Sustained Investigation Section
This section of the AP Art and Design Portfolio Exams offers students the opportunity to make and present works of art and design based on an in-depth investigation of materials, processes, and ideas done over time. Sustained investigation is guided by question(s). It involves practice, experimentation, and revision using materials, processes, and ideas. The Sustained Investigation section is expected to demonstrate skillful synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas. Works from the Sustained Investigation section may also be submitted in the Selected Works section, but they don’t have to be.
Along with each work, students are required to submit written responses to prompts about the work. Responses to these prompts are evaluated along with the images that students submit. The most successful responses in terms of assessment are those that are clearly related to the images of work submitted; that directly and completely address the prompts; and that provide evidence of inquiry-based sustained investigation through practice, experimentation, and revision. Responses are not evaluated for correct spelling, grammar, or punctuation.
There is no preferred (or unacceptable) basis of inquiry, type of investigation, or use of material, process, idea, style, or content for the Sustained Investigation. Students should be the principal artist or designer of the work they submit. If work involved collaboration, the student submitting the work needs to have made all key decisions about materials, processes, and ideas used and needs to have performed the activities that produced the work.
REQUIREMENTS AND PROMPTS
Submit 15 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/3-D/drawing skills (depending on type of portfolio submitted) State the following in writing:
Identify the questions that guided your sustained investigation
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Choose Your Images
To build your Sustained Investigation section:
Carefully select 15 images that demonstrate your inquiry-based sustained investigation of materials, processes, and ideas done over time through practice, experimentation, and revision.
Ensure that your images also demonstrate skillful synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas.
Note that there is no preferred or unacceptable material, process, idea, style, or content.
When you upload your images for submission, you must identify the following for each image:
Materials used (100 characters maximum, including spaces).
Processes used (100 characters maximum, including spaces).
Dimensions (height x width x depth, in inches). For work that is flat, enter 0 for depth. For images that document process or show detail, enter NA. For digital and virtual work, enter the size of the intended visual display.
You must also describe your investigation by submitting responses to these prompts:
Identify the question(s) or inquiry that guided your sustained investigation (600 characters maximum, including spaces).
Describe how your sustained investigation shows evidence of practice, experimentation, and revision guided by your question(s) or inquiry (600 characters maximum, including spaces).
Note: Your responses to the prompts are evaluated along with the images you submit:
The most successful responses in relation to the assessment criteria used here are clearly related to the images of work submitted, directly and completely address the prompts, and provide further evidence of inquiry-based sustained investigation through practice, experimentation, and revision.
You must identify all pre-existing work(s) in the Written Evidence portion of your portfolio. Review the Artistic Integrity Agreement for more information.
Although responses are not evaluated for spelling, grammar, or punctuation, you should make sure your responses are written clearly (e.g., don’t use extreme text speak or eliminate spaces between words).
As you create artwork over the course of the year, be sure to:
Start formulating questions to guide your sustained investigation at the beginning of portfolio development. This inquiry should be based on your own experiences and ideas. Document these guiding questions and continue to develop them throughout your sustained investigation.
Visually, and in writing, document your ongoing practice, experimentation, and revision in your use of materials and processes as your work develops. Consider how these choices can best demonstrate a skillful synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas.
From this ongoing documentation of your work, select images and writing to include in your portfolio that most effectively demonstrate your inquiry-based sustained investigation according to AP Art and Design Portfolio Exam assessment criteria.
Keep in mind that process documentation images included in your portfolio should provide insight on your inquiry, thinking, and making. Detail images should be submitted only when it’s important to see a close-up view of a work as evidence of practice, experimentation, and revision or of skillful synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas.
Carefully consider the sequence of images you submit to demonstrate your sustained investigation. There is no required order; images should be presented to best demonstrate an inquiry-based sustained investigation through practice, experimentation, and revision. Also carefully consider the relationship of your images and the written information you submit. The written information you provide should be clear, specific, and concise, providing insight about your work.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SUSTAINED INVESTIGATION SECTION
Throughout their sustained investigation, students need to document—with images and words—practice, experimentation, and revision using materials, processes, and ideas as well as skillful synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas. From their documentation of thinking and making, students select images and writing to include in their portfolio that most effectively demonstrate sustained investigation according to AP Art and Design Portfolio Exam assessment criteria.
Process documentation images included in the portfolio should show evidence of practice, experimentation, and revision using materials, processes, and ideas and/ or of skillful synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas, providing insight on students’ inquiry, thinking, and making. Detail images should be submitted only when it is important to see a close-up view of a work as evidence of practice, experimentation, and revision or of skillful synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas.
When submitting work for the Sustained Investigation section, students should carefully consider the sequence of their images. There is no required order; images should be presented to best demonstrate sustained investigation through practice, experimentation, and revision using materials, processes, and ideas. Students should also consider the relationship of their images with the written information they submit.
-2023 College Board
Selected Works (40% of Total Score)
(2D) Five physical works or high-quality printed reproductions of physical works that each demonstrate synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas using 2-D art and design skills
(3D) 10 digital images consisting of two views each of five works that demonstrate synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas using 3-D art and design skills
(Drawing) Five physical works or high-quality printed reproductions of physical works that each demonstrate synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas using drawing skills
Sustained Investigation (60% of Total Score)
(2D) 15 digital images of works of art and process documentation that demonstrate sustained investigation through practice, experimentation, and revision
(3D) 15 digital images of works of art and process documentation that demonstrate sustained investigation through practice, experimentation, and revision
(Drawing) 15 digital images of works of art and process documentation that demonstrate sustained investigation through practice, experimentation, and revision
-2020 College Board