Building Your Portfolio with OCAD U

Learn how to build your portfolio and get feedback from experts at OCAD University!

If you’re interested in pursuing a degree in the arts, chances are you will have to submit a portfolio of your work. You may be wondering, “what is a portfolio?” OCAD University is going above and beyond in helping students answer this question and prepare for applying to an arts degree.

What is a portfolio?

A portfolio is a collection of your artwork that demonstrates your style, technical abilities, and personality. You want to provide a diverse range of mediums to create a visual representation of who you are. You may be asked to show your art in varying stages, from sketch to final work. This will demonstrate your creative process, how you develop, your inspirations, research, and experimentation. When looking at your portfolio, some of the most important features we look for are skill, passion, curiosity, and your ability to think creatively.

Remember—every school has different requirements when applying. Some schools may ask for 8-10 examples of your work, others may ask for fewer, or more. Check out our requirements to get a better idea of how many pieces you may need to submit.

OCAD’s portfolio clinics

Whether you’re interested in drawing, photography, or digital graphics, creating your portfolio will be a challenging process. OCAD wants to make this process simpler and less stressful for you! We’ve created online portfolio clinics running from January to March where we discuss all aspects of the art and design process: research, conception, mediums, and approaches.

These portfolio clinics are open to anyone aged 15-19 looking to pursue a creative degree in post-secondary education! These workshops are taught by OCAD faculty and by the end of the workshop, you will leave with one or more finished pieces to include in your portfolio.

One-on-one portfolio review

Want to get more personal advice about your portfolio? OCAD offers personal, online portfolio reviews where you will work one-on-one with a portfolio expert to get the feedback you need! Come ready with some examples for your portfolio and get some feedback on how to improve. Remember, this is not a formal portfolio review for admission. These sessions are an informal opportunity to have your work reviewed and improved upon before applying!

There are appointments available until January 31, 2022, so sign up now!

Creative prompts and tips

Not sure how to start creating your portfolio? Check out @ocaduadmissions on Instagram to gain some portfolio tips and even little prompts on what to create if you’re stumped.

Don’t forget—have fun making your portfolio! It should reflect who you are, not who you think schools want!