Today was the aforementioned nervously anticipated Portfolio Day. After scrapping the ice and snow off my car and squirming our car out of our driveway (We got a TON of snow last night), I hit the road and arrived at the college in fairly good time. Algonquin is kind of strangely designed geographically, so I ended up lost, but found an employee and got back on the right track. The president of the college was at the meeting place, directing Graphic Design, Animation and Interior Design hopefulls to their workshops. Myself and other Graphic Design applicants were then led to the other end of the campus to where our class was being held.
The workshop was o.k. It was lead by a third year student and a woman who took GD at Sheridan “many years ago”. They went through the portfolio information brochure that is on the website, answered questions and then people lined up, with their books in hand, waiting to get advice from the third year student.
In the meantime, we looked at the works she submitted two years ago and it was all very neat and tidy, with a smallish image accompanied by a text description, mounted on black illustration boards. Her drawing tests (redesigned jewelry ad and self portrait) were there too, although her ad looked better than her self portrait.
When it was my turn, she didn’t say anything while I turned the pages. It was kind of unnerving. Finally, she said that I should include some “computer images”. I replied that all we had was a defunct version of Corel and I wouldn’t be confident submitting something using that medium. I mean this was partly why I want to take the program, so I can learn how to create computer generated artwork and visual images, but I know very little about them now. (Plus, you get the Adobe Suite for free as a student so it would be nuts to buy it now)
Her next bit of advice was to group things like logos, typography together, drawings, etc. together, so that it’s all organized, which makes sense.
So my next steps will be doing the drawing tests and trying to figure out how to print and copy my works, with descriptions and my name all on 8 1/2 X 11 card stock paper and pasting them down on the black illustration board, just as neatly and cleanly.
So it’s off to Staples I go and from there hopefully once again to Algonquin to hand in my work.
Picture: http://www.gdc.net/newsletter/abnorth/index/articles/801.php
Sounds like France, where institutions often ask you to be already proficient in something you want to learn in the first place! I love this kind of non-sense.
By: Zhu on February 27, 2012
at 2:08 am
Zhu-Nonsense indeed! I mean I understand why they would want someone to know a little bit about computer and I do (after working for seven years in admin) but creating a masterpiece worthy of a portfolio is a bit beyond my reach at the moment. My experience with Adobe Photoshop consists of a weekend course that I took in the summer and the woman sped through way too quickly!
By: Pauline on February 27, 2012
at 12:56 pm
This is exciting!! Good luck, my fingers are crossed for you
By: Tamara on March 1, 2012
at 1:03 pm
Tamara-Thank you
By: Pauline on March 2, 2012
at 12:25 pm
Good luck with your submission. I know how nerve-wracking portfolio evaluation can be. I hope they mentioned some good points in your folio in addition to the critiquing. I agree, it’s puzzling that the workshop leaders expected to see work that showcased skills you’ll gain through the course anyway.
By: Rochelle on March 4, 2012
at 10:49 pm
Rochelle-Yes she did, but yes the computer comment was strange. Ah well, I hope all my work is worth it in the end!
By: Pauline on March 12, 2012
at 11:26 am