Quality of Portfolio for Graphic Design
Hi, I'm applying for Graphic Design with Manchester Met being my first choice, but I'm concerned about my portfolio.
I'm currently in my second year of doing a BTEC level 3 Extended Diploma in Art & Design, and was told by my tutor that a Foundation Course would be unnecessary due to the fact that a BTEC level 3 Diploma supposedly covers enough. However, we've done barely anything relating to Graphic Design in a year and a half. It's only in this term we're doing a Unit on Illustration and I think the interviews, if you get an offer, will come round pretty soon. I was planning on applying for a Foundation course as well just in case, but I can't apply at MMU now because the deadline was last month.
Will Universities require you to have Graphic Design techniques such as typography and fairly advanced digital art in your portfolio? I'm quite worried that I won't have enough to show I'm ready for the course.
I have life-drawing, photography, work I can show I have experimented with ideas and creative ways, which are some of the things that they say they look for, but not really anything relating to Graphics. Should I try to produce work in my own time?
Overall, what should be in your portfolio for an interview for a Graphic Design Course? Is it going to be a struggle to get into this course without a Foundation diploma?
I'm currently in my second year of doing a BTEC level 3 Extended Diploma in Art & Design, and was told by my tutor that a Foundation Course would be unnecessary due to the fact that a BTEC level 3 Diploma supposedly covers enough. However, we've done barely anything relating to Graphic Design in a year and a half. It's only in this term we're doing a Unit on Illustration and I think the interviews, if you get an offer, will come round pretty soon. I was planning on applying for a Foundation course as well just in case, but I can't apply at MMU now because the deadline was last month.
Will Universities require you to have Graphic Design techniques such as typography and fairly advanced digital art in your portfolio? I'm quite worried that I won't have enough to show I'm ready for the course.
I have life-drawing, photography, work I can show I have experimented with ideas and creative ways, which are some of the things that they say they look for, but not really anything relating to Graphics. Should I try to produce work in my own time?
Overall, what should be in your portfolio for an interview for a Graphic Design Course? Is it going to be a struggle to get into this course without a Foundation diploma?
Hi there! If you think your portfolio is weak, it is really REALLY recommended that you do a foundation diploma as it will beef up your portfolio. You've given yourself a very short amount of time to make your decision though! I did the same and applied to a foundation as well as 5 universities.
Do you have a blog or a website you upload your work onto? A lot of people make their situation sound worse than it actually is. I was like that at first, a lot of my work were illustration-based so I was afraid to show any of it. However, I had my first interview yesterday and they were fine with it. I got my first conditional offer on the spot so I feel more confident about my work and the other interviews now.
The work you produce should reflect your ideas and interests. My portfolio had a variety of different things- identity, mono printing, life drawing, collage, artist research, logo design, and even fine art pieces. I didn't include a lot of digital pieces myself, literally only about 4-5. Most of the work I put in my portfolio was research, experiments and development. Don't forget to bring sketchbooks as interviewers LOVE them. To answer your question, I think you should include typography and digital art in your portfolio just to show you try everything but if you don't specialise in it then you don't have to include tons. One typography piece should be enough if you, for example, focus on commercial photography. I wouldn't produce -everything- for the portfolio in your on time as they like to see research as well as outcomes and that comes naturally in your courses. If you like, I could photograph a few leaves of my portfolio and sketchbook for you to look at. Mind you, I've only had one interview so far so I might receive all rejections for the next ones
If you are very uncomfortable with the work you have produced though, I would definitely apply to a foundation diploma just in case. If you get an offer from Manchester Met, you can always call them up and say you don't need the foundation place any more. Be careful where you apply though as you won't be able to get a loan to cover accommodation costs if you are living away! I hope this was helpful!
Do you have a blog or a website you upload your work onto? A lot of people make their situation sound worse than it actually is. I was like that at first, a lot of my work were illustration-based so I was afraid to show any of it. However, I had my first interview yesterday and they were fine with it. I got my first conditional offer on the spot so I feel more confident about my work and the other interviews now.
