Experience of design

Opportunities for experience seldom come especially in a student’s life. Thus, it’s best to grab every opportunity. Axel Que, a junior taking up Bachelor in Fine Arts, major in Product Design at the University of the Philippines Cebu did and deemed the experience as worth it.

                His journey with art started when he was young. It has been Axel’s first love even before college. He used to design costumes for events like festivals, programs and the like. Even in his childhood, he would sketch a lot and stack his works. After finishing high school, he was bound to follow his dreams of enrolling in a university that offered a bachelor degree in fine arts, a promise that he used to tell himself. He enrolled at the University of the Philippines even though he didn’t have theories to back him up, only experience.

                Several months into his degree program, he began to understand slowly the basics of design. With this knowledge and his experience, he easily ranked top of his class. “Axel is very diligent in class,” says his classmate Kenneth Gallardo. “Even if our projects are hard, he always does his best to come up with the most outstanding design.”

                Last summer, he was invited by world-renowned designer Mr. Kenneth Coponbue to work for him for two months. Not for allowance nor for grades but for the worthwhile experience. “I got to glimpse the real world and how designers really work,” he commented.

                It all started during their second semestral exhibit of school year 2010-2011 at the University of the Philippines - Cebu. Coponbue, a critic of the said event, scrutinized his works on his table and invited him for a two-month internship in his office at the Interior Crafts of the Islands with a group of professional designers. He said yes, of course, without hesitation. Yet, he didn’t know what to expect in mind.

                His stay inside the office wasn’t easy as a design course. “This was a totally different world,” he said. “There were deadlines to meet and the entire process of designing a product was very tedious. It would take the company weeks and even months to finish one. I was really pressured.” However, all his efforts paid off when he was able to spearhead a design of a cabinet and a planter’s box.

                On the other hand, he was able to learn a lot from it and he wouldn’t trade that for anything else. He said that all the things he learned in school prepared him to face the two-month experience. “Inside, I knew how to innovate, to think out of the box and to make variations of a simple sketch.”

                 He dreams of being a top fashion designer in a few years from now, adding that his background on product design would take his career up a notch. For the past three years, he has designed gowns for school fashion shows and has spoken to design students from other universities. To date, he is still designing gowns for fashion shows (both in and out of the campus) apart from being a student.

                His field of expertise may be a bit difficult. But for Axel, nothing is impossible. As UP Fine Arts students would say, “Imadyina ang Impossible” (Imagine the impossible). His secrets are to keep on hanging to the inspiration of continuing his art and researching what’s the latest. “At times we want to give up but I’m telling you don’t. Saying ‘I can’t go on’ are just words but your actions can still go further,” he said as an advice to students like him.

                So if there are opportunities knocking on you right now, go for it. You might be in for the experience of a lifetime.