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Developing an Artist Portfolio

Art student sketching woman figure

While many hopeful college applicants send in applications to colleges without knowing exactly what they want to do in the future, many students already know what their passion is – art. Aspiring art students understand who they are and who they want to be, but applying to many art schools is a competitive process, where only the best end up with acceptance letters. One of the most important things you can do now to ensure your admission into your dream art school is to develop an artistic portfolio to showcase your talents to your potential new institution. Here are a few tips for developing an artistic portfolio.

Plan Ahead

Waiting until your school application deadline to throw together a portfolio at the last minute proves detrimental – both to you as an artist and applicant. Plan ahead and develop your portfolio now, giving you time to catch and correct any mistakes before admissions boards view your portfolio. Portfolios take multiple drafts to perfect, and thinking of your artistic portfolio as an afterthought says a lot about you as an artist. Take some time to really think about which pieces to include in your portfolio, analyzing why each piece represents you as an artist. A stronger artistic portfolio awaits those who start planning now.

Focus on Details

In addition to planning ahead, before submitting your profile, make sure to pay attention to all the fine details. There are the basic aspects to keep in mind, of course, like design, layout, punctuation and grammar. Though your art speaks for itself, you still need to effectively and professionally communicate in writing on your applications. You should also keep in mind, though, the amount of information you include, the spacing of your portfolio and the overall design you want to use. Make sure your portfolio is fit to impress before you send it on to art schools to examine.

Make Your Profile “You”

Stand out as an artist and an applicant by making your artistic portfolio distinctly “you.” Try to be unique without going overboard – for example, don’t rely on cheesy clichés to gain attention. Include artwork that is your best and that shows and describes who you are as a person and an artist. There are many ways to stand out to impress and stand out that are over the top. Don’t try too hard and don’t overthink your decisions.

By now you are thinking this is all well and good, but how do I achieve these things? At Hunakai Studio of Fine Arts, we want to help our aspiring students prepare for their college arts education. That’s why we offer our High School Portfolio Development class, an intensive drawing and painting class that is perfect for students in their sophomore or junior year of high school who wish to put together an art portfolio for a future application to art school.

Students will develop the skills needed for admissions while building a competitive and artistically enriching portfolio. You’ll gain more tips and insight into what makes a great portfolio, learning what it takes to land a spot in art school.

For more information on our High School Portfolio Development class – or any of our other classes – contact Hunakai Studio today!