Visual Arts

Applicants are required to submit a digital portfolio (saved as a PDF) to the application checklist.

• A collage is a two-dimensional composition made of different materials attached to a surface. Use cut out text (words) and images in your collage; do not simply draw a variety of images on the page.
• You will be asked to write three sentences (one sentence per question) about how your collage represents a topic you’ve learned about in school. Please do not write more than three sentences. 

• The cup/mug should be drawn from observation. In your composition, use scale, positive/negative space, and a full value range. Review the definitions for the bolded terms.
• As you design your composition, try this: imagine your three cups/mugs are floating in space. They are tumbling and turning around, overlapping each other. Some are getting bigger as they move closer while others move away. Suddenly, they freeze, like a movie on pause. What might that look like in a drawing?

Tips

• Use one of these templates to format your digital portfolio: Google Docs, Microsoft PowerPoint
• Check out these resources for documenting your artwork
• Follow the instructions and show us your creativity! 
• Be sure to review the Art Terms & Definitions on this page! 

Drawn from Observation: Drawn looking directly at the physical object in front of you, not from a photo, memory, or your imagination. 

Composition: The arrangement of individual elements on the page. In this prompt, you are choosing where on the page to place your three cups/mugs.

• Your placement choice of the three views should move the viewer’s eye around the page.
• In your drawing, there should be a variety of positive and negative space.
• Maybe the three different views of the cup/mug are different in size.
• Maybe the three different views of the cup/mug overlap so they look transparent, or maybe one or more of the views goes off the edge of the page. 

Scale: Scale refers to size. In your drawing, make sure that the size of the cup/mug is drawn to have the same size relationships that it has in reality. For example, if the actual handle of a mug is one third its height, it should look like that in the drawing. Your cup/mug will be more recognizable in each of the three views if your proportions are accurate to the cup/mug you see in front of you. The proportion of different parts will change depending on your viewpoint.

• You could represent the cup/mug at different sizes.
• You could change the position of the cup/mug in each view or view it from different angles by changing your position. You could view it from a standing position or seated in front of it. Or, you could look down on it from above or sit on the floor and look up at it. 

Full Value Range: Value is the relationship between darks and lights in your drawing. A full value range will include everything from the lightest lights (the pencil barely touches the page) to the darkest darks (pushing down hard with the pencil), and every gray in between.

• Balance your composition by making some areas light, some areas middle gray, and some areas dark. 

Positive/Negative Space: Positive space refers to the areas that show an image/object that you have drawn, and negative space refers to the blank spaces in between. A good composition will show thoughtful consideration to the placement and interaction of the positive and negative spaces on the page.

• In this drawing, your cups are the positive space. The background and the space in between and around the cups are the negative space.
• Give some thought to how the negative space impacts your composition (refer to the definition of “composition” above). 

Applicants are required to submit a digital portfolio (saved as a PDF) to the application checklist.

Portfolio Components 
Collage: create a collage that clearly represents something you have read or learned in school.

• A collage is a two-dimensional composition made of different materials attached to a surface. Use cut out text (words) and images in your collage; do not simply draw a variety of images on the page.
• You will be asked to write three sentences about how your collage represents a topic you’ve learned about in school.

Pencil Drawing of Two Unrelated Objects: create one drawing of two unrelated objects using a No. 2 pencil (no colored pencils). This should be drawn from direct observation, not from a photograph, memory, or your imagination.

• Draw your selected objects as you have arranged them in front of you. (The surface on which your objects are placed does not count as one of the two objects and should be included in your drawing.)
• Ask yourself how your objects are or are not related. Beware of pairs that seem unrelated but actually have a strong connection – a hat and a shoe are both worn on the body; a shoe and a pencil sharpener, as an example, might be a better choice. Your choices here are a way to show us your creative thinking!

Piece of Choice: choose one of the following options that best demonstrates your artistic skills.

• A 2D or 3D piece, of any size and material(s)
• A drawn storyboard, neatly compiled and in order (use this storyboard template)
• A motion picture (live-action or animation) no longer than 2 minutes and must be saved in a QuickTime-compatible format (.mov, .mp4, etc.)

20+ Sketchbook Pages: select at least 20 (more are encouraged) pages in a bound sketchbook done from direct observation in the past 12 months. This component is not a collection of finished, highly refined drawings. Your sketchbook pages should demonstrate your interest in art ideas as evidenced in the drawings, images, and ideas collected inside.

Tips

• Use one of these templates to format your digital portfolio: Google Docs, Microsoft PowerPoint
• Check out these resources for documenting your artwork