•    How much does portfolio layout affect decisions?

The focus of the evaluation is your work. For this reason, we recommend clear, consistent layouts that highlight the quality of your work. For process boards, the goal is to tell the backstory of the project, addressing such questions as: what ideas guided your exploration? How did you make decisions? What challenges did you face? What did you learn?

No doubt the layout can have both positive and negative effects on the reviews. Be careful with craft, be intentional about the layout, be clear about what you are trying to show, do not be afraid to edit.

•    Does it matter which course is represented first within the portfolio?

Not necessarily. Often 102 is first, simply because the number is first and it is listed first in the requirements. For 131 work, the specifications ask that work be presented in chronological order  - in other words, in the order you produced it.

•    Should all of your pages be vertical or horizontal orientation?

It is a good idea for your process boards, study pages, and other pages with smaller work mounted on 18x24 to be in a consistent orientation. With your original work produced in class, you may have a variety of orientations, and this is absolutely ok.

•    I think it's not fair for the students who are re-submitting their portfolio against the freshmen who are submitting their portfolio for the first time. Is there a different procedure?

Applicants who are submitting their work for the second or third time are not identified as such. Every applicant receives the same treatment in the process.

•    What is a portfolio, and how do you make one?

Generally, a portfolio is a collection of your work. For our purposes in terms of applying to professional programs in the college, the portfolio presents work from the CORE courses. Refer to the specifications for detailed requirements (http://www.design.iastate.edu/CORE/port.php ).
Ask for advice from your 102 and 131 instructors if you need additional help.

•    Do all of the pages need to relate to one another regarding themes?

A consistent, systematic approach to the layout of the portfolio is helpful. For instance, when making the process boards, you should consider orientation, text, method of labeling, etc. Be clear about which process or sketch boards correspond to which pieces of original work.

•    Does it matter what color we use for the pages?

We typically recommend using a neutral background to highlight the work rather than distract from it. However, there have been excellent portfolios that use more colorful papers; these have been successful due to the work featured and the clarity of presentation.

•    Should text, if used, be explaining what the assignment was or only talk about our specific process and ideas?
•    What is titled?
•    Should we label the drawing (131) stuff or is it self-explanatory?
•    Is it necessary to have titles on DsnS 131 work?
•    How should we label the pages?

Use labels, keys, and minimal text to clarify and explain your ideas. It is not recommended that you attach labels to original pieces of work. On process boards or pages featuring study exercises, however, it is often helpful to have some explanatory text to complement and organize the images and sketches.

•    How much text is too much?

Imagine that a portfolio reviewer is spending just 15 minutes with your entire portfolio, and that he or she must review 200 in one week. Don't put entire essays in your portfolio. Do, however, use text and labels to clarify and/or to communicate key concepts that are not articulated through images only.

•    Which type of adhesive works best?
•    What is the best type of tape or glue to use for our portfolio?
•    What should we use to stick the pictures to the page?

Glue stick typically does not work well because the pieces loosen easily. Other adhesives depend upon the paper and other surfaces being adhered. Experiment before putting your final pieces together. Double-stick tape may work. Two-sided peel-off sheet adhesive is another method. Some students use spray adhesive; if you do so, use the spray rooms in the College or Armory.

•    What is the green line on the border of the board (example from class)?
•    Is it good to have a border around photos, etc?
•    What are your thoughts on using color with the title on your pages?

In the class example, the portfolio pages had a green accent on the labels. This was used consistently throughout the pages, which gave the portfolio a coherent, consistent appearance, but it is not necessary to extensively embellish these pages. The focus should be on the clarity of the work.

•    May we take photos of our work and place those on the final sheet in order to resize them?
•    Should we put our original work into the portfolio or just photos of them?

You may use photos or scans of your work, which is especially useful for process boards. For final two-dimensional pieces, however, we recommend that you put ORIGINALS into the portfolio. For three-dimensional pieces, you should use photographs.

•    Are we allowed to trim pieces so they fit?

Yes, you may trim pieces that go on process boards or a backing page. Original work should be 18x24 or smaller. If you have original drawings that are larger than 18x24, you may want to take a photo or scan them rather than cut them up.

•    Can we use any kind of photoshop on the portfolios? (Can we use it at all?)

Photoshop is not prohibited, but it is not required, and most students will use straightforward cut-and-paste procedures. Unless you are a photoshop whiz, making pages using only photoshop or illustrator takes a lot of time, is expensive to print out, and introduces more variables that can go wrong. In other words, using photoshop does not give you an advantage.

•    Where would you suggest taking pictures of our study models, etc, so that the background isn't distracting?

There are digital cameras available for checkout in the Design Document Center (4th floor). When photographing your work, consider lighting and background. You may use black fabric or boards to set up a background. For 3D work, be particular about the way you are lighting your object. You may also sign up to use Room 530 for photographing work or scanning large-format work. There is a handout with tips available at: http://www.design.iastate.edu/LABS/index.html .

•    Can there be handwriting on the page?

Yes, sketches and handwritten notes are allowable. They should be legible. For labeling and other elements you incorporate as part of the portfolio design, be consistent. When in doubt use printed text.

•    Is it better to have a separate page for the finished project and put process on a separate page, or put them all on one page?

This likely depends upon the project. Often the process board will support one or more sheets of original drawings, in which case they are separate pages. In other cases, process may be included as part of the presentation of images of 3D work.

•    Where is the best place to get photos processed?

Several places in Ames process photos. Hy-Vee, Walgreens, and Pyle Photo (Main Street downtown) all process photos, among others. They seem to be comparable.

•    What specific criteria are they looking for in portfolios created for Architecture and Graphic Design?

There is no criteria for portfolios differentiated by specific programs. The philosophy of the Core Design Program is that this process will give all students an equitable chance to enter any of the programs in the College.

•    For full-sized (18x24) works of art, should we back them with a piece of Strathmore to match the rest of our portfolio?

This is not necessary.