Presenting Your Portfolio

Presenting Your Portfolio

Art and Design students moving into higher education from Oldham Sixth Form College have a number of routes to consider. Most of these options will ultimately require the production of a portfolio of your work (students applying to Oldham College may not have to do this if they have been recommended by staff for the Compact Agreement however this is not guaranteed and it would be wise to consider this for future reference as any further progression will require a portfolio presentation).

Examples of portfolios on video or stills?

This may seem like a daunting task but it is important to remember that the work you select, present and discuss may make the difference to being accepted or not. Considering this is the next big step in your art career it is worth taking time to prepare it carefully.

Whatever you do, don’t Panic! Unlike your contemporaries applying for academic courses, having a folder of your own work to talk about, that you have had time to prepare, gives you the opportunity to actually show how creative you are and better still – the people interviewing you are themselves artists so they will understand what you are doing.

What is the Portfolio for?

Any institution that you apply to will be interested to know what you have achieved so far. The portfolio will give them a much clearer insight of who you are and what your potential is.

What is a Portfolio?

A portfolio is a folder that contains examples of your art and design work. Professional artists and designers take theirs to job interviews in the same way that you will show your portfolio to the tutors of the courses to which you apply. Portfolios come in all shapes and sizes although Foundation and degree courses tend to be A1 size (if in doubt ask your art tutor). Some students choose not to buy portfolios at this stage and wait to get advice more specific to the course they have chosen in which case the work (portfolio) may just be loosely presented. It is possible to buy cheaper portfolios through the art department than in the high street in which case it would be a good investment for the future (see art staff for current prices).

Getting your work together

It doesn’t matter what you think of your work at this stage, simply get together everything you have done over the last two years even it is work done outside of college. Finished pieces, unfinished pieces, sketches, maquettes, written notes, sketchbooks – everything; by looking through all your work (which may be from a variety of courses or disciplines) you will begin to see relationships emerging between different pieces. The ability to make judgments and to evaluate what you have done is an important part of the creative process. Admission tutors will be assessing to what extent you are able to do these things. Ask for help from your friends on the course and your tutor.

Drawing is a significant part of any art and design programme and it is important that your portfolio reflects this.

Drawing can mean all manner of things such as;

Life drawing
Observational drawing (in a variety of media – both 2D and 3D)
Plans and designs
Sketches and drafts

Whichever course you apply to will want to see your drawings in one form or another because they are evidence of your visual intelligence. Your drawings demonstrate that you can perceive, understand, invent and communicate visually. These abilities are at the core of successful art making.

Sketchbooks are also an essential item to include in your portfolio as they will often show all your workings out, things that you have collected, doodles, scraps of magazine cuttings etc. For some of our courses the sketchbook has been replaced by the flip file but both serve the same purpose. Sketchbooks can be highly personal and therefore very much cherished not just by the maker but by your interviewer. The sketchbook and/or flip file can also demonstrate your ability to thoroughly explore and complete a project which is a good quality to have.

It may be relevant to include unfinished work that is still in progress particularly as this is presumably what you are currently most interested in.

The desire to be creative does not necessarily stop once the lesson ends. Many students do work outside of college that has been influenced by their coursework. Tutors will be particularly interested to see this especially if there are clear links to the coursework. For example Graphic Design students have included photography and CD artwork they have created for local bands. Personal work says a lot about who you are and demonstrates your passion and commitment.

Contextual studies/written work is an integral part of every course run here at college and this will continue as you progress through your art education. It is therefore a good idea to include work that demonstrates your ability to analyse, reflect and express your personal opinion in a critical manner.

Some courses may make specific requests about the type of work you bring along to the interview. For example you may be asked to produce a specific piece of work or told to limit the amount of work you bring. It may be impossible to take certain work because of the scale or it is too fragile. In this case you could take photographs or IT presentations – either way seek advice from both your course tutors or check with the admission tutors. It is always preferable to take original work if possible, and if you do take photographs make sure they are good ones.

Label your portfolio clearly – you don’t want to lose it or let someone else take credit for your hard work.

Enrolling on to evening courses and/or enrichment courses is a good way to add breadth and depth to the work you already have. Once again this will demonstrate your commitment and might fill potential gaps or weaknesses in your portfolio. Ultimately this should be something fun that you want to do and not a chore.

Portfolio reviews and mock interviews are excellent ways of practicing and fine tuning both your portfolio and how you can clearly articulate your ideas to others. Try presenting your work to your friends and family as the more you discuss it the more confident you will feel. Your subject tutor should be able to offer you support and guidance as well. Finally if you leave everything to the last minute it will show and that could be disastrous. If you really want to get on to a specific course at a specific institution you had better make sure you are properly prepared. Make as many mistakes as you like in the preparation and lead up to your interview – that way you should feel a lot more confident and relaxed about the real thing when the time comes.