Art and Design Education

STUDIO PORTFOLIO REVIEW GUIDE

(ADMISSION)
2014-2015

School of Art
NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

NIU Art and Design Education Portfolio Review Guide (Admission)

NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

School of Art

Art and Design Education

STUDIO PORTFOLIO REVIEW (ADMISSION)

(Updated: Oct. 31, 2014)
Introduction
The portfolio will be submitted twice, once to gain entry to the licensure program (Admission Review)
and a second time (Final Review) to gain entry to student teaching. This document contains specific
guidelines for the Admission Reviews. The review process takes place in fall and spring semesters of each
year. The exact dates and relevant information for the fall and spring portfolio reviews, time and place for
submission, will be posted outside Room 210 and on the NAEA Student Chapter bulletin board. Typically
the reviews are held in the last quarter of the semester. It is your responsibility to watch for this notice. Dates
will also be announced in the art methods classes. Each student is requested to furnish information as
required on the sign-up form(s). Time and place for portfolio submission will be posted.
Admission Review: For Admission to the Licensure Program. Students who wish to gain entry to the art
and design education licensure program must pass a portfolio review of their studio work. This review will
normally be taken in the same semester as ARTE 200. Students who fail this review will not be permitted to
enter the licensure program or take any subsequent art and design education courses.
Note: The professional expectation for someone who hopes to teach art in the public schools is that
expertise must be demonstrated across a range of studio areas with a high level of achievement
evident in at least one (and preferably more than one) studio area. In addition it is expected that a
person with ambitions to teach would be able to demonstrate the capacity to pursue original ideas in
their art work beyond standard art school class requirements. The professional preparation of a
teacher who is qualified to teach across the full spectrum of grade levels, and in all of the diverse
contexts of public schools, demands a commitment to studio production that may be regarded more
rigorously than the ordinary demands of undergraduate degree coursework. Obtaining passing grades
in an undergraduate degree program does not provide assurance that you have necessarily reached the
level of excellence necessary for you to teach art K-12. This is why the portfolio review is required.

PROCEDURES
Faculty Advisors
It is your responsibility to make an appointment with your faculty advisor for assistance in preparing your portfolio.
Go to your faculty advisor with any questions; do not rely on other students to provide accurate information. Normally
your faculty advisor for Admission Review will be your instructor for ARTE 200. Other art and design education
faculty can also preview your portfolio and advise you. If in doubt, ask the Head of Art and Design Education
Division.
Review Process
The portfolio review procedure is outlined below, with an explanation of what is expected from you at this stage of the
process. Your portfolio will be reviewed by at least three School of Art faculty members, the majority of them in art
and design education. But a failing grade will be given only after a review of the portfolio by all available art and
design education faculty members.
Admission Review: You will receive one of the following ratings:
[FAIL]

The work overall lacks evidence of basic drawing skills, knowledge of media or
other modes of artistic expression.

Students who receive a [FAIL] have not submitted work that indicates evidence of any potential to reach the
standard for admission to the licensure program and resubmission is not recommended by the faculty as an
appropriate option for the student.
[RESUBMIT]

The work demonstrates poor drawing skills, minimal capacity to express ideas
appropriate to the visual arts, and a limited knowledge of media or other modes of
artistic expression.

Students who receive [RESUBMIT] have demonstrated some potential but have not yet met the standards for
admission to the licensure program. Permission to enroll in subsequent art and design education
methodology classes is denied. Resubmission is permitted when the requirements outlined on the review
form have been met. Enrollment in subsequent art and design education methodology classes is

conditional upon passing resubmission.

[CONDITIONAL PASS]

The work demonstrates very basic drawing skills, some knowledge of media, a basic
capacity to express ideas appropriate to the visual arts, and some ability to express
ideas appropriate to the visual arts in a small number of pieces.

Students who receive a [CONDITIONAL PASS] are viewed as to falling slightly short of the standards, and it is
expected that deficiencies may be corrected within a semester. The requirements to be met in order to eliminate
those deficiencies will be detailed on the review form. Permission to enroll in art and design education

methods classes is granted for one semester only. Portfolio must be resubmitted in compliance with the
requirements outlined on the review form. A pass must be achieved before continuance in the licensure
program is permitted beyond the next semester.
[PASS]

Overall the work demonstrates an acceptable level of technical skill and some
understanding of ideas appropriate to the visual arts. Some resolution of concept,
media, and technical expression is evident in the majority of pieces.

