Zena Turner was 1 of 3 newly enrolled students to be awarded the Sunderland Robson Art and Design scholarship of £1000. Animation and Games Art Student has a huge passion for all things artistic, especially illustration, games and animated films.
Zena was initially worried about the financial struggle of not being able to support themselves during the first year but the scholarship was a welcomed lifeline. “I worried about money a lot and it took away some of the focus I wanted to have on my studies, but the scholarship helped me immensely and I have been able to finish the rest of my first year without as much stress about money,” said Zena.
She went on to say, “I also used the funds to buy a monitor and the full version of Clip Studio Paint, both of which have been so useful for my work, and not to mention an absolute life saver when it came to my animation projects. I’m able to see what I’m doing a lot better with the large monitor, and having a program with tons more useful features makes my workflow so much easier and more efficient when it comes to illustration and animation. Being able to invest into something I’m passionate about was so incredibly rewarding and something I never thought I’d have the luxury to do, but it’s amazing how much it can help, and seeing what I’m able to do with better resources has kept me motivated to continue pursuing my dream of becoming a full-time freelance illustrator, or a video game concept artist, and making it feel like it’s something I really can achieve”.
“I still have a lot to learn but I’m really enjoying the experience of learning and trying new things and will continue to create the best work possible with the newfound resources I now have. I also wouldn’t have been able to focus as much on all of this if I were constantly worrying about my financial situation, having these funds not only helped me physically, but relieved me of a lot of mental stress I would have had without them too”.