What's a Portfolio?

Your portfolio is a collection of your work that shows us your design ideas including fashion-focused creative skills, art-making skills or building concepts.

Your portfolio should include the 4 components explained below under the specific pathways.

Note: Portfolios are only required for high school students.

See Portfolio Requirements
Scroll
Here's what needs to be in your portfolio:

Sketchbook

Your sketchbook should capture your design process, fashion-related ideas and art-making skills. It should show how you are practicing and improving your work.

Tips for your sketchbook 

    1. Include a variety of content, such as:

  • Planning (sketching ideas and note taking)
  • Observational drawing (Building, landscape, room design, clothing styles including patterns, textures and colors.)
  • Ideas for design
  • Material exploration and experimentation (use of a variety of media)
  • Your personal voice and interests
  • 2. Your sketchbook should mostly be filled. Try to work on it daily.3. If you have multiple sketchbooks, try to bring them all.4. Leave your ‘mistakes’ in your sketchbook. They are part of your process and show us your growth. Never tear out pages of your sketchbook.

 

Baltimore Design School - Sketchbook
Baltimore Design School - Portfolio - Show us your best

2 Works of Choice

This is an opportunity to show us your best! Select work that helps us get to know you as an individual, and shows us your vision as an architect, graphic designer or fashion designer.

Tips for selecting your best works of choice

1. Bring as much work as you’d like, but you must bring at least 2 Works of Choice.

2. This work should NOT be inside of your sketchbook.

3. Ideas may include, but are not limited to:

  • Designed-clothes
  • Photography
  • Drawing
  • Mood boards
  • Ceramics
  • Sculpture
  • Jewelry
  • Painting
  • Fiber
  • Web Design
  • 3D model

Pathway Design Assignment

This assignment shows us your creativity and unique vision. Each design pathway has its own unique challenge. Find the pathway that you’re interested in below for more details.

Fashion Design

Click for downloadable worksheet.

Assignment: Redesign a Shirt

What’s a Redesign?

When you take an existing shirt and change its purpose. For example, take a shirt and change it to a bag, a dress, pants or other wearable garment. Be creative! Follow these steps while creating your redesigned shirt :

Step 1. In your sketchbook, add a picture of the original shirt you are redesigning before creating your new design.
Step 2. Document steps you make to redesign the shirt in your sketchbook.

• Draw sketches of possible design options.

• Write notes and label designs tracking all changes made along the way.

• Take a picture of the final reconstructed design.

Step 3. Write an artist’s statement about your interest in fashion and how your redesigned garment relates to your style. Your statement should also include:

• Why you chose this shirt to redesign

• How you changed the original shirt design to its new style and purpose

Step 4 Bring your final redesigned garment for review.

Baltimore Design School - Portfolio- Fashion
Graphic Design

Click for a downloadable worksheet.

Assignment: Design a Poster

What’s required?

This design should be done OUTSIDE of your sketchbook. This is a final art piece, not a sketch, so please bring your absolute best poster design and make sure it’s fully completed.

Materials: You can draw it, design it on the computer, use markers, etc… The material you choose is up to you!

Design Requirements

Follow these steps while creating your poster design:

1. Design a poster for a concert. Include the musician(s) who will be performing, the name of the concert, the date the concert will take place, and the venue (the place where it happens). Make sure you draw some kind of attractive illustration to advertise the concert. Think about the background. Your musicians and concert can be entirely made up, or they can be based on a concert you want to go to.

2. Write an artist’s statement about your poster design. Your statement can be typed or written by hand. Your artist’s statement should explain:
• What musician(s) you chose to design for.
• Why you designed the poster the way you did.
• How your poster will catch people’s attention to make them want to go to the concert.

Architecture

Click for a downloadable worksheet.

Assignment: Redesign a Storefront

What’s a Redesign?

When you take an existing storefront and change the way it looks or the way people use it in your new design.

Redesign Requirements

Follow these steps while creating your redesigned storefront:

1. In your sketchbook, add a picture of the original storefront that you are designing before creating your new design.

2. Document your process in your sketchbook: your notes, sketches, changes made along the way and the final redesign product.

3. Your new design may be in the form of a drawing(s), digital design, or a 3D model.

4. Write an artist’s statement about your redesigned storefront. Your artist’s statement should explain:

• Why you chose this storefront to redesign
• What you did to the original storefront design to change the way it looks or the way people use it.
• Why you chose to make those changes

Baltimore Design School - Portfolio - Architecture
Questions about the portfolio process? Email apply@baltimoredesignschool.org.
Close
Close