PORTFOLIO
Show us a selection of 10 to maximum 25 self-made visual works, preceded by a creative process.
You get to decide yourself what qualifies as 1 work. This could be one painting, or a collection of 20 paintings. It could be one object, or a series and the research and process.
Your portfolio could include designs, objects, photos, films, games, animations, GIFs, fashion (accessories), furniture, models, objects, drawings, sketchbooks, posters, campaigns, paintings, documentations of performances, collaborations, usable artifacts, sculptures and anything else you’ve made, designed, or thought of.
We are not looking for a slick, professional portfolio. We don’t expect that of you, nor is that of interest to us. We are curious about who you are, what interests and inspires you, how you look at the world, what type of ideas you have and how you communicate those (visually). For that reason, we ask you to include visualisations of your inspiration, ideas, experiments, sketches, and any other documentation of your creative process. If you can’t show this in your portfolio, use the assignments as an opportunity to document and show us your creative process.
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY PROCESS?
The creative process is the journey you take to reach your final work. What and who inspires you? How does that affect your work? Do you research specific subjects? Do you experiment with materials and techniques? Do you explore different ideas and try new approaches before reaching the final result? Do you think about what message your work should communicate? These are the kinds of questions to consider during the creative process.These are all examples of the creative process. Document this and take us on your creative journey!.
Tips and questions to ask yourself:
- Create a frame of reference: Gather inspiration. Look at other artists and designers. How do they approach specific subjects, techniques, materials etc.? Research the themes and subjects. Share this with us.
- Idea development: Can you come up with different ideas for the same assignment? Often, your first idea isn’t your best idea. Show us the different ideas/sketches/designs you have, even if you think they are bad or not interesting. Try to visualize an idea in different ways to see what kind of different results they generate and what works best.
- Experiment and vary: Experiment with different techniques, materials, proportions, mediums etc. Show us the results of these experiments, even if you are not happy with them or do not use them in the end.
- Step out of your comfort zone: If the works in your portfolio show a lot of similarity in styles, techniques, materials and topics, use these assignments to try something new. You can always go back to what you know and are already skillful at.
- Communicate and reflect: What do you want to communicate with your work? Can you make it stronger? Reflect on your work and make changes if necessary. If you are not happy with the result or a part of your process, can you explain why?
YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Check this video on how you can present your sketchbooks:
Tips & tricks for your portfolio from previous WdKA students:
MAJOR | BACHELOR PROGRAMME
We encourage a multi-disciplinary approach and a broad interest in mediums and techniques. At the same time, keep in mind that the Major assessors need to see your interest and ability to think and create within the field of choice. (For example, moving image and sound for AV, 3D work for Product and Spatial Design, storytelling for Animation and Illustration etc.) They do not expect you to create “professional” products though. If you don’t show this in your portfolio, we would encourage you to make at least one of the two assignments more Major-specific.
HOW TO PRESENT AND UPLOAD YOUR WORK
Create a digital document that gives a clear overview of your work and includes any text and images showing your process. Your portfolio must be in one file. You can add links to videos, websites, etc., separately on your intake page (also include these links in your portfolio file). Make sure your file name includes your name followed by "PORTFOLIO."
For example: JANJANSEN_PORTFOLIO.PDF
Max file size: 50 MB
Allowed file formats: PowerPoint & PDF.
VIDEOS
If you made a video and you choose to upload your media to an external online platform (Youtube, Vimeo), make sure the link works, that there is no password or expiration date. If we cannot access it, it will not be looked at and that specific assignment will not be judged.
Keep in mind that the assessors have limited time and can’t view long videos, or a lot of different videos. If you want to showcase several videos or videos longer than 5 min, for instance when applying for Audio Visual Design or Animation, we advise you to provide a trailer as well to give a compact overview of the video work. Also, this way you can direct exactly what you want the assessors to view, instead of the assessors scrolling through the videos and maybe missing the important parts.
WEBSITES
If you created an online environment for your portfolio, please make sure you present us with a direct link to the right page. The assessors will not search through websites, no matter how great they may be.
If for some reason you use online databases, please double-check all links work and redirect to where the assignment can be clearly recognised.
UNACCEPTED MEDIA
We do not accept: Google Docs links, Dropbox links, Word files, many separate images, files larger than 50MB, zip files, WeTransfer links, or any other method that requires downloading your work.
LANGUAGE
If you choose to use text, you can do so in Dutch or English.