<p>Euphorics and Wheaty, UCSC does in fact have a strong digital arts department and has just launched a brand new state of the art multi million dollar digital media program: [front</a> | film.ucsc.edu](<a href=“http://film.ucsc.edu/]front”>http://film.ucsc.edu/)
UCSC also has a game design major: [B.S</a>. Computer Science: Computer Game Design | Computer Science | Jack Baskin School of Engineering | UC Santa Cruz](<a href=“Computer Science and Engineering – Baskin School of Engineering”>http://www.cs.ucsc.edu/game-design)</p>
<p>Do not put anime in your portfolio. I don’t know why everyone here is getting their panties in a bunch, it is just the reality of the art school world. If you’re interested in doing that later down the line, thats cool. Look for a college with a sequential illustration course. But college is about changing, and being stripped down and built back up again, and the school will want to know you’re open to that. Anime tends to just send a bad message. Also, because there is so much anime out there, and so many people do bases and all that kind of stuff, the person looking at your portfolio might not be able to judge the quality of your anime if they aren’t familiar with anime. That’s why still life drawings are better. It gives the person something to go on. Part of your portfolio should tell the person who you are, and your style in your drawings will show that. Creative process is a huge part of the portolio, and anime typically can’t really show that well. To be honest, I could probably look at anime drawings from 10 different people, and I might not be able to tell the difference between most of them. They’re just a tad too generic for a portfolio. I mean the style here, not your own drawings.</p>
<p>Sorry if I offended anyone with that, but really it’s the truth. I’ve been to many portfolio days when I was applying to college.</p>
<p>No offense taken, I think your post is accurate and to the point and very well written.</p>
<p>euphorics: There’s an answer to your dilemma, and it’s the sketchbook. While there are people who advocate creating jewelbox sketchbooks that only have “finished” sketches of work that is also done as paintings, we got a lot of positive response from daughter having several less formal sketchbooks instead. For NPD evaluations, daughter brought several of her sketchbooks (she filled about one a month); those included some of her more obviously anime-inspired sketchwork. That allowed evaluators to engage in a conversation about that influence in her work – and get reassurance that it wasn’t the only thing she did – and put the work in the larger context of things she did. </p>
<p>Since her portfolios submitted for evaluation with applications were all tailored to the individual schools, she was able to include scans of sketchbook pages in those submission portfolios where it was appropriate. I think what’s most important is that you be able to both <em>show</em> through the portfolio organization where anime/manga fit for you, and <em>tell</em>, in the sense of articulating where that is in your art, what value you think it has for you, what you see as the limits and strengths in playing in that style. </p>
<p>Does that make sense?</p>
<p>ucla design media arts fall 2010 stats:
44/340 freshmen accepted (almost 13%), 32 enrolled
10/145 transfers accepted (almost 7%), 6 enrolled</p>
<p>it seems like the majority of incoming freshmen this fall submitted portfolios with mostly photography & graphic design work, not so much drawing/illustration/‘fine art’ (mine was about half/half)</p>
<p>as for submitting manga in your portfolio:
yes, generally frowned upon. i like TrinSF’s sketchbook suggestion, however, with a limit of ten portfolio pieces, if you have stronger work then it might be better to forgo the sketchbook. with DMA, having amazing realistic drawing skills isn’t exactly a pre-requisite (from looking at portfolios of admitted students) but it definitely won’t hurt your chances. i’d say they’re looking especially for strong design/compositional skills and concepts behind your pieces.</p>
<p>as for gpa/stats:
your gpa & SAT scores aren’t bad but there are definitely a lot of applicants with better ones. extracurriculars aren’t outstanding either. however, a lot of art students in general have lower numerical scores, so don’t get down about that! your portfolio matters more.</p>
<p>some words of advice:
take the next few months and spend a lot of time on drawing: practice drawing from life, sketch everything you see. do some graphic design work, practice making compositions. try your hand at illustrator & photoshop. it seems like you’ve been focused mostly on a manga drawing style, and i think it would be beneficial for you to branch out. (but don’t spread yourself too thin, either.) i wish your parents weren’t so down about privates/art schools, because i think you’d dig an illustration/sequential art type major. you mentioned game design: totally doable at DMA. i don’t think it would hurt to include some character designs in your portfolio, as well as mention your interest in the gaming courses in the supplemental application essays. speaking of which, it looks like they may be changing up the supplemental application this year. i have a copy of last year’s i think, PM me your e-mail and i’ll gladly send it to you.</p>
<p>oh, also! definitely visit the (just redesigned!) [Design</a> Media Arts](<a href=“http://dma.ucla.edu%5DDesign”>http://dma.ucla.edu) website. 
(fun fact: they’re dropping the vertical bar) Look at the classes offered, students’ work, professors’ work, etc. also, get sneaky & google for other people’s admission portfolios 
do the same for other UC art programs, to get a feel for which program is best for you.</p>
<p>good luck! hope this helped, feel free to PM me for links to old admissions portfolios (i feel too creepy to post them here haha) and any other questions.</p>