High School Students
Portfolio Requirements
An acceptable portfolio is one that exhibits technical and conceptual preparation for college-level work at CCS. All portfolios must include a minimum of 10 pieces representing your selected major or areas of strength.
General Guidelines
Portfolio guidelines specific to each major are listed below.
- Edit your work. Quality is more important than quantity — 10 great pieces are better than 20 that are inconsistent. Work completed within the last two years is usually the strongest.
- Presentation of your work is important regardless of the format for submission. Photographs on a CD should be clear, not blurry, and should be oriented with the top facing up. Actual work on paper (drawings, graphic design, photography, etc.) should be matted or mounted, but is not required.
- If drawings are included in the portfolio, please review the following suggestions:
- — Draw from observation of objects, scenes and people. Include good descriptive or representational drawing.
- — Include accurate line drawings and good examples of fully-rendered compositions using a complete range of light, middle and dark values.
- — If possible, include figure drawing or partial figure drawing (hands, feet, etc.) or portraiture.
- — Be original. We would like to see work that expresses your ideas and feelings about a subject.
- — Consider the entire picture surface; try not to isolate one object in the center of the page.
- If you bring your original artwork to the Office of Admissions, all work done in charcoal or pastel must be sprayed with fixative and all paintings must be dry.
- For large or 3D pieces, submit high quality photographs (prints, digital images on a CD).
Advertising Design
The portfolio may include any of the following: conceptual or observational drawing, 2D design (traditional or digital), short films or videos, software exploration (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, etc.), photography, lettering samples, painting or illustrations, creative writing and any other conceptual thinking creative visualization and problem solving.
Crafts
The portfolio should include a combination of work from the following list: ceramics, glass, metals, fiber, painting, sculpture, prints, photography, video or digital, or drawings.
Entertainment Arts
The portfolio must include five drawings from direct observation. The remainder should include a combination of work from the following list: photographs, 2D design in either traditional or digital forms, live-action short films or animations, drawing, creative writing, or any 3D work.
Fine Arts
The portfolio should contain five drawings from direct observation. The remainder should represent solid examples of your best creative efforts in any medium; they may include, but are not limited to, painting, sculpture, prints, photography, crafts, video or digital.
Graphic Design
The portfolio should include a combination of work from the following list: photographs, collages, software exploration (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.), printmaking, lettering samples, drawing, creative writing, or any 3D work.
Illustration
The portfolio must include at least five drawings from direct observation. The remainder can represent your selected major or areas of interest.
Interior Design
The portfolio must include at least five drawings from direct observation. The remainder can represent your selected major or areas of interest.
Photography
The portfolio should include a combination of work from the following list: photographs and other forms of 2D or 3D design that expresses your creative potential.
Product Design
The portfolio must include at least five drawings from direct observation. The remainder can represent your selected major or areas of interest.
Transportation Design
The portfolio must include at least five drawings from direct observation. The remainder can represent your selected major or areas of interest.
Undeclared
The portfolio must include at least five drawings from direct observation. The remainder can represent your areas of interest.
Submitting your work
Your work must be submitted in a portfolio case or other protective covering. If you deliver your work personally, please make arrangements for its retrieval as soon as possible after the final admission decision is made. Digital portfolios will not be returned. CCS cannot be responsible for lost or damaged work and/or portfolios that have not been picked up within 21 days after review. Any work submitted may be published in future CCS brochures or presentations. CCS reserves the right to print submitted works.
Work may be submitted on a CD in JPEG format at 300 DPI, DVD, email attachment, on video or original work in a portfolio case. Please label CDs and DVDs with format (Mac or PC) and software application used. Individual CD, video, or original work in a case must be labeled with the students name, address and telephone number. The work may be accompanied by an image key, including the image title, medium, dimensions and work produced.
Portfolios should be mailed to:
College for Creative Studies
Office of Admissions
201 East Kirby
Detroit, MI 48202
CCS cannot be responsible for lost or damaged work and/or portfolios that have not been picked up within 21 days after review. CCS holds a two-week summer program, Camp Portfolio, for high school students to begin preparation for art and design school. More information on this program is available from the College's Continuing Education office.
