"There is no formula for an acceptable
portfolio, but you should submit your best, most recent work
representing your personal interests and you abilities."
Traditional
Portfolio Tips
A portfolio is a collection
of your best art work. You'll begin to develop your portfolio
through projects assigned in your art classes as well as your
own sketch book drawings, design projects, photography, etc.
Not only is your resume important in getting a job, but also
having a portfolio which shows your design style, your technical
skills, and your creative ideas. You will find that a good portfolio
( as well as a good education) is your ticket to a great career
in art!
Your portfolio should
be a record of your strengths, your individual growth, and most
importantly, your interests. Your portfolio work may be in any
media (drawings, paintings, linoleum block or woodcut prints,
multimedia or any combination of the above (mixed media), poetry,
sculpture, videotapes, sketchbooks, design projects, short stories,
photography, etc.), may be finished or in sketch form, and may
be from an assigned class project or self-directed. Your portfolio
is simply a collection of your very best art work.
Students are encouraged
to contact the college of their choice and review admissions
and curricula requirements as early as possible. College admission
procedures and specific portfolio requirements will vary. These
guidelines were developed to provide a basic overview of portfolio
preparation.
The best way to put together
a portfolio is to select 10 to 20 pieces of recent, original
work that demonstrate your strengths and experience in drawing
and design as well as in areas of particular interest to you.
The selection of pieces in your portfolio tell a great deal about
you, so choose thoughtfully and carefully those pieces you think
best demonstrate your talent and potential for further development
in art and design. Although there are no "right" or
"wrong" pieces to include in your portfolio, there
are certain common elements to include:
Size Does Matter!
Portfolios or shipping boxes should not exceed 26" x
36". A size of 21" x 26", including matting or
mounting is usually preferred. Mounted/matted format size should
be determined by portfolio case sizes. Work should be neatly
matted or mounted. All work must fit inside the portfolio case.
8" x 10" minimum print size.
Drawings
The ability to draw is fundamental to all the visual arts. It's
an important method of recording, analyzing and visually transforming
your environment and ideas. Drawings from observation are preferable
to those that are merely copies of photographs or of other artists'
work. You can present landscapes, self-portraits, figure drawings,
mechanical drawings, drafting projects, or still lifes. Examples
may include:
The use of various spatial
systems, such as linear perspective, the illusion of three-dimensional
forms, aerial views, and other ways of creating and organizing
space.
The use of various subjects,
such as the human figure, landscape, still-life objects, etc.
A self portrait!
The use of various kinds
of content, such as that derived from observation; an expressionistic
viewpoint; imaginary or psychological imagery; social commentary/political
statements; and other personal interests.
The use of pencil, brush,
crayon, pastel, charcoal, pen and ink, monotype and other printmaking
processes, markers, collage, montage, oil, acrylic or watercolor
paints, and other media and techniques.
Work in Color
Your use of color is an important factor. A variety of media
should be represented, reflecting the breadth of your experimentation
with such materials as watercolor, pastel, oil, gouache, collage,
graphic design, web or other interactive media, or mixed media.
Select work in which the color and design principles are used
effectively-choose your strongest work. Indicate on the slide
the principle or problem addressed by the work. here a a few
examples of color/design works:
Color theory, such as
that embodied in Fauvism, Expressionism, etc.
Color organization (i.e.,
primary, secondary, tertiary, analogous, etc.)
Color used to create
or intensity expression
Positive/negative or
figure/ground relationships
Development of a modular
design or repeated pattern
Typographic organization,
layout or logo
Graphic designs for posters,
book jackets, etc. (Include some typography or hand lettering)
Industrial or product
design
Design Work
Some of your pieces should demonstrate your understanding of
two-dimensional design. The use of letter forms, graphic design,
web or other interactive media, the composition of a photograph,
the arrangement of shapes and patterns are all part of 2-D design.
3D work such as sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, weaving or architectural
models are a welcome addition. 3D artworks explore length, width
and depth, pushing and pulling forms to interact with space.
These works may include sculpture, ceramics, jewelry furniture,
fiber, or design models. For example:
Work that embodies line,
plane, mass , or volume
Work that demonstrates
modular development
Work that uses light
or shadow to determine form, with particular attention to surface
and interior space
Works that demonstrates
and understanding of symmetry, asymmetry, balance, anomaly, or
rhythm
Work that focuses on
transitions, such as organic to mechanical
Assemblage or constructive
work that demonstrates transformation of material or identity
Work that uses texture
or form or expression
Sketch /Idea
Book Although not required, a sketch book can be an important
part of the portfolio presentation. Your development of an idea
often tells as much about you as the finished product, showing
what you relate to and how you work.
Optional
If you haven't taken art classes- or even if you have-it's important
to present other sorts of work that show your interest in matters
relating to art and design. For example, if you've build models,
designed or constructed stage sets, custom-painted a car, designed
clothing, built a desk, created a garden, or have done anything
else that you feel is particularly revealing of your artistic
sensibilities and accomplishments, you should present it and
explain why it's meaningful to you. How you organize and present
your thoughts about your work is an important as what you show
in demonstrating your abilities.
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