Difference Between Start 1 and Start 2 Art Portfolios

Last Updated on May 27, 2021

What should be in an art schoolhouse application portfolio? How do you present a portfolio? What gives you the best hazard of being accustomed by the art school of your dreams? This article explains how to brand an art portfolio for higher or university and is packed with tips from leading art and design schoolhouse admissions staff from around the world. Information technology is written for those who are in the process of creating an application portfolio for a foundation grade, certificate, acquaintance or undergraduate degree and contains advice for specific art-related areas, such every bit Architecture, Fine Art, Graphic Blueprint, Illustration, Interior Design, Animation, Game Design, Film and other artistic, visual art-based courses. It is presented along with art and blueprint portfolio examples from students who accept recently gained acceptance to a range of art schools from around the world, creating a 9,000 discussion document that helps guide you through the application process.

What is an fine art school application portfolio?

In improver to coming together academic requirements, Art and Pattern Schools, Universities and Colleges typically crave a applied art portfolio as part of the awarding process (this is ofttimes accompanied by a personal statement and/or an art school interview – more on this soon). And so whatis this?

The Academy of the Arts London gives the post-obit definition of an application portfolio:

A portfolio is a drove of your work, which shows how your skills and ideas have developed over a period of time. It demonstrates your creativity, personality, abilities and commitment, and helps us to evaluate your potential.

Just equally every art student is different (with private strengths, experiences, passions and ideas) every art school has dissimilar requirements and expectations. While some universities and colleges take strict criteria when it comes to preparing a portfolio, others are open and flexible. This variation in expectations tin leave students uncertain about how to keep. Fifty-fifty when criteria is clear, applicants may experience overwhelmed and wonder what to draw/paint/make/create, which mediums to use and how to all-time select and present their work.

Producing an art portfolio is not to be taken lightly. Acme fine art schools oft accept very small percentages of applicants. Understanding how to produce a great portfolio is crucial. Although it is impossible to generate a list of criteria that are advisable for all applicants in every circumstance (there is unfortunately no guaranteed magic formula for creating a winning art portfolio) this commodity highlights tips from experienced admissions staff and makes general recommendations to help yous produce the best university or art college application possible.

A footstep-by-step guide to creating an art portfolio for college or university

1. Research carefully and record the art portfolio requirements for a number of courses that interest you lot

Deciding which art or design school is for you is a big decision (our upcoming article 'how to find the best fine art schoolhouse in the globe' will help with this). While yous consider your options, information technology is advisable to use to a number of different schools, in case you are not accustomed into your first selection. There is no shame in applying to college or university and not getting in (many highly successful individuals are not accepted into their university of first choice); but being left with no place to go because you didn't use to enough schools is an hands avoidable circumstance!

Create a list of art or blueprint schools that you would be prepared to attend and find their admissions criteria (y'all can search for art schools in California and New Zealand on this website – more areas coming before long). All university and college art portfolio requirements are different. Record the exact admissions requirements advisedly, well in advance, as deadlines can be earlier than you expect and portfolios take a long time to prepare. Print these out, highlight central data and go on on-manus, then that you can refer to them as needed throughout the application process.

In particular, proceed careful records of:

• Open Day times

• Application and Portfolio due date/south. If yous are currently studying Art at high school, cheque how the portfolio due dates compare to your own coursework deadlines and exam timetable. In some cases at that place may be issues with work needing to exist in 2 places at one (i.due east. submitted for assessment at high school and delivered to an art school in hardcopy at the same fourth dimension). This occurs particularly for students studying international qualifications or applying to art schools in different countries, so yous need to prepare for this in advance. Marker the deadlines of the schools that you are applying to clearly on your calendar.

• Size and format of work required

• Whether only finished pieces are expected, or whether sketchbooks, development and process piece of work are also welcome (some schools require only finished pieces, particularly in the Usa; others dearest to see development piece of work also).

• Whether submissions are digital, hardcopy reproductions or original artwork. If copies of piece of work must be sent in, find out whether these should be colour photocopies, slides or photographs etc. Notice out whether there are specific criteria for fourth dimension based media (blitheness/moving image/video/interactive website design then on).

• Labelling and presentation requirements. Many art schools have precise portfolio presentation requirements, with work labelled or identified in certain formats, with details near titles, dates and materials used, for example. Digital portfolio submission may use online tools such as SlideRoom.

• Whether there are special requirements for international or out-of-state applicants. If you are applying from another location, there may be special application criteria for you. For case, some colleges may take international portfolios via email, instead of delivered in person.

• Whether supplementary material is needed, for example, a personal statement or written essay (more on this soon). Art schools typically take academic requirements gear up past the university or college as a whole, which may require a divide awarding form and a different deadline. You may too be asked to submit images of work or objects that have influenced your work or teacher recommendations, testimonials or reports (only include these if specifically requested).

• Requirements almost what to draw / include. Many art and design schools leave applicants gratuitous to select what to include within their portfolio. Unless specifically stated, the portfolio should contain primarily visual artwork, not fine art history assignments, artist assay or all-encompassing note. You lot may take to submit a combination of personal artwork, work produced in loftier schoolhouse classes and/or 'home tests', exams or assignments fix by the art school you lot are applying to. In the RISD application portfolio, for instance, applicants must respond to three set up assignments, such every bit 'observe and describe a bicycle, or an interior space'. Some stunning RISD bicycle drawings completed as part of this application portfolio process are shown below:

Enlarged images are by Triye (middle left), Anetta Urmey (middle correct), Boyung yeon Kim (lesser left) and Seraph (lesser right). Top photograph by Mikey Todd:

These drawings are completed entirely in graphite pencil or charcoal on white paper and may be realistic or abstract. They may be derived from the whole or part of the bike, bundled lone or with any other object/s or scene. These examples show the heady level of skill and inventiveness demonstrated by students applying to the Rhode Island School of Design.

