University Login Portfolios represent you -- who you are, what you have done, what you hope to do. A good portfolio tells reviewers not just about your accomplishments, but about the way you think about your life and goals. Planning Your Portfolio Creating a portfolio is not an easy task. It's not just a collection of documents, and artifacts thrown into a binder with each item labeled; it requires a lot of planning to design a exemplary portfolio. First - what do you want the portfolio to say about you? You want your portfolio's readers to develop a greater understanding of you, and why you would be an asset to the program you're applying to. Second -- what will you include in your portfolio that represents you at your best?Third -- should your portfolio be a two-dimensional hard copy submitted in a binder or a case, in a digitized and electronic form, or a combination of the two? What To Include in Your Portfolio A visual arts portfolio should demonstrate your accomplishments and skills. Requirements for your portfolio vary from university to university. Here is a general guide:  15 -- 20 separate works from three different categories:  observational art - drawing or painting in a traditional way using a still life, model, portrait or landscape as accurately as possible  personal art -- art done outside class that reflects your own interests in materials, subject, and concept  required art -- check with the school you are applying