Applicant name: ____________________________
Faculty Reviewer: __________________________
Applicant’s portfolio for entry should be rated in each of the following categories:
Criteria
Unacceptable (0)
Emerging (1)
Accomplished (2)
Exceptional(3)
Rating
Please describe how you developed your technique. How did you select this technique?
Technical skills are
underdeveloped; no
refinement in media is
evident
Technical Skills
Basic technical skills
demonstrated; some
refinement in media is
evident
A demonstrated
proficiency in technical
skills; body of work
reflects refinement in
the way media is
handled
Outstanding technical
competence; body of
work exhibits a unique
and innovative
exploration of media
Why did you choose this structure or organization? (can be asked about one or two items)
Handling of
Design or
Composition
Aspects of design or
composition are weak;
unsophisticated use of
art elements
Design or compositional
devices are minimally
understood; use of art
elements suggests
beginning levels of
refinement
Overall design or use of
compositional devices is
established; effective
use of art elements is
evident
Overall design or
composition is superb;
the use of art elements
results in imagery/form
that is both innovative
and engaging
What are your sources of inspiration for your work?
Inventiveness
No real sense of
inventiveness; resolve of
work is flat and
uninspiring
Some evidence of
creative solutions to
visual problems; select
works suggest potential
in innovation and
uniqueness
Consistent evidence for
inventive solutions to
visual problems; a sense
of innovation and
uniqueness is embodied
in the majority of works
Entire portfolio reflects
high levels of innovation
and uniqueness;
approaches to visual
problems are
overwhelmingly
resolved, refined and
inspiring
Please describe one or two concepts or ideas you include in your work.
Expressiveness
Body of work is
unimaginative; artistic
ideas and concepts
convey little meaning
and exhibit a lack of
focus
Select works suggest
some level of success
regarding the expression
of artistic ideas and
content
Consistent ability at
conveying meaningful
idea and content; body
of work exhibits a
general feeling of
expressive capability
Thoughtful and
innovative mark making
combine with a
dedicated approach to
expressing artistic ideas
and content in
meaningful and
purposeful ways
Describe your interest in JMU and the School of Art, Design and Art History.
TOTAL SCORE:
OVERALL ASSESSMENT LEVEL
Level 1 (Total score of 0-3): Lower level of ability than is acceptable for entry into our university’s freshman art program. Technique
is stiff, awkward, or inappropriate for apparent character of the works in question. Lacks both precision and verve. Does not reflect
developed skill desired by the end of high school. Poor presentation is frequent. The use of design elements shows little coherence
or sensitivity to their possibilities. Reveals little of learned modes of organizing the elements, or of native organizational power. Use
of very stereotyped imagery. There is little evidence of creativity. Content is rudimentary at best. Sense of expressiveness is likely
to be minimal.
Level 2 (Total score of 4-6): Acceptable for freshman entry, but not outstanding. Technical skills are basic, but suggest possibilities
for development. Minor flashes of technical fluency are not uncommon, but are rarely dominant. Some sensitivity towards use of
design elements in usually present, though not in a fully integrated fashion. As in Level 1, stereotyped subject matter is frequent,
but more inventive use of it is likely, as is better integration of subject with organizational factors. The expressive ideas arising from
these works have little depth, but often suggest future promise.
Level 3 (Total score of 7-9): Notable above average to excellent for freshman entry level. Technical approaches show distinct skill in
at least some media. Fluency, especially in some types of drawing, is not uncommon. These students often show breadth of art
experience, with occasional concentration in depth for a particular area. Design abilities range from basic to intermediate, but not
sophisticated. Sometimes a special feeling for one or more design elements, such as line or color, may be evident. Inventiveness is
usually more to be seen in connection with technique than with manipulation of ideas. Little aesthetic maturity, but often the sense
of impending aesthetic quality is to be seen.
Level 4 (Total score of 10-12): Abilities expected of mid-level undergraduate art majors (sophomores and juniors). Craftsmanship is
usually intermediate to adept for selected media, particularly those in the student’s area of concentration. Handling of media new
to the student may still be awkward. Frequently some of the beginnings of individual style in technical handling and structural
organization are present. Uneven maturity of expressive ideas is common, even for the same student from one problem to the next,
but the sense of the importance of aesthetic content is more evident than at previous levels.