As another example, Parsons the New School for Design asks applicants to submit a portfolio also as the 'Parsons Challenge'. In the by, this challenge has included instructions such as:

Using whatever medium or media, explore something commonly disregarded inside your daily environment. Choose ane object, location, or activeness. Interpret your discovery in iii original pieces. Support each piece of art with an essay of approximately 250 words.

Once you have nerveless the requirements for the particular degrees yous are interested in, the adjacent step is to seek out existing portfolio examples.

2. Await at recent student fine art portfolio examples to gain a visual understanding of what is expected

Seeing examples of real portfolios is one of the all-time ways to sympathise the standard yous are aiming for (and to gain your ain art portfolio ideas). Many university and higher fine art portfolio examples can be found online or in campus libraries (some art schools retain hardcopy examples to aid students the following year – these can exist invaluable) and a large number of varied student art portfolio examples are featured in this article below. These illustrate the range of dissimilar portfolio styles that are possible and help to show how submissions for detail specialisations or degrees might differ from one some other.

If you feel daunted looking at other portfolios, information technology is worth stressing that is usually the best candidates who display their work (this is indeed the instance within this article). Practice non despair if your technical skill is not as strong as the work you see: call back art portfolios are assessed upon a broad range of criteria (more than on this below). If you accept a dandy academic groundwork, innovative ideas and a passion for the subject area, you lot can trump someone with technical skill who is defective in creativity and personal drive. Y'all might be surprised to realise how many famous artists practise not have flawless observational drawing skill. Showcase your strengths and back yourself.

A portfolio for art school past Grace Camille Lee:

These are some of the images that were submitted in Grace's awarding portfolio. Most of these pieces are personal artwork; others were completed as office of a Foundation course (this is a i year class that many UK students have prior to starting university. A Foundation course can be an excellent way to prepare an art college portfolio and is a common path to art school for students in the Uk). Grace was offered a place at Kingston, Brighton and Goldsmiths – art schools in the UK.

Gray's School of Art publish a certificate containing examples of sketchbook pages from student portfolios (some of which are shown below):

These examples prove a beautiful range of mixed media and experimentation, likewise equally in-depth compositional exploration and development of ideas.

A Kingston University application by William Govoni:

This portfolio shows evidence of strong observational drawing skill and competence in a range of dissimilar mediums. The inclusion of design drawings makes it articulate that William is a well-rounded candidate with a wide skills base.

A university application portfolio by Kirsty Mackenzie:

These 2 images are from the Elam Fine Fine art portfolio examples shown on the University of Auckland website. This portfolio comprises of work that Kirsty completed in loftier school.

A Kingston University application by Lily Grant:

These captivating compositions show a latitude of skill and a contemporary approach to portraiture that is combined with observational drawing skill.

3. Nourish Open up Days

Open up days are the ideal time to find out whether an art school is the right place for yous (read more nigh this in how to find the best art school in the globe – coming shortly). Open days are likewise a great opportunity to observe out more about the admissions procedure and what is expected by a school in terms of application portfolios. (Equally mentioned above, some fine art schools have past portfolios on display at the school permanently – in the campus library, for example).

4. Plan your art portfolio, aiming to demonstrate a range of artistic skill and experiences, artistic ideas/originality and passion/commitment

This is the most important section of this commodity, considering it is the area where people are most confused. All over the net applicants beg to know: 'what should I include in a college art portfolio?' The respond is this: include a range of recent visual work (completed inside the last yr or 2) that best communicates your artistic skills and experiences, creative ideas/originality and passion/commitment.

The detailed recommendations below explain this further:

a) Emphasise observational drawing

Most fine art and design courses crave applicants to have a sure level of observational cartoon skill. This is essential not just for Fine Art specialities, but for many others, such as Architecture and Fashion Pattern. Even degrees that do not seem to obviously focus upon drawing usually welcome the inclusion of this within an application portfolio. For instance, Ringling College of Art and Pattern states:

For majors without as much drawing involved, the submission of drawing in your portfolio is ever welcome but not required.

An observational drawing is a realistic representation of an object or scene that has been viewed directly in real life (as opposed to something that has been imagined or drawn from a photograph) – read more about how to produce great observational drawings. Information technology can exist produced using whatsoever medium or combination of mediums such as graphite pencil, charcoal, pen, ink and/or paint. For the majority of applicants, it is highly advantageous to demonstrate the ability to find something in real life and draw it accurately. It is recommended that observational drawing (or painting) from first-hand sources class a substantial part of your portfolio.

The aim is that you lot:

• Prove to admissions staff that you are able to competently tape shape, proportion, tone, perspective, surface qualities, particular, space and form

• Draw in a personal, sensitive way, rather than in a mechanical way (i.e. non a laborious re-create of a photograph – drawings from photographs are specifically discouraged). This might involve more creative, expressive, gestural mark-making or the improver of not-realistic elements, textures, materials. In other words, communicate a strong sense of realism, simply in a mode that also capture an essence of the subject, rather than an exact, rigid copy of a scene. It can help to think almost ideas and meanings behind a drawing – selecting a subject that holds meaning or relevance for you, rather than just selecting any random object to describe.

Clara Lieu, Visual Artist and Adjunct Professor at the Rhode Island School of Design, explains the importance of including original observational drawings in a university or higher portfolio like this:

Create original work from direct observation. This is hands down the number 1, admittedly essential matter to exercise that many students fail to do. But doing this i directive will put you light years ahead of other students.

Achieved drawings are above all else, the heart of a successful portfolio when applying at the undergraduate level. You might be a sorcerer in digital media, but none of that volition matter if you have poor drawings.

Szivesen, a portfolio reviewer, explains:

Most schools emphasize cartoon from directly observation as their primary basis for the portfolio, no matter what aspect of art y'all want to study. That's because basic drawing skills are fundamental and because drawing is a little more than likely to be a uniform measure out than other areas of art and pattern.

