Art Portfolios
building YOUR art + film portfolio
Art + Design Portfolio Requirements
Art, design, film, and theatre programs each have their own unique portfolio requirements, so no two schools are exactly alike. The best way to know what’s expected is to visit the portfolio section of each school’s website.
Most portfolios include 12–20 of your best pieces, but the exact number and format may vary by program.
Tip: Focus on quality and diversity, showcasing your creativity across a range of mediums — for example, drawing, painting, murals, sculpture, digital art, photography, or film — to highlight your growth and versatility as an artist.
research Art, design, & film schools
When you’re looking into art, film, or design schools, go straight to each school’s website and find the page for their art/film/design department. Check out their portfolio requirements, courses offered, faculty bios, and student work galleries.
Some schools emphasize traditional fine arts — like painting, sculpture, or printmaking. Others specialize in design, metalsmithing, digital media, film, writing, animation, or multimedia arts. Pick a school whose strengths line up with what you love doing.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
New Hampshire Institute of Art.
Georgia
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).
Illinois
School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC).
Maryland
Maryland Institute of Contemporary Art.
Canada
Ontario College of Art and Design.
Washington
Massachusetts
Emerson College. Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Montserrat College of Art. SMFA at Tufts University. Lesley University - College of Art and Design. UMass Dartmouth. North Bennett Street School. The Loop Lab. The Eliot School.
New York
Pratt Institute. School of Visual Arts (SVA). Parsons. Fashion Institute of Technology.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).
Maine
CALIFORNIA
California College of the Arts. California Institute of the Arts.