#portfolio help

[smolldust]

hey does anyone have any tips for making character design portfolios?

[artificial-radiance]

hey does anyone know good websites to showcase portfolios?

i have a weebly website but its honestly a little annoying to work with; i want to have a site where i can just drag and drop stuff.

in theory i could move my portfolio fully to carrd, but that's not the most ideal

[hood-ex]

A big thanks to everyone who is allowing me to edit their rough drafts for my portfolio! I really appreciate everyone who has messaged me and is going to/has already sent me a rough draft! At this point, I definitely have enough rough drafts to work with, and I won't be needing anymore at this time, but I appreciate anyone who was considering it ✨💙. You guys are the best!!

[kaylinpak]

My accepted portfolio for ArtCenter Illustration 2020

I might write a post giving tips, just as I did when I was accepted to Ringling. I’m open to hearing questions from anyone as well, just dm me!

[xiunens]

hey! I loved your sketchbook, I bought it earlier, and I wanted to say your art is super beautiful// especially your backgrounds/location drawings!?! how do you work up the courage to do those, drawing places irl is a big weakness for me haha

ok first of all im so sorry this took so long for me to reply to but tysm!!! it means a lot to me that u purchased my sketchbook too. 

this is gonna be pretty long-winded so i’ll put it under a cut: 

first of all i don’t consider myself super strong at locational drawing or observational drawing in general, but i was definitely weaker before i started work on my sketchbook. the most important thing to keep in mind is that the only way you can improve is by doing and by getting out of your comfort zone- this isn’t the kind of thing where you can go online and search up pictures or videos, since the entire point is to draw what’s around you. 

that being said, i definitely understand how nerve-wracking it can be! so here are some things i’ve done/continue to do: 

work your way up- start with places you’re comfortable in or where you can be alone. one of the first drawings i made in my sketchbook was just my living room. i also did a lot of drawings on my bus ride home, because it was usually empty. with places like these, i tried to focus on pushing elements like line quality, perspective and going back later with colour to make up for the lack of ‘difficulty’ in these familiar places. you can also work on upping your technical skills (proportion, perspective, colour, etc.) to help up your confidence when you go somewhere new.

go out with friends!!! this is really good and, even outside of working on portfolio, really fun. being able to joke around about our shared nervousness and stuff with my friends really helped make me feel more secure while drawing. not to mention your friends might have know-how or locations they’re familiar with that could be of use to you. 

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS. this is so important! like i mentioned earlier, i took the bus a lot, so a lot of my observational drawings happened on the bus. if you’re stuck at school during a lunch period or waiting for a bus, don’t hesitate to whip out your sketchbook and draw. one big thing i had to learn to get over was my nervousness surrounding time- i often felt like if i only had a certain amount of time there wouldn’t be any point in taking out my sketchbook. but it’s always more worth it to be drawing than not. it’s at times like this that you really have to kind of bite the bullet and draw despite being nervous. i don’t really know how to approach this aside from keeping in mind that your portfolio is really important, and you need to take every chance (within logical reason ofc, please don’t push yourself to the point where it impacts your physical/mental health) you can get to add to it! 

going off the last point, sometimes you just have to start drawing! a lot of the anxiety i felt doing location drawings disappeared as i got into it and started focusing more on myself than how others saw me. remember: you have control! you are the one with the drawing utensil. people and places are just subjects. 

also this is just a personal thing but try using tools like markers and pens instead of pencils- the permanence of the mark they make both forces you to think about what you’re putting on the page and move on to the next line. plus, an eraser is just another thing you’ll have to hold on to, so avoiding them entirely takes away from the stress of possibly dropping them. 

i’m gonna stop here because um. when i said this was gonna be long-winded it turns out i meant it! so i hope this all helps a bit!! good luck on your portfolio!!!!! 

[conversations-with-the-universe]

Fashion institute of technology

If any of my followers/anyone who comes across this post is going or used to go to FIT for fashion design, could you please hmu? I have a lot of questions and need some help. I really want to get into this school and any advice is helpful. Thank you

[archiaesthetic]

Portfolio help: Applying for Architecture at a (UK) University, even if you’ve missed the grades.

So a lot of universities for architecture in the UK ask for AAA (A level grades) or similar (which is a bit unfair considering how many other skills you need to be a good architect, but there you go). This can be quite daunting when you are predicted lower, or already have lower, grades. The good thing is, most of these universities will ask for portfolios - you can use your portfolio to show your talent and still get accepted into these universities. I had a lot of help from lots of different people (architects, teachers, family and friends), so I have collected their tips and tricks, along with my own, to help you through this laborious process:

THINK OF THESE AS FLEXIBLE GUIDELINES, THIS IS NOT THE ‘BE ALL AND END ALL’. USE YOUR INITIATIVE :)

1. Time. Set aside quite a bit of time for your portfolios. Take things steady, and don’t rush. Most of the universities you apply to will have different portfolio criteria, which means creating several different portfolios. If you rush and skip out important parts, the examiners will be able to tell.