Examples of observational drawings from a university Foundation grade application portfolio past Sinead Kirby:

People often assume that observational drawings must be meticulous and precise. This is not the case. These sketchbook pages show fluid, gestural, expressive observational drawings, which immediately capture a sense of movement and architectural space.

Information technology is worth remembering that you don't need to attend a formal life cartoon class to complete observational figure drawing (although attention such a class can be an excellent experience for artists and art students and is highly recommended if available). The drawings below by Curelea Loana Andreea (function of a university Foundation class application) show captivating examples of observational effigy drawings that could accept place in a abode or classroom setting:

Sometimes admissions staff even study tiring of the standard 'life drawing' and that the freshness and originality of drawings like those in a higher place tin be more interesting.

Observational portraits in a university Foundation portfolio by Emma Hooper:

Information technology is important to remember as well that observational drawing skill is often evident throughout your portfolio – even in works that are 'non-representational' and/or more creative and interpretative. In the works in a higher place, for instance, nosotros can see beautiful observation of human class and attention to the mode light hits a face.

b) Explore a range of subject affair – make art about (and of) lots of interesting things
If y'all are wondering what y'all should draw: the possibilities are limitless. You may, for example, draw a landscape, yet life, portrait, animate being, human figure, interior or exterior environment, hands and feet, or any other interesting everyday object – focusing, perhaps, on subject matter that is relevant for your caste (run across more than about tailoring your application to your particular focus area below) and, more than importantly, subject matter that has some meaning and relevance to y'all. You should try and avert common or cliché approaches and include a range of dissimilar interesting objects and scenes – and do not exactly replicate the work of another artist.

Dorian Angelo, of Ringling College of Art and Design, suggests:

…if yous're not sure what to describe, draw the things in your room. Draw your hands, draw your feet, describe your dog. That's perfectly fine. Try not to get into whatever clichés or any traps of drawing withal thing. We don't want to see a sketchbook full of horses. We don't want to encounter a sketchbook total of just cartoons or anime. Show that you are looking at real life; that you're looking at different subject matter…

In Ringling Higher of Art and Blueprint'due south Game Art & Pattern portfolio requirements, they state:

Please do not copy directly from another creative person, or include such things as anime, tattoo designs, dragons, unicorns, etc.

In the words of Clara Lieu, Rhode Isle School of Design:

Do not copy your work from photographs or other sources. This means no fan fine art, no anime, no manga, zippo from another artist'south work. Admissions officers accept seen hundreds, probably thousands of images from student portfolios. They are well trained to rapidly spot artworks that have been copied from photographs or that take been lifted from other resource.

Information technology is never, ever expert to have fan fine art in any portfolio. By fan art, I mean drawings of celebrities and other characters that are not your own. That'south basically the osculation of death, and will immediately crusade people to see you as nothing more than a hobbyist.

If y'all are stuck for observational drawing ideas, these examples by students in portfolio grooming courses at Ashcan Studio of Art may trigger some ideas.

Artwork by Suyeon Moon (shoes, peak left) (accepted into the Parsons AAS Graphic Pattern plan), Soojin Lee (crumpled clothes, height correct), accepted into Parsons Fashion Design programme with a 4 year scholarship, Insuk Kang (shelving scene, upper middle), accepted into Parsons Fashion Design with a 4 twelvemonth scholarship, Kalene Lee (bottom left) accepted into Pratt, Industrial Design, with a 4 year scholarship and Jiwon Hwang (bottom right), Parson's Fashion Pattern with a four year scholarship:

Observational drawings completed as function of fine art school application portfolios.

For more tips almost what to draw, read how to come up with bully ideas for an art project.

c) Apply a range of mediums, styles, fine art forms and techniques

Your art portfolio should testify a diverse range of skill and visual experiences. Demonstrate that you are able to utilise and experiment with a range of styles, mediums and techniques and can control, employ and dispense mediums in a practiced, appropriate and intentional manner. Someone who is able to create acrylic paintings, sculptures, prints and pencil drawings, for case, is infinitely more flexible than someone who is just able to sketch only with a pencil. The old applicant demonstrates growth, diversity and a breadth of skill, as well as an interest in learning new things. The latter may be a 'one trick pony'.

Recommendations:

• Cull a range of mediums that highlight your artistic strengths. Use wet and dry mediums (graphite, charcoal, ink, pastel, acrylic, watercolour, oil, ceramics, movie etc and other mixed mediums) and pigment / draw upon a range of different surfaces (meet here for keen ideas well-nigh things to draw or paint on if you are looking for new ideas), but don't include weaker work, just for the sake of covering a greater range of mediums.

• Explore a range of advisable styles. Choose creative styles that showcase your skill, interests and strengths. Don't try and guess what the university of art school would adopt (despite common misconceptions, they rarely favour one style of fine art-making more than another); choose those that align with your strengths.

• Experiment with a variety of tools, techniques, processes and art forms. Unless otherwise specified, an application portfolio may include drawings, paintings, photography, digital media, design, iii-dimensional work, web design, animation, video and most any other type of artwork. This does not mean you should endeavour to include every different technique or art grade possible (this would create a scattered and incohesive portfolio) only that y'all demonstrate that yous are willing to experiment and try new fine art-making experiences, focusing on areas that interest you and highlight your strengths.

A portfolio past Kisa Sky Shiga, completed as part of a portfolio grooming course at Ashcan Studio of Art:

A broad range of mediums are shown in these 3 works by Kisa Heaven Shiga, whose portfolio was accepted by RISD (Apparel Design, 4 year Scholarship), Parsons (Fashion Blueprint, iv year Scholarship), Pratt (Style Pattern, iv year scholarship) and FIT: Fashion Plant of Technology (Way Design).

