Tips to prepare and submit your portfolio
Are you ready to start creating your art portfolio for college? Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, our major-specific portfolio guidelines listed below will help!
We understand that our applicants come from diverse backgrounds and have varying levels of opportunities and support. As you prepare your portfolio, keep this in mind and know that Ringling College values your individualism and creative voice. We are looking for a portfolio that demonstrates your potential to succeed.
Choose work that shows your strengths. We want to see what you’ve got, from final pieces to works in progress from the pages of your sketchbook.
Portfolio Review
Schedule a video appointment with one of our admissions counselors to review your art portfolio.
Portfolio Tips From Professionals
Developing a portfolio can be daunting. To help you through the process, we tapped some of our friends from creative industries for advice on making your selections, what to include, common mistakes, and more. Read on for tips and suggestions from an expert.
Sarah Kambara, '14 — Creative and Producer
“Your portfolio should include examples of both your technical skill and artistic expression, but you should consider focusing more on the technical pieces. While it’s nice to have some artistic expression pieces to show your personality and an area of art you care about, the technical skills will showcase your talent level for admission.“
Matteo Caloiaro — Ringling College of Art and Design Illustration Faculty
“The biggest mistake I see students making is including too much fan art or other work that does not clearly demonstrate foundational abilities.If you stick to observational work, it’s hard to go wrong!”
Rachel Thompson — Background Designer and Painter for TV Animation, Concept Artist, and Illustrator
“Don’t focus on making everything perfect. It’s nice to have some finished pieces, of course, but process work and rough sketches can demonstrate just as much ability. Not everything has to have color, and not everything should be black and white. You can paint in your sketchbook from observation or do a still life on a canvas; both are great ways to show you understand color and light.”
Portfolio Suggestions and Guidelines by Major
Need some ideas? Here are a few suggestions and guidelines for building your art portfolio for college.
Business of Art and Design
Business of Art and Design applicants are required to submit a written statement (three pages maximum) describing your interests in art, design, and the creative industries. Tell us why you wish to pursue a creative business degree and what you hope to achieve as a student here. Statements can be submitted in writing by PDF or Word Document in SlideRoom, sent by email to appdocs@ringling.edu, or uploaded to your application status portal. Alternatively, you can submit your statement as an audio recording or video through these methods.
Although not required, applicants may also submit visual work samples such as:
- Design projects
- Video, photography, or multimedia projects
- Project presentations
- Other creative projects
Contact Admissions for a virtual portfolio review here.
Written Statement Example
Computer Animation, Game Art, and Illustration
Here are some examples and suggestions to help you create an art portfolio for Ringling College, if you are applying for the Computer Animation, Game Art, or Illustration majors.
It’s important for us to see examples of drawing from life and direct observation. These can include:
- Hands, feet, human figures, and animals
- Representational drawing (drawing from life)
- Interior and/or exterior environments
Important to remember:
Do not copy from another artist. Avoid clichés like anime, tattoo designs, dragons, or unicorns. At least half of your portfolio should consist of drawing from direct observation. Your ability to think creatively is important to us, so feel free to include pages from your sketchbook.
Note: The Computer Animation application deadline is January 15.
Need help selecting pieces for your portfolio?
Contact Admissions for a virtual portfolio review here.
Creative Writing
Creative Writing applicants fulfill the portfolio requirement by submitting a written portfolio that consists of two things. Applicants must include a short, written statement, 3 pages maximum, that addresses the following:
- Your literary influences, specifically in terms of what you have learned from them, not just what/who you like.
- The critical or creative issues you are interested in pursuing at Ringling College.
- Your writing/career goals after you graduate with your undergraduate degree.
- Anything else that supports your interest in Creative Writing.
This is a separate piece than the Common Application’s essay. This goes inside of your portfolio uploads in Slideroom that should also house your creative writing examples you must also show us.
In addition, applicants should submit well-edited, original writing in two or more of the following categories (excerpts of longer works are acceptable):
- Fiction
- Short Stories
- Journalism
- Creative Nonfiction
- Poetry
- Essays
- Film scripts
- Plays
- Graphic novel/comic texts
- Picture book texts etc.
Contact Admissions for a virtual portfolio review here.
Entertainment Design
Here are some examples and suggestions to help you create an art portfolio for Ringling College, if you are applying for Entertainment Design. Show us who you are as an artist and designer.
You may include any visual artwork you have created. We recommend including work that showcases basic drawing techniques (digital or traditional) with an emphasis on physical spaces and experiences. Draw your room, your desk, the outside of your house or neighborhood, buildings, cars, plants, cities, theatrical shows, museum exhibits, theme park lands, rides, and attractions. We are more interested in the ideas being expressed than overly rendered pieces. Physical scale models are great. If your school has a theater or drama department and you’ve helped build any shows, submit photos of those productions. Like to cosplay or build props? Show us that, too!
Avoid fan art of existing IP. Show us who you are as an artist, storyteller, and designer. Show us your imagination!
Need help selecting pieces for your portfolio?
