Art and Design at university; for past, present, and future students and parents

[PhotoDad]

I've been on a wonderful thread about applications for art/design applications for the coming academic year, and I thought it might be useful to have a more general place for people at different stages of the process to share advice and hints. The normal MN advice about universities is often not applicable to these subjects!

I'll keep this short because I personally don't like huge posts that appear at the top of each page, but I'll add some starting thoughts below. I know that there's a huge range of experience here and a lot of support, so please do ask questions, or share triumphs and disasters.

The original thread is here:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/higher_education/4626697-2023-uni-applications-for-those-pursuing-art-and-creative-routes

Yes, from the NE. DD decided on Cambridge School of Art (Anglia Ruskin Uni). 3 hours on the train from Newcastle (change at Peterborough) or a little longer than that driving, so can still do it in a day for moving stuff if required.

I'm just reviving this thread in the hope that someone can answer a question. Dd has now received an invitation to submit her Portfolio for Uni of Leeds Fine Art degree, having already met their grades (as have A-level results in hand). They state:

'Your portfolio can contain up to 17 images/pieces of work ... We are expecting that, predominantly, each one of these images should, ideally be focusing on one piece of work.'

I'm reading this as they are expecting prospective students to submit upto 17 but each one of these is a different piece of work. Dd is confused as she wanted to show how her ideas evolved as opposed to the just a final piece. It seems to not encourage this, which seems a bit odd.

Are we reading this correctly?

I'd ask them! I never mind if anyone asks me about portfolio requirements.

Only my own experience (and not for Leeds), but DD's art teacher advised that "focusing on one piece of work" can include preparatory sketches and ideas, just all on the same page as the finished one. I am pretty sure that would count as "one piece." The instructions are just to rule out an applicant trying to put 4 different things on each sheet!

Good luck to your DD!

Edited to add: But also what @Windywuss said. 😀

Thanks. So, does dd takes a pic of each piece, through these together in a pdf folder and upload? She's saying she wants to add lines about each one so how would that work with a photo?

Or does she take pics and then upload each piece onto a ppt slide?

Totally at a loss as to what to do/how to do this (can you tell I'm a heathen when it cones to these things?)

DD took pics, put them into a PPT to add text and combine images. She started with a title slide with name, UCAS number etc. Teacher advised having a consistent "look" and layout throughout the portfolio. Then she saved the PPT as a PDF and uploaded it. I'm sure that there are other ways of doing it!

@jadedjanuary your DD should put each image on a slide and then she can add text. But I echo others that she should contact Leeds directly because each university does it slightly differently.

I have to say, their wording is not the best to be fair!

Are Leeds saying that if video work is attached then these videos should be singular works or work in progress?

“our portfolio should be contained in one single PDF document with a maximum document size of 30MB. Please include a cover page that contains your full name and course applied for. Your portfolio can contain up to 17 images/pieces of work. If you happen to be working with moving images, up to three of the 17 can be links to videos on YouTube or Vimeo. These should each be singular works or works-in-progress and not video versions of other supporting material or show-reels of multiple works.”

https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/fine-art/doc/fahacs-portfolio-requirements

I would guess (and she should check if she can) that it’s fine to have say, a final outcome on one slide with another slide (or two or three, even) showing development work for that piece. With video, she could still have a slide showing idea development, research, process etc plus a slide linking to the work (of work in progress if it’s not finished).

Every department has its own requirements and approach to selection but it’s always important that admissions tutors can tell what they’re looking at so clarity is important. And most will want to see how an applicant is developing their ideas.

My suggestion is to start and finish with the strongest pieces of work: when someone opens your portfolio (whether online or physical) you want the first piece to make them want to see what’s coming next and if the last piece they see is also interesting it’ll make the folio more memorable.

@jadedjanuary I take it that each slide focusses on one piece, but within that slide can be multiple images including preliminary sketches/in progress, though I'd be surprised if they expect 17 finished pieces - hmm wording is not great. Maybe they mean that she shouldn't have preliminary sketches for more than one project on a page? Not more than one finished piece on the slide.
My daughter did a page (two in a couple instances) of sketches/preliminary work then the final piece on the following slide. She had a link to her animation but that was a showreel, which they seem to say in this case they do not want, just links to individual videos, with each link taking up one 'slide'. So no more than 17 slides/pages/videos, but there can be more than one image per page as long as it relates to one piece of work. Man they should standardise these things!