2. Quality. Put in work you’re happy with. Show off your strong points. Try not to weaken your portfolio by adding a page you’re not happy with. An examiner would rather see eight good pages, than twelve slighty above average ones. However, don’t worry about a perspective drawing looking slightly wrong or other minute details, the examiner is not going to penalise you for this.

3. Don’t try to be an architect. Leave out house designs, plans etc. You’re going to learn how to become an architect, they don’t want you trying to be one already. What they want to see is your potential.

4. Show variety! This is really important. Different mediums, different subjects, different processes, etc. They want to see a real mixture of what you can do (since whilst studying you will use a massive mixture of different art styles).

5. Good presentation. Personally, I think this is important. Work looks much better when displayed well, and therefore so will you. Use a nice font, and think how to present your images on the page. Have clear titles and captions.

6. Not just school work. Include your own work, done outside of the classroom (unless your artwork is really good and you can get away with it!). I wasn’t happy with the art I had done in school, so almost all of my portfolio contained work I had done in my own time (all around the time I had to submit portfolios). Also something to keep in mind - the work you do now will be better than the work you did a year ago (I wouldn’t recommend using GSCE work).

8. Page order. Not too important but something you will think about. Just think sensibly, make your work flow.

9. Ask for help. Don’t be afraid to ask people for help, ideas or feedback. Feel free to message me for anything, I’d love to help! Another good thing is to try and find people’s portfolios to look at, and draw inspiration / take tips from them (not copy).

10. Have faith in yourself! Believe you can do it and then you can!!

Extra help on what you might want to include:

What examiners might like to see (based off what architects, teachers, tutors & universities have told me):

Life drawing - examiners might like to see one or two pieces, don’t worry about accuracy, it can be an interesting continuous line drawing. I recommend going to a few classes and choosing the best/most interesting.

Buildings / Perspective drawings - you will be drawing lots of buildings after all. Don’t flood your portfolio in them, but I would definitely recommend doing at least two, possibly one (again, stick with what you’re good at, it doesn’t need to be a traditional method of drawing).

Work experience - if you did some work experience at an architect’s office, and you made something (e.g. made a model, built a chair), put it in! Even if it’s not the best thing you’ve ever created, show your processes.

3D work - To show your process and design thoughts. Doesn’t need to be anything amazing. For example, I used cardboard to create random connecting shapes and experimented with light and shadow, which I captured through photography.

Photography - I would definitely include some good and/or interesting photographs, preferably of something architecture related (although not necessary I guess). For example, a series of photographs of a particular building, or a series of something common among several buildings.

Your strengths. As I have mentioned before, show off! Show the examiners what you’re best at, how creative you are, what you will bring to the university.

Making portfolios is a long and stressful process, but definitely worth it. Even with good grades, if you’ve got a crap portfolio the examiner might be less inclined to give you an offer. I worked my arse off for my portfolios,  got 4/5 of my offers (the fifth didn’t ask for a portfolio), missed my needed grades by quite a bit but still got accepted into my first choice - hard work pays off!

I really really hope this helps and I wish you all the bestest of luck. Please don’t hesitate to ask further questions, I will also be happy to give out my portfolios if you would like to see them.

Good luck!!

[kaylinpak]

The ArtCenter Files

I was accepted for the Fall 2020 Illustration program at ArtCenter College of Design. Just like with the post I made after being accepted to Ringling, this one will also be a list of tips I gathered during my application process. This is not a guarantee of your acceptance, but just something to help inform those looking into ArtCenter, primarily for Illustration. (You can skip to number 3 if you just want help on your portfolio.)

1.) BEFORE WORKING ON THE APPLICATION:

Please schedule either an in-person or online meeting with an Admissions counselor first. This is important as no one knows the programs and curriculum better than they do. Just by talking to a counselor about my interests, she was able to help narrow down what major would be a good fit for me, as well as give insight as to what the coursework would look like. (Not to mention portfolio help!)

ArtCenter also has different terms: Fall, Spring, and Summer. You’d have to look for the exact starting dates to determine which term would work best for you, or speak to the counselor. You can schedule a meeting with a counselor by going to ArtCenter’s website; under the Admissions tab, you will see “Schedule an appointment.” If you can’t find it, there’s also the option to either email or call the Admissions desk (both contacts on their website.) 

If you or your parents are at a loss on what to ask the counselor, consider these: Scholarships and how to get them, tuition + costs, terms, curriculum details, what the major is like, show examples of your work + get feedback, and how well-connected the school is (ie internship opportunities).

2.) WORKING ON THE APPLICATION:

If you decided ArtCenter is a good fit, make sure you don’t immediately jump into the portfolio. The Application is equally important; personally I prefer to complete it first. Under the Admissions tab, you will find the link to the Application Requirements page, which lays out all the steps like a checklist. Either bookmark it or write them down so you can keep track what of you’ve completed!

3.) (ILLUSTRATION) PORTFOLIO HELP:

You will be uploading your pieces to ArtCenter’s SlideRoom. There’s a page on ArtCenter’s website that details what the portfolio requires, but I’ll copy and paste it so I can refer to it for the rest of my post. I’m writing this in 2020, so please check the site yourself in case there are changes. 

