Dear admission board
My name is Ingvild Marie Methi, I’m a Norwegian art student currently finishing my two-year study at Einar Granum School of Fine Arts in Oslo. I wish to apply for admission to the bachelor in Graphic Storytelling.
Since I was a kid I’ve always loved comics and read my way through my parents’ extensive collection many times. I’ve always kept a pencil close by and the comics I read was a big inspiration for my drawings. In the years after secondary school I’ve since pursued my love of art by taking courses in fine arts as well as design. I’ve also studied for a year abroad in England at York College. There I did plenty of life drawing as well as continuing my study of fine arts and English language. Meeting a new culture which at first seems like a weird mirror of your own and discovering how similar yet different people can be was a real eye-opener for me and caused me to grow up quite a bit.
Last year I entered a comic competition hosted by Dagbladet, Norway’s biggest daily newspaper, and finished among the top contestants. I’ve since had strips printed in the Norwegian comic magazine Lunch, and am currently featured as a guest comic in the comic magazine Pondus with the comic strip I created for the competition. I’ve also been published this year in the Norwegian comic magazine Nemi, and will be published again later this year with a shortened version of “Oskar’s World”, which you can find in the tab labelled “other projects” along with “Fish Food”, which is the former comic I mentioned. Besides that, I’ve been to several comic workshops hosted by Norwegian comic artists like Tor Erling Naas and Sigbjørn Lilleeng, along with making additional comics as part of school projects.
I’m very well versed in Photoshop and Paint Tool SAI and have been using both since 2010. Recently I’ve also had art teachers show me techniques on how to prepare files for printing by separating line work and CMYK files.
My biggest influences are from Franco-Belgian artists like Franquin and Albert Uderzo. I’m also very fond of the comedic timing in Norwegian artist Frode Øverli’s work, and the line work by American comic author Jeff Smith. Most of my comics tend to be of a humorous nature, as I enjoy reading comedy myself. I also love writing stories with an adventurous feel and a bit of mystery and wonder to it. Like Peter Madsen’s Vallhalla, It’s always been a dream of mine to create a work that embodies a fun style, like that of my inspirations, paired with comedy and well-written characters the reader will want to follow on their journey as they explore exciting and grand worlds. I believe creating good and solid characters to be a crucial part in all storytelling and I always strive to make mine interesting and distinct, both in body language and speech. In essence, I want to make the comics I would want to read myself.
I would love to study at The Animation Workshop. I have been to the open day four times since I first discovered the school in 2012 through a friend of mine who is now in her second year of the Character Animation program. Like her, I first tried my hand at applying for the bachelor in Character Animation two years ago, though I quickly realised animation was not my calling, and after having been rejected, I discovered my passion really lies in storytelling through comics. Each time I’ve been to the open day I’ve brought my portfolio along and tried my best to show that I have what it takes and take all constructive criticism to heart.
I’ve always been impressed with the Animation Worshop student’s intense passion and drive in studying what they love. I hope I’ll have the opportunity to do my best to match their resolve and strive to grow in such a dedicated environment.
I wholeheartedly wish I can be part of the Graphic Storytelling class of 2015.
Sincerely,
Ingvild Marie Methi