Contact Admissions for a virtual portfolio review here.
Film
Here are some examples and suggestions to help you create a Film portfolio for Ringling College.
Film applicants may fulfill the art portfolio requirement by submitting two or more examples of film and or creative writing samples. Film is an amalgam of all the arts. So, you may certainly submit film work. But if you don’t have film work, or film work that you feel best expresses your potential, you may submit writing of any kind (screenplays, short stories, poetry), drawings, paintings, photographs, or even experience with theater and/or dance. You may also include a short video of yourself taken with your cell phone talking about the pieces you have chosen to submit, and why you want to study Film at Ringling College.
Need help selecting pieces for your portfolio?
Contact Admissions for a virtual portfolio review here.
Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Motion Design, Photography and Imaging
Here are some examples and suggestions to help you create an art portfolio for Ringling College, if you are applying for Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Motion Design, or Photography and Imaging.
You may incorporate any or all of the following in your visual art portfolio:
- Design projects
- Photography, multimedia projects
- Paintings, drawings, sketches
- Images from your sketchbook
Need help selecting pieces for your portfolio?
Contact Admissions for a virtual portfolio review here.
Virtual Reality Development
Virtual Reality Development applicants may submit a written statement or examples of visual artwork and past creative projects. For the written statement, applicants may submit an essay (maximum of 3 pages) describing their interest in virtual reality, technology, art, design, and the creative industries. Tell us what attracts you to virtual reality, what immersive experiences you have had, and what you hope to accomplish as a student. Please save your written statement as a PDF and submit it to SlideRoom. For further directions, please see “How do I submit my portfolio?” below in the FAQs.
You may also submit visual artwork or past creative projects including:
- 3D Modeling and Animations
- Creative programming examples
- Sketches, drawings, and/or paintings
- Digital images and/or mockups
- Project presentations and/or Other creative projects
Need help selecting pieces for your portfolio?
Contact Admissions for a virtual portfolio review here.
Visual Studies
Here are some examples and suggestions to help you create a Visual Studies art portfolio for Ringling College.
Visual studies applicants must submit a visual art portfolio.
You may incorporate any or all of the following:
- Design projects
- Illustration and animation
- Photography, multimedia projects
- Paintings, drawings, sketches from observation
Need help selecting pieces for your portfolio?
Contact Admissions for a virtual portfolio review here.
How to Submit your Portfolio:
- Go to www.commonapp.org and select Ringling College on the My Colleges tab.
- Under Art Supplement, select instructions.
- Follow the link to the Ringling College of Art and Design Portfolio site. This will take you to SlideRoom, where you can upload visual or written work examples.
Common App Essay
Each student will be asked to write a short statement about themselves. The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose a topic from the series of options that best helps you answer that question. Essays must be between 250-650 words in length.
FAQ’s
What is an art portfolio for college?
Your art portfolio for college is simply a collection of the best examples of your visual creative work and/or writing. Think of it as a means to show us how creative and talented you are! For helpful suggestions on what to include, please see the Suggestions & Guidelines section.
What if I don't have an art portfolio?
If you have not yet put together your art portfolio for college, don’t worry! We offer plenty of suggestions and exercises to get you started. Review the recommended list for each major and
If you’re having trouble, feel free to contact us at admissions@ringling.edu.
Do I need to submit separate portfolios if I'm applying to more than one program or still deciding on my major?
Please submit only one portfolio. We do not need a duplicate portfolio in another program if you are still deciding on your major.
Why does Ringling College require an art portfolio?
An art portfolio is our best indication of your potential to be successful in courses belonging to your major of interest. It also lets us get to know you as an artist in a way that goes beyond grades and test scores.
Can I use AI in my portfolio?
All work submitted must be the student’s original creation and not made using Artificial Intelligence tools such as art generators, writing generators, or the work of others.
Can I get feedback on my art portfolio before I apply?
Of course! We are happy to help you. There are several ways to get feedback on your portfolio before you apply:
Video chat with an admissions counselor! Ask specific portfolio questions and learn a little more about what Ringling College has to offer. Setup a virtual portfolio review here.
Attend a National Portfolio Day at Ringling College or in many major cities around the US.
How does Ringling College evaluate art portfolios?
The art portfolio is an important part of your application. It helps us to determine your potential to be successful at Ringling College. We take into consideration how much instruction you’ve had, and we understand that high school programs vary greatly. We also look at your work as one part of your total application, along with your grades, difficulty of courses taken, recommendations, and application essay.
No two applications are alike, so we look at all of them individually. Successful artists, designers, and writers need to be creative thinkers, which is why we value your creativity as much, if not more, than your technical skills. We also understand that high school students are still developing as artists. Finding the perfect fit is essential. We firmly believe there is a perfect school for everyone.
Office of Admissions
We’re here to help!
Our admissions counselors are formally trained to help applicants navigate the admissions process and develop their portfolios.
Schedule a video appointment to get your art portfolio reviewed.
Apply now through the Common App.
Track your application status via our online portal.
