Portfolio Brief. HELP & ADVICE

spinandscribble

Chorcai wrote: »

You know NCAD give 50% of their places to LC students the rest is up for grabs by PLC/Matures.

I think the issue now for some is thats no longer the rule according to a poster on the page before this one. I saw no mention of it on the brief that i googled but neither was there mention of group A or B.

Chorcai

spinandscribble wrote: »

I think the issue now for some is thats no longer the rule according to a poster on the page before this one. I saw no mention of it on the brief that i googled but neither was there mention of group A or B.

I was told and asked 2 or more staff in there, plus admissions will tell you.

gelinashi

Hi

I've decided to go for design (MA) but have no idea how to start my portfolio. I have BA in industrial design but never worked as a designer Also ive found out that portfolio preparation courses in Dublin are already started in Sept. I hired a tutor to get advice before but it didnt work out well. Can anyone please give me advice? Thanks

EMILY.C

how far off the point can you go with the brief??
for example....im interested in jewellry design, so could i use some of my objects to design bits of jewellry, just as notebook stuff??.....or is that type of thing just a no no....

A193

Im doing a portfolio course but were not doing the brief, but im gonna try and do some of it over christmas. Would a generic portfolio w/ a little of the brief work? Also, how do the points go? It says 0 on qualifax, but what does it mean!lol

spinandscribble

A193 wrote: »

Im doing a portfolio course but were not doing the brief, but im gonna try and do some of it over christmas. Would a generic portfolio w/ a little of the brief work? Also, how do the points go? It says 0 on qualifax, but what does it mean!lol

once you fulfill the educational requires to attend a 3rd level, the next thing that matters is your score. It is marked out of 1000. There's time to complete the brief using new work and the work you already have from the course. If you want to get into the course I think you should aim to get the brief done.

A193

spinandscribble wrote: »

once you fulfill the educational requires to attend a 3rd level, the next thing that matters is your score. It is marked out of 1000. There's time to complete the brief using new work and the work you already have from the course. If you want to get into the course I think you should aim to get the brief done.

Yeah hopefully, Christmas probably won't be enough but shur..
You know how it says 'one sheet' or 'two sheets', it obviously doesnt mean just one sheet, does it? :S

spinandscribble

A193 wrote: »

Yeah hopefully, Christmas probably won't be enough but shur..
You know how it says 'one sheet' or 'two sheets', it obviously doesnt mean just one sheet, does it? :S

My portfolio prep course only had us start the ncad after xmas last year. Most of us who chose to do the brief got high enough points to enter and those who did not were on the waiting list.

The brief was bigger last year as well, so its definitely possible to finish it more or less in time. It did require working late however.

It literally means what it says, but a sheet can be A1 and packed with attachments. And they'll be more work in your sketchbook/ideas books.

A193

Ok cool, how did u get on last year? Did you go abroad? What is the ususal points for NCAD anyways, and a final ceist haha how many sketchpads should u have? Would an A3 do?

spinandscribble

theres no hard and fast rules what your portfolio should be size/number wise, it depends on the individual. Don't worry about that stuff.
I got in but chose ECA in the end. The points differ each year, theres no telling really.

Emmpty

A193 wrote: »

Im doing a portfolio course but were not doing the brief, but im gonna try and do some of it over christmas. Would a generic portfolio w/ a little of the brief work? Also, how do the points go? It says 0 on qualifax, but what does it mean!lol

Yeah the brief is pretty vital if you want to go to ncad really. I'm sure that a lot of the work that you've been doing in your course could be linked in as research though. The brief is so vague that almost anything could be linked in!

nadbags

Hey does anyone know of any portfolio preparation courses available atm?

I know i'm probbaly being really stupid only deciding to start the portfolio now but i just wanna give it a bash! I'm prepared to dedicate myself completely to it over the next month or so but im still really nervous so would like some help :S

spinandscribble

You didn't say where you lived btw. Contact people in your area.

Your best bet at this late stage is getting private help from a art teacher who knows about portfolios. This can be dicey since part of the good thing about portfolio prep courses is the atmosphere of driving yourself forward because of the class setting. You mightn't have the same fire under you if you're not used to working at art for hours every day.

kieranofarl

Hey, spinandscribble, id love to know what you think of ECA. Im applying to NCAD and my portfolios going ok, but im not sure about other college choices. I was thinking of applying to the design first year in ECA or maybe to illustration. any advice?

spinandscribble

I'lll send you a pm as I don't wanna bring the thread off topic.

EMILY.C

i'm working on the section where you have to put an object in an unusual place....just wondering could i use multiples of the same object?? for example.....if i want to put like lots of pencils into a shoe, is it okay to use more than one of the same object??

catman103

EMILY.C wrote: »

i'm working on the section where you have to put an object in an unusual place....just wondering could i use multiples of the same object?? for example.....if i want to put like lots of pencils into a shoe, is it okay to use more than one of the same object??

Maybe a bit late witht he answer but yes, the brief is not fussy with the number of objects per say. They want your ideas and creative processes, and if that means that you want to include a few pencils, I don't see why they wouldn't accept that. Just stick to the guidelines, and try to do your own thing within them.

