Upload
others
View
3
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
CREATING A PORTFOLIO DOCUMENTATION CURRICULUM
Colleen Brennan ~ University of Minnesota
This Is What You Make of It!
an Art Club, Art Society or Art Honors Society activity
a curriculum unit for upper-level/elective art classes
a curriculum component of an AP art class
a series of after- or in-school workshops/classes for: students interested in pursuing higher education in art students interested in attending art summer camps
or pre-college summer art programs students interested in pursuing art apprenticeships
or internships after high school students interested in participating in MCAD’s
National Portfolio Day in mid-October
Purposes of a High School Art Portfolio
FRESHMAN / SOPHOMORE Required for pre-college summer art program acceptance
and scholarship applications
JUNIOR / SENIOR Required for art/conservatory college applications Often required for liberal arts college applications when
declaring an art or design major Required for art college scholarship applications Recommended for liberal arts college scholarship
applications – whether student intends to pursue art or not! Required for art competition entrance – national and local Required for participation in MCAD National Portfolio Day
The Portfolio Process
Steps of facilitating successful student portfolios: Collection Selection Photo Documentation Photo Preparation File Saving and Naming File Organization Description: Digital Slide List Submission
Collection: Getting Organized
Start working with Junior/Senior students early in Fall term – mid-September
Start working with interested Freshman/Sophomore students early in Spring term
Create/find a secure space for students to store their collected work
Set firm deadlines for students to have their portfolio photo-ready
Organization and attention to detail are crucial skills students need to sharpen or develop when it comes to their portfolio
Collection: Where Should We Start?
Compile work that is no more than 2 years old
Don’t let students self-edit!
Students should collect everything they can locate: sketchbooks 2D work 3D work digital video/
animation work photo (traditional
and digital) work
Include class projects and independently created work
Remove work from frames, mattes, shrink wrap, etc.
Clean up heavily smudged/damaged pieces
Trim ragged/crooked edges
Don’t forget about arranging to document work that is permanently installed off-site
Collection: Drawings
The best drawings are familiar objects, people, nature, and architecture drawn from life
Also include conceptual/abstract drawings Include work in a wide variety of media:
graphite pastels (oil and chalk) colored pencil marker ink charcoal conté crayon mixed media
Foundation
Include a wide variety of realistic and conceptual/abstract work on canvass, canvass board and paper painted with:
acrylics oils watercolors combined painting
mediums
Include work that shows ability to combine a variety of elements digitally:
posters publicity flyers brochure layouts website designs logo designs
Paintings Design
Collection: Paintings & Design Foundation
Collection: Other Artworks
Printmaking Screen printing Etching Lithography Block Printing/Linocuts
Sculpture Pottery/Ceramics Photography
traditional and digital color and black/white
Performance Art (captured) Mural Art/Graffiti
Fashion Design Fiber Arts/Textile Arts Mixed Media & Assemblage Book Arts Metals/Jewelry Glass Art Architecture 3D/Furniture Design Interior Design Video Animation Installation Art
Extension
Collection: What The Best Portfolios Show
strong evidence of original and conceptual thinking
in-depth examination of concepts and subjects from a developing point-of-view
an emerging artistic voice
experimentation with a wide variety of media and subject matters
rigorous problem exploration
student’s interests & aptitudes
Collection: Tips
Try to include at least one series of (interrelated) artworks exhibiting exploration of a concept from several different perspectives or with several different mediums
Quality is far more important than quantity
Avoid having work that only reflects classroom assignments
Collection: Tips
Originality and creativity can not be stressed enough!
