SHOWING YOUR ORIGINAL ARTWORK TO COLLEGES
Colleges invite qualified applicants to present their portfolio of original art. Got butterflies about your portfolio review appointment? NEWS FLASH! All artists feel that way and the college admissions advisers knows that. I wish I could tell you those butterflies go away with age and experience; but they don’t, what does change is your ability to relax under pressure. Here is a list of helpful tips.
WHAT TO BRING
Colleges and admission advisers differ so ALWAYS ASK what is expected. This list covers the basics.
- Present your strongest 8 to 12 works of art.
- IF you are presenting a series of 2D artwork, as in a story board or triptych, call your admissions adviser for instructions.
- Small scale 3D sculptures or crafts require a simple, compact display. A portfolio of additional pieces with accurate measurements is commonly presented by professionals.
- Large scale artwork can be impressive but difficult to present. Accurate measurements are important. Well lit, high resolution photographs allow the viewer to zoom in for a close up on details.
- A list of your art is REQUIRED. An art list includes a thumbnail image with descriptive information -
- Title, medium, measurements, completion date (more on this below)
- The art list you give your adviser will be added to your folder. Plain white paper is recommended.
- Bring two lists, one for the adviser and keep one in your hand JUST IN CASE you forget a medium or title.
YOUR ART
You will be handing your portfolio to the another person, your portfolio of artwork must speak for itself.
- Clean artwork is more important than matting. A clean, crisp surface demonstrates you value your art and understand how to care for your materials.
- Regardless of size, vertical or horizontal, all art work should be facing forward and in the same direction.
- Organize the order of the art so the presentation flows nicely.
- HELLO! The order of your art in your portfolio should match your list.
YOUR ART LIST HEADING
This is a standard format. In the upper left hand corner of each page:
- Your full name as it appears on your application
- IF you have a college admissions ID number, put it immediately to the right or below your name.
- Graduation status EX: 2011 IB Diploma Candidate or 2011 Graduation /AP Visual Art
- Street address
- City, state, zip
- Email address - IF you don’t have a professional looking email, get one right now…. first name (.) last name @ browser.com or first name last name @ browser.com
- Cell phone or home phone - TIP: 1. Give a number that you will actually answer 2. 18 or older? Colleges do not want to talk to your mom or dad.
- Online portfolio link. This link should be to your SET and not the Flickr home page. Open your set and copy the string in the address line.
ART LIST THUMBNAILS & DESCRIPTIONS
The art list you give your adviser will be added to your folder.
- A thumbnail of each work of art in a column on the left side of the paper.
- How big? 1 inch to 3 inch square. IDENTIFIABLE is the key word. If your work involves a sheet of paper with very small and tight detail; choose a key detail that will be easy identified at a glance.
- Documentation for each work of art is placed to the right of the thumbnail. Be CONSISTENT in your formatting
- Title or item number
- Medium - Write the predominant technique or material first and the other mediums in succession. Look at the hundreds of samples within our VISUAL ARTicles Portfolio.
- Dimensions or Measurements - Read our BLOG page on measurements titled Height x Width before starting.
- Completion Date - High school student artwork improves significantly in the junior and senior years. Including the month and year in your completion date will inform the IB examiner or the college adviser when in the school year you mastered a specific technique
PREPARING FOR YOUR MEETING
So what does BE PREPARED really mean, after all it is your art work! In an interview “being prepared” usually means having your act together so you appear to be “confident and relaxed”. Here are a few pointers on mastering that combination.
- A good rule of thumb for life is, prepare for a 15 minute interview AND hope there will be 15 additions minutes of questions you know the answers to.
- Recognize that you are the guest and that means the adviser will lead the conversation and the meeting.
- Practice answering questions concisely with a clear voice in a conversational tone, meaning don’t whisper or talk too loudly AND don’t chatter endlessly.
- Feel free to ask questions, an interview is an opportunity for both parties to learn more about each other. It’s a good idea to take written questions with you, so you don’t forget what to ask.
- Prepare your portfolio a few days before your interview. Nothing jitters the nerves like last minuted changes, so make a plan and stick with it!
- Practice by looking at your portfolio – alone at first – and then present it to your teacher or your parents.
- Practice talking about your medium and YOUR unique approach to the subject or the medium.
HOW TO DISCUSS YOUR ART
CLICK HERE to read more.
MAKING A GOOD IMPRESSION
- Know where you are going and how to get there.
- Arrive 20 minutes early and know the name of the person you are meeting.
- Stop in the bathroom to freshen up and check your appearance.
- Turn your cell phone off; this meeting will impact your college entry. Voice mail will save the messages.
- Someone may offer you water or coffee. Remember, water doesn’t stain if you spill it.
- DO NOT CARRY liquids into your interview. You can’t shake hands if you have your portfolio in one hand and coffee in the other.
- Greet your interviewer with a smile, a handshake, and a friendly tone, “Hello, Mr. Smith. My name is … Thank you for meeting with me.”
- Stating your name, as you greet the adviser, provides the opportunity to confirm you are in the correct interview.
- If the layout of the setting is not obvious, ask “Where would you like me to place my portfolio.”
- Then hand your adviser the art list “Here is my portfolio list.” She can look at the list while you are opening your portfolio.
- If a second university representative sits in on the interview, greet them.
- Remember to open the portfolio so it faces the adviser.
- Advisers book several interviews daily so allow them to review your art and conduct their interview without interruption.
WRAPPING UP THE MEETING
College advisers know that presenting a portfolio is a learning process and many advisers will be forth coming with comments and advice.
- If you are comfortable with the adviser, ask what you could do to improve your art work or presentation.
- Don’t argue with what you hear or make excuses, just a simple, “Thank you” is appropriate.
- Carefully close your portfolio.
- Ask for a business card.
- IF your email or telephone number or address have changed, provide a typed card or student business card with the correct information before your leave.
- Smile as you thank the adviser for their time, “Thank you for looking at my work. I appreciate your comments.”
- Shake hands and quietly walk out the room and the building. PLEASE, NO WHOOPING or jumping up and down within earshot of the adviser.
- When you have a quiet moment, think about the interview and write down how to improve your presentation.
Submitted by Carol Hagen chagenstudio@hotmail.com