Students who receive [PASS] have met the standards for admission to the licensure program and can

continue to enroll in subsequent art and design education methodology classes.

PORTFOLIO PRESENTATION GUIDELINES

The following guidelines describe the specific requirements of the portfolio and its presentation:
1. PORTFOLIO AND BINDER
You must use a commercial portfolio and a 3-ring letter-size black binder. The size of the portfolio should be large
enough to accommodate your artwork and the binder. Soft envelopes and folders are not acceptable packages for
presenting artwork. Use a luggage tag with your name and the type of review to identify the portfolio and attach it to
the portfolio handle. Also attach a name tag to the binder placed inside the portfolio.
2. PORTFOLIO CONTENTS
Item
A Commercial Portfolio

Contents
Submit as much original artwork as possible and reasonable in terms of volume
and size.
Include 15 pieces of artwork
a. A minimum of 8 drawings with at least 5 life drawings (drawings from
observation).
b. The remaining pieces can be works done in various 2-D media; 3-D or other
works in non-traditional media are optional but include them if available.
Note:
You do not have to mat or frame your artwork for this review. However, do not
un-mat previously mounted works.
If a work is too bulky, fragile, damaged, or unavailable to be presented in its
original form or is too large to be physically contained in the commercial
portfolio, include a digital image of the work in a CD/DVD (see instructions
below). Also, include a hardcopy 8x10 color printout in the black binder. No
more than 5 pieces of work can be submitted this way.

A Black Binder
Containing
1. Documents (1-7) in the
order listed right

2. CD/DVD

Two Name Tags

1. Identification Page (Appendix A).

2. Contents Page (Appendix B)
3. The Admission Portfolio Review Form (Appendix C) with shaded areas checked
at the top
4. A copy of previous form(s) containing faculty feedback if this is a resubmit.
5. An inventory of the work you have submitted (Appendix E).
6. Class listing of all studio, art history, and art methods classes (Appendix F)
Note: Complete and professionally present all the above information.
7. Color printouts (8 x 10 each) of listed pieces, such as 3D or non-traditional
work, that are not physically contained in the commercial portfolio.
8. A CD/DVD with digital images of all submitted work (Edit these to a PowerPoint
file, File name: <your name_Admission_semester_year.ppt>).
Tips:
a. Include digital slides of ALL work in the portfolio in a disk.
b. Organize the digital slides in the same order as they are listed in the inventory.
c. This disk will remain the property of the Art and Design Education Division.
d. Record each digital work, such as time-art, film, or animation, alone in a
separate CD or DVD.
Note: Slide color printouts and photographs in protective plastic pages in the binder.
House disks in protective jackets and label them with your name and the type of
review (in your case: Admission Portfolio).
Attach a clear name tag to BOTH the portfolio and the black document folder

3. PREPARATION OF ART WORK

Submit works completed within the last three years that fully represent your studio achievement.

Protect the surface of your work (e.g. charcoal drawings).

4. PREPARATION OF PHOTOGRAPHS
Presented as fine art
photographs

Dry mount color or black-and-white photographs and leave an appropriate margin, at

least .
Protect the photographs with tracing paper.

Presented as image
Use high-resolution color printouts to present 2-D, 3-D, and non-traditional works not
reproduction of artwork included in the commercial portfolio. No image should be smaller than 8 x 10. Consider
close-ups and multiple views of a 3-D or installation work. Place the printouts in plastic
sleeves and attach the information about the works on the facing page in the black binder.
Definition of Fine Art Photography and the Criteria for Submission