Consider including something that exhibits less than perfect skill if the piece shows ingenuity, imagination and/or experimentation
Copies of published work are unacceptable
An interpretation of a masterwork could be considered ok, but check before submitting the portfolio
Artworks copied from magazines or photos taken by anyone but the artist are just not acceptable
Selection: Plan for Optimal Flexibility
Work with students to rate each piece collected on a scale of 1–4 (1=1st choice, 4=last choice)
Students are often their own worst critic and tend to rate harshly
Students should not rate their portfolio alone – this is best done in consultation with their art teacher
Different applications, schools and programs list different requirements and have different preferences
AND, the purpose and audience for the portfolio constantly shift, so: photograph everything organize the photos by
rating in the students’ master portfolio file on the computer
•••• 1 2 3 4 ••••
Photo Documentation: Necessities
A space where overhead lights can be turned off
A smooth, non-distracting, neutral background treatment Black, white or neutral
grey – black is most common
Best option: hang fabric or a large, ironed bed sheet over a bulletin board – work can be tacked up through sheet
Two adjustable-height photo flood lights with neutral or cool light capacity
A table covered with a fabric drape to match your neutral background
A digital camera where you can control flash settings
A sturdy tripod Sewing pins and clear
push pins are optimal for hanging work
Photo Documentation: Set Up the Shoot
Always use a tripod
Never shoot with a flash
Block out all overhead and sun light
Always use both flood lights – one on each side of tripod aimed at piece – to eliminate distracting shadows
Pin 2D work up levelly and make sure it lays flat on the background
Neutralize the surroundings Make sure hanging
drapes are smooth/taut Make sure all drapery is
clean/free of debris
Make sure the piece fills as much of the view finder on the camera as possible
Make sure the piece is: Centered in the frame Square at the edges In clear focus
Photo Documentation: Set Up the Shoot
Make sure your camera is absolutely parallel with the wall/piece so your perspective is square It’s impossible to correct
perspective using photo editing software
The only fix is to re-shoot Shoot series works both
individually and in grouped arrangements
If shooting work off-site or outside of your doc studio, try to minimize background distractions
Be patient
Take your time
Pay attention to every detail!
Place your piece on the table as close to the wall as possible
Make sure your table draping isn’t distracting
Watch for weird shadows and distracting blow-outs or glares
Take close-up/detail shots as well as composites
Use your macro lens and/or manual focus whenever possible
If small work is jewelry/metal bounce lights off background slightly above piece vs. aiming lights directly at piece to avoid glares and strange reflections
Shooting 3D Pieces Shooting Small Work
Photo Documentation: 3D & Small Work
Photo Documentation: General Tips
It’s worth it to take your time
Be particular and methodical
Precision is a virtue! When getting a lighting glare off a piece,
bounce the lights off walls slightly above or to the sides of the piece to correct
Horizontal or vertical? Turn the camera to mirror the piece
Sketchbooks and small work can be scanned for better detail
Work that is originally digital can stay digital, can be formatted to the proper size, and can be digitally placed onto a background block matching the rest of the portfolio
Photo Documentation: General Tips
Remember: when competition is stiff, portfolio review committees have been known to eliminate portfolios from consideration because they are sloppy!
You won’t have a second chance to make a first impression where portfolios are concerned
Do it right the first time in the shooting phase to save yourself the headaches during the photo preparation phase
Photo Preparation: Editing Considerations
Open original images in Photoshop and examine your photos for clarity, debris, composition and proper lighting
The objective of any editing is to make the photo as closely match the original work as possible
Airbrushing or touching up photos turns them into digital artwork in the eyes of a portfolio committee
Too much editing will be evident to a committee even if it’s expertly done and could be considered fraudulent behavior
Fraudulent depiction of work = disqualification
Photo Preparation: Photoshop Editing Do’s
Adjust Image Level In digital photography
sometimes the greys get muddy and Auto Levels can correct this
If Auto Levels is too harsh, adjust Levels manually
Adjust Contrast for black blacks and white whites
Adjust Color if necessary Correct any minor rotation/
squaring issues if necessary
Crop the image so the border space is equal on all sides
Touch-up any minor flaws using the rubber stamp or band-aid tool Remove dust/debris from
draping Remove distractions/folds
from drapery DO NOT TOUCH UP
THE WORK USING THESE EDITING TOOLS
File Saving: The Golden Rules
Adjust Image Resolution and Size Adjust using the Pixel
Dimensions not Inches
DPI = 300 Longest dimension = 2100
pixels File size should not
exceed 10 MB Save files as JPG not
Photoshop (PSD) Save your edited files
separate from your originals Creates natural backup If editing goes awry you
won’t have to reshoot
File Saving: Don’t Forget the Thumbnail!
