Show your stuff with an art school portfolio.
When selecting appropriate candidates for art school admission, admission committees often rely heavily on student portfolios. By inspecting these portfolios, admission committees work to determine whether the candidates' skills and style are a proper fit for the art school in question. By carefully preparing an art portfolio that is reflective of your abilities, you can increase the likelihood of gaining admission to the art school of your dreams.
Instructions
1. Review the specific guidelines for the school for which you are applying. Many schools have pre-set guidelines for student portfolios, as the admissions committee reviews the submitted portfolios looking for specific artistic elements. Contact the admissions department or carefully review the art school admissions packet to locate requirements set by your school of choice.
2. Select a portfolio holder. When picking a portfolio file, look for a case that is large enough to comfortably hold your work. To do this, consider the sizes of the pieces that you would like to include. The New York Foundation for the Arts suggests that artists not spend too much time worrying about the portfolio case, it is intended to be strictly a utility tool and not subject to inspection for aesthetic value.
3. Include an array of works that demonstrate numerous artistic skills. Artists should include between 10 and 20 pieces in their portfolios, suggests the New York Foundation for the Arts. By including a reasonably sized array of works you ensure that the committee can obtain a clear picture of you as an artist.
4. Select pieces that demonstrate your drawing skills. Even if drawing is not your forte, you should include some simple drawing works. Select works that illustrate your ability to create light and shadow and reproduce the human form or a set scene.
5. Include works that show your grasp of color usage. Admissions committees commonly want to see that you understand the relationship between colors. Include colorful pieces that show your use of contrast and demonstrate your comprehension of the aesthetic principles of color usage.
6. Incorporate graphic design works. If you have produced computer aided graphic work throughout your art study, include these pieces as well. Many art students mistakenly fail to include pieces that they did not produce by hand. As digital design tools continue to increase in prevalence, an ever growing number of art schools look for works that demonstrate technological skill in your portfolio.
7. Include copies or images of uncommon media projects. Craft arts also demonstrate your understanding of beauty. If you are adept at producing jewelry, quilting or completing any other nontraditional art technique, include images of what you have done in these mediums to demonstrate your versatility as an artist.