Fine art photography refers to photographs that are created in accordance with the creative vision of the
photographer as artist. Such photography requires certain stages of production: theme selection,
composition, color scheme, record of camera setup, image development (e.g. darkroom technique), and
printing. The artistic/cultural value of a fine art photograph and its context are always significant unlike
those of a casual snapshot. Students who 1) have taken photography courses at either the high school or
college level and 2) can identify each submitted photos production record (at least including exposure
value, aperture, shutter, and printing method) are eligible to submit photographs.
5. PREPARATION OF DIGITAL IMAGES FOR CD-ROM/DVD
Conditions:
You may submit studio work digitally for the following reasons:
1. Original work has been lost, damaged, or is not available for submission.
2. Original work is too bulky or fragile to be submitted in original form.
3. The artwork itself, such as time-art, film, or animation, was created digitally and is intended to be viewed
on screen.
Submit works on a CD-ROM/DVD in a jacket. Include a hard copy of the list of works in the jacket. Label both
disk and jacket clearly with your NAME, NUMBER of WORKS and CLASSIFICATION of work (e.g.
Sculpture, ceramics, painting, mixed-media etc.).
Taking digital photographs of your works:
Photograph work at a resolution no less than 300 dpi and a size no smaller than 1024 x 768 pixels (no cellphone photos).
Frame the object (artwork) to fill the camera frame rather than photographing from a distance and cropping the
work.
If the work is large and detailed or has different aspects (as in 3-D), take close-up or multiple views.
PowerPoint
Use Microsoft PowerPoint to digitally present all pieces in your portfolio.
In the PowerPoint presentation, begin with a title slide containing your name and an index of slides identified by
slide number (corresponding with the inventory number), title, year, medium, and size/dimension. Match the
order of the slides to the order of the inventory of your work (Appendix E).
Present one image of your work on each slide, including slide number/inventory number, medium, size, year,
title of work and any other relevant descriptive detail (keep this to an absolute minimum). Do not show more
than three aspects of the work per slide if the work requires multiple views.

Use a white solid-fill background; do not use template or animation features.

Save the presentation in PowerPoint as file name: <your name_Admission_semester_year.ppt>.

6. IDENTIFICATION OF ART WORK

2-D Work:

Place a typed label in the lower right corner on the back of 2-D works. Include the following
information on the label:
A. Inventory Number
B. Your Name
C. Title
D. Year
E. Medium
F. Size (height, width, depth in inches and feet)

Photographs: Same as 2-D Work but change Medium to Production Record:

A. Inventory Number
B. Your Name
C. Title
D. Year
E. Production Record (See Definition of Fine Art Photography on p. 4)
F. Size (height, width, depth in inches and feet)
3-D Work:

Firmly attach to all 3-D works a typed label with the same information used for 2-D works.

7. PREPARATION OF FORMS
Neatly type all forms to be included in the binder. Do not make any hand written corrections. A digital copy of the
blank forms (Word format) is available for download from your advisor, the art and design education office, and on
Blackboard via art and design education methods courses.

APPENDIX A
Identification Page

ADMISSION PORTFOLIO

Thomas Michael Flaherty

130 South LaGrange Road, LaGrange IL, 60525
(708) 295-1531
z1713931@students.niu.edu

Transfer Student
Yes x No
(If yes) School College of DuPage
Student Teaching Candidate: Semester: Spring Year: 2015

Art and Design Education

Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, IL 60115-2883

APPENDIX B
Contents Page

This page will follow the identification page and list the information contained in the black document folder.
(2ND SHEET OF BINDER BEFORE PAGINATION BEGINS (BELOW)-THIS IS YOUR TITLE PAGE-FILL IN THE
INFORMATION BELOW, DELETE THIS LINE OF TEXT & THE ONE ABOVE, AND DELETE THE TWO PARAGRAPHS
BELOW THE AREA YOU FILL OUT)

CONTENTS
Page
Portfolio Review Form .1
Inventory 2
Class Listing ..3
Photographs xx
Printouts ..xx

Inventory Form The contents of the portfolio shall be organized in the same order that appears on the inventory
form. The original artwork, printouts, and digital work in CD/DVD shall be listed on the inventory
form as presented in the portfolio review form.
Class Listing

On the class listing form, list all art classes including: studio classes, art and design education
methods courses and art history courses completed since graduation from high school. Also list
those art classes taken at community colleges and ones that are yet to be completed. Similar
courses such as Drawing 100, Drawing 101 should be listed sequentially. List the studio classes in
order as they appear on the portfolio review form.

