What should I put into my art portfolio for uni if I didn’t do A-Level Art?

Thought I’d come here for some advice as I’m a little unsure of what to do.

I finished my A-Levels in the summer and since I didn’t know what to apply to uni for, I decided I would take a gap year and try to figure it out before application time comes in.

I’ve now decided that I would like to go to uni for art, maybe games design as well but I’m not 100% on that yet. However because I didn’t do A-Level art i’m wondering if that could be an issue?

I did GCSE Art and got an 8, and my A-Level subjects were Philosophy, Sociology and Film Studies. For my Film Studies coursework I made a 5 min long animation which could maybe be put into the portfolio as the specific course I’ve been looking at says it accepts animations as part of the portfolio. I got an A+ for the animation with an essay that accompanied it if thats relevant.

I have personal artwork I could put in and I could contribute some of my old GCSE artwork, but I’m wondering if anyone has been in the same sort of scenario and knows what the best actions to do in this situation would be.

Thanks.

Reply 1

Kingston Vee

Official Rep

Hi @amzug, I was actually in a very similar situation to you, I picked science based a-levels but then decided I wanted to do an art based degree. Film studies is an art based a-level so they might accept it however i'm not completely sure, they may prefer something like fine art or graphics. As all mine were irrelevant a-levels I did an art foundation which I highly recommend if you're struggling to get into the degree you want or feel unsure on what kind of art degree you'd like to pursue. Since you did an animation, they will definitely want to see that, games design can involve lots of animation so that will be perfect. Its also something to note that a lot of universities say on the portfolio application that all work needs to be current and from the past two years, not everywhere says this but you should definitely check as this means no artwork from GCSE can be accepted. I made a few paintings, a sculpture and learnt how to do digital art to get into my art foundation. Also, I showed a lot of sketchbook and developmental work as that is what they love to see.

Hope this helps! And let me know if there is anything else I can help with as I had a very similar experience to you : ))

Vee (kingston rep)

Reply 2

aspalax

Clearing and Applications Advisor, Universities Forum Helper

I would definitely recommend doing some work in your free time to add to your portfolio. I'd generally advise against submitting GCSE work if you can avoid it as it's often not representative of your current ability. It also might be worth attending some art classes in your local area - look into seeing if there's a local figure drawing group?
My general portfolio advice is you want to have some examples of each of these three:

•

Technical skills - things like demonstrating your ability to capture form, shape and shadow with a degree of accuracy - typically observational drawing, of buildings, people, objects. You can do this anywhere and everywhere by bringing your sketchbook with you to the park, on the bus, to the shops - but sometimes attending a figure drawing class can help too.

•

Project-based work - showing your creative progress with supporting evidence i.e. sketches, colour versions, beatboards, etc. the progress that got you to the final piece, showing evidence of ideation and development, responding to feedback, etc.

•

Creative, imaginative work - showing evidence of you combining ideas into your own concepts, showing your ability to imaginatively create. This will be the most "creative" work you have - and might "tell a story".

Sometimes these things will overlap- that's ok too! But on the whole, it's good to try and hit all three bases.

Reply 3

Uni of Staffs

Official Rep

Hi @amzug, we asked Professor Chris Headleand, Head of the Games Institute at University of Staffordshire, and he shared his advice. Hope this helps 😀 -

If you want to go down a dedicated art degree, then you will need to have a solid portfolio. If you didn't do art at college, then you will need to showcase your personal work. Your other option is to look for a university that offers a foundation year. In your foundation year you will build up the skills that you may have missed by not having done the college course, while also creating a portfolio. For example, our Games Art course offers both a direct level 4 entry (based on a portfolio) or a foundation year if you haven't built a portfolio yet. If you are looking to put together a portfolio, then your animation sounds like a good starting point.

As an academic, I always want to see the work you did around that. The sketches, the storyboards, concepts, things that add a little depth and show progression and creativity. Have you considered looking at animation degrees? There are a good variety out in the sector. At Staffordshire we do both a "traditional" animation degree, but also one aimed at games and interactive entertainment. If you are more interested in Games Design, then you will find most of those courses don't require a portfolio. While there are artistic elements, Games Design is more about designing the underlying gameplay, and the elements that make a game "fun". Feel free to reach out if you need any advice.

Reply 4

UAL Rep Faye

Official Rep

Original post

by amzug

Thought I’d come here for some advice as I’m a little unsure of what to do.
I finished my A-Levels in the summer and since I didn’t know what to apply to uni for, I decided I would take a gap year and try to figure it out before application time comes in.
I’ve now decided that I would like to go to uni for art, maybe games design as well but I’m not 100% on that yet. However because I didn’t do A-Level art i’m wondering if that could be an issue?
I did GCSE Art and got an 8, and my A-Level subjects were Philosophy, Sociology and Film Studies. For my Film Studies coursework I made a 5 min long animation which could maybe be put into the portfolio as the specific course I’ve been looking at says it accepts animations as part of the portfolio. I got an A+ for the animation with an essay that accompanied it if thats relevant.
I have personal artwork I could put in and I could contribute some of my old GCSE artwork, but I’m wondering if anyone has been in the same sort of scenario and knows what the best actions to do in this situation would be.
Thanks.

Hello, I am a student rep for University of the Arts London. I also was in a similar scenario before, I took a foundation year to figure out the pathway I wanted to pursue. It’s great that you took a year out, you can use this time to build your portfolio!

Perhaps you can look into UAL’s BA (Hons) Games Design course. (Even without taking A-Level Art as a subject) Because the course values your creative portfolio more than specific subjects.

The BA (Hons) Games Design at UAL (London College of Communication) is a three-year undergraduate course centered on creating game concepts, storyboarding, coding, game mechanics, psychology, 3D modeling, and professional practices. You’ll have the chance to create, develop, and pitch new game ideas while learning through practical projects and classroom workshops.

The curriculum includes art, theory, programming, interactive design, user experience, and creative computing, with an optional diploma year.

UAL does not require A-Level Art for entry. Applicants from different creative backgrounds are welcome. Having a strong portfolio is crucial. I thought I would include the portfolio guidance as well so you can reference from when building your portfolio during your exciting gap year. A portfolio generally showcase work from 3 to 5 projects, including finished pieces and works in progress, demonstrating a variety of ideas and skills.

Projects can include personal artwork, animations, interactive projects, digital experimental pieces and work from your Film Studies coursework, like your animated film. Present research, sketches, developmental work, and documentation to show your approach and creative thinking. So if you have any behind the scenes / concept art of your film, it’ll be a great addition too.

Combine your GCSE Art, animation coursework and personal pieces to create a more varied portfolio that reflects your interests and drive.

UAL hosts portfolio review events, or online advice sessions which might be helpful for you tailor your application and get feedback on your work. I thought I would link the UAL portfolio advice here: https://www.arts.ac.uk/study-at-ual/apply/portfolio-advice

Some extra things I thought could help in your application too: familiarize with industry tools used in game design, such as Autodesk Maya, Adobe Suite, and Unreal Engine, as these are part of the course curriculum and would be a great addition to your personal statement. In your personal statement, you can perhaps connects your interests in storytelling, philosophy, and sociology to your goals in game design, these are very specific interests that will make you stand out as an applicant as UAL values individuality, creativity and the potential shown in your portfolio.

Meanwhile, Please get in touch if you have any more questions on the course / student life! I wish you all the best in your application and preparation process!

-Faye (UAL student rep)

(edited 00:40)