Sva portfolio help (rejected)

[baskin robyns]

Ok, I had a portfolio review monday (12th of december), the portfolio contained mostly just charcoals and some cartoons (sketchbook with comics markers and other inked stuff). The guy reviewed my portfolio, said the life drawings were a little boring and forced but he really liked me cartoons and just said he wasn't confident i'd be able to get through foundation year.

He said to liven up my life drawings a little and get back to him in a month or two (applying for fall 2006 semester, by that time i will have a year of college completed).

Ok, I agree with him on pretty much everything, although I do think I could handle foundation year, i just gotta show him. Im gonna have a month off of school after finals so right now im mapping out my gameplan for the "new and improved portfolio".

I was thinking about getting some pastels, doing more paintings with acrylics and watercolors and maybe doing some enviormental peices (like interior drawinds).

I'm still kind of lost of how to get 15-20 original life drawings out of this though, any suggestions on what i should be putting in?

Also You think it's possible for me to get accepted submitting an application of only 10 credits (not fulltime student right now)? Im taking 16 next semester and summer courses in the summer, my grades are eeeh... b's and c's.....

So do I even have a shot? Im not really interested in any other schools NE and i really like new york city, and im trying to get into comics and illustration so I think sva is the perfect school for me. Ok sorry this is so long, any help is appreciated.

[Tully]

I'd say you'd have to show us your art before we could determine whether or not you had a shot!

I've found that art schools usually aren't too interested in how you handle anything except drawing at the outset. 10-15 life drawings in a month isn't too tall an order. One every two or three days. Maybe do one or two things in paint, but concentrate on drawing. Paint is difficult to master, and impossible if you don't have good foundations in drawing.

Getting that many different subjects for life drawings should be simple. Look around your house for interesting objects, set up a lamp next to them and draw. Draw glasses filled with water. Get your friends and family to sit still for you for a while. Go outside and do trees and houses. Draw rooms in your house. Crumple up bedsheets and draw the fabric. Draw your own hands and feet. There are things everywhere! It would probably be good to see if you can get into a life drawing class in your area. That should make it a lot simpler, plus you'll have an instructor to give you feedback.

Good luck

[loomer]

I agree with Tully...let's see what you are talking about. It would be much easier to evaluate at that time. When I got accepted to SVA I only had pencil drawings. They were quite large and I guess they had somewhat of a "surreal" twist...even some of the observational studies. My observation skills were pretty good for a high school student, but they really liked my ideas...that's what got me in I think. They can teach you skills and technique, but your creativity has to come from you. It can be developed and improved...but perhaps that should be your focus.

[baskin robyns]

My life drawings are pretty big so I won't be able to scan them, but it's just like really plain, i only had about 7 extremley boring and bland charcoals the quality i dont think was too bad on most of them though. My cartoons and paintings were accepted, i have older work on supersize.deviantart.com.

It's really just the life drawing that's kinda got me in a sore spot, and being nervous about transferring (really don't want to spend another 6 months more than i have to in this community college, im turning 20 i really want to move on from all of this).

My highschool grades are extremley shameful though so i don't want to have to submit them, its really complicated. No matter how much info i get from the offices or faculty from my current college or sva it still seems muddy.

I don't want to turn in highschool transcripts and i never took the SATs which is a problem, so they require me to complete one full college year, which i would have if I started next fall (and more credits from summer classes) about 25+ by the time I transfer. The only problem is by the time i submit them next mont or in feburary i will only have 10, so it seems like they are not gonna accept that, and if they tell me they can't review my application or approve it until they see more grades how will i be able to even get housing??

Im pretty slow but some things just aren't adding up for me, and im more nervous about grades and credits then my portfolio, it's definatly not easy for transfer students...

[gavin]

I thought that SVA accepts just about everyone who will pay for it?

Maybe you need to show him that you're ready. Convince him with words. Tell him how passionate you are about it, and such things like that?

[baskin robyns]

I'll definatly try to sell my portfolio better next time, i can honestly say I wasn't confident in the work i submitted because i was just doing it to meet a expectation.

