Hi:

Two things:  they will like your BFA and they will like the fact you went to UW-Madison, because it has both a good reputation and it's a bastion of liberalism, and a-schools tend to be more liberal than they are conservative.

I would emphasize the metalsmithing and jewelry, as it shows design and craftsmanship.  With current media options, there will be all kinds of neat ways to integrate photographing your work and inserting text.  I would clearly also include your paintings, since they show creativity and your thought processes.  Is there yet another medium you have mastered, such as photography, sketching in various media, et. al.? I think a tastefully and uncluttered portfolio of such a trio will be an asset for you.

Also, since you chose art, be sure to bridge your commuting from BFA to M.Arch. in your essay.  I can tell you, from what I've seen, that BFA recipients are generally successful at getting admitted to a good architecture school, though you should apply to several.

Speaking as a member of NJIT's College of Architecture & Design admissions committee, when I look at portfolio from M.Arch applicants with non-arch backgrounds, architectural content is not the first thing on my mind. 

As the previous poster indicated, a BFA can be a positive and yes, we are interested in your metalsmithing and your painting. It would be a good idea to balance the presentation with some material that is more in the nature of quick sketches -- both to let us know how you work with line, volume, shading, and composition, and also to make it clear that you have the capacity not only to do work which involves detailed labor over time, but also to do somewhat looser work on tight deadline.

I always recommend that prospective students get a copy of Harold Linton's PORTFOLIO DESIGN. He presents a wide range of approaches to constructing a portfolio and also has some very valuable points to make about the importance of retaining some elements of process-work for use in portfolio and project presentations.

NB: While NJIT will continues to accept international applications up until April 1 and domestic applications up until June 1 for Fall 2014 admission, applicants seeking any form of institutional assistance or financial aid should have applications in by the January 15 deadline for same.

Hope this helps!

Fred Little

Manager of Graduate Programs, The New Jersey School of Architecture

little (at) njit.edu

Hi, 

Thanks both of you for your feedback! I was wondering if you have any thoughts/critiques of the current draft of my portfolio? I know that I need to come up with a better cover, and I'm wondering how you feel about the statement? I wanted to emphasize the connections that I see between my training in art to architecture, but I'm not sure if it works. 

Thanks!

http://issuu.com/margaretehlers-petri/docs/portfolio_petri_draft5

Hi:

It has many features I like and a few which could improve.

You've already mentioned the cover, because it is inconsistent with the quality elsewhere in the portfolio.  It's sophomoric and won't make a good initial impression.

Ask for other people's advice on this, but I would like to see understated pagination.

- Like the craftsmanship of the bowl and pewter shot glass

- Like Apprenticing from History but am not crazy about the hand graphics for the handcuffs.  Look to a source such as Ching or other to come up with graphics that look more corralled and disciplined, to be consistent with the preceding few pages.

- Like A Kit for the Evening but, again, the computer graphics may not be the best choice.  Also, you use two fonts.  The cursive one is distracting.

- Like the inclusion of Wearable Works - the only thing I would change is the size of the photos, as in making them smaller, to keep roughly the same, or similar, amount of white space across the portfolio

- Space within a Space - remove the word "attempt" - maybe use "exercise" or "exploration," which is more proactive and confident.  Also, make sure the fonts and sizes are coordinated between here and Kit for the Evening (but the inclusion of the hand script for the handcuffs, when updated, is good to have as well to show your hand)

- Oil on canvas items - like 9 out of 10 of them, in that they show you can capture depth and space.  I am not crazy about item 7 (Crusaders), because it's a little morbid and political, and why rattle their cages?  Some of the other ones are provocative, but not morbid or off-putting.

- Great life drawings in pencil and charcoal - only two notes (1) the mug shot looks a little unbalanced relative to the opposite page (size, saturation, who knows), and (2) the quality of the other drawings is stronger and more detailed than that of the woman at the top left, in my opinion, that it creates a noticeable contrast.

- I would recommend an ending page, with not a lot on it, before arriving at your back cover, to balance your initial page listing content.  It might require some pagination changes. It should have white space, but taper off nicely, because those pencil and charcoal drawings pack a good punch.

My two cents.  Hope that helps.

I think, after it being mentioned a few times now.. you still misspelled M.Arch on your cover page. That might be important! O.o

I think, after it being mentioned a few times now.. you still misspelled M.Arch on your cover page. That might be important! O.o

Good catch.  Yes, please correct that typo and punctuate after both, as in M.Arch. I ...

@ Roshi, thanks I finally caught that and fixed! So many typos in that portfolio, once I started looking... ekk, guess it's good to find out before I printed it!

That's funny. I left the horrid architecture field, and moved into fine art. There is MORE money in fine art than architecture for the average joe.

Architecture is plain retarded. There is no social mobility in architecture. At least as an artist you are your own boss, and can only blame yourself for your failures.

dantonrezosdesigns.com

check it out, I work with metal.

I think you're just wasting crucial growing time as an artist. But you can lead a horse to water....