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Sophomore Portfolio Review Examples from 2010

We just uploaded many, many, many shots of some of the portfolios that we reviewed last year. Please note that of the six people featured, all have presented their work in different ways...the one element that ties them together is that they focused on showing their work in a format that best highlights their pieces. Some used boards, some used a box, some made a book, some included actual pieces, some included all of these elements. Again, the element that ties together successful portfolios is that the work SHINES. Good luck in these last few weeks! We are almost there!

Go look at the photos! 

Sophomore Portfolio Review Writing Sample Examples

In preparation for this year's Portfolio Review, we'd like to make available a small sampling of some of the Writing Samples that stood out from last year's batch of submissions. Here are five different Samples representing a range of moods and tactics for discussing the work itself and the strategies behind the work. As with anything creative, you might find aspects of these pieces that you yourself would have handled differently. But note that these Samples all share certain strengths and characteristics to be emulated: 

 - They are not overly wordy, nor are they too short or concise. They quickly get to the main points they intend to express, and then expound upon these ideas with an appropriate amount of exploration and thoughtful development. 

 - They all use a relative amount of design-specific language in appropriate ways. The writing does not use fancy terminology for the sake of seeming smarter than the discussion actually is, but the writing also makes good use of proper terms in order to be effective and efficient. 

 - The writing is not merely providing a description of the work it is examining. There is some description of elements of the work, but this is backed up with rationale, conceptual reasoning, and other useful background information. 

 - There is a healthy exhibition of self-reflection and criticality present in these essays. The writers demonstrate that there were various processes (resarch-based, conceptual, production-oriented, etc.) behind the final design work. 

 -The spelling, punctuation, grammar, and type-setting are all handled with great care and expertise. 

Read over these samples and keep in mind these points as you begin to work with your own writing for the Review. Note that the graphic design program aims to host a small number of Writing Workshops for those of you who would like help with this aspect of the portfolio submission requirements. A schedule and information on how to register for these Workshops will be made available in the coming weeks. 

There are about six weeks left before the final submission date is here. Good luck with your progress on your Review materials! 

Download Review2010.writing-Dustin Murdock

Download Review2010.writing-Ewen Wang

Download Review2010.writing-Gus Miller

Download Review2010.writing-Hunson Nguyen

Download Review2010.writing-Kathey Sweeney

 

Sophomore Portfolio Review Information Session Dates and Downloadable Info Packet.

Hello Sophomores!

Important information for those of you going through the June Sophomore Portfolio Review (this has NOTHING to do with the May Be Honest event at the Cleaners and this has EVERYTHING to do with the sophomores who must pass this to continue on in the program).

The faculty will be conducting information sessions over the next week. You must make all attempts to attend one of these sessions.

 

Mon, April 04 from 5-6PM

Wed, April 06 from12-1PM 

Thu, April 07 from 5-6PM

Tue, April 12 from 12-1PM

Also, please download the 2011 Information packet. Review this document closely please.

Download Review2011.infopacket

See you all next week!

Location is 1990 SW 5th Avenue, The Art ANNEX (not the main building) — come to Room 160.

 

Been There Done That: Alex Boyd and the Sophomore Portfolio Review

Welcome to the fourth installment of Command Save interviewing 2009 Spring Portfolio Review participants. This information is meant to help the 2010 Sophomore Portfolio Review Participants! Read on! ALSO: if you have gone through the review and want to share your experiences on Command Save let me know!

We asked PSU student Alex Boyd a few questions about her experiences with last year's portfolio review and she offered up some advice for those about to embark upon this year's 2010 review.

above: example of Alex's Process Book and TOC

Please share anything you think is relevant regarding your education at PSU.

I'm a transfer student who tried a private university and studied abroad before I ended up in Portland. I kind of stumbled onto graphic design, but I'm so glad that I finally found something that I love doing - it makes all the long nights and stressful critiques worth it :) I'm also kind of obsessive and detail-oriented, which is probably a good thing for this discipline.

Sophomore Portfolio Review Sessions

In the next two weeks, the graphic design program will be hosting a number of Information Sessions that will help you in preparing for this year's Review. We have scheduled three different time slots for these important Sessions, which will give you a thorough overview of what's to be expected for the Review, an opportunity to see examples of work from years past, and information about accessing help from a variety of resources.


Information Sessions for the 2010 Portfolio Review are scheduled as follows:

Thursday, April 08 from 12-1PM, Room 160
Monday, April 12 from 12-1PM, Room 160
Tuesday, April 13 from 5-6 PM, Room 160


Please arrive on time, with materials ready for taking notes. There will be time at the end of the presentation for asking whatever questions you may have. Before attending an Information Session, note that it is in your best interest to read the information packet (DOWNLOAD HERE) that pertains to this year's Review. This document covers the basics of expectations and protocol for the Review, and probably addresses many of the questions that you already have.

