Good ways to stand out in your portfolio

When you make a portfolio its very important that you have a healthy breath of work and make sure you treat every project individually. Make sure you fill at least 20 pages of the portfolio.

Only include design portfolio examples for a full - time position. If you don't include context in your artwork its hard to judge.

Make sure you include annotations of why the work was created.

It doesn't mean that your portfolio must include client work. Self initiated projects are certainly acceptable in full time applications.

Don't bulk out your portfolio with old or irrelevant work, make sure you have a thorough clear out.

If you wanted to be well known for what you do, it might be a good idea to create an official website with your artwork and maybe back ground information. It would also be useful if you had your own business card so if someone wanted to buy your artwork or contact you they can have a card with your contact details on.

You can also use social media websites like Facebook or Twitter to advertise yourself so people can comment back on it.

If you wanted to come across in an arty way you could wear arty and suitable clothes to your interview. Experiment around with what you want to wear and how you want to come across to the interviewer. In an interview the interviewer is likely to look at the way you dress. They also consider whether what you chosen to wear is appropriate.  

University of The Arts London

University of The Arts London

They promote themselves through images. They also use a big claim and fact to promote they're page for example "Top 5 for Art and Design". They offer days at the college for example The postgraduate Open Day.

In their website they've used an alphabetical order system, so its easy to follow and find the right course.

They have a downloadable prospectus I would go to an open day at the college. By reading their website you can find out what its about. Or going to an induction day.

They are a good university because they offer their telephone number so you can call them up to find out more about the courses or their company. They also have Uni stats so you can find out more facts about them. The uni stats is a government website so its not biased.

Comparing 2 university courses

The National Design Academy Interior Design course fees cost £4500.

You study the course mostly online and this could be online anywhere in the world, Its also part time and flexible and its via the internet.

It takes 4-5 years to complete the course.

The techniques they offer are Research and contextualisation followed by space planning and Design in historical context and Creative lighting and technology.

To qualify from the course you don't need an exam, The tutor will assess your assignments as you submit them.

They have the requirements you need to follow by the side of the web page which explains the course to the viewer.

I would choose this course because the length of how long it runs sounds good.

https://www.nda.ac.uk/study/courses/ba-hons-degree/interior-design 


Plymouth College of Art - Interior Decoration, Design and styling 

There one of few which develop your skills. The course costs £9000 per year. The course covers Drawing and visual research, workshop materials and Digital processes Design for Industry, Professional practice and PDP 1, Interdisciplinary Studies, Contexts of practice 1.

Interior decoration - styling, Self directed project, Professional practice and PDP 2. Context of practice 2. Research and experimentation, Creative professional development, Creative and professional conclusion, Contexts of practice 3. 

80% students in work after their degree
60% in professional managerial job at six months 
100% assessed by coursework

I think the university is advertised in a good way because they've used imagery to show what they do. 
I like this course because it gives me time to decided what I want to do next over 3 years. 


http://www.plymouthart.ac.uk/courses/ba-hons-interior-decoration-design-styling/#modules

Out of both of them I would chose The Plymouth College of Art course because its closer to home and it runs over 3 years which gives me time to decide what I really enjoy. 

Communication in Progression

This was a mind map I made for different possible career options you could go for. I also linked them to universities and possible industries you could go for. 

2D and 3D designer - Gaming industry 

     - Model maker 

- Wall paper designer 

Illustrator - Film industry or book industry

Painting - House painting 

Photography - College/ University 

Print making - College 

3D model making - Model shop or College 

Reflective Development Plan

My skills are creating samples in my sketchbook, I could improve this by making a creative piece that involves samples in my sketchbook. Photography is different from what I've been doing because its taking pictures of things you find interesting rather than researching or trying out different artist techniques. 

Because its different I have to change some of the things I'm doing. I've made a list of things below.

Because Im interested in trains it would be a good idea to add photographs of trains in my sketchbook. 

