Zero art experience, sudden interest--do I have a chance in UCLA/Calpoly Media&Design

College Majors Visual Arts and Film Majors
1

<p>Hii guys. I'm in a terrible situation.</p>

<p>Problem in brief: I suddenly figured out about a year ago that I wanted to go into media production. Now I'm applying for the Media/Design programs at UCLA and Calpoly. Unfortunately, these schools require a portfolio for these programs, and for the past four years I've done about zero art (and I didn't have any knowledge before that, either). It's a pretty stupid situation, but nevertheless I want to try. The only things I can offer are my piddling in 3D graphics, newspapers I've designed as a layout editor for my schools, and my earnest desire. Hahaha T_T.</p>

<p>I want to know, am I absolutely unqualified or if it's possible for suckers like me to get in? Below are a few samples of what I've done. (I also need critique to improve them, if I'm going to turn them in).</p>

<p>An apartment I modeled in Bryce:
<a href="http://l8.sphotos.l3.fbcdn.net/hphotos-l3-snc4/hs130.snc4/36875_138655972811313_100000007329827_427483_5724204_n.jpg%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://l8.sphotos.l3.fbcdn.net/hphotos-l3-snc4/hs130.snc4/36875_138655972811313_100000007329827_427483_5724204_n.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Hello Kitty, which also I modeled in Bryce:
<a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs070.ash2/36875_137104382966472_100000007329827_417667_7168320_n.jpg%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs070.ash2/36875_137104382966472_100000007329827_417667_7168320_n.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>A short character demo of Sparky from Chrono Cross:
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/v/146795318664045%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.facebook.com/v/146795318664045&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>A jello bundt I modeled in... Bryce:
<a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1358.snc4/163044_191425290867714_100000007329827_759933_8292849_n.jpg%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1358.snc4/163044_191425290867714_100000007329827_759933_8292849_n.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>The 1st issue of a publication I do with my sister:
<a href="https://acrobat.com/#d=6MVnZDrYaXFIJBNuZsw0yQ%5B/url%5D"&gt;https://acrobat.com/#d=6MVnZDrYaXFIJBNuZsw0yQ&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>The 2nd issue of the above publication:
<a href="https://acrobat.com/#d=a4qZMtzRnOd1yLPbV1JFiA%5B/url%5D"&gt;https://acrobat.com/#d=a4qZMtzRnOd1yLPbV1JFiA&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>A vector I did for the above publication:
<a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs459.ash1/25242_122928097717434_100000007329827_348867_3723299_n.jpg%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs459.ash1/25242_122928097717434_100000007329827_348867_3723299_n.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>And here is a sad self-portrait I forced myself to do in consideration of the requirements of the portfolios:
(scanned)
<a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1373.snc4/164556_191415584202018_100000007329827_759887_627560_n.jpg%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1373.snc4/164556_191415584202018_100000007329827_759887_627560_n.jpg&lt;/a>
(a picture of the original since I'm/or my scanner is a crappy scanner)
<a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs069.snc6/167952_191417064201870_100000007329827_759894_7066133_n.jpg%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs069.snc6/167952_191417064201870_100000007329827_759894_7066133_n.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>For the last piece in particular, x_x, please give me constructive criticism. I also need to know if the colleges don't want work based on other characters (such as the Sparky, Hello Kitty). They said something like that, but I'm not sure if they mean direct copying or if my sort of work also applies.</p>

<p>... And guys, do I suck too much, or am I OK with applying? e__e</p>

2

<p>Hey there. I’m in a similar situation as you are: I’ve been quite interested and involved in graphic design, photography, typography over the past two or three years, but I have zero traditional art experience because I didn’t get serious about it until very recently. So I guess this is my perspective from a similarly creatively-uneducated standpoint:</p>

<p>Obviously your lack of self-portraits, life drawings, &c will make it difficult. I personally feel your editorial design isn’t quite sophisticated enough to make up for your lack of traditional portfolio pieces, but if this is something you’re really interested in, it’s worth taking the chance. Hopefully you’ll be able to include other creative works (more editorial design, photography, any graphic design if you’ve experimented with that?). The self-portrait isn’t too bad. Do try and do more drawings if you have the time, and if you feel more comfortable with digital illustration, you could flesh out some of your sketches on a computer.</p>

<p>Including copyrighted characters (Sparky, Hello Kitty) are probably a bad idea unless they were so stunningly rendered that they would serve as evidence of your strong technical ability…and even then I wouldn’t entirely recommend it. It’s not transformative enough and developed enough as a piece all on its own.</p>

<p>Also (and I hope this doesn’t sound condescending) make sure that your recent interest is genuine and not born from a romanticized idea of a creative career. I’d strongly consider checking out books on design theory, colour, typography, &c. You can teach yourself quite a bit on your own (obviously a little too late for it to affect your portfolio).</p>

<p>If it doesn’t work out for you this year (which is a reasonable outcome, as you’ve expressed), you might consider reapplying to design & media programs as a transfer, too. You’ll have time to take formal art classes and develop a more full-bodied portfolio.</p>