Hello Aspirant

The Creative Ability Test (CAT) is the national level test for admission in courses of design. This is applicable for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. CAT is designed in such a way that the individual is assessed on his/her drawing skills, observational skills, creative ability and knowledge about the field of design. This entrance test is conducted by NIFT every year.

For the overall good performance in the exam, one should research well before the exam and manage their time properly. The students should focus on the exam step by step and not jump to other situations.

Students should get previous papers and practice repetitively. This will help them to get the hang of it.

There are many ways to improve drawing skills -

1. Draw anything

One way to be good at drawing is to keep drawing. You can draw any random image or a random abstract drawing. This would help you to use your drawing tools efficiently.

2. Understand art and drawings

If you try to understand a bit of art history and the thoughts that run behind any artwork, you might be able to draw better, Your thought process is reflected by your drawings.

3. Draw from professional sketches

This would help you to understand the technical aspect of drawing. Every line drawn has an impact and you must understand its value.

4. Draw from your surroundings

Observe around yourself and fix scenarios in your mind and then try to draw certain parts of the scenarios. This is not just a drawing exercise but also a memory exercise and it would help you to create drawings more quickly,

5. Join a drawing class

This should be your first step actually. A drawing teacher can help you in many ways that self-drawing practices can't. A routine drawing session also will improve your skills drastically. If it is available, then join a class that is especially for this exam. You would get to learn so much from this class and your drawing style and pattern would adjust according to the needs of the exam.

Drawing is not a very technical skill and it can be learned through time, effort and practice. Buy some beginner level drawing book and keep on practicing on it. Try to finish one page every night before sleeping.

Have an open mind. Imagination can lead to very beautiful drawings. Also, observe everything around. Ideas mostly come from your environment.

I hope that you are able to clear your CAT exam.

If you have any query then you can post it in the comments section.

Good Luck Drawing!

Thank You

Hello Geethika,

Thanks for contacting Careers360.

These are 7 useful tips to prepare for Creative Ability Test:

1. Stay Relevant to CAT – Since the pattern and ideology of NIFT entrance is quite different than usual entrance exams: the preparation tips are also quite different. For starters, it is important to focus on the relevant topics without any dilution. While studying for the Creative Ability Test, students must not jump to the second stage (Situation Test) before they complete the first stage thoroughly.

2. Concentrate and Critique - It is important to spend ample of time in enhancing your creative skills. It will involve sitting for several hours with 100% concentration in your work. You should also constantly be a critique of your own work and learn from your mistakes to improvise as you practice.

3. Strategize Success – Make a clear list of your key strengths and work on polishing them. At the same time, spend additional hours on the areas that aren’t your forte and keep observing and researching on subjects that scare you. This will boost your confidence while solving tough problems in the entrance exams.

4. Practice, Practice & Practice – Don’t move away from a topic once you have completed it. Keep revising topics in order to improve the quality of your work and get rewarding results in the long run.

5. Observe & Apply – By thoroughly observing your surroundings and applying them in your work, you will enhance your creative intelligence and be prepared for a creative test that demands out of the box thinking.

6. Stay Optimistic – Other than testing your writing, drawing or visualization skills, your answers also test your psyche. Keep an optimistic approach and choose positive, colorful and cheerful options, colors and topics for a better result.

7. Solve Sample Papers – By solving sample papers and previous years’ question papers, you will get an exact idea about the exam and you won’t get any surprises on the final exam day.

Hope this helps.

Good luck!