Portfolio Research Assignment

Sheridan College - Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation)

Sheridan College is one of the most well-recognized schools in Canada for its intense animation program (Program Website Here). The portfolio that each applicant must present has several components, falling into different streams. Only certain streams have size restrictions.

The specific pieces required are summarized in the following:

• Life Drawing
  
  
  • Observational Life Drawing - three drawings of the human figure, preferably nude
  
  
  • Animal Drawing - two drawings of an animal figure
    
    Note: Any two of the above drawings should show stillness, while the others should show the subject in motion.
  
  
  • Hand Drawing - two freehand line drawings of a human hand, the first anticipating action and the second carrying out that action.
  
  
  Note: All of the above drawings should be drawn from life, not books or photographs. More emphasis should be on structure than on shading.



• Animation and Character Design
  
  Design one original character to be used in the following drawings:
  
  
  • Character Rotation - Draw your character in five different rotational positions. Each view should be on a separate 8.5" x 11" sheet.
  
  
  • Action Pose Sheets - two action shots of your character, rough and loose. Also on separate 8.5" x 11" sheets.
  
  
  • Expression Sheet - On one sheet only, draw your character's head with 5 different expressions. Show dimension by changing the angle of the head for each expression. You may draw the heads larger and then cut and paste if necessary to arrange all five on one 8.5" x 11" sheet, but you must include original drawings and reductions.
  
  
  
  
  
• Storyboarding
  
  
  • Storyboarding - choose one of the character designs (provided to applicants) and use a four-panel storyboard to show the character as it goes through a predetermined narrative.
  
  
  
• Layout
  
  
  • Household Objects - create two composition sheets of household objects (e.g. fruit, a box, a tin can, a plastic funnel) based on these geometric forms: sphere, cube, cylinder, and cone. Do not use a ruler, compass or stencil.
    
    • one freehand line drawing showing an accurate observation of these objects
    
    
    • one freehand line drawing based on the first composition drawing (from the same point of view). Using your imagination, show how the objects would look if they were affected by some external force. This should tell us a story of what happened to the objects (e.g. a heavy wind, an earthquake, a snowfall etc.)
    
    
    Note: Do not shade or colour the above works.
    
    
  • Room Line Drawing - two freehand line drawings of a room in your house
    
    • The first drawing should be an accurate observation of the room and should show a person, drawn in scale, sitting, standing or reclining in that space.
    
    
    • The second drawing should be the same room from that person’s point of view. Unlike the first drawing, you should apply your imagination to interpret how the character sees the room.)
    
    



• Other - Personal Artwork
  
  • Five pieces of personal artwork that show versatility and quality.

All of the specific details can be found in a pdf file here. Sheridan is also holding an open house on May 1 where more information will be provided regarding portfolios and applications.