Create a strong drawing portfolio for your application to The Drawing Year
Applicants to The Drawing Year are required to submit a portfolio as part of their application. Collating and curating a strong portfolio of work is an opportunity to demonstrate commitment to drawing and wider making practice required for studying at postgraduate level.
Portfolios for The Drawing Year submissions comprise the following:
A Digital Portfolio
- 10 drawings completed in dry media, ink or watercolour
- 10 additional works completed in any media of your choosing
Animators are welcome to submit short video files or a combination of 2D images and videos within the additional works category. Video files are limited to 2 minutes/50 MB.
Sketchbooks
- A maximum of 2 sketchbooks per candidate submission
- A maximum of A3 in size. No loose or rolled sheets
All works in your portfolio must have been created within the last three years.
Understanding which works to select and how to curate your portfolio to reflect your artistic journey and skills can seem overwhelming.
We’ve collated recommendations below to keep in mind as you compile your portfolio together.
Highlight your best work
When selecting drawings and additional works, it is important to choose works that demonstrate your varied skills, interests, and unique style. Focus on quality and showcase work that has value to you, represents your wider practice and creative voice, and communicates the importance drawing holds.
Show variety
At the core of The Drawing Year is a celebration of drawing through different subjects and approaches.
Your portfolio is an opportunity to show variety and experimentation through ways of making relevant to your practice – materially and/or conceptually. The work in your portfolio does not need to be polished or be only made-up of finished pieces, we are also interested in seeing how you make work, what your processes are and your use of different materials.
Present it well
Including high-quality images in your Digital Portfolio is essential. Make sure your images are well-lit and show your work clearly. For work that requires more context or more than one image to communicate clearly, composite images are accepted. For example, a slide of more than one image showing the process of making a large sculptural work, or a slide of an installation showing the full installation and images of various details.
Reflect your commitment
What makes The Drawing Year unique is that it is run by artists, for artists, who are dedicated to drawing. Make sure your portfolio submission feels like it’s part of your ongoing artistic journey, demonstrating a passion for your individual exploration of drawing and making as a contemporary practitioner.
Explore supportive resources
Application support webinars are delivered by Royal Drawing School faculty, staff, and alumni. The webinars provide an introduction to the course and a review of the application process, timelines, and communications. They also cover application personal statement requirements, guidance on digital portfolio presentations and the applications sketchbook element.
Webinars are delivered over Zoom and will last 45 minutes.
You can also explore more about The Drawing Year and read more about portfolio specifications to understand the formats required for your application.