Printmaking in a university Foundation application past Henry Richardson:

In improver to a range of expressive drawings and paintings, Henry's portfolio is supplemented with dry point printmaking – providing evidence of a broad range of skills and a delivery to exploring different techniques.

A academy Foundation application portfolio by Aqsa Iftikhar:

This portfolio contains a neat mix of mediums, including oil paintings and ceramic sculptures, showing artistic skill in a range of two and three-dimensional form.

A university Foundation application portfolio by Ayse Kipri:

This portfolio combines formal observational drawings with gimmicky collage and installation work. Ayse completing a Foundation caste in Art and Design at Camberwell College of Arts and is now studying a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Central Saint Martins.

e) Include a range of varied, well-counterbalanced compositions – show an 'centre for aesthetics'

All work – even observational drawings – should show that you sympathise how to compose an image well, arranging visual elements such every bit line, shape, tone, texture, colour, form and colour in an pleasing way. Compositions should exist well-balanced and varied – with a range of viewpoints/scales included throughout the portfolio.

• Avoid drawing items floating in centre of a folio unless this is an intentional, considered decision (encounter our Art pupil'due south limerick guide (coming presently) which explains more than virtually how the formal visual organisation of artwork. Recall about the shadows, spaces and surfaces in and around objects. Think advisedly most cropping of images and positions of items within each work.

• Select and use appropriate colours, making sure that if multiple works are arranged on ane page, the colours piece of work well together likewise (more on this in the portfolio presentation department below)

• Make sure the proportions and spatial relationships betwixt unlike elements in graphic designs (such as text, images and space) are carefully considered

f) Include process / development piece of work if permitted

Some art schools – particularly in the Usa – require that every piece in your application be a finished, realised piece of work. Others – especially those in the UK and NZ – dear to see process, development or sketchbook work. If an fine art or blueprint school specifically states that this material is permitted, this is an excellent opportunity to flaunt your skills, commitment and depth of knowledge. The research and processes undertaken to develop your work are often every bit of import as the final work itself and let the selection panel to sympathize your piece of work in context and see how it has been initiated and developed. Process and development work helps colleges and universities to understand how you think (the ideas and meanings behind pieces, for example) and see that you are able to take an idea from concept and develop information technology through to a final resolution. Information technology provides evidence that you lot are able to analyse / experiment / explore and trial different outcomes and make sound critical judgments.

We want to meet how you generate and develop ideas from your visual enquiry. It is important that we run into how they progress from the starting signal right through to the determination of your ideas / project. – Grays School of Art, Scotland.

Images of pages from your workbook/southward tin can be very helpful to the selection console. This could include: evidence of ideas, thinking processes, experimentation and assay. – Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland, New Zealand

Development work might include sketchbook or workbook pages that show:

• In depth investigations into subject area matter (sketches / photography and other visual documentation of first-mitt sources)

• Investigations into mediums, materials and techniques and technologies

• Development of concepts, compositions or details

• Written analysis alongside visual work and annotation discussing ideas behind your work

• Evidence of links to the historical, gimmicky and/or social context in which works have been made – i.e. connections to artists and real world problems

• Annotated screen captures, contact sheets, and documentation of digital processes

A university Foundation application by Lola:

The sketchbook pages in this portfolio bear witness the development process behind the finished portrait bottom right, making it clear that the project has original first-hand sources and a strong personal connection.

A academy Foundation application by A Level Art student Heather Meredith:

In this example we can meet the contrast of finished pieces aslope development work. The layered sketchbook pages communicate a wealth of insight near working processes, a willingness to experiment, and the depth of thought that is put in to developing and refining ideas.

A university Foundation awarding portfolio by Violet Volchok, who was offered a place on courses at Kingston and Ravensbourne, United Kingdom:

Role of an AS Fine art exam projection, these images combine excellent technical skill with captivating and striking compositions. This sequence of work shows initial creative person analysis, original photography and limerick development leading towards terminal pieces. Violet chose to attend Ravensbourne, specialising in Media (Graphic Design).

This video contains a skillful overview of what a portfolio might contain, especially for universities that request process / evolution work:

For more tips about producing great procedure work, y'all might observe it helpful to read our guide to producing an outstanding high school art sketchbook or how to develop ideas in an fine art project.

Notation: If evolution work is non permitted as office of the portfolio itself, information technology is unremarkably appropriate to bring this to the interview.

g) Communicate creative ideas: be original

It is important to remember that creative skill must exist accompanied past creativity, original ideas and some form of visual curiosity. In other words, technical skill is no use if you lot are unable to remember of how to put this to utilise in a unique, interesting style. Someone who is able to generate original and captivating ideas that rip into your heart and soul is far more appealing than someone who produces dull, predictable, yet technically excellent artwork. Although skill is an first-class nugget – and a certain level is necessary – applicants to colleges and universities and art schools should not aim to be glorified 'photocopiers', but rather the creators of heady, unexpected visual outcomes. To accomplish this within your portfolio, information technology may assistance to:

• Be experimental – try different things and button techniques, materials and technology in innovative and unexpected ways

• Brand art about something (visually communicate ideas) rather than just laboriously draw a scene – demonstrate your intellectual potential.

• Be yourself – reveal your personality and interests. Never submit art that is an imitation of someone else's. Aim for artwork that is new, fresh and near something that matters to yous. Don't replicate any of the portfolios you meet on this folio or elsewhere. Your portfolio should be individual to yous. Let your portfolio reflect your strengths, interests and experiences and represent who yous are.

