Portfolio Review?

I'm looking for help from the helpful artistic types on the forum. As some of you may know, I am aiming to get into Syracuse University's Illustration program after getting my Associate's in Illustration next May. Because I want to get in on their early decision deadlines (even though I'm a transfer student and can actually transfer at any point, I don't want to fall into the "space available" decision groups), I'm going to be applying early this fall. This means I'm starting to finalize the portfolio that I'll be submitting for consideration now, so I have the summer to strengthen it in any needed areas.

This means that I'm looking for a lot of feedback so I can make it as awesome-sauce as possible. I've got the GPA, honor society stuff, and extra curriculars all covered, so the portfolio can really stand on its own and not make up for any academic holes. I can has critique?

SU has general portfolio "we want to see this" on their website, so I would post that along with my portfolio selections. I'm going to have my choices as well as my secondary portfolio with other options that might be considered.

I am (obviously) getting this together with help from my professors, but I would also like viewpoints from those of you around here who I know have been through this process and/or are knowledgable in this area of study. Different people can see different things, and I figure it can only help to get a good consensus.

So once its up and running, would anyone with good insight be able to spare some time?

I'd be happy to offer my critique if you want it. Here is my reviewer resume. My dad was an art teacher for over 25 years, I'm currently in a life drawing class, and I got a chance to look through a fellow student's portfolio recently who just got accepted into the Chicago University of Art. It is a prestigious art thing place. Art is a hobby of mine.

I'll take a look at it when you're ready, if you like.

Yay! Glad some people will take the time =)

I have a good portion of it chosen, and have to work on shooting. I have to get one piece photographed at the photography shop that I go to (too reflective, but they do a lot of copy work and can compensate in ways I can't with just my DSLR), bug a teacher to get one piece that was in the student art show back, and see if I can bust into the VP's office to get a better photo of another piece that was chosen for the college's collection.

Well I think most of us would be more than happy to look Just don't neccessarily think it would be a good idea to give advice on such an important thing...

I'm not artsy enough to critique :| would mostly be in the line with "need more catgirl" or "need more boobs".

Holy crap, its finally done! This took a lot of prep between photographing and programming and whatnot.

There's a link on the main page of WassyArt.com to it, under the announcements, as I can't direct-link. I think the figure drawing stuff would be acceptable for 13 year olds as I was aware of the statue of David at that age but... may as well avoid a potential mod-smack.

EDIT:

Almost forgot! This is the portfolio requirements for the Visual and Performing Arts program at Syracuse University

If applying to a program in the Department of Art or Department of Design:
Traditional art portfolio:

* Present a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 20 images of your best and most recent artworks.
* Include at least eight works from real-life observation such as still life, figure drawing, portraits/self-portraits, and landscapes (not drawings from photos or magazines).
* You may include works from a range of media in addition to the required observational pieces.
* Two-dimensional works should show consideration of background and composition. Avoid “floating” objects.
* Concepts (ideas) are very important.
* Quality of work is more important that quantity. Show your strongest work.
* Do not include sewn garments, t-shirt designs, yearbook layouts, scrapbook pages, or images only involving simple manipulation of software.
* Do not include more than two gesture or technical/mechanical drawings. Fashion illustrations should not make up the bulk of the portfolio. Any cartoon work must be your original idea and should consider composition and concept.
* All computer-generated work will be evaluated on artistic merit and not the manipulation of software.
* It is not necessary for prospective first-year students to show work from an area in which they are considering as a major.
* Portfolios submitted in-person should be neat, clean and organized. Matting is not required.

Quick note...please send me a PM if you happen to notice any weirdness with how the portfolio displays. I think I've ironed out most of the kinks but...well...it's fairly complex.

Where do you want the critique sent?

PM is fine, or wassy@wassyart.com if there's some sort of formatting you wish to preserve.

Apparently your site is borked Wassy. I got the Server Not Found message.

Its borking right now for me, too. Thanks for the head's up, Larissa! I'll work hard to get to the bottom of this *goes into Frost's room and jabs him*

Don't jab him too hard! He might not be able to fix it that way. :P

Well, it unfortunately wasn't even his fault. Just a server hiccup, as it came back up on his own.

I'll find something else that's his fault and jab him about that instead.

Heeeeey....

Thanks to those that PM'd me and gave me their insight into what I'm starting to finalize into my set-in-stone portfolio. Always interesting to see the similarities and differences in opinion, and the feedback is helpful and very appreciated!

Grades for the Spring semester came out today, and my overall GPA is now a 3.92 =)

So I'll be applying with a 3.92 GPA, membership in Phi Theta Kappa (honor society), being VP of Scholarship for Phi Theta Kappa, awards from the Student Art Show, and the yearly Willard Sauter award for outstanding drawing along with my portfolio. I think I might have a good shot of getting accepted into SU...

What, you couldn't have worked a little harder and earned those .08 points????

And meep! Can't believe I had forgotten about this... I think I first saw the post while browsing from my phone then forgot to check it out when I was on a real comp! That's fixed now though!

By no means will I offer a critique - I just ain't qualified for that. But I will say that all the arts in there look great! And when you're attending SU I'll have to drive down sometime and force you to do some arts for me in person! 2 hour drive will definitely be worth that!

With the credits I need left, I think it'll pull up to about a 3.94 when all is said and done. I'll just be applying before those classes end.

I got a B in Statistics.... I should see about reporting those results in a way that its actually an A and I really have a 4.0 ^.^

Statistics and the Psych course based on Statistics (which I got an A in, go fig) are actually what made me become horribly jaded with Psychology and change my major. Statistics is a course all about how to lie with numbers. I just couldn't be a party to it!

Good luck with your applications, i hope you get what you really want!