My Key skills/ Reflective Development Plan

. How to make my sketchbook creative

. How to create final pieces

. I’ve learnt how to work in workshops

. I’ve learnt how to research artists

. I’ve learnt how to make GIFs

. I have a portfolio in Art and Design
. Welding 
. Scale drawing 
. How to work independently

Skills I could improve on

. Artists research

. Decorating my sketchbook

. I have a portfolio for art and design
. Get better at recording and showing my development from the start to my final piece. 

. I could improve on my photography
. Learn to experiment with different artist techniques in my work relating to artists that I've researched. 

Personal Development Plan

Target	How	Support/Resources	Target Date	Achieved
To improve sketchbook layout	I would create page designs to decorate each page in my sketchbook	The internet	Ongoing
Practice more photography	I would take photos when I’m out and about	A camera	By the end of the course
To update my portfolio	I would add my latest work to the portfolio	New artwork I have created	By the time of applying for university
To show progression in my sketchbook	I would plan more and document from my initial idea to my final piece.	Lecturer or a teacher to help guide me through my work	Ongoing
Learn to experiment with different artist techniques	Do more experimenting with materials and techniques	Go to all the different workshops Internet and sketchbook	Before I design final piece
Artist research and improve my research skills	Go on the internet and research into different similar artists	The internet and listening to feedback on my work	Ongoing

Progression opportunities

I’ve never thought about going to university after college. I wouldn’t mind getting a job somewhere so I can put my skills to practice.

This module is going to help me research university, jobs and what I want to do after college.

Courses

Jobs

Apprenticeships

That there is lots of career options for people who have studied art at university and want to do art as a career option.

The career opportunities:

Art teacher

Photographer

Animator

Arts administrator

Heritage manager

From the career opportunities I’ve looked at so far photographer stood out to me.

Photography

BA (Hons) Photography Plymouth College of Art

. It costs £9000 a year

. The course runs over 3 years

. They want you to have a portfolio

. They want you to have 200 UCAS points

. I have learnt that they teach landscape and environmental studies

. They specialise in contemporary photographic arts practice

. The college has a print lab so you can get your work done there

. The college has a fab lab for people who want to specialise in digital design

. The college has an equipment resource centre

. Andy Ford is a successful photographer who studied this course

. The course makes me want to join up for this course because I like to take photographs

. I would join Plymouth College of Art to do photography and to collaborate with the other courses.

It would be more expensive going away then staying in Plymouth because you would have to pay for travel and for paying for somewhere to live

If I was going to apply for photography at the college I would need a photography portfolio

http://www.plymouthart.ac.uk/courses/ba-hons-photography/#overview

Print making

BA (Hons) Print Textile Design and Surface Pattern

Plymouth College of Art

. The course runs over 3 years

. The course costs £9000 a year

. You would need a portfolio

. You also need 200 UCAS points

. They specialise in textile designs

. I like this course because you learn how to be a textile designer

I prefer to do photography as an option but textile design still interests me.

http://www.plymouthart.ac.uk/courses/ba-hons-printed-textile-design-surface-pattern/#overview

BA (Hons) Fine Art

Plymouth College of Art

. The course runs over 3 years

. The course costs £9000 a year

. You would need a portfolio

. You also need 200 UCAS points

. The course involves artists and practitioners

. I like this course because they provide a dynamic and stimulating learning environment

. I am interested in fine art because I like creating and it would be a great place to learn new ideas.

The advantage of doing fine art course is you would learn new skills.

http://www.plymouthart.ac.uk/courses/ba-hons/#overview

After investigating what to do after the Art and Design course I am thinking about staying at the college because there's more options. There are other reasons like there is more of what I like to do here. It also costs less if i stay at the college rather than going to University out of town because I don't have to travel around as much. It would cost less to stay around rather than going to a new university. In order to become a professional photographer I would need to learn how to do that I would need to study photography.