On the whole, greater accent is put on evidence of your visual marvel, thought generation and exploration, and your free energy, engagement and contextual awareness, than on high level technical skills and finish. – Edinburgh College of Art, Scotland

…[A good portfolio] demonstrates how you can think in innovative and contrasting ways, and shows originality, inventiveness and commitment to being creative. – Massey University, New Zealand

… stand up out from the crowd by pushing the boundaries of a prescribed curriculum, personalising a theme or project to demonstrate their invention and creativity. Work that reflects an applicant'due south own enthusiasms, thought processes and ideas is ever of interest to the selectors. – University of Dundee, Scotland

It's no skillful promoting house styles, as that makes all students' work look the aforementioned. If a student is showing a piece of work from a course, information technology'south important that information technology also shows a personal theme. – Helen Heery, Academy of Salford, United Kingdom

A portfolio assignment by Amelia Eaton:

This is an example of a successful double-sided drawing project completed for RISD (Rhode Island Schoolhouse of Design). Communicating confident observational drawing skills and bold, well-balanced colour, ideas nearly meat are communicated in a clear and captivating way. Amelia was accepted by RISD.

A Fine Fine art portfolio by Karen Park, completed during a course at Ashcan Studio of Fine art:

These ii works from Karen'southward art school portfolio combine both technical skill with creative, innovative visual ideas. Karen was awarded a Full Scholarship from Cornell University – Fine Art.

A university Foundation awarding past Anna Clow:

This original A Level Art project and was completed during Anna'due south final year of high school. Where many students paint or draw conventional portraits, Anna has created innovative, exciting works that combine dolls, human form and interior body parts. Combined with exceptional technical skill, this helps to create an unforgettable portfolio that stands out from the oversupply.

A Way Pattern portfolio by Halim Ki, completed during a class at Ashcan Studio of Fine art:

This is some other case of captivating, exciting portfolio that communicates clever, surrealist ideas. Halim was accepted into Parsons – Manner Design.

Some swell tips are contained in this video by the University of the Arts London about the importance of ideas, enthusiasm and creativity – providing some excellent thoughts, especially for those who might not accept gained a strong Fine art education at high schoolhouse:

h) Communicate passion, commitment and enthusiasm

Universities want people who will correspond their school well – who will go on to do great things that will reflect positively upon their identify of study. They want passionate, not bad students who will cope with the workload and who intend to really continue and brand use of their degree. This means that you must convey a sense of passion, commitment and enthusiasm inside the portfolio (too as during the interview – more on the fine art schoolhouse interview soon). To do this, y'all can:

• Ensure that work from classroom projects is thorough, personalised, self-motivated (goes the 'extra mile').

• Include some personal, independent, self-directed work that has been completed exterior of the classroom. This helps to requite an indication of your current involvement and interest in the arts.

During the process of reviewing portfolios, the Ruskin staff ever look for piece of work that goes beyond the mere fulfilment of School curricula. We search for highly motivated activity, over and above whatever project-based piece of work, and for a latitude of engagement, a sense of purpose and a strength of opinion in the way the portfolio is edited. Important for us is to be able to discovering a sense of the temperament laying behind the work, and sense the deeper interests that inform the portfolio. We are not interested in finding a particular formula or a specific style, but in signs of free energy, ambition, disquisitional reflection and creativity. – Ruskin School of Art, Britain

Personal art is the work washed exterior of a classroom situation and reflects the artists' unique interests in use of materials, subject matter and concept. Piece of work can be completed in any media including (but not express to) drawing, painting, photography, mixed media, digital/computer art, film/video, ceramics, sculpture, animation and performance fine art. – Kavin Buck, School of Arts and Compages at the University of California Los Angeles, U.s.a.

Involvement in fine art must exist more than casual. – Tom Lightfoot, Rochester Institute of Technology, U.s.

Emma Rose, who works in the faculty of arts and sciences at Lancaster University, advises that students include some self-generated work – not just the projects that have been assigned on courses. "Nosotros want someone with that actress spark – possibly you've gone off with a photographic camera to take interesting photos." – The Independent

Self-initiated projects (artwork created independent of classroom assignments/exercises) are especially encouraged. – UCLA Section of Fine art, United States

Ultimately, it'due south all almost passion and ideas, and and so if you include the kinds of things that y'all're most excited virtually, that you're virtually proud of, so chances are your portfolio submission volition brand a strong impression. – Ringling College of Art and Design, United States

i) Tailor your application to suit your degree

Portfolio guidelines for different areas of Art and Design are often like, but information technology can be wise to modify your portfolio so that information technology is appropriate for the caste y'all are applying for. Rather than creating a completely different set of images for each specialisation or major, however, a submission can be tweaked slightly, then that it showcases relevant strengths and an interest in the area you are applying for (for example, submitting observational drawings of city scenes or edifice interiors for an architecture application etc (although this is non necessary – more on architecture portfolios below).

Every bit an example, digital based degrees may like to see testify of technological awareness and capability and the power to work with a range of digital platforms, alongside traditional non-digital techniques. This might include fourth dimension-based interactive piece of work (film, animation, video, website design).

The following list gives some guidance about the sort of fabric that maybe helpful for specific areas, in improver to the items discussed in a higher place, such as observational drawing. As with all recommendations in this commodity, you should refer to the academy or higher y'all are applying to for precise requirements.

Graphic Design Portfolios:

• Graphic design print work or web graphics
• Font design or use of typography
• Graphic illustrations
• Video graphics
• Interactive web media and any other related projects

A academy Foundation application portfolio past Jacob Wise:

This portfolio shows an obvious strength in graphic design. Along with evidence of strong observational drawing skill, the work is supplemented past original posters that testify a skillful understanding of composition – with competent arrangement of line, colour, space, text and course. "The Bauhaus movement, Russian constructivism and the Swiss international graphic manner are a source of massive inspiration for my work with the utilization of sharp edges, bold shape, colour and precision".

