Art portfolio help

MomijiHime

Hi, I'm going into sixth year and want to start my portfolio now. I might apply to LSAD. I already went to a portfolio preparation class, but I'm a bit confused about something and hope you kind boardsies will give me a few tips...

In the class, we had to pick an object and work off that for the duration of the course, as stemming off of the object would show our creative thinking process. I was wondering if it has to start off with an object? I rarely ever draw objects unless it's a school assignment...I usually draw people and nature, often together..I know I could pick something like a piece of tree bark or a flower as my object and develop it into what I want to draw but I'm worried that if I do that the portfolio will seem forced because I already have end products in mind. I want to show my art style in my portfolio and I'm not sure I can do that through an object.

Do you think it would be ok if I just draw things I want as long as I show my creative process in my sketchbook? Also, is it ok to use multimedia? I want to make a short film.. Am I about to commit portfolio suicide?

wmpdd3

In the class, we had to pick an object and work off that for the duration of the course, as stemming off of the object would show our creative thinking process. I was wondering if it has to start off with an object? I rarely ever draw objects unless it's a school assignment...I usually draw people and nature, often together..I know I could pick something like a piece of tree bark or a flower as my object and develop it into what I want to draw but I'm worried that if I do that the portfolio will seem forced because I already have end products in mind. I want to show my art style in my portfolio and I'm not sure I can do that through an object.

You are not showing them your art style, you are showing them that you understand the process of art. You can't start at the bit at the end and work back, no matter how you try, they will know, the process will be missing. You can begin with people and nature, but not from your imagination.

If you start with a few good sketches from life then you have a starting point. Let the process bring you somewhere, who cares who cares where it brings you. You are not supposed to produce a few finished exhibits , you are only embarking on the journey! I only realised this after 3 years of college!

Do you think it would be ok if I just draw things I want as long as I show my creative process in my sketchbook?

Yes, from life, not from you imagination.

Also, is it ok to use multimedia? Absolutly! Try the same subject in as many as possible, write on them how they worked out and if they suited the subject.

I want to make a short film..

May as well. Why though? If you do, you will need a fair bit of prep work.

Not just, I had an idea for a cool art film so I made it.

Find a blog by an artist and look at how they work. As in what work they do daily and what their process is.

Am I about to commit portfolio suicide?

Think about what the prep course actually told you to do, not about what you want to have in you hand when you go to your portfolio interview.

Sorry if any of this comes over a bit blunt.

MomijiHime

wmpdd3 wrote: »

In the class, we had to pick an object and work off that for the duration of the course, as stemming off of the object would show our creative thinking process. I was wondering if it has to start off with an object? I rarely ever draw objects unless it's a school assignment...I usually draw people and nature, often together..I know I could pick something like a piece of tree bark or a flower as my object and develop it into what I want to draw but I'm worried that if I do that the portfolio will seem forced because I already have end products in mind. I want to show my art style in my portfolio and I'm not sure I can do that through an object.

You are not showing them your art style, you are showing them that you understand the process of art. You can't start at the bit at the end and work back, no matter how you try, they will know, the process will be missing. You can begin with people and nature, but not from your imagination.

If you start with a few good sketches from life then you have a starting point. Let the process bring you somewhere, who cares who cares where it brings you. You are not supposed to produce a few finished exhibits , you are only embarking on the journey! I only realised this after 3 years of college!

Do you think it would be ok if I just draw things I want as long as I show my creative process in my sketchbook?

Yes, from life, not from you imagination.

Also, is it ok to use multimedia? Absolutly! Try the same subject in as many as possible, write on them how they worked out and if they suited the subject.

I want to make a short film..

May as well. Why though? If you do, you will need a fair bit of prep work.

Not just, I had an idea for a cool art film so I made it.

Find a blog by an artist and look at how they work. As in what work they do daily and what their process is.

Am I about to commit portfolio suicide?

Think about what the prep course actually told you to do, not about what you want to have in you hand when you go to your portfolio interview.

Sorry if any of this comes over a bit blunt.

Thanks! No no, blunt is good I just have one more question that I hope you can help me with, do you think it would be ok to start with an idea instead of an object? For example, doing a few sketches of people in nature and then going from there...or should I strictly start with an object?

wmpdd3

No thats fine as long as its from life.

Try doing 6 sketches form life, gather as much info as possible but they dont have to be finished. you can include photos in your sketch book to help you once you get home, but dont sketch from the photos only, they will know!

Maybe one in pencil, one in watercolour, one in pastel etc. I'm thinking about a morning's worth of sketching.

using these sketches, branch out into different areas.

Make one a large scale multi media

one a painting

one a 3d

etc.

What decipline do you want to go into?
graphic design?

if so, see if you can use one of the sketches as a starter for a piece?

MomijiHime

wmpdd3 wrote: »

No thats fine as long as its from life.

Try doing 6 sketches form life, gather as much info as possible but they dont have to be finished. you can include photos in your sketch book to help you once you get home, but dont sketch from the photos only, they will know!

Maybe one in pencil, one in watercolour, one in pastel etc. I'm thinking about a morning's worth of sketching.

using these sketches, branch out into different areas.

Make one a large scale multi media

one a painting

one a 3d

etc.

What decipline do you want to go into?
graphic design?

if so, see if you can use one of the sketches as a starter for a piece?

Ok, thanks so much! I want to study fine art or architecture.

wmpdd3

Right, I did fashion, i was just going to say briefly explore how these sketches could lead to a piece in that field.

peeps78

If you are applying to NCAD they have a portfolio guide
http://issuu.com/ncad/docs/ncad_porfolio_brief_2016
They encourage using mind maps. And they set specific projects that they require for portfolios
How I used to do mind maps was get a piece of paper and put a word in the middle and then write out the word association that happens. When you get to a dead end go back through it till another word sparks your imagination and head off on another branch. You can end up making surprising associations.
Set yourself some projects. Say a painting, sculpture, or book cover inspired by (botanic gardens, your kitchen, whatever) do some research sketches and mind maps see where it takes you. In my final year I was determined to paint but through the process and where the work took me I ended up doing an Installation.
Notebooks are a must. Show your process in your notebooks as much as possible. Nearly like how a mathematician shows the calculation as well as the result.
I did a one year portfolio course before applying for college and it helped me decide if art was even what I wanted to do. Some ended up applying for something completely different.
I hope this helps.
Good Luck.

paric

Portfolio idea
Imagine that you pick a fruit or vegetable, fruit don't smell.
Put it on a plate and leave it in your bedroom or school locker.
Watch as it disintegrates and see the changes.
Every day you will see change.
As those changes happen work with different materials to see deeper into the dissolving process at the same time as creating something by pulling,contracting spreading etc.
Draw as the disintegration process begins.
Have materials paper,cling film ,glue, muslin, nails, hair papier mache from these create simple visions of this dissolution.
Beauty is in the core of what you are thinking.
Over time it will turn mouldy, wet, tighten, start to disappear.
Getting to the literal core of the fruit say a grapefruit and watching and working on drawing and photos,sculptural artefacts using materials to create based of this final core product, which is usually back to nothing, unless there is a large pip (that too will return to nothing but takes awhile) from nothing you will bring something.
Something that will inspire you to look more at the nothingness of all nature and what you can imagine coming from that nothing.
You then become the creator.
Keep a record in a copy book 50 cents in Dealz of your thoughts daily, weekly nothing set in stone, your drawings, imaginings, your thoughts,cuttings daily life, photos of this disintegration process and how it affects you and what it brings to you.
Good look you'll do well.