Questions about the Gnomon School of Visual Effects: Portfolio Review

**Minks85** · January 10th, 2012, 08:41 AM

Hey, my name is Minks im trying to get into the Gnomon School of Visual Effects. I have some questions because I REALLY REALLY WANT TO ABE ACCEPTED!!...this school is really my dream school.

1. Can i turn in a portfolio that is in black and white? I have great drawing skills and i understand perspective and scale...(1,2,3,4,5 point perspectives,), but i dont have much experience with photo shop. so is it possible to get in with great inking skills showing good perspective in black and white??

2.im dabbling in Sketchbook pro 2011 and its really easy to use, i just want to know if i can get in with a portfolio that is done in black and white.

3. does anyone have an advise on how to get into Gnomon and examples of the portfolio they used to get into the 2 or 3 year programs?

**saprissa9** · January 10th, 2012, 02:59 PM

Gnomon is also my dream school. Though I do not know how the acceptance and portfolio things work. I do know they accept people even though they do not have any knowledge of photoshop or maya. I could be wrong.

**saprissa9** · January 10th, 2012, 05:25 PM

Here is a link to a accepted portfolio
http://amyms.blogspot.com/2011/07/gnomon-portfolio.html

and if you need help in photoshop here is a great site with tons of FREE tutorials about drawing and painting in photoshop:
http://www.ctrlpaint.com/

If you get accepted show me your portfolio please. I am just starting to take traditional drawing classes and I want to see what they like. It's gonna take a while for me to go there since I am a complete beginner in drawing. But at least I know photoshop and Maya. Good luck!

**saprissa9** · January 10th, 2012, 05:33 PM

Hey dude where are you from? If you live in LA there are plenty of schools there with "cheap" photoshop classes for beginners. Just trying to help.

**gmsalpha** · June 6th, 2012, 11:44 AM

I was accepted to Gnomon back in late 2010 but was unable to go because I couldn't get financing. It's actually a very common occurrence, especially in the current economy, and my credit score is over 790.

http://gmsalpha.deviantart.com/gallery/

That's my portfolio as it stands now. It's not exactly the same portfolio I had when they accepted me, but I will say that when I first applied, it was all comic book pages/pinups/characters. They said it was good, but they would like to see more variety.

So I did a couple of paintings in Painter of animals and landscapes and they accepted me.

As for the 3-year program, the first year is a lot of 2D foundational stuff, so you don't have to be nearly as polished. And if at the end of the first year you're not "ready", they won't let you start the 2-year digital/3D part of the certificate program.

But from what I can tell after having talked to other potential students, the financing is going to be the biggest hurdle.

I am going to reapply in October, right after they begin Fall Term. I believe this time I will be approved for student loans, and I've been keeping a blog since the very beginning, but have hardly updated it as of late. I will post again once I reapply.

**Dysphoria** · June 7th, 2012, 07:37 AM

I applied back in 2009 and got accepted. All my drawings were mostly observational drawings and maybe one or two from imagination. They were descent drawings but look terrible now that I look back on them today. I did not go because I could not afford the tuition. It worked out though because I am really focusing on beefing up my life drawing.

**kcwang** · June 7th, 2012, 03:02 PM

I helped my girl friend prepared her application. She has mostly figure drawing and digital painting. I drove her to Gnomon to have an interview, and she got accepted.

Due to the tuition cost, she stops going after 6 months. I think there is a review at the end of the first year to determine if you are allowed to proceed to the second year.