Architecture Portfolios:

• Many students assume that an architecture application portfolio must be filled with drawings of buildings or architectural designs. This is virtually always notthe case (equally with all other recommendations fabricated in this article, you should check the requirements of the item course you lot are applying for). Admissions staff typically wish to meet bear witness of creativity with a range of media and strong observational drawing skill (every bit described in the first part of this article), including the ability to represent space, perspective and 3D course. This can be achieved through exploration of completely unrelated subject thing, such as still life, landscapes and human form. If you take a choice, however, drawing buildings, manmade structures, interior/exterior spaces, furniture and/or mechanical parts and so on, may assistance to demonstrate an interest in architectural design.
• Architecture schools usually practise Non crave formal technical drawings (instrumental or computer generated plans / orthographic projections etc) and if these are accustomed every bit part of the application portfolio, they are often express in quantity, so that you include a sufficient range of mitt-generated piece of work. Yous are nonexpected to understand how to design a building – this is what you acquire upon the course.
• Three-dimensional sculptures, installations, casts and/or model constructions can exist great to include, every bit these communicate spatial awareness and an interest in working with 3D class. These might include conceptual models made from paper-thin, paper, wire, wood and other institute materials, for example.
• Artwork in a broad range of mediums (printmaking / photography etc) are typically accepted.
• Annotation: Some universities and architecture schools specifically request that the portfolio is notfilled with Pattern Applied science work, preferring to meet work that has been produced as office of high schoolhouse Fine art courses. (Although some high school Design Applied science courses provide excellent preparation for architectural degrees, Art courses typically offer a stronger grounding in observational drawing and composition).

Examples of observational drawings submitted equally part of an application to the Academy of Auckland, School of Architecture, New Zealand:

Note that even the bottom drawing – an observational drawing of lights mounted upon a steel bar – communicates a clear interest in architectural grade.

Images from an compages application portfolio by Irence K, completed while studying at Ashcan Studio of Art:

Irence was awarded a 4 year scholarship and was accepted into RISD Compages. These works communicate a clear interest in iii-dimensional space and architectural grade.

An architecture portfolio example by Ken Liang, completed under the guidance of Evangelos Limpantoudis from the Architecture School Review who helps students gain admission to top architecture schools from around the world:

Ken was accustomed by all 5 compages schools that he applied to: Cornell, Savannah College of Art and Design, Parsons, the Rhode Island School of Design and Columbia Academy. With no prior feel about art or design, his portfolio became a vehicle for Ken to larn almost the design process, showing the procedure of evolution of architectural forms derived from conceptual models using fabric and clay.

Fashion Blueprint Portfolios

• Figure drawings – for example drawings of habiliment on models
• Documentation of original sewing, textiles or fashion blueprint projects

Part of a Kingston Academy Art Foundation application portfolio by Annabelle Holden:

Studying Art History, Textiles and Photography at high schoolhouse helped Annabelle set a bully portfolio, including work from a textiles project where she reinvented vintage items.

A Style Blueprint portfolio by Jinsoo Choi, prepared during a course at Ashcan Studio of Art:

Jinsoo was accepted into Parsons Manner Design (Scholarship), Pratt Manner Design and FIT. Note the outstanding observational drawing skill and clever linking of colours between the separate pieces within this portfolio.

Game Fine art Portfolios:

• Storyboards
• Original character designs

Product Blueprint Portfolios:

• Subjects similar product design oftentimes require stiff practical, analytical and advice skills, as well as the technical and conceptual ideas and self-motivation required by other art-related degrees. This means that bear witness of working with materials and in both second and 3D can be beneficial.

Flick Schoolhouse Portfolios:
Filmmaking may combine many different skills including performing arts, music, literature and writing. As a event, portfolio requirements may exist quite different from a traditional fine art school awarding. Applications may include:

• Screen shots from original films, animations, videos or digital applications with video excerpts embedded (brand sure these are short as admissions staff will not take time to view long reels of footage, and/or captured every bit a storyboard with screenshots). These may exist submitted on DVD or flash drives or as URL links to YouTube, Vimeo or embedded on a personal website or blog (meet why Fine art students should have their ain website and how to make ane)
• Style, costume or set design
• Storyboards
• Website blueprint and multimedia work
• Bear witness of involvement in theatre or performing arts
• Screenplays and creative writing may also be appropriate

v. Have fourth dimension to create new artwork and/or improve existing pieces (if required)

Once you have planned what yous will include in your portfolio, you should set up aside a flow of time to produce this. If you have not taken loftier school Fine art classes, preparing a folio will accept a lot of work – about six months to complete a portfolio from scratch (call back it is platonic to create more work than is needed, so that you can carefully edit and remove the weaker pieces). See if your high school Art instructor can help (even if you don't take Art). An experienced teacher will often take a long history of helping / observing students use and may have a good knowledge of what helped successful candidates in the by. If your ain art instructor is not experienced with helping students utilise to university – or you feel you need more help preparing your portfolio – find out if at that place are local courses or workshops that address how to make a portfolio for art school. Portfolio preparation classes are oft run by the universities / colleges themselves. These may be relatively cheap weekend workshops or exist yearlong, such as Foundation or Art portfolio courses. Making a portfolio can feel less daunting when you lot produce piece of work with a course of others and seeing others produce work tin be motivating and inspirational.

Y'all will probable have to apply a considerable portion of your holiday and holiday time to create work or improve existing pieces – as well every bit generate personal piece of work exterior of your curriculum or complete 'abode tests' or assignments if required.