APPENDIX C
Admission Portfolio Review Form
Admission to the Licensure Program

(THIS IS THE 3RD SHEET IN BINDER, ALTHOUGH IT IS PAGE 1-THIS IS YOUR INVENTORY THAT THEY WILL USE TO
SCORE YOUR PORTFOLIO-FILL IN THE INFORMATION JUST HIGHLIGHTED IN GRAY-THE FORMAT IS FUNKY I AM
TRYING TO FIX IT-SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO)

Northern Illinois University

DIVISION OF ART AND DESIGN EDUCATION

ADMISSION PORTFOLIO REVIEW

Admission to the Licensure Program

Student Name: Thomas Michael Flaherty

Transfer student?

No

2d
Year

Yes

4th
Semester

From:

College of DuPage
1. Portfolio Content Requirements:
Must present 15 pieces (neither more nor fewer) including a minimum of 8 drawings with at least 5 life drawings (drawing from
observation) and other 2-D work. (The Review Committee may make exceptions for equivalent categories of acceptable work).
Present at least three pieces of good quality work for each studio
area other than drawing. Include a black binder with all the required documents and Disk(s).

Drawing

2-D

3-D

Other Work

(optional)

(optional)

(description)

2. Quality Requirements:
[FAIL] The work overall lacks evidence of basic drawing skills, knowledge of media or other modes of artistic expression.
[RESUBMIT] The work demonstrates poor drawing skills, minimal capacity to express ideas appropriate to the visual arts, and a
limited knowledge of media or other modes of artistic expression.
[CONDITIONAL PASS] The work demonstrates very basic drawing skills, some knowledge of media, a basic capacity to express
ideas appropriate to the visual arts, and some ability to express ideas appropriate to the visual arts in a small number of pieces.
[PASS] Overall the work demonstrates an acceptable level of technical skill and some understanding of ideas appropriate to the
visual arts. Some resolution of concept, media, and technical expression is evident in the majority of pieces.

3. Review:
The quality of artwork will be ranked according to the above requirements. To achieve a [Pass], 12 pieces must be acceptable and
five of them must be drawings,.

Unacceptable (decided and marked by the Review Committee)

#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
# 11

# 12

# 13

# 14

#7

#8

#9

# 10

# 15

4. Decision:

Fail: Does not meet the standard for admission to the Licensure program.
Resubmit: Does not yet meet the standard for admission to the Licensure program. Permission to enroll in subsequent art and

design education methodology classes is denied. Resubmission is permitted when the requirements outlined below have been
met. Enrollment in subsequent art and design education methodology classes is conditional upon passing resubmission.
Conditional Pass: Permission to enroll in art and design education methods classes is granted for one semester only. Portfolio
must be resubmitted in compliance with the requirements outlined below. A pass must be achieved before continuance in the
Licensure program is permitted beyond the next semester.
Pass: Meets the standard for admission to the Licensure program.

5. Requirements and Comments/Advice:

6. Work(s) selected for showcase exhibition:

Review Committee Signatures

APPENDIX E
Portfolio Review Inventory Form

ADMISSION PORTFOLIO REVIEW INVENTORY FORM

Student Name Thomas Michael Flaherty

ID NO.

TITLE OF WORK

Total No. Works Listed 15

Studio Area

1.

Close Up on Death

Drawing

2.

Show Me Your Teeth

Drawing

3.

True Reflections Melt Illusions

Drawing

4.

Melancholy Happiness

Drawing

5.

A Jolly Green Gentlemen

Drawing

6.

The Strongest Link

Drawing

7.

Death and Dionysus

Drawing

8.

Child of Night

Drawing

9.

Child Of Light

Drawing

10.

A Light in Dark places

Drawing

11.

Wrath of The Sea

Printmaking

12.

A Modern Day Thunder-gods weapon

Painting

13.

An Aliens True Face

Painting

14.

Not A Saint by Number

2D design

15.

