<p>RPI asks for a portfolio, and the said they don't want to see CAD drawings, etc. They want to see art, drawing, photography, etc.</p>
<p>DD has drawn for years, taken lots of photos, etc. A lot of her drawings and art are up on deviant art. Is that sort of stuff okay? Should she do more drawings now aimed at the portfolio? How important is this, how much should she focus on it?</p>
<p>That stuff is definitely alright. I think that their goal is to see your artistic talent/creativity level. Versatility always goes over well, but the most important thing is that you show some thought process and ability.</p>
<p>depending on the school there are requirements, so make sure to check them out. Portfolios also allow a school to see that an applicant can think spatially. this is accomplished by drawing still-life pieces. This is where you draw something you see, and it can be anything (flowers, a bike, some fruit, a wine cup, a sneaker). When you do a drawing without the aid of a picture, then that demonstrates your ability to think in 3D which is critical for an architect.</p>
<p>i think out of all my schools, RPI emphasizes creativity and mixed media the most for architecture. They have a page I think, with portfolio art examples. I too have uploaded a lot of my stuff and have much mixed media. Of course, it wouldn’t hurt to draw some buildings - but incorporate creativity so it doesn’t come off as lookitmeIdrewahaus. hawkswim is right. in fact, some 3D art wouldn’t hurt either.</p>
<p>I didn’t have a single drawing of a real building in my portfolio, I figured they would teach me how to draw them when I got there. Your daughter should focus on assembling a body of work that looks harmonious together (some series, projects, and a good organization) and show variety of interest and technical skill. As for DeviantArt, there’s a lot of stuff on there that is phenomenal, and a lot of it is also really, really lame… saying its on DA doesn’t say much.</p>
<p>When she’s looking to make the last few pieces in her portfolio, I think she should consider the layout of how it’s going to look and make pieces that sort of “fill in the gaps” to give a better idea of what she’s capable of. Hopefully that makes sense.</p>