PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENTS

Art and Design

We have a variety of exciting and engaging Art and Design courses at the College and we are keen to meet candidates on recruitment days to learn about you as an individual. You will need to consider that we may ask you questions at interview about your knowledge of Artists and Designers work and what areas of Art and Design you are interested in and why. Essentially we want to know more about you and what makes you ‘tick’ creatively. In order to fully gauge your creativity we will not only offer you an interview but will ask you to make a Portfolio submission of your recent practical and contextual Art and Design work.

All applicants must submit a portfolio that demonstrates sound drawing skills and an understanding of the creative process in sketchbooks and larger scale imagery. Potential applicants should take note that the selection decision and emphasis is based on the portfolio assessment and interview, rather than specific qualification grades.

Portfolios could include loose drawings, prints, paintings, design work or photographs, drop mounted on A1 white cartridge paper. 3D or larger scale work can either be photographed and drop mounted on A1 white cartridge or if a suitable scale brought to interview. Try to include a variety of work that shows creative potential and imagination as well as sound drawing skills. Strong portfolios usually include Sketchbooks showing visual research and development using a wide variety of media and approaches. We encourage candidates to include Historical and contextual references in the form of notebooks and formal essays. Please ensure all Bookwork and essays are clearly labelled with your name and contact details.

Candidates should present their work in a suitable A1 portfolio case clearly labelled with their name and address on the outside. Simple A1 folios can be made out of card, please do not submit work rolled up.

If candidates do not have a portfolio of work from either school or personal study we have introductory courses that are ideal to help you build up a portfolio that is suitable for progressing onto higher level courses the following year. However we still need to be able to judge your Art and Design ability and potential, therefore all candidateswithout a portfolio should undertake the tasks bellow and bring the drawings to interview.

DRAWING PROJECT

Research and Investigation:

Consider a variety of different objects

  • Natural Form e.g. - shells

- plants (botanic gardens)

- fruits/vegetables

  • Man-made e.g.- kitchen utensils

- musical instruments

- shoes/boots

- clothing

Your research should be a record of primary source material (drawing from the actual object(s)). The aim is to make a variety of drawings on the same theme using different kinds of drawing materials.

pencil

pen

charcoal

crayon/pastel

You will try to recreate, in as realistic a way as possible, the same form, structure, texture, colour of the object(s) using line, tone and colour (where relevant).

Candidates without a portfolio applying for the Btec First course should complete a minimum of 6 drawings as above and bring them on the interview date