Oh, I see that some people sva alumni brose this board, if you can tell me where to get info on certain faculty that would be great (looks emails or contacts). The guy that reviewed me gave me his card and by the time i got home it was nowhere to be found (think i lost 20 bucks too ) or if anyone has information of jaimie garcia personally. Thanks

[Storyboard Dave]

I thought that SVA accepts just about everyone who will pay for it?

Maybe you need to show him that you're ready. Convince him with words. Tell him how passionate you are about it, and such things like that?

SVA isn't that easy to get into now. And generally it isn't ONE person that accepts or denies applicants, although it might be one person responsible for telling a prospective student the news.

I seriously doubt if words are going to be able to convince an Admissions counselor to allow you entry into a program wholeheartedly. They've also got a reputation to uphold too. Imagine if they let someone sub-par into their program, they bomb horribly and what it does to the Admissions recruiter's reputation, much less the school's.

I say skip the sweet talking and get down to the REAL passion. Do the work! Simple as that. Quit trying to get a cheap seat in. If you're really passionate about it, then prove it.

I'm perplexed as to why you never took the SATs and if your grades are that shameful in high school, why not take some time off and go to a community college like they suggested and fulfill their requests? Don't get me wrong, but the bulk of the responsibility falls on you. SVA has already told you what they want. Just meet their challenge and you'll be in.

What's so difficult about that?

[Storyboard Dave]

My life drawings are pretty big so I won't be able to scan them, but it's just like really plain, i only had about 7 extremley boring and bland charcoals the quality i dont think was too bad on most of them though. My cartoons and paintings were accepted, i have older work on supersize.deviantart.com.

It's really just the life drawing that's kinda got me in a sore spot, and being nervous about transferring (really don't want to spend another 6 months more than i have to in this community college, im turning 20 i really want to move on from all of this).

My highschool grades are extremley shameful though so i don't want to have to submit them, its really complicated. No matter how much info i get from the offices or faculty from my current college or sva it still seems muddy.

I don't want to turn in highschool transcripts and i never took the SATs which is a problem, so they require me to complete one full college year, which i would have if I started next fall (and more credits from summer classes) about 25+ by the time I transfer. The only problem is by the time i submit them next mont or in feburary i will only have 10, so it seems like they are not gonna accept that, and if they tell me they can't review my application or approve it until they see more grades how will i be able to even get housing??

Im pretty slow but some things just aren't adding up for me, and im more nervous about grades and credits then my portfolio, it's definatly not easy for transfer students...

If the life drawing are huge then shoot them with a digital camera. Just because they don't fit onto a scan bed is no excuse to eliminate worthwhile artwork (imagine if you were a sculpture major- how would you solve the problem then?).

Okay, you're 20, not 200 and on your deathbed... the average age at the college where I teach is 23. Don't get hung up on the age thing. Not everyone gets out of college immediately and in four years.

Again, it's not THAT difficult. SVA has already told you what you need to do. Just follow through on it if you really want it bad enough.

[baskin robyns]

yah, im not saying im looking for shortcuts or a way around doing work? lol

I go to a community college and im taking all the nessecary classes to transfer I was just looking for some suggestions or tips for the portfolio and kinda solve the transcript transfer problem.

Not really an age thing, I just don't want to be here longer then a year if I don't have to, but i mean if i don't get in im gonna have to so whatever. Can't hurt to try?

[Icelandic Norm]

SVA already gave you the suggestions for the portfolio. Like Tully said, we have no idea what your portfolio looks like so we can't make any suggestions and quite frankly our suggestions will just be that- suggestions! Give them the life drawings they want. Draw from observation. And like Dave says, just get out there and do the hard work that they've requested, draw everything that you can. I also agree with Tully again that it's really not that many drawings to do.

The admissions staff at SVA are going to be the people you have to answer to in order to get in. As far as the transfer thing goes, they just might put you on hold pending your final grades to see if you have improved your standing. I'm sure the housing people there at SVA will be able to inform you of the situation better than we can as far as openings.