Sustained Investigation

For the Sustained Investigation section of the AP 2-D Art and Design Portfolio Exam, students must: Submit 15 digital images that demonstrate: § Sustained investigation through practice, experimentation, and revision § Sustained investigation of materials, processes, and ideas § Synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas § 2-D skills 

Students must state the following in writing:

§ Identify the questions or inquiry that guided your

sustained investigation

§ Describe how your sustained investigation

shows evidence of practice, experimentation,

and revision guided by your questions or inquiry

(1200 characters maximum, including spaces, for

response to both prompts)

Identify the following for each image:

§ Materials used (100 characters maximum,

including spaces)

§ Processes used (100 characters maximum,

including spaces)

§ Size (height × width × depth, in inches)

For images that document process or show detail,

students should enter “N/A” for size (see the Additional

Information About the Sustained Investigation section

on p. 34 for more details). For digital and virtual work,

students should enter the size of the intended visual

display.

Samples of student work for the AP 2-D Art and

Design Portfolio Exam can be found on AP Central at

Any work that makes use of (appropriates) photographs, published images,

and/or the work of someone else must show substantial and significant

development beyond duplication. This is demonstrated through manipulation

of the materials, processes, and/or ideas of the source. The student’s individual

vision should be clearly evident. It is unethical, constitutes plagiarism,

and often violates copyright law simply to copy someone else’s work or

imagery (even in another medium) and represent it as one’s own.

A digital, web-based submission process is used for the

Sustained Investigation section of the AP 2-D Art and

Design and AP Drawing Portfolio Exams and for both

sections of the AP 3-D Art and Design Portfolio Exam.

The AP Art and Design portfolios digital submission

web application (apstudio.ets.org/apstudioart) is

accessible to coordinators, teachers, and students

beginning in November of each year.

Teachers will use the digital submission web application

(apstudio.ets.org/apstudioart) to:

§ View their students’ digital portfolios while their

work is in progress.

§ Track their students’ progress toward a completed

portfolio.

§ Review the digital portfolios for completeness

and accuracy after their students have formally

submitted them to the teacher.

§ Send a digital portfolio back to a student if they

have recommendations for further action (optional).

Forward the finalized digital portfolios to the

AP Coordinator for submission to the AP Program.

Teachers should work with their students throughout

the school year to help them prepare their digital images

and arrange their portfolios. Point them to the AP Art

and Design Portfolio Exam digital submission page

(apstudent.org/art-and-design-digital-submission)

for more information about using the web application.

Sustained Investigation: an inquiry-based and in-depth study of materials, processes, and ideas over time

Inquiry: the process of asking questions in order to seek, to search, and to discover

Written Evidence: the written components that accompany the student’s works of art and design

Visual Evidence: the visual components that make up the student’s works of art and design

Identify: Indicate or provide information

Relates: having relationships and/or connections between

Demonstrate: to make evident

Indicate: to show, suggest, point out

Guides: the Inquiry leads the process of making works of art and design

Practice: the repeated use of materials, processes, and/or ideas

Experimentation: testing materials, processes, and/or ideas

Revision: making a purposeful change, correction, or improvement

Development: the furthering or advancing of an inquiry in a sustained investigation (through in-depth exploration of

materials, processes, and ideas)

Materials: physical substances used to make works of art and design

Processes: physical AND conceptual activities involved with making works of art and design

Ideas: concepts used to make works of art and design (that can be evident visually or in writing)

Relationships: connections

Synthesis: coalescence/integration of materials, processes, AND ideas

Skills: abilities

Rudimentary: emerging or undeveloped

Moderate: adequate

Good: proficient

Advanced: highly developed

2D skills: use of two dimensional elements and principles - point, line, shape, plane, layer, form, space, texture, color, value,

opacity, transparency, time; unity, variety, rhythm, movement, proportion, scale, balance, emphasis, contrast, repetition,

figure/ground relationship, connection, juxtaposition, hierarchy

3D skills: use of three dimensional elements and principles - point, line, shape, plane, layer, form, space, texture, color, value,

opacity, transparency, time; unity, variety, rhythm, movement, proportion, scale, balance, emphasis, contrast, repetition,

figure/ground relationship, connection, juxtaposition, hierarchy

Drawing skills: use of mark-making, line, surface, space, light and shade, composition