“I don’t design clothes, I design dreams”- Ralph Lauren
Being a Sabhyasachi or Ralph Lauren is every fashion designer’s dream. But to become a known designer, one has to work hard, fast and consistently.
People have very vague ideas about fashion designers or brands. It is a field which is highly creative, lucrative, dynamic. To be able to sustain in an ever evolving industry, one needs to primarily take formal education in the field, work under guidance in a firm/ with a designer/ with a fashion label. Work experience is of utmost importance before one can start one’s own label. Getting a hands-on experience will help one clear the doubts/ experience the practical aspect of the field in better ways.
Tips to crack NIFT Entrance Exam 2019-
- Follow the NIFT website(https://nift.ac.in/) to know more about the form filling dates, NIFT syllabus, etc. in detail. This is the official website and is the most trust able source for authentic information regarding NIFT preparation and what to expect in NIFT entrance exam-
2.Exam consists of 2 phases. IID Pune helps you sail smoothly through both the phases.
Phase I– CAT and GAT, Phase II- Situation tests.
CAT- Creative ability test-This tests the creative, imaginative and logical aspects at the same time. Being creative is very important, but turning creativity towards productive use is equally important. Thus, having a very good idea is of no use unless the idea is put to use on paper or as a product. One has to be quick, creative and finish the test in time to secure good marks.
GAT- General ability test- It is to ensure that apart from having a creative bent of mind one also has an ability to think logically.
3. Once the Phase I is cleared, one is eligible for Phase II- Situation test. Situation test is focused on “creating a tangible product out of an idea”. Thus, a physical product is to be designed based on a concept. Material and questions are provided by NIFT. A 3D model is to be made within stipulated time to be able to clear the situation test.
10 Tips for clearing the Situation test are as follows:
Steer away from digital watches-
Always wear a watch to the exam, preferably a watch which has hour, minute and second hand to have a better idea of time availability while solving the paper.
Time investment-
Once you enter the exam hall and get the situation test paper, spend 5 minutes on reading the question paper properly.
Material exploration-
Spend 3/5 minutes carefully examining the material provided for the questions. Understand the materials, their texture, quality, quantity and colour combinations if any.
Assign 3 minutes for Thumbnail sketching-
Put your imagination to work and quickly sketch out at least 2 options for the question selected. Drawing thumbnail sketches help you to elaborate and focus on what has to be physically made into a product.
Creative concept-
Make big/ bold/ clean drawing/ sketch of your product- Making a bold and clean sketch is very important, because it helps in deciding what material has to be used/ how it has to be used. Judging is done based upon the tidiness/ clean lines/ strokes/ colors used to indicate the concept. This is one of the most important tips to crack NIFT entrance exam.
Write down the concept in crisp and clear words-
Explanation regarding the product to be made is equally important because converting idea into words implies the quality of communication, which a designer must possess. Thus, keep a track of number of words to be used or the number of lines to be used to express your concept. Being precise/ exact and crisp is the key to communicating the write up about your model.
Making a solid/ sturdy base is very important for the model-
The examiner might pick up/ twist/ turn the 3D model upside down to check its work-ability. Hence a stable base is important. While using an adhesive, keep the model clean and free of stains of any kind. Smartly use fevicol/ gum or adhesive given. Shabbily worked out base will not fetch marks and nice comments either.
Keep in mind the color theory/ emotions and practicality of the 3D model to be made-
Keep in mind the textural qualities of materials given in the kit and accordingly select the appropriate material while designing. Once the basic body of work is made, then focus on decorating the same with add-ons available.
Stick the 3D model with base neatly-
The model should be able to stand without your support. The onus of a stable model lies on you. So take necessary precautions/ make a strong base/ support for the 3 D model. Once the model is done, clean it for the last time. Any kind of color drops/ materials unduly sticking at places will lead to marks deduction.
Last but not the least- Clean the work table on which the model is being made-
A neat and clean table/ workstation speaks volumes about the person. It will definitely earn you a score with a scratch-free model with a clean workstation. Place your 3D model and the answer sheet next to one another. Breathe a sigh of relief after submitting your work. Cross-examine the work in last few minutes. Do not do last minute additions, even if you are tempted to. Last minute additions never give desired results.
Sit back, relax and wait for the results to be out soon. Congratulate yourself for attempting the situation test. Being able to clear CAT, GAT and appear for situation test is an achievement in itself. So pat your back and cheer up for what lies ahead!
To know more about how to crack NIFT-Situation test, contact IID, Pune.
