A friend told me that when she asked last year, they said it was largely a technical proof. I heard that people who did very creative things or wrote “bike” on the paper also got in. Do you think making a technical drawing for the bike assignment with a little bit of fantasy/whimsy in it (flying) is a good idea if I am applying for fine arts? Or should I make it more serious?
I’ve also been wondering about this. The only criteria is that it’s flat and foldable and incorporates a bicycle somehow so… I want to say the freedom in the prompt is probably looking for creativity over technical skill (but im just another confused high schooler and theres probably no right answer so lol just do whatever you feel like!) good luck
I wouldn’t bore them with another technically-accomplished bicycle drawing. Your portfolio should include some figures or other drawings from observation, but art schools don’t need to see more than a scant few of these to know you have technical skill. Most of your portfolio should show how your mind works, how you think, what you like to draw on your own. That’s what the most selective art schools want to see. That’s how you’ll catch their attention. This was the advice my son got from an admissions rep at Art Center, and it served him very well. Knowing his portfolio contained figure drawing that showed his technical ability, he approached the bicycle drawing as a creative challenge, not a technical one. As a result, his bicycle drawing was very him–funny, irreverent, light-hearted. He got in, although he chose to go elsewhere.
The bike drawing is a technical piece as your friend said. It is meant to test your grasp of negative space. How you wish to approach it is up to you.
My D’s bicycle drawing was much more on the creative side and not as technically strong. She was accepted. I recall seeing very realistic drawings of just bicycles; some of the artists were accepted, some weren’t. D was told that they want to see how you think.
I am a current freshman at RISD.
For my Bicycle drawing I submitted a much more ‘fun’ and creative piece because I felt like I showed my strong draftsmanship in my portfolio and it wasn’t needed for me to create yet another piece that focused on the technical aspect. I definitely recommend applicants to have fun with the home tests and try to be more create and explore the concept rather than creating another technical drawing. ( but honestly I see about an equal amount of technical or creative bicycles between the accepted students)