Portfolio Requirements
For admittance into the BFA program in Visual Art at Clemson University, freshmen and transfer students must submit a portfolio to the Department of Art and an application to Undergraduate Admissions. Portfolios will not be viewed until the Admissions Office receives the application.
Portfolios should consist of 12 – 15 original artworks, to include the following:
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At least 3 to 5 tonal drawings created from direct observation, not from photographs or imagination. Ideally, the drawings should be created from the following media: charcoal, conte crayon, graphite, or black and gray pastels. There are no requirements on subject matter, but potential categories are still life objects, figure studies, self-portraits, or landscapes.
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At least 2 works in color. Media might be painting, printmaking, collage, mixed media, pastel, colored pencil, etc.
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Additional works of your choice: Work from the above categories, sculpture, ceramics, photography, design, digital (original — no clip art), fibers, sketchbooks, etc.
The Department of Art is looking for talented students that demonstrate proficiency in the visual arts. When selecting work for the portfolio, choose your strongest pieces rather than a wide selection of media. The portfolios will show many different levels of skill, but we will look for evidence of your interests and commitment to this field of study. We would like to see works that you made in art classes, other under instruction or for your own interests.
A strong portfolio will show:
- evidence of drawing and imaging skills
- understanding of color relationships
- creative and expressive use of materials
- 2-D and 3-D composition skills: knowledge of design elements and principles
- sensitivity to presentation and craft
- expression of visual ideas
Scholarship Opportunities: The Department of Art awards a limited number of $500.00 scholarships to students with exceptional portfolios. No additional application materials are necessary, all students submitting portfolios are automatically eligible.
What if I don’t have a portfolio?
In this case, you should register as an undecided student. The Department of Art will place you into available studio art foundation courses. Upon completing 6 credits of art studio courses, you must submit a portfolio to the Department of Art to be reviewed for admission to the BFA program.
Portfolio Format
Although all works submitted must be original works of art, we do not want you to send the actual art work. You will need to photograph either by slide or digitally each of your two dimensional or three dimensional works. We prefer digital or slide portfolios, but keep in mind that the quality of the images is very important and will affect the review process. A poor photograph, regardless of the quality of the work, will lead to an unfavorable perception of the work. If you shoot your work, make sure you use a neutral background that does not distract.
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All portfolios should be accompanied by a list of artworks, using the Portfolio Submission Form (.doc) or Portfolio Submission Form (PDF). Individual works and slides should be labeled or numbered to correspond to the form.
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You must include self addressed packaging and postage for the return of your CD or slide portfolio.
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When photographing two dimensional work , keep camera square to the drawing or print and also do not photograph through reflective surfaces. Save all digital images as jpeg files. They may be presented in a power point method if you choose.
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Digital files should be in jpeg format.
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If you choose to submit photographs, you should use a high-quality 35 mm camera. Disposable cameras will not do an adequate job. Digital photographs should be shot at a high resolution.
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Slides may be taken with a 35 mm camera, you can purchase outdoor slide film and shoot your work in an evenly shaded spot, using a simple backdrop. You may also purchase slide film for tungsten lights for indoor shooting if you have access to such equipment.
Important Dates:
Portfolios must be received by the Department of Art by January 20.
Portfolios received by January 20 will be returned in mid-May.
Portfolios should be hand-delivered or mailed to the Department of Art, not Undergraduate Admissions. Please use the following address:
Attn: Freshmen Portfolio Review
Department of Art
College of Architecture, Arts & Humanities
123 Lee Hall
Clemson University
Clemson, SC 29634-0509