COLLEGE CHOICE/Emmet Malone: Demand for art and design courses has increased in recent years, and a good portfolio is as important as points.
Art and design students find this time of the year very disruptive. Not only have they got to worry about the Leaving Cert, they also have the burden of preparing a portfolio which has a huge bearing on whether they get into art college or not.
Things would be a lot easier if there was one central place to leave your portfolio, but there is not. Instead students, often with the help of their teachers, have to travel the country calling into different colleges with their portfolios. What makes this worse is the colleges have different dates when they want to see these portfolios.
Also remember that the vast majority of art and design courses are "restricted entry".
That means you have to put them on your original CAO list for February 1st. You cannot add them in weeks afterwards because the colleges will not accept them. So students interested in this area have very little time to make up their minds and in some cases - such as NCAD - the deadlines are even closer.
While there is less emphasis on Leaving Cert grades in this area (although you still need to meet the minimum entry standards), many courses are over-subscribed and the level of competition for places is as fierce as anything in the CAO. The importance of the portfolio cannot be over-emphasised. While some colleges, such as NCAD, choose their students based solely on the portfolio, others use a mixture of academic points and portfolio scores.
The number of students interested in art and design courses has been rising.
For example, according to the CAO, only 126 students put down an art and design degree course as their first preference in 1996, but by 2000 this had risen to 356.
On the certificate and diploma list, 2,840 students picked an art and design course as the number one four years ago, but applications have risen to over 3,000 in recent years.
As you can see from these figures, the competition is intense. Consequently, the portfolio is the item which can make or break your application.
Many post-Leaving Cert colleges are now offering one year courses focused solely on getting your portfolio right for places such as NCAD, DIT, Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology and Cork IT's Crawford College.
One of the most oversubscribed courses is NCAD's first-year (core) course, which is outside the CAO system.
What also makes it somewhat unusual is that you cannot defer your place. You either do it later this year or you have to apply afresh the following year.
This course effectively acts as the first year for a range of other art courses to which you can progress, such as fashion design, textile design, fine art, visual communications, ceramics and glass and metals.
It is a four-year degree course. You do this "core" year first and then choose your area of speciality after that, in consultation with the NCAD staff.
Students who are still uncertain about which area of art and design they want to pursue should consider this course, because at least it gives you another year to make up your mind.
Also, you can take the big decision in consultation with experienced staff at the college.
But note this: to gain entry to this course you must have your portfolio with NCAD this Friday at the latest, plus an application form.
Portfolio content
Each college will issue you with a leaflet on what they expect to see in the portfolio. Read it as you would read a Leaving Cert exam paper.
If you leave something out, you have only yourself to blame. If you are unsure what the college is looking for - even after reading it - ring up and get clarification. Some colleges also want them dropped in at very precise times, with one or two saying that if a student is late by one minute that is it.
While NCAD handles the portfolios directly, the Crawford College (part of Cork Institute of Technology) uses the CAO. To apply for its art and design course (CR201) the CAO will send you details of a drawing project in March.
You complete the project and return it to the CAO, not Crawford College. If this is good enough, the college then views your portfolio in April and May. Students present their work to the college themselves, but this should not be looked on as an interview.
At the Dún Laoghaire Institute of Technology portfolios are examined normally in March and you will find out the exact date after you have applied through the CAO. The following courses at DIT require a portfolio: photography (FT259); design - interior and furniture (FT544); design - visual communication (FT545); fine art (FT546); design - display (DT515) and design technology ((DT516).
They must be submitted to DIT by either March 7th or 8th before 4.40 p.m. each day. It should contain about 20 pieces in a range of media.
This might include paintings, drawings, sketches, collages and photographs. The college asks students not submit any works which are framed or mounted behind glass.
The advice generally on portfolios is do not overload them. Include as much variety as you can, showing your ability to work in a range of media.
Of course if you are applying for a more specialist course, reflect that in the work you submit, but even then you should try to present as wide a range of work as you can.
When presenting it make sure everything is in the right order. Pictures should be presented on black, white or grey paper. All sketch pads, notepads and scrapbooks should be clearly labelled, but try to ensure the portfolio is as flat as possible.
Select work which you are interested in, because your interest will probably be reflected in the quality of the drawings. Lecturers say work should be based on real-life observation if possible, not copies of other drawings.
Careers
Once, sending your son or daughter to art college was regarded as propelling them towards a life of penury and impoverishment. But not any more.
Art, crafts and design are booming in Ireland and designers such as John Rocha, Paul Costello and Louise Kennedy are now renowned international figures.
However, your future financial success may be linked to what part of the industry you end up in. Artists generally have the most unstable financial position, but they often get the most pleasure from their creations. The number of galleries is increasing.
Sculpture can be a frustrating way to earn a living, but if you can manage to get commissions from private interests or local authorities it can be a financially and artistically rewarding area.
The craft industry has been doing very well in recent years, with Irish work particularly in demand abroad. The skills most in demand tend to be pottery, glass, knitwear, woodwork and jewellery.
Going down this route means not only producing good work, but also learning to work alone and managing things such as pricing, marketing, sales and promotion.
There are well over 2,000 craftworkers now in the Republic and only a small number survive on their work alone. Many are dependent on Arts Council grants, bursaries and part-time jobs. Some artists are able to obtain tax exemptions, however.
Industrial design in one of those areas where commercial imperatives collide with artistic sensibilities. People going into this area need to be artistic, but also have a sense of the practical. The University of Limerick has a well-regarded course in this area (LM072).
Graphic design is probably the area most in demand, although the downturn in Web-related firms has knocked some people in the industry back. The NCAD's course in visual communications is a good background for this area, as are several PLC courses.
Animation is one of the most exciting areas in the art world. Ballyfermot Senior College in Dublin has a strong reputation in this area. Their courses have links with the Walt Disney company and big names such as Universal Studios and Warner Brothers. There are plenty of jobs, but most of them are abroad.
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