The work you produce should reflect your ideas and interests. My portfolio had a variety of different things- identity, mono printing, life drawing, collage, artist research, logo design, and even fine art pieces. I didn't include a lot of digital pieces myself, literally only about 4-5. Most of the work I put in my portfolio was research, experiments and development. Don't forget to bring sketchbooks as interviewers LOVE them. To answer your question, I think you should include typography and digital art in your portfolio just to show you try everything but if you don't specialise in it then you don't have to include tons. One typography piece should be enough if you, for example, focus on commercial photography. I wouldn't produce -everything- for the portfolio in your on time as they like to see research as well as outcomes and that comes naturally in your courses. If you like, I could photograph a few leaves of my portfolio and sketchbook for you to look at. Mind you, I've only had one interview so far so I might receive all rejections for the next ones
If you are very uncomfortable with the work you have produced though, I would definitely apply to a foundation diploma just in case. If you get an offer from Manchester Met, you can always call them up and say you don't need the foundation place any more. Be careful where you apply though as you won't be able to get a loan to cover accommodation costs if you are living away! I hope this was helpful!
Original post by KaminKuru
Hi there! If you think your portfolio is weak, it is really REALLY recommended that you do a foundation diploma as it will beef up your portfolio. You've given yourself a very short amount of time to make your decision though! I did the same and applied to a foundation as well as 5 universities.
Do you have a blog or a website you upload your work onto? A lot of people make their situation sound worse than it actually is. I was like that at first, a lot of my work were illustration-based so I was afraid to show any of it. However, I had my first interview yesterday and they were fine with it. I got my first conditional offer on the spot so I feel more confident about my work and the other interviews now.
The work you produce should reflect your ideas and interests. My portfolio had a variety of different things- identity, mono printing, life drawing, collage, artist research, logo design, and even fine art pieces. I didn't include a lot of digital pieces myself, literally only about 4-5. Most of the work I put in my portfolio was research, experiments and development. Don't forget to bring sketchbooks as interviewers LOVE them. To answer your question, I think you should include typography and digital art in your portfolio just to show you try everything but if you don't specialise in it then you don't have to include tons. One typography piece should be enough if you, for example, focus on commercial photography. I wouldn't produce -everything- for the portfolio in your on time as they like to see research as well as outcomes and that comes naturally in your courses. If you like, I could photograph a few leaves of my portfolio and sketchbook for you to look at. Mind you, I've only had one interview so far so I might receive all rejections for the next ones
If you are very uncomfortable with the work you have produced though, I would definitely apply to a foundation diploma just in case. If you get an offer from Manchester Met, you can always call them up and say you don't need the foundation place any more. Be careful where you apply though as you won't be able to get a loan to cover accommodation costs if you are living away! I hope this was helpful!
Do you have a blog or a website you upload your work onto? A lot of people make their situation sound worse than it actually is. I was like that at first, a lot of my work were illustration-based so I was afraid to show any of it. However, I had my first interview yesterday and they were fine with it. I got my first conditional offer on the spot so I feel more confident about my work and the other interviews now.
The work you produce should reflect your ideas and interests. My portfolio had a variety of different things- identity, mono printing, life drawing, collage, artist research, logo design, and even fine art pieces. I didn't include a lot of digital pieces myself, literally only about 4-5. Most of the work I put in my portfolio was research, experiments and development. Don't forget to bring sketchbooks as interviewers LOVE them. To answer your question, I think you should include typography and digital art in your portfolio just to show you try everything but if you don't specialise in it then you don't have to include tons. One typography piece should be enough if you, for example, focus on commercial photography. I wouldn't produce -everything- for the portfolio in your on time as they like to see research as well as outcomes and that comes naturally in your courses. If you like, I could photograph a few leaves of my portfolio and sketchbook for you to look at. Mind you, I've only had one interview so far so I might receive all rejections for the next ones
If you are very uncomfortable with the work you have produced though, I would definitely apply to a foundation diploma just in case. If you get an offer from Manchester Met, you can always call them up and say you don't need the foundation place any more. Be careful where you apply though as you won't be able to get a loan to cover accommodation costs if you are living away! I hope this was helpful!
thanks a lot for the info, really helpful!
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