AQIP Digital Portfolio Requirements
In order to be a working artist, you must learn to present your work in digital form. Although a working knowledge of Photoshop will certainly help with this, knowing just a little bit about digital photography and file management is sufficient for most projects like this. It should go without saying that the image must be in focus, rotated correctly, cropped, have no distracting backgrounds, etc. Additionally, make sure you read the following
Image Size: No image should be smaller than 1000 pixels in any direction or larger than 2000 pixels in any direction. Checking and changing image size is very easy.
Image Format: JPEG format ONLY!! Digital cameras all use JPEG as their default format, so this shouldn't be any problem. But if you design a layout or adjust your image in Photoshop, remember to save your image as a .jpg file, with minimal compression.
Image Name: These are easy to change on any computer, but you must be certain to name your images exactly as stated below so someone else doesn't have to. Each semester we will collect over 1000 images from students. No one wants to get a disc full of images called IMG_000345.jpg, or myprints.jpg, or johnsartworks.jpg.
YOU MUST NAME FILES CORRECTLY!!!
Incorrectly named files will not be accepted.
File names have four components: project name, the underscore symbol _, an abbreviation of your name, and the file extension. Here's an example:
projectname_bdavies.jpg
Project name
These will be abbreviations of the projects you do in class. Your instructor will provide a written list of these abbreviations. Use them EXACTLY AS THEY ARE WRITTEN. If you lose the list, DO NOT GUESS!! Go to your instructor to get the list. These abbreviations will contain no spaces or capital letters. If the instructor for your class gives me (Benjy) a list of these project names, I will post it here.
The underscore symbol _
This is made by shifting the hyphen.
An abbreviation of your name
Use the first letter of your first name and your entire last name, no spaces. My name is Benjy Davies, so I'll use bdavies.If your name is Kathy McAfee, use kmcafee instead of bdavies.
Project number
If you have more than one image with the same name, put the number AFTER YOUR NAME, like this:
line_bdavies1.jpg
line_bdavies2.jpg
line_bdavies3.jpg
Don't put the number after the project name, lilke this: line1_bdavie.jpg. This is wrong, and it will make it impossible to sort all the files.
The file extension
This should always be .jpg, unless specifically stated otherwise. Clearly, if you're turning in an animated gif, you will need to make it a .gif file. If you're turning in video files, they should be .mov or .mpg
If you are assigned the following projects:
Handmade Book
Positive and Negative Space Stencil
Edition of Prints
Primary Color Monoprint
Cardboard Portrait Print
Matted Print
Art History Print
Suite of Prints
Text and Image Print
Sketchbook
Additional Prints
Your list of images might look like this:
AH_bdavies.doc
AH_bdavies.jpg
book_bdavies1.jpg
book_bdavies2.jpg
book_bdavies3.jpg
cardport_bdavies.jpg
cardportSK_bdavies.jpg
colormono_bdavies.jpg
edition_bdavies1.jpg
edition_bdavies2.jpg
matted_bdavies.jpg
posneg_bdavies.jpg
prints_bdavies1.jpg
prints_bdavies2.jpg
suite_bdavies1.jpg
suite_bdavies2.jpg
suite_bdavies3.jpg
text_bdavies.jpg
In the above example, notice the following:
The Art History project has two files: one is the art history form, and the other is an image of the finished work.
Several projects have several images, and the number is AFTER the artist's name, not after the project name.
DO NOT PUT ALL YOUR IMAGES IN SEPARATE FOLDERS!!! ONE FOLDER ONLY!!
This is a requirement for EVERY student for EVERY art class EVERY semester. THIS MEANS YOU!!!
We are using this material to see what students are actually learning in each class so we can be more effective teachers. Also, this is a great way to track your progress in school, and it forces you to keep current with documenting your work. After you graduate, your class notes will be a great resource for further study or your professional career.
After you take pictures of your work, put them in a folder. You can go to the Graphics lab and sort through them and store them on your drive, and burn CD’s. CD’s are available in the computer lab, FREE for enrolled students.
You will need to purchase a small portable drive, like this:
DON'T BE A CHEAPSKATE! THESE DRIVES ARE ONLY ABOUT $10, AND YOU NEED THEM ANYWAY!! Save us all a lot of headaches and break open the wallet, already.
You will store ALL of your images on this drive, and/or on your own computer. If you leave files on the machines in the computer lab, they will likely get lost.
You will turn in to your instructor one cd that has all of your required documentation for each of your art classes. ONE DISK PER TEACHER!! Jim and Kevin will not share.
Computer lab monitors can help you burn CD’s, sort through your images, etc. THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR IMAGES-YOU ARE! They are there to help and advise, but it is your job to do the work.
Lab monitors' working hours are posted on the door of the graphics lab. DO NOT ASK THEM FOR HELP AT OTHER TIMES! Benjy will help you during office hours, but not during other times. His office hours and class schedule are posted here.
If you have questions, see your instructor.