MATS Part A Blog Tour - Apple Kaur Designs

Hi and a massive warm welcome to day 4 of the MATS Part A Blog Tour!

A little background…

I’ve always been interested in art and design, my parents would find me hidden behind the sofa aged 4/5 with my crayons and scissors and all my other “tools” having the time of my life – I was definitely in my element when I was allowed to draw and design.

I studied Visual Communications at uni and went down the Graphic Design route as a career path which I didn’t really enjoy and was always looking for my “dream” job so, I took make up courses, henna courses, sewing classes and more graphic design courses (I took a lot of courses!) but still couldn’t find what I was looking for. I set up a jewellery business which I still run today www.bodybling.co.uk but, I knew I still wanted to do something design based so, after thinking long and hard about my future and career options I decided to go back to uni to do a refresher course in design because it had been about 8 years since I had initially graduated and the industry changes so much. So I went back to uni as a mature student to study a one year top in Graphic Media and it was through my Final Major Project that I discovered my love, passion and enthusiasm for “Surface Pattern Design”. We all set our own briefs, some people designed magazines and created brands, my brief was to design patterns based on India – I didn’t actually know how I was going to execute my project, all I knew was that I wanted to be like Cath Kidston or Orla Kiely. It was only through all my research that I discovered that SPD was actually a job, a job that people get paid to do, I just couldn’t believe that something I had only ever dreamed of doing could potentially be my new career. I feel going back to in to education as a mature student was definitely fate which led to me doing Lilla’s Make Art That Sells e-course.

Lessons I learnt:

1) It’s never too late to go back into education and follow your dreams!

The course…

I initially wanted to do the course when it first ran in June but, due to other commitments was unable to do it so, I saved my pennies and treated myself to Part A and Part B as a birthday present to myself (best present ever!). All I can say is that it was the most fun and intense 5 weeks of my life, I learnt so much about the industry and myself, I made some great friends and created some great work and was definitely pushed out of my comfort zone. Each week we were were given briefs in the following categories: Week 1 – Bolt Fabric, Week 2 – Home Decor, Week 3 – Picture Book Cover, Week 4 – Wall Art and Week 5 – Gift Market. There were so many talented people in my group, that even when I felt that my work wasn’t that good enough there was always someone on hand to lend some constructive criticism and advice – which is something that is so important when you are working by yourself. We built up such an amazing community spirit that even after the course has ended we are still communicating with each other, sharing our work and achievements.

Lessons I learnt:

1) Be kind to yourself and treat yourself to life changing e-courses!

2) Don’t compare yourself and your work to other peoples as we are all at different stages in our journeys as artists and designers!

Some of the work I produced…

Week 1 – Bolt Fabric – Inspired by berries and vintage pyrex

Week 2 – Home Decor – Inspired by bromeliads

Week 5 – Gift Market – Inspired by items we have collected – this is made up from holiday photos