Portfolio Brief. HELP & ADVICE

Larianne

Yeah, I went to Colaiste Dhulaigh as well (8 years ago) and everyone got into a course. Not everyone is going to get into NCAD. There is just not enough places. They do push you in the area you want to get into. I got onto the course I wanted and so did a lot of people in my class.

I think you only spending 2 months on the course you can't give a good evaluation of it. Yeah, I hated the course for the first few months too and wanted to drop out but I stuck to it.

Congrats on getting in but I don't think you can give a good opinion of a course that you attended for 2 months.

BlueNemo

my portfolio for d.i.t was "unsuccessful".. i'm both surprised and gutted.

Papillon!

oh sorry to hear that

i had my LSAD interview on monday and my GMIT interview on tuesday.
Was happy enough with how both of them went. They were very brief because of the amount of applicants but I think they went alright so keeping my fingers crossed !

Badger features

BlueNemo wrote: »

my portfolio for d.i.t was "unsuccessful".. i'm both surprised and gutted.

Ah no way, sorry to hear that. Did you apply anywhere else?

A-Sickle-Moon

I have applied for IADT for the film and television production course. Got an interview and all that. But I'm terriefied I might not get in due to lack of points after the leaving cert. What I want to know is when will I find out the results of the portfolio assesment? They said before the end of May, but if anyone has previous experience with this I'd very much appreciate an approximate date.
Thanks.

Lady Luck

http://www.ncad.ie/admissions/pdf_leaflets/ncadfolio.pdf

Ladies, who is doing this? I wanted to apply for the NCAD this year, but unfortunately I just did not have the time to do a portfolio! The new brief is out now and I am gonna start on my portfolio straight away.

WHAT are you opinions on it? WHO is following it? HOW did older pplz find the last brief?? ANY advice and tips?

x x x

serenescene

i did the brief last year and got accepted. it's hard to tell what parts of my portfolio they liked, but tips wise, just make sure you show a journey through your ideas, and draw the links between them, so they can see how your ideas progress. after finishing the brief, i made a map, A1 size, visually recording how the whole brief linked together, how the observation section fed the creative process section, and how the design section linked back to the observation section in many ways, just by mind mapping with little drawings. my teachers liked this idea as it showed i really understood what the brief was challenging you to do, so if it helps, you could try it. also, i themed my portfolio, as I was doing the IB Art under a theme at the time, and I'd recommend theming your brief, as it really narrowed down my ideas for me. anyways i hope this was of some help to you!

Also, Is there anyone else going into core year in NCAD next year??????

Lady Luck

Hehehehe I'm sorry Larianne, I just use "ladies" to when I'm talking to a group of people. It's an old habit >.<

And thank you for the advice serenescene.

x x

HouseHippo

I have an interview for the NCAD access scheme on Tuesday any advice

mardybum

Serenescene good advice.

Try and stick to the brief, and really think about what the questions they're asking mean. At the same time, the q's can be vague!, so if you're not sure, don't be too precious about it - just go for it. I think they want to see that you're willing to experiment and tease out something interesting, while displaying an ability to work to a brief.

For me too, my project did have a loose theme linking my objects together - elements. Also I kept a detailed notebook, I wrote in whether I was having difficulty with a question or whatever.

Also: Start now! I didnt start properly til just after christmas, I worked night and day for 3 weeks, and it was tough. In the end I felt I could have done better.

Good luck!

p.s. I'm startin core in september!

Lady Luck

HouseHippo wrote: »

I have an interview for the NCAD access scheme on Tuesday any advice

Just be yourself baby! xxx

serenescene

mardybum wrote: »

p.s. I'm startin core in september!

oooo well done:) i thought someone would start a thread for those who got in, but i guess not! out of interest, were you one of the 50% of 6th years who got in?

mardybum

Nope, I did a Plc course this year. I'm 24, was working for years doing this and that, about 2 years ago i decided to try for art college.

What about yourself?

serenescene

ah right:) yea im one of the littlies, still in 6th year! ah u def made the right choice goin into art, fair play! see u in september i guess ha!

red_bairn

Hi,

Well done to the people who have been successful in getting the courses they have wanted and I am sorry to people who haven't but - it aint too late to look into other courses including PLC's.

Just to inform you that the course, that I'm finishing up after a lovely 4years, can still be an option if your a mature student or just a leaving cert student, they may take on late submissions if you contact them asap. >>>


http://www.itcarlow.ie/wcsad_course.asp?top_section=2&lower_section=9&uid=itcarlow


Another place to look at would be the Gorey School of Art:

http://www.gsa.ie/index.htm


It has the following courses:
Fine Art | Art & Design (Portfolio Prep.) | Digital Media (Portfolio Prep.) | Painting (Part-time).



Remember do not forget that some places will take on applicants even at fairly late stages. When I applied in first year I did it through the CAO, however there were others that didn't apply till late summer or a few weeks before the beginning of the First Semester. Same with the Mature students. Ensure that you've looked at all your options for PLC courses too. Don't rule out places abroad...Northern Ireland aint too far away too.

So please please please do not think that places like NCAD etc are your only option...

Weekend Warrior

serenescene wrote: »

Also, Is there anyone else going into core year in NCAD next year??????

I am starting Core in September! I'm really excited but also a little bit scared, ha. I'm in sixth year at the minute too btw.

To the person doing the brief at the minute, I would just say try to be as imaginative as you can. Try to be a little bit different with the objects you use, the way you present your ideas, the media you use, etc. Even if you don't really get what they're asking, just go with it and make notes on everything how it links up with the brief. And also, work super hard on your sketchbook as you go along! I made the mistake of doing very little sketchbook stuff while I was doing the first part of the brief. Then, just before the deadline I had a mad rush on to catch up with sketchbook stuff. Good luck!

