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A portfolio is a portable selection of artwork. It shows your creativity and potential, and can be used to assess what courses will suit you best. So it is important to spend time preparing it.
We strongly advise prospective students to visit college Open Days to find out about a particular course they are interested in, as portfolio criteria can differ from course to course.
As soon as your portfolio is opened it must capture attention. To help you achieve this, here are some general guidelines:
Preparation: be prepared to adapt the portfolio according to the course you are applying to (just like you would a CV or personal statement).
Sequence: the portfolio should be well organised - so that whoever looks through it understands how you develop your ideas and how you move from one idea to the next. Also include notebooks and sketchbooks.
Scope: show the range of what you can do, concentrating on recent work. Include visual and other background research, sketches, models and prototypes – not just the finished work.
Context: it should show whatever interests you, and how it influences the work you are passionate about – fashion, music, sport, and environment … whatever.
Content: provide a table of contents attached to the inside front cover of the portfolio.
Selection: be choosy: pick work that shows ideas, skills and media which you want to explore further in the course that you would like to do. Don’t include too much and avoid repetition of one kind of work just because you think you are good at it. Generally 15 to 20 items for a portfolio should be enough.
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Identifying yourself: if you include work that was generated as a group project, highlight what your role was in the collaboration and include a signed confirmation that the work included is your own.
Explanation: the portfolio should make sense on its own. Label each piece of work with your name, a brief description and the context e.g. say what medium it is executed in and how long you spent doing it. Is it a project, self-generated, part of a group activity etc?
Format: it may be possible to submit your portfolio as a CD. If you do this, check well in advance that this is acceptable, so that the digital files can be viewed by the interview panel. For example chose an accessible format that is compliant with PCs and Macs.
Imaging: when photographing or scanning your work, make sure the resolution is high. If you are showing movies, animation or performance, include an edited showreel – taking into account all the points listed above.
An objective eye: you may find it helps to ask a friend or a tutor to look at your portfolio to see if it shows you to your best advantage.
Labelling: make sure your portfolio is clearly labelled with your name, contact details, and the course you’re applying to – on the spine and on the front, if possible.
Portability: last, but not least, make sure you can carry your portfolio. You may need to walk with it, take it on and off various kinds of public and private transport and deliver it in a clean and presentable condition.
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