The most important particular of preparing your portfolio for college admissions is to remember to requite yourself plenty of time and have fun with it. It is nearly impossible to create quality work if you are nervous and under a time constraint. Don't wait until the concluding minute, and brand enough piece of work and so y'all can edit together the best portfolio for each school you lot plan to apply to. – Kavin Buck, School of Arts and Architecture at the Academy of California Los Angeles, Us

When information technology says put together a portfolio of 12 pieces, it doesn't necessarily hateful merely make 12 pieces. It'southward easier to simply make, make and make and then narrow it down to 12 pieces. Not only will you take more to cull from, an admissions counselor during a portfolio review can help you determine what to submit for a last application. So don't limit yourself, just create! Katie, Admissions Counsellor, Parsons, United States

A Academy Foundation application portfolio past Nina Cavaviuti:

This quote from Nina illustrates the claiming in preparing a portfolio exterior of an Art class: "I have had to ready a portfolio around a fulltime degree course and a weekend job. Non being in a school environment where y'all are constantly supervised has meant I have had to work independently, I have learnt to take reward of my surroundings and to use time effectively, such as using daily travel as an opportunity to create observational drawings and attending regular life cartoon classes to improve my technical drawing skills."

half dozen. Select and Review Piece of work

Once you have completed a meaning torso of work, seek feedback and change / improve / redo pieces. Don't leave this until the last minute, considering yous will run out of time if changes are needed. Build in cogitating time – time to fix it aside and come up back to it with fresh eyes.

This excellent video by Paul Stanford, Caput of Section of the Foundation Course in Art and Design at Kingston University, shows the evaluation of an boilerplate student portfolio to be offered a place. It highlights the importance of editing a portfolio advisedly and eliminating weaker work, as well as ending a portfolio well, and then that the final impression is a good ane.

Towards the middle of the portfolio, Paul begins to notice technical deficiencies – 'a bit of a wearisome cartoon, y'all might say' – 'information technology's not a great life drawing, is it?' – a reminder that students should only submit work that plays to their strengths. The student'due south skill set as a whole and estimated potential is evaluated, with observational cartoon skill simply i part of this equation.

Near people become too close to their own work and cannot come across it considerately. Bring an unbiased person (not friends or family) to assist with your concluding portfolio choice, ideally someone who has a background in art or design. When selecting work, aim for quality over quantity, avoid repetition and include variety of subject matter, skill and medium.

Read the school's suggestions for portfolio submission carefully. Virtually volition say "10 to twenty pieces" and I can tell you that more than is often non better. If you lot accept ten really strong works to submit, and then the quality level noticeably drops, meliorate to prove 10 uniformly expert works than a whole range. – Anonymous answer on Yahoo

Be selective. …don't submit work that you are not proud of but for the sake of having variety. – Virginia Commonwealth University

Select projects that show a range of media and subject thing, while still emphasizing your strongest work. – Carnegie Mellon Academy

It's expert to start with lots of work and and so be super selective with what you put in the portfolio… – Charlotte Cook

Some institutions offering the opportunity to have your portfolio reviewed earlier submission (a 'preliminary portfolio review'). US students are likewise able to attend National Portfolio Day, where they are able to receive feedback on their portfolio-in-progress from university and higher representatives. These are held all over the US and are highly recommended. Lines are long and you should arrive early to ensure that you are able to speak to the schools of your first selection.

At this event, brace yourself for harsh words. It'southward not uncommon for students to be told at National Portfolio Day that they essentially have to start over from scratch considering their portfolio is headed in the wrong direction. Reviewers will exist candid and directly well-nigh the quality and type of work that their school is looking for, so don't exist discouraged if you get a tough critique. Rather, exist glad that yous got the feedback y'all needed to go yourself headed in the right direction. – Clara Lieu, Rhode Island School of Design, Usa

Accept constructive criticism and communication – don't be offended (you'll need to get used to this if you desire to get to art schoolhouse!) – Virginia Republic University, United states of america

What Should be In a Portfolio? This video from the University of Arts London explains how a good portfolio should have a sense of journeying or 'story unfolding'. It is a good video that helps you sympathize which pieces to select. It is a proficient reminder to show a range of creative skills and techniques and well as communicating your personality, interests and a sense of your own experiences.

seven. Organise, photo and nowadays your art portfolio

Presentation of your portfolio is very important. The arrangement and organisation of your portfolio has a directly impact upon the way the piece of work is perceived. A proficient layout helps to communicate an middle for composition, a professional approach, shows your commitment and desire to nourish a university or college: it leaves a positive, memorable impression. Poorly cared for work that is thrown together in a sloppy, thoughtless layout, or is overly decorative and laboured in presentation, significantly detracts from the quality of the artwork. Admissions staff may spend less than v minutes looking at your portfolio, so first impressions count.

This video about preparing a portfolio past University of the Arts London contains some great reminders about presenting a portfolio. In particular, they propose that you should 'put zippo in your portfolio that you lot can't talk nigh' and organise it so that it is easy to navigate. Information technology too explains that while a portfolio should not exist crammed full of everything a student has produced, information technology should non exist over-edited: 'pared down so much that we tin can't actually see little glimpse of potential'.

Carefully photograph work for digital submissions and any piece of work that is three-dimensional/sculptural or that exceeds size specifications for hardcopy submissions (see our guide to photographing art like a pro – coming soon). Reread portfolio presentation requirements carefully to brand sure that yous nowadays exactly what is required by the admissions departments of each of the schools that you are applying to (especially size and weight restrictions).

Here are some general portfolio presentation tips:

a) Select a uncomplicated, professional format that allows your piece of work to exist viewed easily.

If a portfolio size isn't specified, choose something that works well for your ain work and that can be transported easily. A3, A2 or A1 is commonly fine.

From my own experience, I notice A3 is the most ideal (both in education and beyond). A3 marks the perfect residuum considering you tin sufficiently display your artwork effectively, while making information technology easier to transport. – Contempo Uk art school applicant from the StudentRoom.

Cull a flat type of art portfolio case or folder that opens and shut easily, while protecting work so that information technology doesn't get creased. (Avoid rolling work up, as it will be difficult to go information technology to lie flat). The portfolio instance may be a spine-mounted leather art portfolio (usually found in all adept fine art retailers – see examples on Amazon) or a clear non-reflective articulate file folder, for example. It doesn't need to be overly expensive: avoid improvident folders and choose 1 that is simple, make clean and practical.

