Monday, June 13, 2016

A Handy Guide To Creating A Great Art Portfolio

By Betty Edwards


If you are an aspiring visual artist who desires to enhance their skills in a professional academic setting, then you should consider applying for art school. There are plenty of top colleges and universities with exceptional arts programs, and even specialized institutions dedicated to exclusively teaching art to students. So when you want to realize your creative pursuits, you must first impress the admissions office by sending a great portfolio submission via these helpful guidelines.

Your first order of business is to determine the specific submission requirements of the schools that you are applying to. You need to know whether they want applicants to submit essays on advanced color theory or video documentation of their previous works. Knowing such details will give you ample time to prepare everything that you must check off your list of things to do.

Learning how to draw or sketch is a vital skill since a lot of visual artists begin their projects by creating two dimensional studies rendered in pencil or ink on paper. That is why it is necessary for you to keep several sketchbooks drawing implements on hand whenever inspiration strikes at unexpected moments. Use these as possible inclusions to your portfolio submission.

When curating your portfolio, it is best to get inspired by themes and elements which you can personally relate to. A good rule of thumb to follow is to sift through your personal experiences which can be the thematic basis of your artwork creations. Admissions officers will appreciate you more if you are able to successfully put yourself into the work.

Another viable option to squeeze out those percolating creative juices is to confront thematic elements you may not be necessarily familiar with or be comfortable in interpreting. Such routes are considered daunting, but artists in general always love a good challenge to conquer. Face your fears, and you may just surprise yourself with the results being produced.

Even if you happen to work in multiple mediums, you should try and focus on your particular core strength so others will see your distinctive signature as an artist. For example, if you happen to be exceptionally skilled in photography, then feature more of your photos alongside your three dimensional works. Never forget to apply a critical editing eye when selecting choice pieces.

Before submitting your art school application, you should think about having professional artists critique your work so you could gauge their opinions. Expect to get frank and objective criticism, so do try to remember that they are judging your pieces and not launching a personal attack towards you. Learn to control your emotions when confronted with tough commentaries.

Parallel to the previous point, you must not allow yourself to become a doormat for critics. Show some backbone and be your own ardent defender of your artwork. You will ultimately gain the respect of others if you show them you are not just an artist driven by emotions, but one who also happens to be erudite, articulate, and knowledgeable about art.

The challenges you will face when applying for a coveted position in an esteemed art school is rather intimidating. But when you submit your exceptionally edited portfolio as advised by the tips listed above, you might just have a good chance at being accepted. Always remember to follow your heart but also to never allow your ego to get the best of you.




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