Cartoons as part of art supplement?

[Apdenoatis]

<p>I think this question has only been asked once before on CC, and the response was generally positive, but I'd appreciate more opinions. </p>

<p>So, would submitting cartoons/cartoony-style art be acceptable as arts supplements? It seems like most people submit very realistic, highly detailed art.</p>

[skieurope]

<p>If it’s exceptional work, yes, it is fine to submit. However, I would suggest getting an art teacher’s opinion on whether your work is exceptional. Some advice from Yale:

You should think carefully before submitting supplementary materials with your Yale College application. Most successful applicants submit only the items that we require. There are cases in which too many submissions, or submissions that do not reflect a high level of talent, can actually work against a candidate.

<a href=“http://admissions.yale.edu/supplementary”>http://admissions.yale.edu/supplementary&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

[Apdenoatis]

<p>@skieurope‌ What might be considered “exceptional?” </p>

<p>Any of these? (none are mine)

Awkward Zombie - The Wrong Side of the Backtrack

Home | Sufficiently Remarkable

twogag.com</p>

[skieurope]

<p>I’m not an art professional, so I’m not qualified to judge. Perhaps someone with more of an art background cn chime in.</p>

[fogcity]

<p>The art supplement is likely be judged by art department faculty. Your supplement should be connected with deep training. This will mean that you have had and continue to have deep art training. Will your main art teacher provide a strong recommendation? If you don’t have such a teacher then you’re unlikely to succeed with the supplement. I did look at the examples, and reflect that I do not know enough about animation art to judge its quality.</p>

[MrMom62]

<p>Unless you’re Frank Miller, comics and comic books tend to have more to do with writing than art, the drawing in them tends to be rather crude compared to fine art, simply because of space and size limitations. Scott Adams admits Dilbert is really not very well drawn, even if it has made him a fortune. </p>

<p>I happen to think the guys who do cartoony type things can be very talented, but art departments on the whole will disagree. You can submit it, but you’re probably fighting an uphill battle unless you are very, very good. But if you were a 21st century Thomas Nast, that would be a different story.</p>

[Apdenoatis]

<p>Thanks for everyone’s replies so far. At the moment I’m probably going to abstain from submitting art from most colleges except possibly Olin and MIT. </p>

<p>Olin is a 100% engineering school and didn’t seem to make a big deal about art skill in admissions, and MIT didn’t seem to make a fuss, either, and the stuff I may send would be fairly original and meaningful. Based on my impression of MIT, I think they might appreciate that kind of stuff, but that’s just a hunch. Any input?</p>

<p>I do not have an art teacher but will be able to have one review my work.</p>

[gibby]

<p>One complaint from college consultants about the new Common App is that student’s are no longer allowed to upload documents that in the past have contained math symbols or cartoons: <a href=“Unacceptable Changes to the Common Application for College Applicants | HuffPost College”>HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News | HuffPost;

One student wrote an essay about how she re-captions The New Yorker cartoons and included some of her cartoons in her uploaded essay. By “confining students to a box,” we eliminate that originality of thought.

Having not seen your artwork, it’s difficult to know how receptive a college might be, but I would think if your art work is competitive, it would help you stand out from the crowd of engineering applicants.</p>

[happy1]

<p>If cartoon art is what you do and if you are thought to be exceptionally good at it, there seems to me to be no reason to not submit it. Contact the schools and see if they accept art supplements and what format they should be presented and submitted.</p>

[scholarme]

<p>You might get some experienced opinions on the College Majors/Visual Arts forum.</p>

[AnnieBeats]

<p>Generally, submitting cartoons or anime is discouraged.</p>

<p>From VCU’s Visual Art and Design School:

Submit 12 to 16 works of art that you have created within the past two years that show your promise in visual art and design. Present your strongest work and demonstrate your potential to develop a diverse set of skills and ideas should you be accepted into VCUarts. We prefer to see a diverse range of 2D and 3D media. Drawing from observation is recommended, while anime, cartoons, graffiti or tattoos are discouraged.

</p>

[Apdenoatis]

<p>I’m not good enough to warrant any kind of special-case treatment lol.</p>

<p>@AnnieBeats might they be well-received at MIT? Their admissions pages didn’t seem to make a big fuss out of being exceptionally talented, but my work is more focused around creative ideas than just technical skill.</p>

<p>edit: to clarify, I plan to major in engineering. Drawing is a hobby.</p>

[gibby]

<p>I agree. <a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/education/edlife/guidance.html?pagewanted=print&_r=0”>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/education/edlife/guidance.html?pagewanted=print&_r=0&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>

“I see so much anime and Pokémon and Grand Theft Auto,” she says.” LESS ANIME, MORE RANGE. </p>

<p>An acceptable portfolio generally contains 15 to 20 drawings, paintings, collages, small three-dimensional works or photographs of these. “What I need to see are observational drawings . . of a human figure, landscape or still life — rather than from a photograph or someone else’s painted scene.

</p>

[AnnieBeats]

<p>But it really depends on the school. You can look online at their portfolio submission guidelines even if it is just a few pieces you are submitting. It may not be a big deal. It’s just that it’s fairly easy to copy a bunch of tiny things from other artists to make something.</p>

[Apdenoatis]

<p>I do Western cartoons lol, all original work. I’m not looking to major in arts or anything, it’s just that if I have some stuff lying around and it might help me, then of course I’d like to look into supplements.</p>

<p>But thanks again for the feedback! I emailed Yale and MIT asking if they feel cartoons would be acceptable; guess it’ll be easy to gauge any difference in response. My guess right now is Yale: “NO” and MIT: “Sure.” lol</p>

<p>Further input always appreciated.</p>

[Apdenoatis]

<p>Yale’s response: “Thank you for your interest in Yale. The admissions office receives many thousands of applications each year, and it is important to put serious thought into your submissions. We ask that you use your best judgment to determine if extra material will truly enhance your application in a way that will set you apart from the many other talented applicants, or if it will only serve to detract from the other key elements of the application.”</p>

<p>MIT’s response: “Thank you for your interest in MIT. You can send in your Western-style cartoons as an art supplement.”</p>

<p>So plan of action, I guess - not sending any art except to Olin and MIT, and I’ll have an art teacher review my work first.</p>

<p>Thanks again to everyone who posted!</p>

[gibby]

<p>One additional item to consider: When you submit something extra to a college, such as an arts supplement, your supplement then gets compared to all other applicants who have also submitted an art portfolio. If your artwork is good but not as good as your competition, that will detract from your overall application. For example, look through the AP Art samples. How does your art work compare? If it’s as good, you should be okay.
<a href=“AP Drawing Portfolio – AP Central | College Board”>Supporting Students from Day One to Exam Day – AP Central | College Board;
<a href=“AP Drawing Portfolio – AP Central | College Board”>Supporting Students from Day One to Exam Day – AP Central | College Board;