<p>From what I've seen and heard, I'm under the impression that most students who submit art portfolios submit nice paintings and photorealistic drawings.</p>
<p>Would it be strange or inappropriate to send a collection of simplistic drawings, design and comics as a portfolio? People tend to write off cartoons as petty non-art, but I'm hoping that colleges would at least find it refreshing.</p>
<p>In the book “100 Successful College Application Essays” edited by the Harvard Independent, there is an entire chapter devoted to cartoons and drawings submitted as college essays. The drawings in the book, however, are far from simplistic – they are quite detailed and extraordinary – and if I remember correctly, many were political cartoons, like those found in “The New Yorker.”</p>
<p>Well, those are essays. If you’re going to substitute an application essay with drawings, they had better be extraordinary (in some sense).
This, on the other hand, is just supplemental material that is intended to be visual in nature. I’ve included drawings of political/historical figures in my portfolio (e.g. Kim Jong-Un, John Wilkes Booth), but I don’t think art has to be political or even serious in terms of subject matter in order to garner respect from admissions officers. I’m mostly concerned about style.
Thanks for the advice, though</p>
<p>^ Art supplements have to be extraordinary, too.</p>
<p>What do you even mean by extraordinary? “Detailed”? This doesn’t really answer my question.</p>
<p>Absolutely not, art can be expressed in numerous ways-paintings, photography, cartoons etc. If you feel your art is strong enough to impress them, go for it! That is the reason for the art supplement- to show them your talent!</p>
<p>^ That’s what I meant 
I am not really an expert when it comes to art, but I meant that your comics have to be as good in their genre as paintings are in theirs.
Good luck!</p>
<p>I know of someone who did exactly that. His supplement to Harvard was not an essay but instead a comic strip. He ended up getting a likely letter and is currently a freshman here. His art however, is spectacular. Yours has to be as well.</p>