EMILY.C

does anyone know what the points for for NCAD last year for PLC students? i know the change every year....i'm just curious (:

Beetlejuice_

I posted this before but I think this might be a better thread to ask it:

Sorry if it's been asked before, but I'm a bit confused about the portfolio brief.

I'm in fifth year, will be doing the LC and going to college in 2012, so do I do the brief in the 2011-2012 prospectus, or will there be a different brief this year?

I know its a stupid question lol, but I just want to make sure I do the right one.

spinandscribble

Beetlejuice_ wrote: »

I posted this before but I think this might be a better thread to ask it:

Sorry if it's been asked before, but I'm a bit confused about the portfolio brief.

I'm in fifth year, will be doing the LC and going to college in 2012, so do I do the brief in the 2011-2012 prospectus, or will there be a different brief this year?

I know its a stupid question lol, but I just want to make sure I do the right one.

I replied to your thread the other day explaining each application year is a new brief. if still in doubt email or ring ncad.

A193

Anyone heard about LSAD stopping the interview stage and taking on the NCAD Approach of dropping in portfolios, if so, im doooomed!

SeanMadd

I'm currently in 5th and am hoping to go onto study art in college after my leaving cert. I've been looking at NCAD online and quite liked it, and also I would really like to go to Dublin for college.

I juts have one problem.. I feel that I'm behind on my art work and don't know when/how to start my portfolio. My art class is basically a doss because we do nothing at all, and I can't really get help from my teacher because she's totally forgetful and usually late/not in.

I am really worried about my portfolio and that I won't get it done in time, because I do have to study and all.. I know of a woman who gives art classes and portfolio courses, but her classes are quite expensive and I really cannot afford them.

Anyone got any help/tips? and any past/present NCAD students give me some help too?

catman103

SeanMadd wrote: »

I'm currently in 5th and am hoping to go onto study art in college after my leaving cert. I've been looking at NCAD online and quite liked it, and also I would really like to go to Dublin for college.

I juts have one problem.. I feel that I'm behind on my art work and don't know when/how to start my portfolio. My art class is basically a doss because we do nothing at all, and I can't really get help from my teacher because she's totally forgetful and usually late/not in.

I am really worried about my portfolio and that I won't get it done in time, because I do have to study and all.. I know of a woman who gives art classes and portfolio courses, but her classes are quite expensive and I really cannot afford them.

Anyone got any help/tips? and any past/present NCAD students give me some help too?

Hey I'm in 6th year, about to hand in my portfolio this friday. I think you should just pace yourself, the new brief will come out soon enough I think and you should just start by looking at it and thinking about the mind maps, read and re read the brief as many times as it takes you to think you understand it. Start writing and drawing ideas in your notebook, which they love to see, and then when you think youre ready start doing some work. I only gave myself a few months to do it in, but I had gone to the open day and it really pushed me to want to get in. It was a huge incentive, how great the place looked.
So basically you want incentive, and make the portfolio your own, while still sticking to the brief's guidelines. It would also help to get someone involved in art to help, I know my art teacher was amazing in helping me and my portfolio would not be what it is without a second opinion and pair of eyes.
Hope at least some of this helped, if you have any questions ask and I'll see what I can shine some light on .

SeanMadd

Yeah I don't really get the whole brief. I mean the mind maps and stuff. What exactly do you need to do? Any examples? Also should I just start drawing some everyday objects in a sketchbook to hand in too?

snicket

Gave my portfolio in earlier, going to be a bag of nerves for the next two weeks!

SeanMadd - the mind maps confused me at first too, but basically I'd say just think of them as a big brainstorming exercise; put in anything and everything that comes into your head connected with the themes they give you - like for example under 'instruments' I had things ranging from teeth to clocks to iron maidens. I stuck really closely to the brief for my notebook drawings - I only drew the objects I was using for it. But the main thing is just to put all your ideas (no matter how random you think they are) into it...

I haven't actually gotten it though so don't take my word as gospel :P just giving a general idea from my experience of it lol

spinandscribble

SeanMadd wrote: »

Yeah I don't really get the whole brief. I mean the mind maps and stuff. What exactly do you need to do? Any examples? Also should I just start drawing some everyday objects in a sketchbook to hand in too?

In all honestly you can make them however you wish, just make sure they're popping with ideas and bring your own sense of aesthetics to it if you can but thats completely up to you.

As far as including a unrelated notebook... I think if you're working a lot on the brief itself you'll find you literally can't FIT anything else in it (pesky weight restrictions). I remember when I did it I actually had to leave out a sketchbook related.

catman103

Yeah just handed my portfolio in yesterday, already nervous for March... I keep on thinking of things I could have done, but what can I do.

A193

BTW, MAJOR changes to LSAD entry..but im not saying anything! :P I've heard over 900 people have applied!

catman103

Anyone have an idea of how many applied to NCAD this year? I was number 107 at like half 10 in the morning of Friday

snicket

Well I was 316 at around 3.30? Which doesn't seem like a lot really...