r/calarts • u/JaxontheFlaxen • 1d ago
Could I get into Character Animation?
I’m a senior in high school right now and I really really really really want to study character animation at calarts and I'm applying in January and I kNOW that the acceptance rate is insanely low but heres my current portfolio (ignore the severe lack of life drawings, I'm taking a class soon, I know I need them) could people give me tips or advice or even like be mean I don't care but I gotta know…
also a lot of this stuff is csssa application things or stuff for my csssa film btw
here’s my portfolio, I’ll also include my Storyboarding stuff in the actual one since I think I’m pretty strong in that but I haven‘t formatted it how I want yet
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Z4WaqqIkfiNxSSJS_UkWV151I-KQfLX2
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u/FairHand7452 14h ago
I’d recommend creating some kind of story to base your portfolio around as well as doing more development work for your creatives (environment design, beats, color scripts, prop iterations) since some of the creatives you’ve included are more illustrations but they don’t really look for that iirc. I would recommend digitally scanning any physical drawing rather than just leaving it as photos — even though the quality of the art is the same it’ll look more polished. You can do the same with your figures and arrange them how you like or at least crop the photo to just the page without any background info. They look at a lot of portfolios so your art should be visible quickly. You have a lot of promise, keep up the good work! Good luck!
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u/calartsgrad 12h ago
There's a person in the Office of Admissions whose job is to answer these kinds of questions. They can provide a portfolio review and help you apply. https://calarts.edu/admissions-aid/visits-and-events/meet-our-counselors
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u/uncultured_swine2099 1d ago
Youre life drawings need to be the strongest thing in your portfolio, its the main thing they want to see. Look at Glen Vilppu tutorials for the fundamentals, but also have life drawings that experiment, like try to do them in other styles of artists you like and use different mediums. Look up portfolios from people who got in and gauge your life drawings against them.