With the new school year less than a month away, AP Art students are determined  to get a head start with their AP Art portfolio process. AP 2-D Art and AP Drawing focus on developing skills in writing for  artwork descriptions, time management and portfolio building. These projects can be time-consuming, especially for seniors who will be applying for college. To ease this process, future AP Art seniors Ava Miller and Cristina Escardó have started working on their pieces and ideas early.

“The best way for students to prepare for AP Art during the summer is to review lots of sample AP portfolios from previous students,work in their sketchbooks daily and seek out artistic inspiration by visiting museums,” Mrs. Andrea Preston, advisor for the National Art Honor Society and teacher for AP Art classes, said.

Senior Ava Miller is already brainstorming theme ideas for her future pieces, which has to be broad enough to encompass 15 images, but one stands out. “I would like to build my portfolio around memory and nostalgia because I want to preserve and honor memories of my family,” she said. Miller has been working with oil paint for her recent pieces but is interested in exploring new media.

Preston emphasizes the importance of creating small pieces and using materials that are personal to the artist. “If they are painting, lots of small canvas papers are better than one big canvas; they should also search for creative materials that are authentically linked to their potential concepts,” she said. Since AP Art requires a lot of documentation and an overarching theme, creating smaller pieces can be a successful way to unify the portfolio and save time. 

Taking this into consideration, senior Cristina Escardó, who took AP Drawing last year, is excited to experiment with new materials such as beads from her grandparents jewelry or other items authentic to her heritage. Last year in AP Drawing, Escardó reflected her feelings in artwork, representing her grief for the loss of several family members in meaningful symbolism. For the upcoming school year, she is considering themes related to her Cuban heritage or honoring important people in her life.

Using personal materials in art can be an interesting way to develop a unique portfolio. “For example, if students are creating portraits of family members, they may collect textiles, keepsakes or any objects that symbolize that person,” Preston said. “Or if they’re exploring the concept of uncovering buried memories, they may want to try incorporating real dirt in their mark-making, working in layers of wiping away.”

Preston also wants students to be aware of the Sustained Investigation portion of the AP portfolio, which requires a focus on a single theme for an extended period. “It can be mentally and emotionally challenging for students. It’s important to keep in mind that the Sustained Investigation is just one part of your artistic identity,” she said. “It’s easy to feel like you have to sum up all your artistic interests in this body of work, but that’s impossible and thinking that way leads students into repeatedly changing themes and getting frustrated.”

By starting early and staying focused on their themes, Miller and Escardó are setting themselves up for success in their AP Art courses, ready to tackle the challenges and rewards of building their portfolios.

_{Senior Cristina Escardó, who took AP Drawing as a junior, recognizes the significance of time management and authenticity required for her artwork. Her piece, “The Elephant In the Room,” took Escardó 40 hours. “I am going to try to stay on schedule and get as much planning done over the summer as possible,” she said. (Photo/Cristina Escardó)}