My Recovery From My Horrible Wreck

2D design

Size

Year

22inches by 30 2014
inches
22inches by 30 2014
inches
18inches by
2014
24inches
18inches by
2014
24inches
15.5inches by 2014
25.5 inches
18inches by
2014
24inches
20inches by
2014
30inches
15inches by 20 2015
inches
15inches by
2015
20inches
18inches by
2015
24inches
11inches by 15 2015
inches
18inches by
2015
24inches
18inches by
2014
24inches
15 inches by 20 2014
inches
10.75inches
2014
7.19inches

Original/Printout/Digital

Original
Original
Original
Original
Original
Original
Original
Original
Original
Original
Original
Original
Original
Original
Original

THIS IS THE 4TH SHEET IN YOUR BINDER, BUT IS PAGE 2 OF CONTENTS. BE SURE AND LIST YOUR
WORKS IN THE EXACT ORDER YOU HAVE THEM IN YOUR PORTFOLIO, AND THE EXACT ORDER IN
YOUR DIGITAL POWERPOINT OF IMAGES. THEY WILL REFER TO THESE BY NUMBER. (ONCE YOU
COMPLETE THIS, DELETE THIS PARAGRAPH AND THE RED DIRECTIONS IN THE FIRST ROW)

APPENDIX F
Portfolio Review Class Listing Form

ADMISSION PORTFOLIO REVIEW

CLASS LISTING
List all art courses taken in the order of Studio, Art History, and Art and Design Education (the order of studio courses: Drawing, Design,
Painting, Printmaking, Fiber, Ceramics, Metalwork/Jewelry, Sculpture, Time Arts, Photography, Illustration, Others).
Course
Number

Semester
Taken

Instructor

Course Title

NIU or Transfer

ART 100

1st

J. Johnson

Drawing Foundation I

NIU

ART 101

2nd

J. Johnson

Drawing Foundation II

NIU

ART 102

2nd

2-D Foundation

NIU

B-

ARTS 200

2nd

B. Stone,
J. Michaelson
K. Brown

Beginning Life Drawing

NIU

B+

ART 103

1st

A. Lee

3-D Foundation

NIU

Introduction to Visual Arts

COD

(If transfer name the

institution)

VART 282 2nd (at COD) COD Staff

Achieved
Grade

ARTS 323

4th

Frank

Beginning Painting

NIU

n/a

ARTS 330

4th

A. Miller

Beginning Printmaking

NIU

n/a

ARTH 292

1st

R. Houze

Art History Survey II: From ca. 1400

NIU

B-

ARTE 200

4th

Dr. Shei-chau
Wang

Studio Found for Art & Design for Art

Education

NIU

A-

(THIS IS THE 5TH SHEET IN BINDER, PAGE 3 IN CONTENTS-SELF EXPLANNATORY-DELETE THIS LINE)

ANY PRINT OUTS OF ART THAT IS NOT ABLE TO FIT IN YOUR PORTFOLIO SHOULD COME HERENUMBERED 4HOWEVER MANY YOU HAVE IN THE TABLE OF CONTENTS. THESE ARE THE LAST PAGES IN THE BINDER. THE REST IS A
CHECKLIST TO HELP YOU GO BACK AND SEE IF YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED)

APPENDIX G
Portfolio Review Checklist

NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF ART
ART AND DESIGN EDUCATION ADMISSION PORTFOLIO REVIEW CHECKLIST
Majors will begin the review process as a student in ARTE 200. The portfolio review by the Art and Design
Education faculty takes place in the fall and spring semesters each year.
1. Read the portfolio review guide. Schedule a meeting with your 200 instructor for portfolio preview.
For the preview, bring a minimum of 25 pieces of 2-D un-matted work including at least 12 drawings
and digital images of 3-D work (if applicable). Your advisor will help you select work to be put into
the portfolio for the admission review. (Note: matting is not required)
For a resubmission, you should include in addition to the above forms the signed Review Form from
your previous submission which contains the list of requirements to be met by you for resubmission.
2. Attend a scheduled portfolio review INFORMATION SESSION. Time and place will be announced.
3. Bring your portfolio (check the content list in the Portfolio Review Guide, pages 3-4) to the
designated area on the day and time when all portfolios will be collected and stored for review.
4. If your work is in some way unsatisfactory and you receive a RESUBMIT or CONDITIONAL PASS,
immediately make an appointment with your Advisor to discuss the Committee requirements to be
completed prior to resubmission.
5. If you receive a FAIL, carefully read the Comments/Advice on the Portfolio Review Form and make
an appointment with the Head of Art and Design Education Division immediately.
6. Pick up your portfolio at the specified time and place. (Important, there is not much storage space
available.)
7. If you receive a PASS, CONGRATULATIONS!

NIU Art and Design Education Portfolio Review Guide (Admission)

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