How to create an online portfolio for Clearing

During Clearing admission to our creative media, arts and architecture courses involves assessment of online portfolios.

You must create an online portfolio for our course tutors to assess. The work you present in your portfolio plays a key role in helping us assess your suitability for your chosen course. Make sure your portfolio meets the requirements we have outlined below.

If you have any questions about how to create your online portfolio for Clearing or about how you can prepare for a Clearing interview do get in touch.

When you are putting your portfolio together remember we don’t just want to see finished pieces, your successes or work that shows your command of a technique. We want to see examples that demonstrate your creative process, your development and how you:

research and solve problems
explore techniques and media
experiment and develop your ideas.

An online portfolio is a collection of projects shareable via a url that you're either working on or have completed. It's a great way to demonstrate your skills, development and creativity and something that you can easily share with universities when you apply.

When you create an online portfolio, remember to include captions and notes about the work.

A benefit of having an online portfolio is that it is a single place to showcase your work so far, which you then add to later. It can be used as a resume or a CV, you could use it to help illustrate your answers in a clearing interview and present yourself in a professional manner.
There are many ways to create an online portfolio. A popular way is to upload a pdf of your portfolio to a site like Google drive or Dropbox then create a shareable link. You could also use the Google drive 'slides' function to make an online PowerPoint and share that link.

Another way is to build your own website. It can be as simple as having a single page online with links to some of your best work, it can be based on a free template with its own portfolio builder or even be created on a website you design yourself.

To create your online portfolio you would: choose a website to host it, devise different sections for projects or images, add descriptions and explanations and use it to tell your story.

Format

Make sure your work is fully accessible online without viewers needing to login or request access, and clearly display your name with your work.

To create an online portfolio, consider these options:

Create a Website: Use platforms like Google Sites or Wix to showcase your work. Ensure it's easy to navigate and your work is presented clearly.
Upload a PDF: If your portfolio is a PDF, upload it to Dropbox or Google Drive and create a shareable link. Make sure the link allows anyone to view it.
Online Presentation: Use Canva, Google Slides, or Prezi to create a presentation of your work. Generate a shareable link once you're satisfied with the layout.
Artist Social Platforms: Platforms like Flickr or Soundcloud are great for sharing and connecting with other artists. Include any required written statements in your profile or as a post.

Before submitting your link, test it in a private or incognito window to ensure it works and appears as intended. If access is restricted take a look at your security settings and adjust them.

Please enable targeting cookies in order to view this video content on our website, or you can watch the video on YouTube.

Content

What you provide can be in any medium or combination of media, it’s up to you.

Please supply 15–20 examples of your work.
Depending on your chosen course you may want to focus on examples of drawing, design, photography, performance, video, sound composition, text or application of creative process such as weave, print making, modelling or CAD work.
All images should be .jpg format, 72ppi resolution. Flattened and optimised for web/screen viewing, at high quality. Maximum dimensions: 800 pixels on the longest side.
The name of each file should be the title of the work.
Include a brief description of your work, related to each file (maximum of 20 words per file).
Include the date the work was made.

Courses requiring review of an online portfolio

Architecture

Art and design

Fashion

Media

Photography, film and sound

Product design

Product Design BSc(Hons)

Are you a little bit stuck?

If you have a query about making a Clearing application direct to us or creating an online portfolio please contact our enquiries team on 01273 644644 - we're here to help you!

How to create an online portfolio for Clearing

What is an online portfolio?