Portfolio Tips

A Wide Range of Backgrounds

Our students are from a wide range of backgrounds. Some enroll directly from high school, or continue studies after college or receiving university degrees. Many are self-taught in an art discipline and have decided to change careers. Whatever your story is, your portfolio should represent the best of where you currently stand in your artistic skill and experience.  

 

Requirements by Program

Portfolios for 2D/3D Character Animation should consist of 12 pieces of your best artwork. Character animation is about life, energy, movement, and emotions. We want to see sketches of characters in motion, in subtle and dynamic poses, and character designs. Send copies of pages from your sketchbooks, location sketches, and figure drawings. (Be sure to read these submission notes and examples from our Character Animation Faculty.)

Game Art & Design portfolios (12 pieces of your best work) should include: at least one example of digital paint, graphic design or illustration, one example of 3D models and/or animation (Maya recommended but any 3D package will do), and some number of drawings showing a sense of anatomy, volume, light & shading.

For Visual Effects, we would like to see 12 pieces with same requirements as Game Art (see above), but also including examples of video or photography showing image processing or image combination.

Professional Photography portfolios should be a 12-piece sampling of your best digital or traditional photography. For other programs, refer to our general admission requirements page.

How to Send Us Your Portfolio

Please do not send us originals or the only copy of your artwork. You can send us a link to your work on a website, blog, Youtube, Vimeo, Deviant Art or Flickr pages, or as jpegs or a compressed Zip folder attached to an email (to admissions@vanarts.com). USB, DVDs or CDs will also be accepted.

Show the Creative You

Your portfolio is the first impression that you make. We also like to see how you present yourself through your resume, letter of intent, and school transcripts. Show the creative you. Our faculty and staff are here to give you guidance, so feel free to reach out to us if you have further questions.