BFA Art School Portfolio Critique

Art Prof Clara Lieu critiques an art school portfolio by high school student Ritu, providing a detailed critique of the overall portfolio, followed by critiques for each individual artwork. Prof Lieu highlights what aspects of the entire portfolio and artworks are working well, and recommends concrete strategies for how to make progress. Featured Artist Leo […]

Art School Tours

Photos & text by Vivian Cromwell California College of the Arts California College of the Arts is in a quiet part of San Francisco. Two years of campus dorms are guaranteed, and there is additional housing for juniors and seniors. About 900 out of 1500 students live on campus. The three most popular majors are […]

Worst MFA Portfolio Mistakes

Don’t waste your time with these mistakes most MFA applicants make in their portfolios! Getting the right information for your MFA is important so you aren’t headed in the wrong direction. There is unfortunately a ton of misinformation online about preparing an MFA portfolio, this video provides trusted, accurate information. Discussion with Art Prof Clara […]

6 Worst Mistakes When Starting Any Art Portfolio

Here are 6 critical mistakes that are common when starting a portfolio for any professional context: applying for a degree program, a teaching job, freelance illustration, and more. Video Walkthrough Prof Lieu’s Tips In general, if you are doing something because you think you “should,” that’s usually not a great idea. People can really tell […]

2025 Guide to MFA Art School Portfolios

research Programs portfolio: Start here portfolio content artist statement Letters of rec photographing artwork 1 on 1 SUPPORT group support interviews statement & resume CRITIQUES Prof lieu Q&A After art school art school issues attending art school

2025 Guide to BFA Art School Portfolios

should you go? research art student interviews sketchbooks 1 on 1 SUPPORT group support Studying art at a non art college art student advice portfolio: Start here Prompts prof lieu Q&A national portfolio day portfolio: subjects portfolio: media accepted portfolios statement & resume photographing artwork CRITIQUES opportunities REJECTION attending art school art school issues After […]

How to Get Letters of Recommendation for an MFA Application

Many MFA candidates struggle with how to get a letter of recommendation from for their graduate school application. Find out who you can ask for a letter, and the etiquette surrounding that request. Discussion by Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artist Lauryn Welch. Video Walkthrough

Which MFA Programs Should I Apply To?

There are so many MFA programs out there, how can you make decisions about where to apply? While it’s understandable that many MFA candidates want to apply to the top programs, there are many other options out there that could be a much better fit to your goals as an artist. Discussion by Art Prof […]

MFA Application & Portfolio Advice

RISD Graduate Printmaking Professor Andrew Raftery speaks to Art Prof Clara Lieu, providing advice on how to prepare an MFA application. They discuss the portfolio, writing the artist statement, getting letters of recommendation, when to attend, and more. Raftery regularly reviews MFA applications for the RISD MFA Printmaking program and shares insights based on those […]

Artist Statement Editing Services

Writing artist statements, project proposals for grant & residency applications, resumes, and cover letters are all necessities for artists. Table of Contents Whether you are applying for an MFA or BFA program, preparing an artist statement for an exhibition, applying for an animation job, these written docs are essential towards realizing your goals as an […]

BFA Art School Portfolio Critique

Art Prof Clara Lieu critiques an art school portfolio by high school student Sakina Ibrahim, providing a detailed critique of the overall portfolio, followed by critiques for each individual artwork. Prof Lieu highlights what aspects of the entire portfolio and artworks are working well, and recommends concrete strategies for how to make progress. Featured Artist […]

MFA Interview Tips

This video provides concrete tips on how to go about interviews for MFA programs in studio art. Covering the types of topics you will likely be expected to discuss, as well as logistical parts on how to handle the interview process. Discussion led by Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artist Lauryn Welch. Video Walkthrough […]

BFA Art School Portfolio Critique

Art Prof Clara Lieu critiques an art school portfolio by high school student Catherine Chung, providing a detailed critique of the overall portfolio, followed by critiques for each individual artwork. Prof Lieu highlights what aspects of the entire portfolio and artworks are working well, and recommends concrete strategies for how to make progress. Featured Artist […]

MFA Textiles & Ceramics Portfolio Critique

This video provides a critique of an MFA art school portfolio, starting with an overview of the portfolio, followed by critiques for each individual artwork. Topics discussed include aspects of the entire portfolio and artworks are working well, and recommends concrete strategies for how to make progress. Critique led by Art Prof Clara Lieu, portfolio […]

MFA Portfolios Track

The MFA Portfolios Track will lay out all the materials you’ll need to provide to apply to an MFA program in studio art. Lesson 1 • Lesson 2 • Lesson 3 • Lesson 4 An MFA portfolio requires a level of maturity and engagement with critical thinking. A sampling of homework assignments from your undergraduate degree isn’t going to […]

How to Stand Out with Your Art School Portfolio

Here are topics & art media that will make your art school portfolio stand out from the thousands of applications art schools receive. Many students fall into the trap of creating generic, cliché artwork that tends to all look the same. Here are specific actions you can take with your art school portfolio to get […]

BFA Art School Portfolio Critique

Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artist Jordan McCracken-Foster critique an art school portfolio by high school student Julie Chung, providing a detailed critique of the overall portfolio, followed by critiques for each individual artwork. Prof Lieu highlights what aspects of the entire portfolio and artworks are working well, and recommends concrete strategies for how […]

Should You Go to Art School?

Whether to go to art school is a tough decision, there so many factors to be considered. This video discusses whether art school is the right fit for you, and what are the most important considerations. Explained are the primary advantages are of attending art school, as well as the many challenges that come with […]

MFA Graphic Design Portfolio Critique

This video provides a critique of art art school portfolio, starting with an overview of the portfolio, followed by critiques for each individual artwork. Topics discussed include aspects of the entire portfolio and artworks are working well, and recommends concrete strategies for how to make progress. Critique led by Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching […]

Should I Get an MFA?

How do you decide if you should get an MFA program in studio art? A lot of the decision is based on a number of factors, is enrolling in an MFA program worth the time and cost? This video addresses the many reasons why people attend MFA programs and weighs the pros and cons. Do […]

How to Prepare an MFA Art Portfolio

The process of preparing a portfolio for an MFA studio art requires a level of maturity and engagement with critical thinking. At the MFA level, the concerns shift from technical skills to developing a unique artistic vision. This video explores the challenges and strategies that come with preparing an MFA portfolio. Discussion led by Art […]

Art Major in College vs. Art School

What is it like being an art major at a university vs. attending art school? This video weighs the pros and cons of being at an art major at a university, how it affects how to approach the college admissions process, how to figure out whether studying art at a college is a better fit […]

Art School Portfolio Examples

Table of Contents We have compiled several art school portfolios here for you to see the broad range of ways you can approach your own portfolio! We know it can be intimidating at times to see other student’s portfolios and to get discouraged, know that ALL students applying to art school feel that way, you […]

Art School Portfolio Mistakes You Can Easily Avoid

Table of Contents Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artists Lauryn Welch and Jordan McCracken-Foster discuss mistakes you can avoid when preparing an art portfolio for art school. Types of artwork such as fan art, anime, celebrity portraits are generally not what admissions officers at art school art looking for, in addition to cliche images, […]

List of MFA & Post-Baccalaureate Programs

Low Residency MFA Post-Baccalaureate MFA Programs, International canada italy Sweden United kingdom MFA Programs, USA alabama arizona arkansas california connecticut colorado dc florida georgia iowa idaho illinois indiana kansas kentucky massachusetts maryland maine michigan minnesota montana new jersey new york ohio oregon pennsylvania rhode island south carolina tennessee texas utah virginia vermont wisconsin