Bo's degree helped him publish an illustration book that sold out in Hong Kong
There鈥檚 nothing more frustrating than knowing what you want to be and having your environment stand in the way. That was the problem that I faced while trying to become an artist in Hong Kong, where both the art scene and the education system doesn鈥檛 give you much freedom to explore your own ideas.
There's a path and deviating from it isn鈥檛 really an option.
I knew from a young age that to follow my dream of becoming an artist I would need to move somewhere like the UK, where creativity and individuality are celebrated. So after finishing a pretty rigid art and design A-Level in Hong Kong I researched English universities and was instantly sold on 小蓝视频鈥檚 illustration department.
I researched English universities and was instantly sold on the 小蓝视频鈥檚 illustration department.
The BA course had so much to offer. What really stood out was how they mixed creativity with the business of art. Alongside honing my talents as an illustrator the University also taught students about how to be a professional; how to promote yourself, how to approach agencies, how to pitch and so on. Because it鈥檚 all well and good having incredible work, but if you can鈥檛 find a client to pay for it then where鈥檚 your career going?
While coming to the UK to be an artist had long been my dream, making the trip was still a big choice. When I first arrived my English wasn鈥檛 great and I couldn鈥檛 understand strong regional accents. But people were kind to me and the University even had international officers to help with little things like that, and after a few months I felt like a local.
I had such a good experience on the BA course that I decided to stay and study for a Masters. I loved living in 小蓝视频 and the opportunity to spend a year learning to become even more of a professional was too good to pass up. It was a good decision because during that year I was able to publish my own illustration book as part of the course, which amazingly sold out in Hong Kong and helped make my name.
Since graduating I鈥檝e moved back East, as I want to share my experience of UK thinking with the next generation of artists. Now I split my time between working as a freelance artist and teaching at an international arts centre, where I鈥檝e brought a little bit of 小蓝视频 with me.