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

Art foundation portfolio?

  • i plan to begin apply for an art foundation withing the next week and i was wondering how much work would your portfolio have to contain? i have checked various college websites and they all say you need to provide a portfolio but do not specify on how much, from personal experience has anyone got and advice for me? and if anyone one knows of any key items that would make it stand out that would be great :)

  • Answer:

    Different schools and different programs are going to want different things. The schools you are applying for will be able to give a detailed list of what is expected for entrance into their program. Check out the portfolio guidelines for schools like SCAD, CalArts, and RISD to get some good ideas, also. Generally speaking, though, you want to pick out your best works. Don't throw in mediocre work to get in variety or because it is what you think they will want to see. You have to show off your skills AND your ability to judge your work. Show them you can tell what is good from what is bad. That said, most schools will want to see good composition, good use of color, and experimentation with different media. Usually they will want to see around 20-25 pieces, with one sketchbook counting as one piece. Absolutely include sketchbooks, especially if they are full and well-developed. Sketchbooks allow thenm to see your passion for drawing and your process for thinking about and creating art. Definitely put in some life drawing (clothed or nudes). Show some perspective drawing , still lifes, and even abstract or design work if it is good. Include graphite, pastel, oil or acrylic painting, and digital work, if you have it. Include sculpture to show that you are able to visualze in three dimenions. Mixed media and experimentation are good, too! As for making yourself stand out, that will come from your skill. Focus on making your pieces as good as possible. Push yourself. Try things that seem strange or difficult to you. Research working artists and see if you find any techniques you'd like to try. Personal expression is important as is social responsibility. Do you have anything to say? Mostly, reveiwers will not be expecting to see too much of your voice yet, but if you want to say something with your art, you will stand out. If you show that you are willing to experiment, work hard, and that you are thinking about the art you are making, the will see potential in you to be a great student. However, this is also for your development as an artist. It is good to want to improve your portfolio, but keep in mind making art is supposed to be about improving your craft and your expression, not just about creating what a review committee will want to see. Developing your portfolio is an ongoing and longterm process that cannot be done in a rush. Good luck and happy creating!

Ryan G at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

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Im halfway through a foundation at the moment. When i had my interview it was really messy, i applied really late and wasnt really aware what to bring so i just took along everything i had, couple of sketchbooks, an a3 portfolio of around 10 pieces, and got on the course no trouble The important thing is showing that you're passionate about the subject and getting a range of different good quality pieces, they will be a lot more impressed seeing a keen interest from you and 5 - 10 diverse pieces, rather than seeing you looking bored and undecided with 20 incomplete pieces that all look similar. I would include life drawing and still life as essentials, in pencil, charcoal, paints, this shows off your raw ability to draw and dabble in different media, if you put in one or two of each, thats 6 -12 already, other things you could add as extras are collages, graphics, photography, any other areas that you're interested in. Dont worry too much at this stage at getting a really impressive portfolio together, obviously put in all your best bits, but it doesnt matter if they're not mind blowingly awesome, they arent expecting that for a foundation course, that's what the course is for, to devlop your skills, they just want to see your potential

KooKoo Molookoo

If in Doubt = take it along - You really should get more support from your school college on what to include. My students have a good idea about (well 95% of them lol) what to take to interview in the log books and accompanying art work. They like to see mistakes, and how you overcome the problem. I am a total faschist, as I make my students do lots of hand/feet studies, as well as half and half celebrety pictures and self portraits to fill the log book acompanying thier figure study work. Likewise, they get a rough time with me on still life, I make them handwrite an essay - which always makes them stand out and get onto the course. 5 of my past students last year went directly from a level art onto degree courses. But I teach in a small independant bording school, and they have three hours prep each evening, with myself to ask question from, 4 days a week. When I taught in the state school system, many really talented kids had far too little sketchbook activity to back up thier work - let alone subject log books to accompany work. Use the mediocre work to demostrate that you have experimented, and put comments on or beside it in a log book, to show where you are going to take this work, and to show them you can tell the difference between good, bad and ugly. Still life log is a great place to show some good composition, Colour, and Chiarosura (light and dark). Show some play with dry, but use all the wet media. Figure is a great place to play with Dry media. You should have a sketchbook or two, and if you edit the contents into an book supporting your picture theme, it becomes a log book. Landscape is a great place to show some perspective drawing , If you have it abstract, photos, sculpture - go for it.

DAVID C

the more the merrier. though you dont want it 6 inches thick. it also depends on where you plan to study. The Royal Acadamy for example is very traditional so would only want to see life drawings, portraits, landscapes etc... where other universities are more general, so would like to see a range of work. its a good idea to put in work of different types and styles. the more variety the better. you can also add notes, sketches, storyboeards etc as they are very interested in how you think. this is important to remember... they know you can draw, you wouldn't be there if you couldn't. they want to see what else you can do, and how you go about doing it. it is ok to use photos, even video or cd,dvd if you are using video work. it would also be useful to have a completed workbook in there showing your art making process from concept to finished artwork. the othe thing to not is when they view your portfolio, they send you out of the room first. so you need to get your message across without being there. they will call you in to ask questions later. another tip. don't clump all your good work together. put one at the front and back so they get a good first and last impression. just space the rest out in the middle. BA(Hons) FMA. Fine Art

Col

when i went to collage to do an intermediate course i just gave every thing into mine so they could see all the stuff i had done same as when i did advanced course my moto is you can never have to much

aaroncurtis01

Yes, I've been wondering the same thing! I would really appreciate some help/clarification!

Arcare

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