[Plouffe]

Well i can go to college in 6 months but i have decided i am not READY so im doing an extra year of highshool ( well not an extra year but doing my OAC grade 13). I live in canada. Anyways ive decided which college i would like to get into: Sheridan College in Toronto. I hava a few questions so hear goes:

Im a bit confused, i mean that i dont have a portfolio so to speak. I have art but nothing that i would put in a portfolio. I was wondering what type of work they EXPECT to see. Hey im just 17 years old and i want to go to that art school to learn to do stuff right but do they expect to see in your portfolio that you are a ART GENIUS?? hmm how can i explain. Do they expect your work to be professsional quality in your portfolio?

if they expect good stuff why doesnt highschool prepare you for such a portfolio? Right now in my art program we learn all the basics for example. Colour theory, how to paint with acrilycs, oil painting, life drawings with a naked model in front ( YES A NAKED MODEL AT SCHOOL )Im in a art highschool concentration which means you get 3 art courses every school year. Well the school is a normal highshool for people who just want learn but for those who want to specialize in arts or dancing or theater well it has special PRograms.ANyways And i love what we are doing since it is teaching me alot But everything we do are exercices.

Oh and i wrote an email to The orientation center at sheridan college asking what they were looking for in a portfolio and the answer i got was that they had a convention or an open door day and told me to bring my portfolio and they would tell me what to leave in and take out and what i should add. But just one prob i live like 6 hours away (OTTAWA)

Oh and does EVERYTHING have to be tradiotionnal media for such a portfolio or lets say if you do everything on the computer is that acceptable? I do most my stuff traditionally.

What is the best way to put your portfolio together? Cdrom, just plain photocopies.

If anyone here is in college or went to college and have some pictures they put in their portfolio (ONLINE) i would really appreciate to take a look or if you would like to email me.

SORRY how disorganised this post is . Like i said IM CONFUSED and i hope people take and answer this =)

Thank you peace out.

[edit]

CRappy Sorry i just went back and i saw ceenda (Sorry for the spelling ) had a post about portfolios but it doesnt quite answer my questions. SORRY AGAIN Pls dont flame me.


[This message has been edited by Plouffe (edited January 26, 2001).]

[dr . bang]

About the portfolio, well, Algonquinc i applied to sent me a portfolio requirements and it told me everythiing i needed to do in a portfolio. If you register for Sheridan, I'm sure they'll send you all thing you should have in a portfolio.

My college asks for a portfolio, not on a cd rom or on a website... I dont know about the other school but i guess its the same thing. I think colleges don't expect highschool students create cd rom portolio and all otther complicated stuff.

Just to make sure, have a portfolio ready. And remmeber, they'll interview you too.

And remmeber to include 1 or 2 traditional stuff just to show them that you're not just good at computer arts.

Hope that helps



[This message has been edited by dr . bang (edited January 27, 2001).]

[opticillusion]

Hey Plouffe,
I just got done about two weeks ago with filling out apps and turning in portfolios. Like what bang said, usually the school will provide what they like to see in a portfolio, and what format to present it in. Key note here: Call up their admissions, tell them who you are, and ask them how your portfolio should be presented. They really like hearing questions and stuff like that...

I can tell you a generalization I can make as to what you should have in your portfolio, cause I applied to three, and all said they look at life drawings and observational drawings the most. Two of three wanted humans and animals in motion. And they don't want you erasing contruction lines so they can see how you "think" and construct a drawing.

Also, a wide variety of work is also a good thing. It shows you're willing to branch into other areas of art. So if you have digital stuff, throw it in. Paintings, put those in too. But just include from 10 to 20 drawings from life...(Sheridan might require differently of course, but if they don't have a limit, send as much good ones you have).

As far as format, slides are very universal. I would definately, prolly a month before you turn in your app to Sheridan, shoot all your work onto slides. One good thing about doing this, is you can get an extra duplicate, and save all your highschool stuff in your "archive". Then, schools differ on how the slides should be presented. One school wanted them in a slide reel, the others wanted in plastic sleeves.

So my advice is, call them up, talk to the admissions people about presented, or material you should include, and be sure to have as much life drawing, (humans, life, and animals) as you can. Then you can select your favorites to submit.

Hope this helps you out, and good luck

[opticillusion]

Sure, no problem.

I sent my portfolio in a little booklet, for them to flip through. I had a cover letter with my artist statement, and an "invitation" to my website (Metavisuals.com). Then on the next two pages are the index to the slides that are included:

Page 1:

Full size ->

Page 2:

Full size->

Then, I put selected hard copies in the remaining pages, like printed computer stuff, works that weren't on the slides, and more life drawings.

That is just how I did it. There was no requirement for a booklet, or an index with pictures. I just thought I'd try something to make it stand out a bit more.

[edits: Had trouble with the linking on the pics...]

[This message has been edited by opticillusion (edited January 27, 2001).]

[Plouffe]

Hey thats a cool idea =).But how did you make those pages?? on the computer? with what program.

ANyways So you have the slides but do you show a bigger image size then the thumname of the image in the slides??? Or is your whole portfolio mostly little slides with a description beside if?

Very professional =). Just seeing the pics you put in your portfolio brought a smile to my face. The pics are not as complexe as i thought they would be. Great thanx sooo much.
Great art and great portfolio I hope you make it in what ever school you applied to =) Good luck.. Keep me posted...

[opticillusion]

Thanks for the comments. I made the pages with Photoshop. Size, medium, date, and title are standard to include with slides. The thumbnails are there to help aid them when they're looking at them projected on the screen. Also, I don't want to send them the original 18 x 24 inch, or even smaller ones to them cause I don't want them lost. So, if you want to send copies along with slides, or to supplement them, then laser copies are the best way to do that. I did print out, for example, Redwall, Babbalu, Leo, as well as the gasmask pic I did, the basketball one, all at original size as well, only because the major I am applying to is character animation.

Good luck to you as well

[Plouffe]

Optical Thanx alot but like i said i did drop them an email and they said that they want me to go their. Anywyas i will make sure sometime this year to know what i have to put in my portfolio so that i can take the time to draw what they want =) Good thing im taking an extra year of highschool if i didnt i think i would be screwed.

Optical i still very curious what you put in your portfolio. WOUld you be kind enough to scan a few drawings in and show me what EXACTly you did put in yours. Would REALLY REALLY help me. OR anyone for that matter.
Ive really never seen a portfolio for school applications, ive only seen the professional type portfolio with the whole nie yards =) ...

Thanx again peace out