After saving each edited portfolio image, create a thumbnail version for use in your slide list
Adjust the Image Size to be 1” in width
Save each thumbnail JPG in a thumbnails folder File name should
correspond to the portfolio image name (see next slide)
ArtPortfolio1TB.JPG
File Naming: Essential Details
Name each file as ArtPortfolio (no spaces or special characters) with a number: ArtPortfolio1.jpg ArtPortfolio2.jpg
Keep/show the .jpg extension in the name This is essential for
proper file reading between PCs & Macs
Use A, B, C, D, etc. for 3D work detail shots
File Organization: Next to Godliness!
Each student should have a Portfolio file containing sub folders such as:
Originals with sub folders of original images named by date
Thumbnails
Master Images w/edited, properly named images sorted into rating folders: Group 1, etc.
File Organization: Custom Compilations
From the Master Images folders students can make custom compilations of specific images for each of their different portfolio submission desires: Example: MCAD
ArtPortfolio3.jpg ArtPortfolio6.jpg ArtPortfolio10.jpg Etc.
Students create custom compilations by copying images from their Master Images folder into new folders and renaming files numerically according to desired order of viewing
File Organization: Viewing Order Tips
“Book-end” your portfolio with the two strongest, most memorable and/or most unique pieces
Order your third strongest piece as your middle anchor Work your way in from both ends from strongest to weakest
People often remember the first and last things they see
Keep series works together in sequence or consider showing them compiled on one slide
Description: Digital Slide List
Create/use a template for students to use if possible
List slides in intended order of appearance corresponding w/file names
Include thumbnail of each image and descriptive details: Title of Work Name of digital file Size of original (inches: W x H x D) Media used Short description of concepts Date completed – month, year
Submission: General Tips & Tricks
Include your slide list on the portfolio disk and include a print out with application materials
Document new work regularly to stay current Once per month or 2-3 times per term
Keeping a prepared Master Images file allows students to be prepared for quickly turning around portfolio submissions
Submission: Each One Is Different!
Most require an average of 12 images but some could require as many as 20
Some require students to show specific types of work, specific mediums or things like: breadth of skill thematic organization depth of medium or subject matter exploration
Pay close attention to the file selection/file naming/file size/disk labeling requirements for the submission you are working toward
Watch your deadlines and leave plenty of time for yourself to do the work – a rushed job is never a good idea here
A Successful Curriculum
Takes time to practice with students
Prepares students for documenting independence
Helps students engage in “real world” processes used by professional artists
Helps students develop their critical eye and organizational skills
Teaches a range of digital photography skills
A Successful Curriculum
Can help students generate tangible financial rewards to help them work towards future goals Portfolios can be very
valuable: a full-ride scholarship to MCAD can be worth $200,000 +
Can increase recognition for and visibility of your art program Student scholarship
awards and college acceptance can be big news
Great for advocacy!
Resource Links
Tips for compiling professional portfolios – great reading for students: http://www.portfolioseries.com/edu/tips/port/
Great advice for preparing art school oriented portfolios: http://www.artschools.com/articles/portfolio/
List of schools offering pre-college summer art programs: http://www.artdesignea.com/resources.html NOT a comprehensive list, but it’s a start! Opportunities are always listed on school websites
if programs are offered
Link to MCAD National Portfolio Day information: http://www.mcad.edu/showPage.php?pageID=1377