“Submit 10 to 15 figure drawings from a live model that include both gestural and more developed pieces. Other observational drawings from life are also required such as self-portraits or portraits of others, sketches of animals and scenes from nature and cityscapes. Include imaginative drawings that demonstrate your passion for and understanding of illustration in both color and black and white.

Submit three or more pieces that highlight drawing or painting skills, and show the development of a story or concept. Sketchbooks that display a range of interests and skills are welcome and we recommend a limit of 10 to 15 sketchbook pages submitted as one PDF.”

What if you don’t have any pieces that fit into this? Here are some of my ideas: 

Figure Drawing: If you can, sign up for figure drawing classes. Speaking as someone who has some art school experience, please don’t just search up nude figures and draw those for your portfolio, especially if you’ve never drawn figures before, unless you have absolutely no choice. That’s what I had done in high school, but taking actual figure drawing classes in college made me realize that having a teacher to give you advice and look for your mistakes helps you so much more. Not to mention, you will be training yourself how to quickly capture the human figure, sometimes in 1 minute or less.

Life Drawings/Observations: These are basically “cafe sketches” or observational drawings. Still lives count as long as they are polished. Googling pictures for you to draw for your portfolio should be a last resort! You don’t have to visit any where fancy to make a good portfolio piece; with practice, you can make an interesting drawing out of any subject. Start locally, and then try working out of your comfort zone if needed. First draw your friends, family, pets, rooms, or garden. Then you can move onto parks, zoos, and other public places. 

Sketchbook Pages: You can include less-polished life drawing sketches from your sketchbook in your portfolio. I also recommend sketching out your story ideas, any character designs, story boards, or comics. Be sure to include some color! Even if you think an idea is silly or dumb, sketch it anyways. You’ll then have a larger pool of sketches to choose for your portfolio.

Story Illustrations: Your illustrations do not all have to be paintings, but if you forgo the painting aspect, it should be a really strong drawing (ie with good line work and details.) Despite “illustration” being a broad term, what they are asking for aligns more with illustrations for books, and concept work for movies and games. To get inspiration, search up concept art for movies by Disney, Dreamworks, BlueSky, etc. Remember, don’t get caught too much in the scenery of your piece, your characters and their interactions in your illustration should be the main focus. Be sure to thumbnail your ideas (a rough drawing) and experiment with different composition, angles, and lighting before working on your final piece. If you are still not sure if your idea fits what ArtCenter wants, you can email an admissions counselor your work and ask for their feedback.

Tips I got from an admissions counselor: 

- Slideroom only allows 10-15 upload spaces, but there is a way to work around this if you have more than 15 pieces. You can upload PDF files; SlideRoom acts as though 1 PDF is the same as uploading one “artwork,” therefore only taking up 1 submission space even if your PDF has 10 slides on it. (Great for your figures and sketchbook! Either organize your pieces on Google Slides or PowerPoint, then save it as a PDF file.)

- You should have a mixture of traditional and digital work.

- Your sketchbook pages should feature some color even if they aren’t polished drawings.

- Aside from your illustrations, not everything in your portfolio has to be a finished drawing or “polished.” In fact, if your sketchbook has sketches of animals, landscapes, interior environments etc. that counts as a life drawing submission. 

- The presentation and order of your pieces on SlideRoom are important. Don’t have some random order like “sketchbook, paintings, animals, illustrations.” I don’t know if this is widely accepted at ArtCenter, but for my portfolio, I was told to order it like: Still life paintings, Illustrations, Sketchbook pages, Observation drawings, Figures. The only logic I gleaned from that was it was a gradual shift from the most polished work to the least. Ask a counselor if they have a preferred order.

-  Despite the minimum requirement for story illustrations being three, I was actually asked to do 4, as they felt it would make my portfolio stronger. 

4.) PORTFOLIO VIDEO ESSAY HELP:

Honestly, the site’s description couldn’t have said it any clearer. There is an entire page dedicated to its instructions, but I do have extra tips for this. SlideRoom will have its own page for you to directly upload your video file, but if the file is too big, the best solution is to upload your video essay to YouTube. Instead of submitting the video file directly, what I did was upload a PDF with the YouTube link to my video. (I made a Google Docs, copy and pasted the link, then saved it as a PDF. Yes it is allowed.) Just make sure your video is published publicly. If I can overcome my embarrassment, so can you.

5.) FINAL TIPS:

- Don’t try to study examples of accepted portfolios, as it may cause you to emulate their style or pieces in hopes of getting a higher chance of acceptance. Trust me when I say the reviewers can tell if your work lacks passion or your own creative input. 

- Find out which medium works best for you; some new passion may be discovered just from experimentation. For example, I struggled with figure drawing until I tried using Prismacolor colored pencils, which then became my go-to medium for figures. If you’re feeling bored or uninspired with one medium, go and try something new.

- PLEASE always email the admissions team for help if you’re stuck. You can even send an email asking if there were steps you missed preventing them from reviewing your application. I did, and it saved my butt. Furthermore, keeping in contact with the school in this manner helps to attach a face to an application, and may demonstrate to them that you’re really passionate about getting into the school.

I hope this was helpful, but don’t be afraid to message me with more questions! <3