A career in Illustration can be rewarding and there are many different avenues you can take within the field. If you decide you’d like to pursue a BFA in Illustration, choose a program that is focused on the creative aspects and the technical skills you’ll need to succeed. For the best Illustrations programs you’ ll need a competitive Art Portfolio to apply.
At Ashcan we’ve helped thousands of students enter top BFA Illustration programs and we strongly recommend that you include certain pieces in your Art Portfolio.
These are examples made by Ashcan Studio students who applied and were accepted to the top BFA Illustration Programs
SELF PORTRAITS and PORTRAITS
These self-portraits and portraits are examples of the excellent work top Art Schools & University Art Programs look for in a potential student.
Self Portraits and Portraits are important to include in your art portfolio for BFA Illustration programs, and most applicants do, so Admissions sees A LOT of them.
Even if you’re a skillful artist, it’s still very important to think of ways to make YOURS stand out in a way that goes above your ability to draw representationally.
Use your imagination to express what is uniquely you. Be inventive and innovative and transform a mediocre idea into a great idea.
Your self portrait can be made with unique mediums, collage, clothing, symbolism, narrative, or exaggeration. Think of ways to express who you are in innovative ways.
Your Self Portrait can be representational or conceptual and the materials and the amount of space that they occupy are limitless.
Artists’ self-portraits are critical to our understanding of both portraiture and the history of art. They should offer insights into your life, surroundings, and your state of mind.
IMAGINATIVE WORK
Imagination is important to have for a career in Illustration, and another great way to stand out to Admissions Counselors is to make art that’s imaginative and has meaning and uses symbolism, where the mystery makes admissions counselors look a little longer and think about who you are. Using symbolism in art is intriguing, so allow your work to tell a story, it can be simple and fun, multi-layered and personal or serious and dark, as long as it’s designed for the active internal work of the viewer, arouses feelings and also makes them want to understand what’s happening in the picture.
If you do one or all of these for your Art Portfolio it will demonstrate to Admissions that you’re able to go beyond basic technical art skills. That you’re original and inspired to try new things and push yourself. And you can make art that’s different from what other people are creating.
You should use ordinary subjects, but their arrangement must be open to the full range of your These pieces should depict images or ideas that are impossible in reality.
SERIES/ SEQUENTIAL
You should also make work in a series that are to be used as one piece for their art portfolio. This is great for an Illustration Art Portfolio because it means you can think narratively. These can be in the form of a comic or any narrative you can imagine.
Your series can give the beginning, middle, and end of a story, have a theme that runs through each of the pieces, examine a subject from multiple perspectives, show the progression of a subject, or showcase separate elements that are related and complement each other.
SCULPTURAL WORK
There are many different ways to make sculptures, and including one or more in your Illustration Art Portfolio is a great way to capture the attention of admissions advisors. Sculptural work can be representational or conceptual but the materials you can use and the amount of space that they occupy are limitless, and including sculptural work in your Art Portfolio shows an ability to think creatively and a willingness to experiment and try new things.
Making sculptures is difficult and it takes practice to learn to use different materials, so find a material now that you’re interested in using, or that an artist you admire uses, and see what you can create. Three-dimensional work requires a different type of thinking and it may take a substantial amount of time to get your sculpture to look the way you’d like it to.
CHARACTER DESIGN
This one is optional but depending on your interests you can add Character Designs to your Art Portfolio. These are examples of Ashcan Art students interested in Character Design who were accepted into the top programs in the country.
Creating a character starts off with visually defining a character’ physical appearance, personality, behavior, and aesthetic. A well-designed character compels people to feel invested in a story.
When creating a character consider how the character you create would play an essential role in telling a story or conveying a message, how you would bring the character to life with qualities that align with a story, how they move and the emotions they exhibit.
Also, consider what role your character plays in the storyline or scene, and what details of the character’s silhouette would quickly identify them.
A good character to create for your Art Portfolio is believable and has unique qualities about them, their personality, their gestures and their appearance.
STILL LIFE
Still life’s show Admissions Counselors that you can draw or paint skillfully from life, and they should be in every Art Portfolio.
A still life is a painting or drawing of several inanimate objects. You can choose objects that have meaning for you, or arrange objects in a way that looks good to you.
Still lifes are drawn from life, not from a photograph. We know it’s more convenient to draw from a photo than to draw from life, but try to find fun and creative ways to make one, choose the objects, plants and/or foods you like the most, or find the most visually appealing, and arrange them in your own unique way.
