AP Quality

Section I: Quality

Five actual works that demonstrate your mastery of 2-D Design, 3-D Design or Drawing.

You are asked to demonstrate quality through five carefully selected examples of your work that address 2-D design issues, successfully demonstrate engagement with physical space (3-D design issues) or your mastery with drawing issues. There is no preferred (or unacceptable) style or content. Your mastery of design and/or drawing should be apparent in the concept, composition and execution of your works whether they are simple or complex.

For Section I - Quality, choose the five works that you feel best represent your accomplishments and that fit within the size limit. The five works may come from your Concentration and/or your Breadth section, but they don’t have to. They may be a group of related works, unrelated works or a combination of related and unrelated works.

In the 2-D and Drawing portfolio, you must submit actual works in one or more media in this section. Flat paper, cardboard, canvas board or un-stretched canvas are acceptable. Works that are smaller than 8”x10” should be mounted on backing that is at least 8”x10”.

In the 3-D design portfolio, you must submit 2 views of each of the 5 works, for a total of 10 images. The second view of each work should be taken from a different vantage point than the first view and could be a detail, if it informs the viewer about a particular aspect of the work.

Guidelines for Submitting Actual Artworks:

DO:

  • mat or mount any works on paper that you submit for Section I - Quality, preferably with a neutral colored matboard;
  • use fixative on works that may smudge;
  • cover works that have a delicate surface with an overleaf that is fastened to one edge so that it can be lifted easily;
  • remember that the home address you provide in the Studio Art Digital Submission Web application is the address where your portfolio materials will be returned (they will arrive in late June or July). We cannot ship your work to a P.O. Box; and
  • note that, although ETS makes every effort to avoid loss or damage to your materials when they are being evaluated or in transit, accidents do happen. ETS does not assume responsibility or liability in such cases.

DO NOT:

  • send 3-D work, work under glass or fragile work;
  • send works rolled or folded;
  • send unmounted work that can be crumpled or damaged in shipping;
  • send books or journals;
  • send more than five works for the Quality section of your portfolio - extra works will not be evaluated;
  • send works that will not fit easily into the portfolio envelope, which is approximately 18”x 24” - they will not be evaluated, and your score for that section will be based on the work remaining in that section; and
  • place any information that identifies you or your school on any of the materials included in your portfolio, except where requested. Your AP Coordinator will receive instructions on how to label your works. If you have already signed your work, however, do not risk damaging it to remove a signature.

More Quality Examples:

Start Here

Summer Work

About AP

Quality Sec.I

Concentration Sec.II

Breadth Sec.III

Concepts

Cultivating Creativity

Authentic Purpose

Time Management

Habits of Work

Sources of Ideas

Qualities of Concen...

Defining Concen...

Submitting to AP

AP Studio Art

A visual art course aligned to college level curricular and performance standards.