Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design

About Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design

RMCAD Homepage

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Degrees

• Animation (2-D or 3-D)
• Art Education (Painting + Drawing, Sculpture or Illustration)
• Graphic Design + Interactive Media
• Illustration
• Interior Design
• Fine Arts (Painting + Drawing or Sculpture)

Campus

Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design
1600 Pierce Street
Lakewood CO 80214
800.888.ARTS or 303.753.6046
303.567.7281 (admissions fax)
303.759.4970 (general fax)

Undergraduate Portfolio Requirements

• Digital portfolio submissions are preferred, although photographs or slides are acceptable.
• Original work, except for sketchbooks, will not be accepted unless you receive special permission from your Admissions Counselor.
• You may also submit one sketchbook as evidence of your conceptual development.
• Time-based media such as video or computer animation on a CD-ROM or floppy disk may also be presented for consideration.
• For ease in review, however, please also include color print-outs of several images contained on the disk.
• Please be sure to mark each disk, slide or photograph with your name, the name of the piece, medium, size and a brief artist’s statement.
• If you submit a sketchbook, please make sure it is clearly marked with your name as well.

There are three different ways you can submit your portfolio.

1. Portfolios may either be hand-delivered or mailed to the Admissions Office. If you mail your portfolio, please package it securely and mail it to: RMCAD/Admissions Office, 1600 Pierce St., Lakewood, CO 80214. We suggest using either first-class mail or parcel service so that it arrives in good condition and in a timely manner. RMCAD is not responsible for damage or loss incurred during transit.
2. You can submit your portfolio digitally either on a disk (delivered via mail or in-person) or via e-mail to: portfolios@rmcad.edu. You may also submit your portfolio electronically via www.highschoolportfolios.com. For $50.00 you can purchase a one-year membership to their website and build your portfolio online (you don't have to be a high school student to use this service). Your online portfolio can contain up to 20 images that you can log in and add, delete or rearrange as often as you like. There is a "help" item in the portfolio menu to give you suggestions on how to scan or take digital photos of your work. Please be sure to include at least 5 images from your sketchbook as part of your online portfolio.
3. You may also submit your portfolio at any RMCAD Experience RMCAD Open House Event. Please make sure your materials are marked clearly with your name and that a completed Application for Admission form accompanies your submission (unless you have previously completed this form).

Note

• RMCAD is not liable for any loss or damage while your portfolio is in our possession.
• If you wish to have your portfolio returned to you by mail, please enclose as postage-paid self-addressed envelope or container for this purpose. Otherwise, your portfolio will be held by the Admissions Office for a period of up to 60 days and you may call to schedule a time to come pick it up. After 60 days, your portfolio will be discarded.
• If you have any questions or need to make special arrangements for your portfolio, please speak with your Admissions Counselor.

Don’t Have a Portfolio?

We require both advanced students with extensive artistic training, as well as eager students who have had limited exposure to artistic training, to produce a portfolio. RMCAD acknowledges, however, that students often enter college with varying degrees of art experience and that some applicants may not have a current or traditional portfolio. Applicants without a portfolio should ask an Admissions Counselor about substitute arrangements that may include alternative experiences or examples that illustrate an individual’s interest and potential in a professional art and design education.

Portfolio Tips

A portfolio is the best way to show off your work, both for admission and the possibility of receiving institutional scholarship aid.

• Click here for an interactive portfolio tutorial.

Self-Portrait

• Using a mirror, pencil or pen, and good quality drawing paper (11” x 17” or larger) produce a self-portrait employing a contour line drawing technique.
• Successful drawings will show a consideration for size, position on the page, line quality and expression.

Still Life

• Using charcoal, conte or pastels compose a still life on good quality drawing paper (11” x 17” or larger) that includes 4-5 items of different sizes, shapes and textures.
• Set up the still life in an interesting arrangement with strong side lighting.
• Successful drawings will show a consideration for size, position on the page, interaction between compositional elements, variety and quality of value, and expression.
• Remember – still lifes do not have to consist of fruit, vegetables or flowers.
• Use your imagination to capture something in your everyday world.

Imaginative Drawing

• Using any drawing medium and good quality drawing paper (11” x 17” or larger), compose one drawing of an interior or exterior scene from your imagination.
• Successful drawings will show a consideration for originality, details, size, position on the page, line quality and expression.

Animation

• Students planning to study animation may wish to submit a portfolio that includes storyboards, concept sketches, character and set designs.
• Any examples or attempts at any form of animation – drawn, object, experimental, or computer – can also be included.

Graphic Design + Interactive Media

Students planning to study graphic design and interactive media should submit portfolio work that displays examples of typography, i.e., headlines, sub-headlines and body copy.

• Any hand lettered samples should also be included.
• Work produced in:

  Quark Xpress

  Adobe Illustrator

  Adobe Photoshop

  Adobe After Effects

  Adobe Premier

  Macromedia Dreamweaver

  or Macromedia Director

should also be included.

• Be sure electronic file copies are organized and clearly labeled.

Illustration

• tudents planning to study illustration should submit work that clearly demonstrates an interest in representational drawing.
• oth quick sketches and finished artwork in various media should be included.
• n addition, imaginative drawings that tell stories, interpret literature, and show characters in a variety of situations should also be included.
• Copying of other artists’ work is permitted as long as due credit to the original source is given on the front of the work.

Interior Design

• Students planning to study interior design may wish to include work in their portfolio that demonstrates an ability to formulate a cohesive design concept and translate it into visual representation.
• Portfolio work should also demonstrate an understanding of the basics of color theory and application of a color scheme.
• Transfer students or advanced high school students should include examples of drafting, space planning and/or illustrations of architectural/interior space.

Painting + Drawing

• Students planning to study painting and drawing should include work in their portfolio that demonstrates a basic understanding of painting techniques, compositional balance, positive and negative space, and figure/ground integration.
• Examples of patterns of light and shadow and expressive uses of paint should also be included.

Sculpture

• Students planning to study sculpture should include work in their portfolio that explores different mediums in three-dimensional pieces such as clay, mixed media and found objects.
• Examples should demonstrate development of a focal point area, compositional balance and understanding of positive and negative space.