EXTERIOR DRAWINGS
Exterior drawings and paintings show Admissions you’re able to use linear perspective by using lines to create the impression of three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface, and atmospheric perspective, that gives the effect that the atmosphere has on the appearance of things when they are looked at from a distance.
It’s important to be able to draw realistically as an Illustrator, and perspective is important when you want to make your drawings and paintings more realistic and learning and practicing perspective will also make it a lot easier to sketch, draw and paint more quickly from life and from your imagination.
INTERIOR DRAWINGS
Making Observational interior pieces for your Art Portfolio demonstrates a level of mastery of fundamental art skills. Interior pieces are renderings of interior spaces, furniture and objects, and often include portraits and/or still life arrangements. Interior pieces illustrate the three-dimensional qualities of the subject matter, including texture, pattern, material, reflection, shade and shadow. And the appearance of objects or scenes is determined by their relative distance and positions to one another.
Explore different areas of your home. Your bedroom, living room, kitchen, garage, staircase, closets, inside your refrigerator, etc. Draw from life but take many photos from different angles and close ups of these spaces before you start to find the most interesting composition
Interior Drawings should be drawn from life.
FIGURE DRAWINGS
Finally, it’s very important to add Figure Drawings to your Illustration Art Portfolio. This is because if they are done well, it demonstrates to Art School Admissions Counselors proficiency in complex art skills.
A good Figure Drawing will illustrate the three-dimensional qualities of the model you’re depicting, including textures, highlights and a wide range of shadows. Your drawings should always include the models hands and feet and facial expression.
You can visually explore all of the elements of the model, by taking the time to really appreciate the details. There is almost always a local figure drawing class that you can and should sign up for. If not, ask friends and family members to pose for you for anywhere from 5 minutes to up to 60 minutes. People enjoy having their portraits drawn, so don’t be afraid to ask. Ideally you can both draw friends and family and take a local Figure Drawing class.
When you enroll in Ashcan Arts Art Portfolio Prep program with the goal of entering a top Illustration program, you’ll create 12-20 strong pieces, using a wide variety of materials.
Much of the work you make at Ashcan Art will focus on the field of Illustration. Creating this work will show Admissions Counselors your interest in this multifaceted profession. You’ll be able to submit an Art Portfolio that shows them a broad range of excellent technical, and creative skills.
Here’s a little about our favorite Illustration BFA programs.
PRATT Communications Design – emphasis in Illustration. In the Pratt Communication Design major with an Emphasis in Illustration you’ll explore topics such as advanced storytelling, socio-political commentary, and authorship.
SVA ILLUSTRATION At SVA, they believe that an illustrator’s career can be as limitless as his or her imagination. They not only inspire and encourage a student’s imagination, but also teach the art of interpretation: the ability to carefully read and cross-reference texts, research visual styles, and conceptualize and produce significant bodies of work.
FIT ILLUSTRATION At FIT, you will master a wide range of media, from pencil-on-paper to state-of-the-art computer software. In hands-on classes taught by practicing illustrators, you will develop your artistic skills and gain the technical expertise to create illustrations that inform, inspire, and influence.
PARSONS ILLUSTRATION In the BFA Illustration program at Parsons, you’ll develop your visual storytelling skills through representational drawing and painting coupled with production of text, three-dimensional objects, and animation.
RISD ILLUSTRATION RISDs Illustration major will engage you in a largely self-directed exploration of media as you gain a solid understanding of contemporary themes and concepts.
RINGLING ILLUSTRATION In the Ringling Illustration program you’ll perfect your drawing and painting skills, develop your artistic style, and unleash your visual creativity
ART CENTER ILLUSTRATION ArtCenter’s Illustration curriculum encompasses a wide range of core studies and collaborations with other disciplines that equips students with strong practical skills, as well as substantial business knowledge.
MICA ILLUSTRATION In MICA’s Illustration major youll explore a variety of traditional and digital approaches to illustration fostering technical proficiency along with imaginative problem solving and entrepreneurial thinking.
CCA ILLUSTRATION In CCA’s Illustration program, you’ll create images and objects that engage, challenge, and delight. Illustrators enliven narratives, explore personal histories, and contribute to discussions about larger societal issues through traditional and digital works.
SCAD ILLUSTRATION At SCAD, illustration students cultivate their own unique style and personal brand in a comprehensive program that explores both traditional and digital media. Students learn to create concepts and select materials while developing the portfolio and business acumen necessary to thrive in professional practice.
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