Papillon!

Got my folio/interview results from LSAD today. got 440 and got 410 in the leaving last year giving me 850. last years cut off point was 725 so hoping it wont go up that much! delighted and keeping fingers crossed! anyone else apply there??x

qwertyu

yay can't wait for september! so excited...

NeonTiger

I was searching for help on getting a portfolio together and i skimmed through all dis nd was lik Waaat?!
I am in 5th year at the moment and am hoping to get a portfolio together for visual communication in CIT.
So far ive read about briefs and whatnot and im more confused than before.
Anyone know if i can put any old thing into the portfolio or does it have to be theme based???
Heeelp!

HouseHippo

NeonTiger wrote: »

I was searching for help on getting a portfolio together and i skimmed through all dis nd was lik Waaat?!
I am in 5th year at the moment and am hoping to get a portfolio together for visual communication in CIT.
So far ive read about briefs and whatnot and im more confused than before.
Anyone know if i can put any old thing into the portfolio or does it have to be theme based???
Heeelp!

Yeah they prefer you to have a theme based around a few objects rather than a collection of random images

qwertyu

well the brief is only a project that is needed to get into NCAD but if you're going for a course in CIT, it will just be taking an idea and developing it, using different materials etc, go onto this......

http://www.cit.ie/media/admission%20procedures%20&%20portfolio%20guidelines_design%20communication.pdf

qwertyu

hi idid portfolio prep course, got into NCAD doing the first brief, my advice would be to make sure you tick off every single task you're being asked to do, this is because they want to see that you could follow a project brief if you were to study in ncad, just try find unusual types of objects for mechanisms, memories, food , habitats etc;
and use loads on different materials, textures...

good luck!

NeonTiger

Thanks for all the gud advice!

I'd also like to know if, when putting together the portfolio, should I include my supporting sketches alongside my finished pieces or if i should get a sketchbook and put them all in there??

unugh

NeonTiger wrote: »

Thanks for all the gud advice!

I'd also like to know if, when putting together the portfolio, should I include my supporting sketches alongside my finished pieces or if i should get a sketchbook and put them all in there??

For any finished pieces I did I had worksheets with the preliminary work and research on it,from conception of ideas to experimenting with things, to recording the process.

I dont think sketchbooks need to have your preliminary work in them,but it helps if they see your finished piece,and then see your sketchbook - so that they can tell the finished piece came from themes in your sketchbook.

I would not deviate from your themes/ideas.The challenge itself I think is too see how far you can push yourself within certain restrictions,thats why interesting and unusual objects are a good idea(You want to grab there attention as they like to think they have seen EVERYTHING)

Saruwatari

Two months ago I got an offer from Ballyfermot PLC for Animation Drawing Studies, and I'm over the moon as I'm pretty sure I'm going there for certain.
Also got an email from Dun Laoghaire IADT today. T'was the result of my portfolio assessment; I got 480 out of 600 points! I'm delighted, but that doesn't mean I've been offered a place yet...

BlueNemo

Hello all

I was wondering if someone could help me, i sent my portfolio to both AIT and DIT and recently recieved both results. DIT said my portfolio was "unsuccessful" and i didnt get the pass mark of 200 points.

AIT on the other hand gave me 490 points..

How can one college be so different from the other?.. Is there anythin i can do about DIT's mark? i reallllly wanted to go there!

blood-cookie

hi =]

i didnt get my place in art college

i want to do visual communications...but i only applied to one college

what do i do now? i dont want to repeat my leaving! is there any good plc courses?!

mardybum

To anyone who's thinking about doing a portfolio course: Do one! You'll be really suprised how much you'll improve/work you'll produce.

I've just finished up in Ballyfermot, which I found really good - but you have to be willing to put the work in yourself. My course was ADT (art design and three dimension) was not really a fine art course but was loose enough to encompase my thing for drawing and painting.
I found with BF that if you wanna produce a good portfolio you really gotta utilise the facilities they have for yourself as there will be sweet f all guidance!

I also started a portfolio prep course in Stillorgan a few years ago. Couldn't complete due to my complete lack of rent money! But Stillorgan was INTENSE, it was full time 5 days a week, there was a lot of classes and a lot of projects and homework etc. I would imagine that the portfolio you'd get out of it would be seriously sh*t hot, but you literally need to focus only on the course and definitely not have any part time jobs etc.

I believe Bray and Dundrum are similarly brilliant, and intensive.
I think that Collaiste Dhulaigh in Coolock is similar to Ballyfermot, had a good rep anyway.

Regardless of where you go, the best thing about the PLC courses is that they give you the time to work on a really good portfolio! If you get there and you dont like it, try not to get bogged down in the politics, just keep your objective in mind - gettin into college and producing a good portfolio.

Also to the people wondering about the theme in a portfolio or brief, what the theme really means is that the end result, your body of work, can be viewed easily because you can see how one thing links into or brings you to another. But in my own brief, I looked at it as 3 or 4 seperate projects, so had a couple of different themes.

Also, don't worry too much about thinkin up a theme, it will occur natuarly as you produce work, because your mind really is linking up one thing to another.

carlmango11

Could anyone here tell me how many days/hours you do in Portfolio Preparation in Colaiste Dhulaigh? Like is it 5 days a week 9 to 4 or what? Thanks

HouseHippo

Hey NCAD see you in September