Portfolio Review & Academic Requirements

Building Your Student Portfolio

All candidates are required to submit a portfolio as part of the application process. The portfolio should contain 15–20 examples of your best work from the last two years. Your work should include some observational drawing, but you may also submit other approaches that demonstrate your strengths. You should choose work that shows the breadth and depth of your art endeavors and highlights your ideas and conceptual abilities as well as your technical skills.

Portfolio Contents

• Ideally, about one-quarter of the portfolio should consist of drawings (charcoal, conte, pencil, pastel, ink, etc.). Handling may vary from loose and sketchy to tight and fine. Drawings from life should be done without restriction as to content, style
or expression.

• Examples of photography, painting, printmaking, mixed-media, three-dimensional work, film/video, etc. may be included in the remaining portion of your portfolio.

• A sketchbook containing working drawings representing your artistic ideas is also highly recommended.

Portfolio Presentation Opportunities

Portfolios and sketchbooks may be presented in one of three ways:

1. It is strongly recommended that a personal portfolio review and campus visit be arranged as part of your decision-making process. You may schedule an individual review, interview, and tour during business hours, Monday through Friday, and during University Preview Days and Art School Open House. Please contact the Art School office of admission for dates and available appointments, or refer to our website calendar. Call us at 860.768.4393.

2. Portfolios may be shown to representatives from the Hartford Art School on National Portfolio Days, sponsored by the National Portfolio Day Association (NPDA), as well as on regional portfolio days, or at your high school during our visit. Please contact the Art School admission office for details on dates and locations of NPDA events, or visit portfolioday.net as well as our website calendar for all other events.

3. Portfolios may be submitted digitally by visiting hartfordartschool.org and uploading your information and work to our portfolio review section. A list of images should also be included, indicating the medium used, date completed, and size. Sketchbooks should be mailed in their original form. Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of your material. The Hartford Art School does not assume responsibility for artwork not accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped return envelope.

Hartford Art School Portfolio Review Opportunities

Portfolios may be reviewed during a scheduled Hartford Art School visit (by appointment only, and are
available Monday through Friday) or by attending a University preview day, a national or regional portfolio day, or by uploading your portfolio at hartfordartschool.org.

2011 – 2012 National & Regional Portfolio Days/University Events

September

Sun. 11 Preview Day (registration required), Hartford Art School, University of Hartford, West Hartford, CT
Sun. 25 Preview Day (registration required), Hartford Art School, University of Hartford, West Hartford, CT

October

Thu. 6 Hecksher Museum PD, Huntington, NY  6pm – 9pm
Sun. 9 Preview Day (registration required), Hartford Art School, Hartford, CT
Mon. 17 Aldrich Museum PD, Ridgefield, CT - 3pm – 7pm
Sat. 29 Hartford Art School NPD, Hartford Art School, Hartford, CT - 12pm – 4pm
Sun. 30 Boston NPD, Hynes Convention Center, Host: Art Institute of Boston, Boston, MA - 12pm – 4pm

November

Thu. 3 Mill Street Loft PD, Henry A. Wallace Visitor Center & Education Center at Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum, Hyde Park, NY  4pm – 8pm
Thu. 3 Greenfield Community College PD, Greenfield, MA  9am – 1pm
Sat. 5 Richmond NPD, Host: Hartford Art School, Richmond, VA   12pm – 4pm
Sun. 6 Preview Day (registration required), Hartford Art School, Hartford, CT
Sun. 6 Western New York NPD, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY  12pm – 4pm
Thu. 10 Sage College of Albany PD, Albany, NY  11am – 3pm
Sat. 12 Purchase College, SUNY, School of Art and Design, Purchase, NY  12pm – 4pm
Sun. 13 New York NPD, Javits Center, Host: Maryland Institute College of Art, New York, NY
Fri. 18 Huntington School of Fine Arts PD, Huntington, NY  10am – 5pm
Sat. 19 Atlanta NPD, Cobb Galleria Centre, Exhibit Hall A, Host: Maryland Institute College of Art, Atlanta, GA  11am – 3pm
Sun. 20 Charlotte NPD, Hilton, Executive Park, Host: Memphis College of Art, Charlotte, NC  11am – 3pm
Sun. 20 Philadelphia NPD, The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA  12pm – 4pm

December

Thurs. 1 Anne Arundel Community College PD, Arnold, Maryland   6:30pm – 9:30pm
Sat. 3 Washington, DC NPD, Corcoran College of Art and Design, Washington, DC   10am – 2pm
Sun. 4 Baltimore NPD, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, Maryland   1pm – 5pm

January

Sat. 21 Miami NPD, Miami Dade College/Wolfson Campus, Host: New World School of the Arts, Miami, FL
Sun. 22 Sarasota NPD, Ringling College of Art and Design, Sarasota, FL

February

Sat. 4 Spring In House Review Day (registration required), Hartford Art School, University of Hartford, West Hartford, CT

March

Sat. 3 Spring In House Review Day (registration required), Hartford Art School, University of Hartford, West Hartford, CT
Thu. 29 Open House (by invitation only), Hartford Art School, University of Hartford, West Hartford, CT

*NPD = National Portfolio Day
*PD = Portfolio Day

Please call to confirm dates and times. Events are subject to change. Thank you!
artschool@hartford.edu
860.768.4827