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Portfolio Guidelines

Undergraduate Portfolio Presentation

SCA requires a maximum of 10 examples of work in a portfolio.

Actual examples are acceptable but slides, photographs, videos or digital images* are preferred, particularly for work larger than 56cm x 76cm (A1 size).

The assessment of the portfolio is based on the following criteria:

  • evident potential for development of skills
  • evidence of hand-eye skills
  • originality
  • articulation of a sustained idea or concept
  • demonstration of a high level of lateral or creative thinking

Include a variety of work and, where possible, different media. Recent school leavers should include their visual arts diary.

*SCA uses a Mac platform. Please ensure any digital material is Mac compatible and no more than 2MB per work.

Preparing a portfolio

Your portfolio demonstrates your artistic skills and experience. Preparing a portfolio requires careful selection of the work which will effectively demonstrate your ideas and skills.

Ask advice from an art teacher or other art professional. They can review your work and recommend the kind of work to include. Select work which is relevant and representative of your artistic and philosophical interests. Your portfolio does not necessarily need to contain work relevant to the studio you wish to enter. SCA understands that some applicants have had greater opportunities to produce a relevant body of work for the portfolio presentation.

Things to avoid:

  • Copying other artists' work, cartoons or magazine imagery
  • Dark or out-of-focus slides or photographs
  • Work that is in poor condition

Portfolio Development Day

Sydney College of the Arts holds a Portfolio Development Day each year for Bachelor of Visual Arts applicants.

SCA Portfolio Development Day is an opportunity to have your portfolio critiqued by staff from the studio of your preference.

Admission is free and pre-registration is not required.

2011 applicants will be contacted with details in mid-October. Please contact SCA Administration on (02) 9351 1104 for further information.