Portfolio Requirements

Undergraduate

Students must pass a portfolio review prior to taking 300-level and above courses. The review is given at the beginning of each semester. An informal Portfolio Workshop will be held prior to portfolio submission.

Dates:

Fall Semester: Third Monday in October
Spring Semester: First Monday in March
 

Portfolio Content:

Work submitted should show a variety of media, such as pencil, pen, charcoal, watercolor, acrylic, clay, wood, fiber, original photographs, digital images, video, etc. You need not use every medium but should include the media that best meets the specifications below.

The following four items are the main criteria for judging portfolios, which must include a minimum of 10 pieces and a maximum of 12 pieces:

  1. Drawings and/or Paintings: Students must submit at least two still-lifes, one landscape, and one architecture (indoor or outdoor) drawings and/or paintings that accurately create the illusion of 3D space on a 2D picture plane via: relative scale, relative position, overlapping, diagonals, foreshortening, foreground-middle-ground-background, and atmospheric perspective.
  2. Elements and Principles of Design: Students must submit at least four (4) works of art (2D and/or 3D) that illustrate convincing knowledge and translation of the elements (line, texture, color, shape, form, value, space) and principles (balance, emphasis, movement, pattern, proportion, repetition, rhythm, variety, and unity) of design.
  3. Tonal drawings: Students must submit at least two (2) tonal drawings in pencil, charcoal, and/or ink. These drawings must be executed from life and depict figure, landscape, or still life, as well as successfully describe the illusion of light defining 3D volume.
    • Rendering of tonal drawing in pencil, ink, or charcoal [required] or color works of art [optional] clearly illustrating:
    • a range of gradation from black to white or in a single color from the darkest shade to lightest tint
    • use of light (highlight, light tone, half tone, base tone, reflected light, and cast shadow and direction of light).
  4. Craftsmanship: Students’ work must demonstrate foundation level craftsmanship and skill in the chosen media and processes with regards to: technical skills, competent control, awareness of material capabilities and/or limits quality of the finished work (neat, clean, attentive details, well crafted)

All work should be created from direct observation rather than copied from photos or other sources. Work should exhibit an effective understanding of the material presented in foundation 100 and 200 level courses (Drawing 1, Design 1, etc.).

Students whose portfolios do not meet standards may be required to take supplemental courses. No student will be allowed to proceed on to a 300-level Art course without a successful portfolio review.

Format:

2-D pieces must be unframed, original work. Original 3-D work that is portable, such as ceramic pots, can also be included in the portfolio. Large 2-D work (too big for portfolio) and large 3-D work (too big to transport) must be submitted as hard copies, color photo copies, or photographic prints. Only work created to be viewed digitally (digital video art or digital photos) should be submitted on a CD or DVD. 35mm slides will not be reviewed.

Presentation:

All of your 2-D work must be in a suitable folder such as an art portfolio (make sure 2-D work fits completely into the portfolio/folder). Your 3-D work should be unpacked and placed with your portfolio. Be sure everything is clearly identified. Further identification procedures will be explained to you when you drop off your work. Identify on your portfolio which area of specialization you wish to pursue, if known.

Graduate

In addition to fulfilling the admission requirements of the School of Graduate Studies, applicants must successfully pass a portfolio review and essay evaluation to be fully admitted into graduate programs in the Department of Art. For complete information regarding the format and content of the portfolio and essay requirements, interested applicants should visit the School of Graduate Studies’ website at www.ccsu.edu/grad. Interested applicants can contact the Department of Art directly at 860.832.2620.

Dates:

The department expects to review portfolios and other application materials on the following dates:

Fall Acceptance: February 12, April 1, and May 1

Spring Acceptance: October 12 and December 1

Note: If the date falls on a weekend or holiday, please submit materials buy the Friday PRIOR to that date.

General Requirements:

The portfolio must consist of 15-20 digital images in jpg or jpeg format of the applicant's artwork in a variety of media that demonstrate the applicant's best studio practice. It is important that no work submitted be copied from photographs or other works of art. Multiple views are recommended for original work in sculpture, ceramics, 3-D design, and crafts.

Contents:

If you are applying to for the M.S. in Art Education and intend to focus on a particular studio area such as drawing, ceramics, painting, etc., the portfolio should include a series of at least five pieces which show a consistent direction, for example, invented figure compositions, portraits, landscapes, abstractions, etc.
 

Applicants to the Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification program must submit a portfolio that contains examples of all of the following:

  1. Still-life drawings and/or paintings that illustrate accurate depictions of form and space.

  2. Landscape and/or architecture (indoor or outdoor) showing successful descriptions of form and space. These must be drawing and/or painting.

  3. Images (any 2D and/or 3D) that illustrate convincing knowledge and translation of the elements and principles of design.

  4. Tonal drawings in pencil, charcoal, or ink, that were executed from life and that depict figure, landscape, or still life, as well as successfully describe the illusion of light defining 3D volume.