Portfolio Advice - University of Lincoln

Guidance Notes for Creating an Effective Portfolio for Interview

1. Appreciate that your preparation for interview has already started. Work that is conducted in the studio or classroom is essentially potential work for the portfolio
2. Conduct appropriate research into courses. There is a need to understand the difference between disciplines and to really appreciate what it is that you are applying to. Find out what the programme you are interested in has done
3. It is necessary to try and ensure that you have a suitable portfolio for the interview and to make sure that your work can be represented professionally. Appreciate that different disciplines often have different requirements regarding the size of a portfolio
4. Think about the journey that you have to take to your interview and if you should perhaps consider travelling the day before. Think also about the route you are going to take. Large portfolios can be very difficult to manoeuvre onto a bus or taxi and are very difficult on a train or underground
5. Aim to arrive in good time and compose yourself before going to the reception
6. Think about a couple of questions that you might want to ask at the interview and remember that it is a two-way process. Although you might not get the opportunity to ask any questions you have prepared it is worthwhile having some ready.
7. Think about what you are going to wear for the interview and what impression you want to make. First impressions are important and it is often good to carefully consider this aspect
8. Appreciate that different institutions have different interview arrangements and there is nothing wrong in contacting an institution in advance to ask the format of the interview. Different approaches might mean that you are going to present or talk through your portfolio, but you may find that your portfolio is viewed without you being present
9. In preparing the portfolio, institutions are very aware of the different formats that are used by A level students, National Diploma students, Foundation or similar. A-Level students often have a project to present, whilst National Diploma students and Foundation may have a varied body of work to show
   It is always a good idea to try and include some work that you have generated without instruction, something that demonstrates your enthusiasm and commitment
10. A portfolio needs to inform and be creative but it is not necessary to overload it. A range of work perhaps demonstrating diverse abilities is a useful approach
11. It is often the case that you are ‘judged’ by your worst piece of work, work which you feel is acceptable to be in the portfolio. Be careful to ensure that all the work says what you want it to say
12. A poor opening page or a poor final page in a portfolio must be avoided. It is often the case that a portfolio is opened and a discussion takes place before looking at the work or a discussion takes place after the last page. If the portfolio remains open and there is poor work on show it can be detrimental
13. Know how to open a portfolio. It may sound simple but open a portfolio the wrong way can be unsettling and can even make the work fall out unexpectedly. A simple sticker or marker on the top right corner on the outside of the portfolio will ensure that you always align it correctly before opening
14. As a portfolio may be viewed without the interviewee being present it is perhaps worth considering putting in a brief abstract or summary of what the project is
15. In addition to work in the portfolio sleeves it is advisable to include an example of some contextual work ie an essay or report on a design movement or artist and also to include sketchbooks providing that they are demonstrating ability and creativity.
    
    If you work hard and think logically and sensibly you will probably succeed in whatever it is that you want to do.

BA (Hons) Graphic Design

• Enthusiasm for the subject; evidence of a real interest in visual communication
• Evidence of the ability to visually explore and speculate; sketchbooks, worksheets, developmental ideas and draft versions of finished pieces
• Abilities with a variety of media, materials and creative processes. This could include; traditional visual and digital media, film, photography and writing
• Organisation; clearly ordered work demonstrating care and attention to detail, with evidence of supporting process where necessary.