Centre For Fine Art, Animation & Design, Durban

Nanda Soobben has developed the CFAD into a modern thriving art school where through a system of mentorship students can transform their creativity into marketable skills. CFAD offers an integrated Fine Art and Graphic Design diploma.The three year diploma incorporates animation and TV commercial production.

The CFAD uses computers as a high tech tool to produce creative results. Students begin with basic drawing and painting, design and advertising techniques and then move to more comples projects. Senior students also produce a 30 second television commercial and a full advertising campaign that requires the production of logo design, brochures, billboards and 3D packaging.

Animation is an integral part of the CFAD curriculum. Travis O' Sullivan created a 30 second animated advert that won the Vuka Award for Best Animation 2000. Following on this achievement, and animated advert for Life Line, created by Tyron Love, a second year student, was nominated for the Vuka Award 2001 finals. The animation programme is supervised by Nanda Soobben, who apart from producing daily cartoons for major newspapers, is also working on an animated film which has been commissioned by the Department of Art, Culture, Science & Technology.

The CFAD has close ties with education, advertising and media industries, therefore students are exposed to the latest trends through various projects and an internship programme. The skills obtained at CFAD are marketable and many of the CFAD graduates are currently employed by large organisations. Graduates of the Centre are even working in Canada, New Zealand and in the UK.

Apart from full time Diploma the centre offers a part time graphic design course. A young artist programme is also offered for 15 to 18 year old students. Due to individual attention each student receives, classes are kept small and space is limited.