What would the perfect art school admissions portfolio comprise of?
I’m just looking for suggestions for different types of pieces to include in a portfolio for admissions to an art college. What did you have in yours? Did any specific pieces provoke the attention of admissions in your interview? What do you think they liked best?
Just tell me your story! 
and if it makes a difference I am applying to transfer to the Cleveland Institute of Art for next fall. Currently though I am attending a community college.
By: allison
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Filed under Drawing & Illustration by on Jan 10th, 2010. 
Comments on What would the perfect art school admissions portfolio comprise of?
Marketing Strategies
Lots and lots of still lives.
Drawing from real life, and not a photograph.
Sketches, journals, unfinished doodles.
Pieces that pertain to the major you’re going into.
Anything you’ve created in community college and/or on your own – if they’re too big to bring along, take good pictures of them from all angles.
I have lots of visual journals, stenciled pieces, gesture drawings, fashion sketches…I never presented my portfolio because my plans changed rather quickly (I’m at a community college too), but I’ve gotten feedback from a few teachers/profs. Anything you’ve made, whether you like it or not, will give you a good start.
Good luck!
Marketing Strategies
One that perfectly fulfills the requirements set by the school you are hoping to attend!
What are THEY asking from you? Are you applying for general admission to a program all freshman will be attending, or transferring into a specific department (like graphic design or other major)? That will make all the difference in what would comprise the “perfect” portfolio.
When I applied to RISD in the 1970s, they wanted to see slides of your
work. But they also had a drawing asignment for everyone who applied, regardless of what that student planned to major in (at RISD you were accepted into a Foundation program for freshmen, and didn’t get to specialize until the next year). They assigned three drawings of specific subjects (a bicycle, a shoe, and something else I cant remember now); the drawings all had to be a specific size and medium.
The quality of those drawings made a huge difference in whether you were accepted or not. And the portfolios were not reviewed in person. So no one can say what EXACTLY did the trick and got them in.
Every school is different, though. You need to know exactly what the Cleveland Institute of Art wants from their applicants, and fulfill that, before you start innovating.