AP Portfolio

Quality

3 PARTS >
1 - BREADTH - 12 works (no details)
variety of works, can be unrelated.
different media, subject matter

2 - CONCENTRATION - 12* works (*may have details)

series of 12 related works exploring a concept in-depth

3 - QUALITY - 5 actual works

may not be larger than 18 x 24”
can be works from concentration, breadth or not
show mastery of technique and media
 Quality Section
Quality

The Quality section promotes the development of a sense of

excellence in art. For this section, students submit five works
that best demonstrate excellence. There are no
preconceptions about what the work will look like -- it may
have been created quickly or over a long period of time; it
may be representational, abstract, stylized or it may show a
combination of any of these characteristics. The five works
chosen for the Quality section may come from the student's
Concentration section and/or Breadth section, but they don't
have to. They may be a group of related works, unrelated
works, or a combination of related and unrelated works.

** works must be no larger than 18” x 24”

 Quality - Samples
Quality
The student works displayed on this page are reproductions of actual
works submitted by students in June 2005.

All of the samples here were chosen because they clearly represent
different points on the scoring scale for Section I, Quality. In the course
of the AP evaluation, each section of the portfolio is scored on a six-
point scale. Once the evaluation is complete, the various scores
assigned to each student's portfolio are combined and transformed into
the final AP grade of 1-5*. The requirement for Section I of all three
Studio Art portfolios is five pieces.

Each group of five works is accompanied by a brief rationale for the

scores awarded to the works. We greatly appreciate the generosity of
the students who have agreed to share their works in this way.

* There is also a score of 6!

 2D Design Quality Section – Score: 3
This series of works offers both abstract representation and
imagery of flowers. In utilizing a range of materials, the technical
aspects have not been fully achieved. The institution of the
elements of art, including color and shape, seems awkward and
out of sync in attempting to get at the principles of design. The
student's voice is not discernible.
 2D Design Quality Section – Score: 4
Most of these compositions engage the viewer with an exciting
futuristic approach to creating digital compositions. The metallic
images make some connection with our expectations and vision
for technology. In contrast, the watercolor seems unresolved and
leaves the impression that this particular work may not have
received the same level of artistic development.
 2D Design Quality Section – Score: 5
As a 2-D portfolio experimentation in composition, this series of
works offers the exploration of a variety of design principles. The
choice of media is distinctive and serves as a means to explore
what is possible with regard to color. The pencil drawing
engages the viewer through repetitive devices within the
rendering of the patterned cloth. While the portraits may not be
fully resolved, they accomplish some expressive qualities.
 2D Design Quality Section – Score: 6
In this series of photographs, there is evidence of a confident
personal voice; it resonates both in the student's choice of
subject matter and the approach to creating dynamic emphasis
in the various compositions. The student uses point of view to
highlight unique approaches to creating strong contrast and
directionality. The use of digital software is deliberate and
underscores investigation into the surface qualities.
 Drawing Quality Section – Score: 3
Maximizing a particular medium to demonstrate the quality of
work possible appears to be uneven here. There is evidence of
some effort at tonal values as the student explores both ink and
charcoal. The pervasive use of photo-derived imagery has not
been altered to create a personal student voice.
 Drawing Quality Section – Score: 4
There is evidence of the student's attempt in both observational still life
and figurative work. The experimentation with color noted in the
observational drawing of the bottles seems to translate well into one of
the figurative drawings. There are several emergent expressive
qualities that remain open to further exploration. Compositional
concerns with regard to centering the figure and the use of photographs
may in some ways compromise the student's voice.
 Drawing Quality Section – Score: 5
This drawing portfolio is characterized by a diverse collection of
competent approaches both conceptually and technically. Confidence is
conveyed through the use of observational techniques in tandem with a
keen sense of compositional devices. The abstract composition
appears to have been informed by the studies included here, and this
results in the same level of engagement. Although slightly awkward, the
ellipses that set up the sense of depth in the still life composition reflect
a willingness to take on sophisticated ideas.
 Drawing Quality Section – Score: 6
Coherence of an original idea and intriguing points of view characterize
the investigation posed here. A sense of deliberateness is reflected in
the inventive and confident use of the elements of art to achieve key
principles of design such as depth, perspective, and emphasis. The
incorporation of the use of photography as a means to develop ideas
(as opposed to copying from published sources) serves to distinguish
and solidify a unique sense of personal voice.