How to Make Your Art Portfolio Competitive

When applying to art college or any college program, your portfolio can make you an unforgettable applicant who stands out in the crowd. It can complement your core application materials, and tell a bigger story about how YOU will be a valuable addition to their community. If you are a creative person who produces any type of art or design, your portfolio can be a major asset - but only if you 1) produce an outstanding collection of work 2) curate it to tell a dynamic story, and 3) photograph and present it professionally.

This guide will show you how to create that strategic mix of creativity, intentional storytelling, and presentation. Working with us in person or remotely, you will learn how to improve and expand your work, and curate it for maximum college acceptance and scholarship results.

Learn more about our services at Portfolio Coaching NYC.

Introduction to Art Portfolios

An Art & Design portfolio can be a game-changer in the process of applying to art schools and all colleges - if you do it right. A well-crafted portfolio will distinguish you as an innovative, imaginative thinker who can merge advanced technical and conceptual skills with sophistication. Starting early in Junior year or earlier allows students to develop an extraordinary portfolio that highlights their growth and success as a creator and problem-solver. This proactive approach enhances the value of the portfolio while super-charging the entire admissions package.

Proof that Portfolios Make A Big Difference

According to a 2022 study from the National Association for College Admission Counseling, 65% of art programs weigh portfolios as the top admissions factor, often more than GPA and test scores. At the same time, traditional liberal arts colleges consider portfolios to be “critical” elements because they serve as a “visual resume” that provides a deeper understanding of the applicant, and their innovative, problem solving abilities - this is the ‘special sauce’ that colleges want most.

1. Start Early

Begin early by developing a large body of visual art and design work that demonstrates depth and breadth of media and concepts, rigorous work, and growth. But making a portfolio that stands out takes more than just talent - these next 5 steps will show you how your portfolio can make you stand out in the crowd:

2. Take Risks, Experiment, Be Outrageous and Follow the Fun

Build your creative practice! Can you make it a daily or weekly part of your life? If so, you will produce a very large volume of work achieves multiple goals: 1) Only by making numerous art pieces will you know what you like. 2) By practicing and creating all the time, you will develop advanced mastery of materials and techniques, while exploring the concepts you love. 3) You will have more to choose from when editing later. 4) Your confidence will skyrocket!

How do you motivate yourself to do this? This is the non-negotiable golden rule: Only do what’s fun. Make things and experiment when those activities give you energy. Really. Do NOT do them for external approval or thinking about what college admissions will like, that’s a recipe for misery, and weak, inauthentic artwork. If you are trying to make something “look perfect” or please someone else, its a “Hell no.”

And - ironically - by making numerous pieces in a variety of mediums (drawing, painting, design, collage, digital, sculpture) to demonstrate variety, your singular voice and overarching themes will automatically emerge.

3. Marrying the Concept & Technique = Success

Advanced technique can be impressive, and clear ideas can have a strong impact on your viewer - but truly, the best work is where the two are integrated together. How does your choice of material or process accentuate a concept? When does a concept evolve out of an intuitive investigation of a certain media? A true understanding of how the two can go together only comes from practice (follow #2 above and make lots of work!), and a ‘Feedback Iteration Mindset’ (see #5 below).

4. Pursue One or More Directions In Great Depth

Portfolios that impress college admissions show this: First, you’ve made something great. Next, you take it a step further. Now, how can you take it another step further, again and again. This method will result in strong work, AND it speaks volumes about you as a person, a creator, and learner. It shows that you know how to find problems you want to solve. You know how to tap into your intrinsic motivation instead of waiting for an assignment from someone else. You are self-directed, curious, focused, and disciplined. It shows rigor and maturity - that you understand iteration, which is explained next in #5!

5. Feedback & Iteration Mindset

One of the biggest challenges for creative teenagers is to shift their mindset from valuing the product to the process. This means letting go of your attachment to each artwork as ‘precious,’ and instead falling in love with the experience of making instead. Each time you make something you should ask yourself “What’s working? What’s not working? What will I try next?” And keep going. Invite feedback from others, and keep going. Iteration means repetition. The more you repeat this cycle, the feedback will not feel judgemental and hurtful, and you will value it as part of your continuous growth.

The beauty of this mindset shift is twofold: you will feel happy, relaxed and confident, and the quality of your artwork will be fantastic! Let go of the product to focus on process, and the product will improve 1000%.

6. Professional Photos, Curation & Submission Strategy

Throughout the 5 steps above, you have been documenting your work with informal snapshots and putting them into a slideshow to keep track of it and observe your growth. Now it's time to select your best collection of 25-30 pieces that show everything we are looking for: breadth and depth of materials and ideas, experimentation, deep investigation, and the ‘marriage’ of technique and concept. Next, we light, photograph, and edit the images professionally. Finally, we build a different group of images for each college in order to meet their individual requirements and interests.

Explore our full guide on how to make an art portfolio for college

Looking for personalized support?

Schedule a consultation with Dr. Nell Daniel to learn how we help artists get into RISD, Parsons, Pratt, and more. We specialize in art portfolio coaching, admissions strategy, and helping you stand out every step of the way.

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Read: Top Portfolio Help for Art School Applicants

How To Stand Out In College Applications: Making an Art & Design Portfolio