How to make an art portfolio for a college on my own?

How to Make an Art Portfolio for a College Application

• Answer:

  Applying for college can be stressful. The paperwork, the tests and contacting different people can be difficult. If you are applying at an art school as an art major or for art scholarships, you may have the additional task of sending in your art portfolio. Remember to carefully read and follow the instructions in your application to ensure you are sending in everything correctly. Difficulty: Moderate Things You'll Need Camera 3 to 5 of your best art works Computer Photo-editing software Printer Photo paper Scissors or razor Matte board Ruler Double-sided tape Instructions Create Your Portfolio Take photos or scans of your work. The school should tell you how many examples of your work they are looking for. Most will ask to see three pieces, but they may ask for more. Depending on your medium, you will need to choose the appropriate method to best show your work. If you work in ceramics or other three-dimensional materials, you should take a photo that clearly shows the work. The photo should have the work neatly centered and clearly show what you've done. You may choose take a close-up shot for a detailed look. If you do this, you should bring the images together in photo-editing software before printing. If you work in painting, pastels or other drawing processes, you may not want to send your original work. In that case, take a clear photo of the work showing as much detail as possible. You also may choose to scan the original work. Scanning often shows the greatest detail and should work great for a painting. Edit the photos. In the photo-editing software, you should edit each photo or scan of your art work to the same size (9 by 5 is the conventional size). Each photo and scan should also be at a minimum of 300 dots per inch (dpi). If you know how, you may also adjust the colors to bring out the clearest, cleanest color possible. Save each photo as a .jpg and .pdf file with the title, your name and date as the document name. The file should read Title_YourName_10Sep2010.jpg. If you are applying online, submit each photo through the online process or through email. Many art schools require an online application that will contain detailed instructions on how to submit your files. If you are sending the images through email, be sure to include how many photos are attached in the body of the email. You should write a friendly professional email describing your work and why you are a great addition to the school. The email should be brief and to the point. Be sure to attach the files of your work. Edit your email then send it to the school. The steps for preparing the photos for mailing are outlined below. Print the photos. The photos should all be printed on high quality white photo paper. The photos should be printed at 9 by 5 size (or the same size you made the images in the photo-editing software). The photo will be printed with a border. If you would like the image to be full-bleed, the color goes off the edges, then you will need to carefully trim the image with a razor or scissors. Mount the photos. Each photo should be presented on black, gray or white matte board. Carefully cut each matte board to the same size. Traditionally, you should leave about 3 inches square around the border of each photo. (If your photos are 9 by 5, the matte board should be cut to 12 by 8.) Then carefully paste each photo in the center of the matte board. Name, sign and date your work. Just under the left bottom edge of the photo on the matte board write the title of your piece, under the center bottom of the photo write the date the piece was created and under the right bottom edge of the photo sign your name. Each piece you send in should be titled (even if the title is "untitled"), dated and signed. Send in your application. Try to keep your art work and your application together. Everything should be included in the same package. If the art school indicates it would like the application separately, follow its instructions. You may choose to include a cover letter (the school may or may not ask for one). In the letter briefly describe your artwork, why you would be a great addition to the school and include the titles of your included work. Tips & Warnings Tip: If possible, ask a teacher at your school for help with any of these steps. Warning: Read each university's instructions for the application process. Make sure you follow their instructions exactly.