Although presentation is important for your portfolio, don't spend loads of time and money buying flashy folders advises Wendy Rochefort, who is studying a foundation degree in Fine Fine art at Cornwall Higher. "Elementary mounts and a tidy finish are fine." – The Contained

Have all sheets securely spring in such a way as to allow all sheets to lie flat when the portfolio is open. Be able to be hands and safely handled. At that place should exist no exposed metal binders, staples or similar fittings. Sheet metal or other heavy or abrupt materials should not be used for portfolio covers. – School of Architecture, Academy of Auckland, New Zealand

Cull plain, neutral portfolio colours (black, grey, white etc) and avoid decorated, decorative or patterned presentations (you lot want accent to remain on your artwork). Similarly, avoid reflective surfaces that hamper vision (for example, glazing paintings or clearfiles with shiny plastic).

Keep the presentation format uncluttered and relevant. Avoid over decorating your portfolio as this can detract from the content. – Academy of the Arts London, U.k.

b) Guild the piece of work in a logical and aesthetically pleasing way.

First and stop with a great slice of piece of work, so that you create a bully initial and final impression. Infinite other dandy work evenly throughout your portfolio (fugitive a dodder of weaker work). Think about group similar work together, by medium, discipline or mode – peradventure as a series of projects – or chronologically. An assessor must exist able to 'understand' your portfolio and see any connections between pieces (for instance, show the creative journey between evolution work/sketchbook pages and final outcomes). Aim to make information technology appear coherent, rather than a whole lot of scattered, disconnected pieces.

Narrative is an important chemical element to consider when preparing a portfolio. How work is laid out and displayed changes how it is read, meaning the placement of pieces is vital to showing tutors your best power in the shortest amount of fourth dimension. – The Guardian.

Think near the composition of each page – which images are facing each other, whether the colours piece of work well together etc. Consider the relationships between pieces, especially the relationship between sizes, colours and format of work.

Add together greater contrast, crop tighter to make more dramatic compositions. Add together a little more intense color. You'd be surprised how much stronger your work can wait with just a few careful additions. – Karen Kesteloot, a portfolio evolution coach from PortPrep

c) Avoid unnecessary repetition

If you lot are asked to submit a specific number of images, ensure that each of these is a different piece of work. Where a certain number of sheets are asked for, it may exist possible to mountain smaller works onto a single sheet. If you want to submit different angles of one piece of work, it is usually all-time to digitally submit these on one sheet, or as one image. Read the guidelines of the detail university or higher you lot wish to apply to carefully to discover out what is expected.

There is no virtue in quantity alone and candidates should not include multiple colour variations of prints, for example. Duncan of Jordanstone Higher of Art and Design, United Kingdom

Do not include detail photos of work in your portfolio unless you consider them absolutely necessary. Under no circumstance should more than 2 detail shots be included. – Yale School of Art

d) Trim / crop everything in a clean environment and attach to the portfolio (if submitting in hardcopy)

• Make certain work is thoroughly dry and that pages will not stick together
• Make sure work is secured well, with no loose work falling out when pages are opened
• Utilise fixative to stop charcoal, chalk or graphite drawings smudging and ensure that these are not directly facing other artworks in the portfolio. Existing smudges can be erased from drawings using a putty prophylactic, prior to spraying with fixative.
• Avoid fold out flaps, and other irritating formats that may distract or irritate the viewer
• Brand certain photographs are focused, gratis of fingerprints, printed on matt (not-reflective) newspaper and are big plenty to see details clearly
• Don't mount things with distracting borders (it is non commonly necessary to mountain or mat your work); faming work is unnecessary. Let the piece of work stand on its ain. A make clean, professional person and minimal style is unremarkably ideal, equally described higher up.

e) Presentation of digital work (if submitting online or upon DVD or memory stick)

• If you wish to include digital material with a hardcopy submission, ensure that the art school you are applying to is able to view work digital material in particular format (video / CD etc). Check carefully what blazon of new media presentations they accept and accompany this with a printed hardcopy version (screenshots etc) and a note about the programmes used, in case difficulties arise.
• Characterization all digital files sensibly, such equally firstname-lastname-application.pdf rather than 4690243fxz.pdf
• Ensure images reflect the true color and appearance of the artwork and are cropped correctly, without unrelated, disctracting background items
• Ensure moving paradigm or video footage is cropped to a sensible length (admissions staff usually have tight time limitations)
• Consider embedding videos upon your own website, rather than every bit a link to youtube / vimeo. This creates a much more professional backdrop to your application (encounter how to create your own website).
• As with physical submissions, think carefully about the organization and grouping of images.
• Save a tape of all digital submissions as a fill-in!

f) Characterization piece of work clearly simply unobtrusively

• Utilise small, clear writing to label work in a way that doesn't detract from the artwork. If labelling guidelines are not given (sometimes a separate sheet containing details of each epitome is required), label work in the corner or on the opposite with the title, mediums, dimensions, dates and additional info every bit required. Avoid decorative font and excessively large headings.
• Proof for spelling errors and inaccuracies (get someone else to check this too). Make certain all links to digital moving images work.

Want more assistance with applying to Art school?

This article is accompanied by our Guide to the Art school interview (coming soon) – packed with advice from those who accept recently applied. To make sure that you don't miss out on this article, please make sure that you are subscribed to our newsletter using the sign upwards form below!

Amiria has been an Art & Pattern teacher and a Curriculum Co-ordinator for 7 years, responsible for the form pattern and cess of pupil piece of work in ii high-achieving Auckland schools. She has a Bachelor of Architectural Studies, Bachelor of Architecture (First Grade Honours) and a Graduate Diploma of Teaching. Amiria is a CIE Accredited Art & Design Coursework Assessor.

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Source: https://www.studentartguide.com/articles/how-to-make-an-art-portfolio-for-college-or-university

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