You should be aware that ATTENDING ONE OF THE INFORMATION SESSIONS WILL BE A REQUIREMENT FOR THE PORTFOLIO REVIEW. You should also be on the lookout for additional emails and posters throughout this term announcing important events/updates related to the Review. Also, there will be a Flickr group established online especially for the Portfolio Review. (There's already one up from last year; another group for the 2010 Review is soon-to-come.) You will be invited to this group shortly, so that you can use it to post work and receive feedback.

Been There Done That: Micheal Eaton and the Sophomore Portfolio Review

PICA Gala Materials completed in Matt Livengood's 225 Class

Welcome to the fourth installment of Command Save interviewing 2009 Spring Portfolio Review participants. This information is meant to help the 2010 Sophomore Portfolio Review Participants! Read on!

We asked PSU student Michael Eaton a few questions about his experiences with last year's portfolio review and he offered up some advice for those about to embark upon this year's 2010 review.

Bookcover Series completed in Kate Bingaman Burt's 254

The review is a hard experience and the most important piece of advice that really matters is allowing the appropriate amount of TIME so that you can accomplish what it is you'd like to do {you will hear this over and over but it's true so take heed}.

Remember you will need to go beyond just thinking about the review and your portfolio. Begin improving work NOW do not wait until next term. If you can, have two or three solid portfolio projects ready before spring term.

Been There Done That: Heather Noddings and the Sophomore Portfolio Review

above: Typography by Heather Noddings and applied to a t-shirt for a 210 assignment.

Welcome to the third installment of Command Save interviewing 2009 Spring Portfolio Review participants. This information is meant to help the 2010 Sophomore Portfolio Review Participants! Read on!

We asked Junior Heather Noddings a few questions and she graciously supplied answers!

Please share anything you think is relevant regarding your education at PSU.

Make the absolute most of your time here! The awesome Show and Tells? Go! Studio Tours? Go! Hanging with other design kids? Go! Those are some of the best ways to get real-world info, and make contacts. You know all those faces in your classrooms are your future* co-workers and collaborators, right?

*why wait until it's the future? Get working with your peers! :]

above: Pieces that Heather submitted to the review. See them here!

Please share your process for putting your portfolio together.

First, I did what I usually do when there's something scary looming on the horizon: I freaked out. Then, I made a list. Several actually, mostly on what was needed for the review, what pieces I wanted to use, what changes those pieces needed and the ball started rolling. Some things needed touchups (read: all of them needed touchups.), and nearly all of the pieces I used were multiple pages, and so I had a lot of printing. I've recently realized that the further you go in the program, the more pieces you have for each project. And sure you can show just parts of projects, but that just doesn't show you or your work off to best advantage.

Aaron Rayburn // Been There Done That: Sophomore Review Portfolio Advice

See more of Aaron's Sophomore Work HERE. See more of his current work HERE.

Aaron says...

I think I learned more during the portfolio review than I did in any one course. I learned that I needed to buy my own printer, make detailed checklists of tasks, and work hard, not only when "inspired."

I was misguided in thinking I could do it in the last month before the deadline. Things broke. Supplies ran out. I freaked out. In the end because of the time I wasted, my work suffered, and I had to literally patch things together. I think I spent a full two months "thinking" about how I was going to present my work. By this I mean I put nothing on paper, committed nothing to memory, but told myself that I was "thinking" of an idea. For two months.

What ended up getting me started was an itemized list, in pencil, on an actual piece of paper on my desk. Since it was where I could see it everyday I began organizing and planning. I decided that I wanted my work to be in a box, on mounted boards, with labels on everything. Once again, I was misguided in thinking I could do all of that in a certain amount of time.

Jordan Lessler // Been There Done That: Sophomore Portfolio Review Advice

 

Please share anything you think is relevant regarding your education at PSU.

1. Get to know people who have already been through similar situations and get advice from them. Pursue people if you don't know who to talk to.

2. It takes time to learn, and that is a continuing process. 

3. Pertaining to the review, figure out ahead of time, where, when and how you are going to print your work. 

Please share your process for putting your portfolio together. 

Bad presentation distracts from the overall design, so photograph, mount, mat, and organize your work well. 

Please share any advice / thoughts for students who will be submitting their portfolios.

1. It feels good when it is done, and it will be done at some point.

2. Even if you don't like the process, it is a good experience. 

Nora Travis // Sophomore Review Portfolio // PCC Transfer Student

Nora Travis graduated last year. Here is her sophomore review portfolio—she transferred to PSU from PCC and this is the work she presented.

To see more of Nora Travis' sophomore review portfolio...