Digital Portfolio Requirements

If you have applied to the BA (Hons) Illustration with Animation course at Manchester Metropolitan University via UCAS, we will email you to request a web link to an online portfolio once we receive your application.

What should you include in your portfolio?

The portfolio should reflect your subject choice. We would expect an Illustration portfolio to include as many images as you feel necessary to show the depth and breadth of your skills, interests, thinking process, development, and final resolutions, for example:

  • Sketchbook/journal work that shows research and development of a project.
  • Life drawing and/or drawing from observation.
  • An example of a final piece of work that you spent the most amount of time producing.
  • A 200-word statement that provides a detailed representation and explanation of a current project in progress. This should include contextual references that have inspired you in relation to the project (illustrators, artists, animators, literature etc) 

OPTIONAL VIDEO

As an alternative to the 200-word statement, you may instead wish to consider creating a short video which includes the following:

  • A brief introduction to yourself and your practice
  • Pick one of your favourite pieces of work and briefly explain how you created it, your process, techniques, and use of materials.

This video can be produced on a phone or webcam and should be no longer than 2 minutes. You can film yourself talking/presenting work or provide visuals with a voice over.
 

In this video our admissions tutors talk about what they are looking for in a portfolio.

How to create and submit your digital portfolio

Follow the instructions below and this should be a straight forward process. However, if you do have any queries you can contact our Admissions Team who will be happy to help.

1 / Set-up an online portfolio

There are many free online hosting platforms available, please select a platform that works best for you.

Below are some hosting services that have been used previously by applicants, but you can use any platform you like as long as we can access it.

You can also use YouTube, Vimeo or SoundCloud to host media files, or documents on Yumpu or Issuu.

Protecting Your Privacy

We recommend that you do not publish any personal details on your online portfolio. You may wish to title your portfolio with your UCAS number instead of your name.

Some platforms also allow you to disable indexing of your online content by search engines.

2 / Upload your portfolio

Please read the guidance above on what what to include on your digital portfolio. You should also:

  • Consult your teacher to help you create your digital portfolio, but make sure all the work you upload is your own.
  • If you do reference other peoples’ work make sure that the source is clearly stated.
  • Be prepared to have several attempts at creating the digital portfolio before it is finished, so that it goes through a refining process.
  • Make sure that we can access your digital portfolio without a password and that all the images are visible and links work before you submit it.

3 / Submit your portfolio

Now your digital portfolio is complete, simply submit the web address with our online form at artportfolio.mmu.ac.uk.

We will then review your digital portfolio alongside the information you have provided in your UCAS application. We will contact you if we cannot view your portfolio.

We will make a decision once we receive your portfolio.  If you need more time to develop the content, please submit no later than 1st March.