Submitting Your Digital Art Portfolio

In addition to submitting a completed application for admission to the Art Department, the Art Department encourages all prospective art majors to submit a digital art portfolio for review by the department’s faculty as part of the admission process to our art programs. While this portfolio review is not a mandatory requirement for acceptance, it is highly recommended if you have a portfolio to submit. By reviewing your work, we can better understand your artistic abilities and help you make informed decisions about your future educational plans at the University.

A formal portfolio review of your artwork will take place at the end of your sophomore fall semester. This portfolio review serves as an opportunity for you to receive guidance on your future academic pursuits and assess whether you possess the necessary knowledge and skills to excel in the upper-level courses offered by the Art Department.

Portfolio requirements and tips:

1. All portfolios must consist of 15 pieces of work (please send web-links for digital media included in your portfolio in the image inventory sheet).
2. Please submit artwork using industry standard computer graphic programs. Acceptable file formats are high resolution:
   • JPG (.jpg)
   • Adobe (.psd)
   • Adobe (.pdf)
   • Adobe Illustrator (.ai or .eps)
   • QuarkXPress (.qxd)
   • In Design (.indd)
   • QuarkXPress (.qxd)
   • In Design (.indd)
   • Powerpoint (.ppt)
   • Director
   • Flash
   • HTML
3. Please include an image inventory sheet including your contact information, title, medium or program(s) used, size, date of execution, and a brief description of the piece.
4. All digital portfolios should be checked to assure that links work properly and all necessary files are included. Instructions should be included if necessary for viewing digital portfolios under the piece’s section of the image inventory sheet.
5. Do not include artwork that is a direct copy of another artist’s work, design, ideas or characters.
6. Your portfolio may concentrate on a single medium or may show a variety of media.
7. Demonstrate your knowledge of the principles and elements of art and design.
8. Your portfolio may include both class assignments and self-directed work.
9. Include in your portfolio what makes you stand out as an artist: materials that you love to work with, subject matter you’re interested in exploring, and display how you see the world? 
10. Ask for feedback from your teachers and classmates.
11. Photograph your non-digital artwork for your portfolio.
12. To upload your digital portfolio, please log into the account you created when submitting your admission application and click on the blue 'Edit Portfolio' link.

Submit your portfolio here

If you would like additional information about the portfolio review process, please contact the Art Department directly at 413-572-5630.

Thank you for choosing the Art Department at Westfield State University! We look forward to meeting you soon!