It clearly says each image does not have to be a piece of work. An image can be sketches, ideas, inspiration, experimentation and what didn’t work. You need the read the whole document and demonstrate what they ask for in the bullet points. I think it makes sense when you understand an image is not just a piece of work. You use the images to explain how you got to the finished piece incorporating the detail they want ! As you would in an actual portfolio.

I've come back to you arty people with an update about dd. She's a couple of years behind most dc on this thread, so just about to do GCSEs this year and her teacher entered her in to an exhibition/competition in London, that she won! We're so thrilled for her, as it's the first time she's had something shown. We keep being told that all her GCSE work can't go online etc. The best bit though, after the results, one of the judging artists has got in touch via the school to offer dd a fully expensed week-long residency at their studios! She is on cloud 9 at the moment. The school has never won a first in this competition, so I've no idea if this is normal or not. But, just sharing the joy and thank you to some posters like @PhotoDad who have helped answer earlier questions. I follow all the arty threads as they are so useful for a parent like me who knows nothing about the art world!

That’s absolutely wonderful news @FriendlyLaundryMonster well done your DD. What an amazing opportunity for her

Excellent @FriendlyLaundryMonster! Such confirmation of her talent.

Thank you! Her summer is now full of art stuff. She has a significant commission and now a residency. I hope this is the sort of stuff they're looking for on the UCAS form!

@FriendlyLaundryMonster congratulations to your dd and yes it will be helpful stuff for the UCAS form although I think they are getting rid of the personal statement next year

Ah, that's very true @Okisenough Hopefully, it'll come in useful anyway!

@FriendlyLaundryMonster what amazing news. Please let us know how her summer goes.

Hello! I'm so pleased to have found this thread- DD has started to ask about art at uni and it's all totally new to me. She is doing GCSEs at the moment so it's a long way off but I'm keen to understand the system and maybe go and look at places to do a foundation year.

We live in London. DD wants to do fine art and particularly enjoys painting. Planning A levels in philosophy, history of art, maths, art. I wondered if anyone could suggest where we should be looking at?

@FriendlyLaundryMonster Wow, that's amazing! And I'm glad that this thread is continuing being useful to people.

On which note... hello @ShowerEasy! Have a glance at the first couple of pages about process. The big questions to ask are; stay in London or not? Big or small art school? Definitely Fine Art, or one of the related design courses (not so pressing if a FAD is planned)? Then I'm sure we'd all be delighted to help.

That sounds great @FriendlyLaundryMonster

@ShowerEasy dd didn't go for fine art but another friend's daughter did fine art at Newcastle. I hadn't realised this was such a top ranking place for fine art - maybe a bit far but Newcastle is a nice city and less expensive.

My knowledge is a few years old but historically the Newcastle course has been very good. With a Distinction on Foundation it is (or was) possible to go into year 2 (it’s always been a 4 year course rather than the newer model of Year Zero followed by 1, 2 and 3). There’s a lot going on in and around Newcastle so it’s a good place to study.

In terms of Foundation, as you’re London based then the CCW course at Camberwell was good but as UAL is combining its pre-degree provision at Lime Grove it may well just be too big to be workable. But a lot of Foundation provision has closed so at least UAL is still offering it.

In terms of painting, I would caution that a lot of A level students think painting is their medium in part because a lot of schools focus heavily on it (partly because the exemplars exam boards keep are more likely to be 2d work so teachers have more idea of what’s expected) but trying other media on Foundation often changes minds!

That’s a great A level combination!

Hello @ShowerEasy It sounds like you and I have dds at the same stage, just about to do GCSEs. Mine is also very keen on painting and also drawing. Isn't a big fan of conceptual art and doesn't really like London! She'd much prefer a really stunning rural location. Haven't figured that one out yet!

Falmouth?