focus and push myself to put in the effort to do something extra. Looking back, I think a foundation year could have been really effective in learning to hone original thought and experiment with unexpected materials and techniques. It would be especially cool if we could pick our own classes – like a “create your own foundation year”. I definitely would have taken some photography classes, experimental materials, classical drawing for anatomy, film production, ceramics, figure drawing (actually I did take this class my first semester of Fashion Design and it was great and I would totally do it again), I mean the list could go on.

Realistically, there is not enough time in the Art & Design school’s curriculum for such an idea, but the huge wealth of specific information we receive here is one of the largest benefits of coming to FIT. Yet, I wonder if I have missed out on some of the most creatively fruitful years of my life. I have found that the most exciting work does not come from knowing, but instead not knowing and saying, “Hey I have the crazy idea and I don’t have a clue how to make it work but let’s just try it!” Whether or not you end up attending FIT, I hope you keep this in the back of your head. Grades and classes are important of course, but I bet the work you will be most proud of is the stuff that you had no idea if it would work or not, but experimented and failed until it did.

–Emily–