Building your portfolio

[lindamulder]

I wrote all the text to go with each piece, and numbered them ( I wanted to do the numbering, it was not a requirement)

Visually I wanted to contain the text, much like the plaques in galleries so I contained the text in a box.

I don't know about the US, but probably anywhere else the metric measurement should come first. I printed all the text out on good quality white paper. I then used a paper cutter to cut because I don't trust my hand to cut straight. It has to look good!

I also had to prepare a Statement of Expectations (which is included with the portfolio) and I made sure that the text for everything was the same. I also used the same font on the companion web site.

Now I gathered all my materials and was ready to put the whole thing together.

[lindamulder]

Phew...this is a lot of work. So I laid a couple of photos and sketches out on the black paper that came with the portfolio. I did not like it. I had also read that the pages should be either white or black so I mad the decision to go with white. Found some good white paper from a Canson sketch book and cut the sheets down to size with a paper cutter.

Here the sketch is mounted on the white paper.

For mounting I used clear photo corners for the original works since I may want to remove the works later and I used two sided tapes for the photos. You can find the clear photo corners at photo stores and the tapes come in a handy dispenser if you buy them at a scrapbooking store. Bonus is that they are acid free.

Did I mention that I had a letter of reference? I did and I contacted the school and asked if they would appreciate the letter as well and the program director let me know that it would definately help so I included that with the portfolio as well. After all it is an admissions portfolio.


Also, if you are including work that displays the long way on the page then you need to face it to be viewed from the right. I also then faced my text in the same direction.


Well I will hope and pray now because it goes in the mail tomorrow. No I am not sending it regular mail. I would take it in person, but the school is 3000 miles away. I will be sending it overnight delivery and a signature will be required.

So thank you for listening. I hope it helped to see someone going through the process. If you are a pro and you see what I did wrong, don't tell me until after I hear whether I got in or not.

PS you can view the companion site at www.stateofjoyce.com and thank you jennakate; your cutlery inspired me and I included a sketch of cutlery too. Don't know if it looks the same (your page with your portfolio sample is unavailable-EDIT:yes I tried again and there it was-our cutlery is different but we draw similar don't you think?), but the fork and spoon were cutlery that belonged to my mom and dad.

[jennakate]

You have some nice stuff there... I especially like the apple paining, Lee from America, and Bourtange Gate.

Good luck with your application!

jennakate

[lindamulder]

Thanks jennakate. I get a lot of comments on the apple and Lee is my favourite portrait so far.

So the good news is...drum roll...I have been accepted to the program! I start full time in the fall. The program I applied for is a Fine Arts Diploma, which has a second component where you re-apply for the third and fourth year Degree program. It is in conjunction with Emily Carr and when completed one (I will) have a Fine Arts Degree from Emily Carr!

I am so excited I can hardly stand it!!

[jennakate]

Woo hoo for you!!!!


It is very exciting, isn't it? I'm still doing my happy dance!

jenna kate

[Roodboy]

thanks to the autor, you can write a book =)

[Piper.A]

ok i'm sorry if this is a stupid question, but i keep reading about slides
of portfolio works. one does not need slides if one is presenting one's portfolio in person, right?

also, if i am presenting my portfolio in person, i can then plan all my works
to be just the right size. however, i was wondering if the school would prefer to see slides of some works that are too large to bring along, for the simple reason that they like to know you can work on a large scale?

one more question. does the size of one's sketchbook matter?
i tend to use those little moleskine sketch and watercolour books.
are they acceptable or should i start using something larger?

thank you! and great thread. very very helpful.

[vhere]

Originally Posted by Dreams-of-Flight

I have just successfully applied to art school in the UK, and found this thread very helpful, thank you to all contributors for their advice!

My interviewer said that what they look for in applicants are artists who are open to new ideas & willing to experiment - and added that some applications had failed because the applicants had very fixed, rigid ideas about art and so were not receptive to being taught. Evidence of use of a wide range of media, especially the use of unusual materials carried a lot of weight. Involvement with the arts through attending exhibitions, spending time with other arts and membership of art groups & exhibitions of own work was important, as it helped show a strong commitment to art.

I was asked about the influences of my art, which exhibitions of major artists I had attended, and which contemporary artists I admired, and which of their work I particularly liked, and why. (So, do your homework on this one if you want to name someone obscure! Imagine how embarrassing it could be if you were asked these questions & couldn't answer?) This is a quick way for interviewers to test your historical and contextual knowledge of art, it might be helpful to write a short essay based on these questions if you get really nervous at interviews?

Interestingly, my annotated sketchbook was examined far more closely and for longer than my other portfolio work, the interviewer said that you could learn far more about an artist from the sketchbook than the finished work.

Good luck to anyone else applying to art school!

I remember your original request and congratulations on getting accepted!

what you say above is spot on for the UK - an open mind and wish to learn and experiment is essential, you won't get in without.

Life drawing was also something they wanted to see - and the annotated sketchbooks. That's where ideas, imagination, the way you think around a subject and skills that you may not even know you have can be seen.

one of my friends who is a university lecturer had one applicant ask if coming to uni they'd 'teach him to paint trees' he wasn't accepted!

[Gerard Sternik]

If you are presenting your portfolio in person, generally schools want to see the real art works.
If you have done a huge work of art, bringing visual documentation makes it possible for others to view it.
However, if your doing an interview in person, I'd bring something that is a photo,digital print etc of your work rather than a slide if you need one,.
Slides are hard to make out, when you have to hold them up to the light etc, just to see the image.
Make it easy and pleasurable for the person viewing your art to see it.
A nice, in focus photo print of your monumental sculpture or painting would do it!

The size of your work is unimportant, compared to its quality.

Only bring your best work to the interview no matter what size it is.

Sketchbook size is unimportant.

We just had one of our students apply to OCAD here in Toronto.
If I can get a few samples from his portfolio, I'll post them here to help you get an idea of what works.

Cheers!

Gerard Sternik / Director

Animation Portfolio Workshop
http://www.portfolioworkshop.com/

[thom futrell]

very informative! Thanks for sharing this!

[glace]

When I usually think of portfolios, I think of the actual works themselves in a huge folder, but since digital is the norm now, is it a bit advantageous to use a user made website with works there as a portfolio along with any statements and such? Or is it wise to have both? Or maybe just the traditional way?

[thom futrell]

Thanks for the information