How to create an online portfolio for Clearing

During Clearing admission to our creative media, arts and architecture courses involves assessment of online portfolios.

You must create an online portfolio for our course tutors to assess. The work you present in your portfolio plays a key role in helping us assess your suitability for your chosen course. Make sure your portfolio meets the requirements we have outlined below.

If you have any questions about how to create your online portfolio for Clearing do get in touch.

When you are putting your portfolio together remember we don’t just want to see finished pieces, your successes or work that shows your command of a technique. We want to see examples that demonstrate your creative process, your development and how you:

research and solve problems
explore techniques and media
experiment and develop your ideas.

How do I share my portfolio with you?

Your work needs to be publicly accessible and submitted to us as a website link.
Use a link shortener if you are phoning us or if your work has a long or complex web address.
Share your portfolio link with us over the phone or add it directly onto our Self Apply form under the qualifications box
Contact us on 01273 644000 if you have any issues or questions.

Calling with a finished portfolio? Where possible, our tutors will look it over straight away so we can move your application forward quickly.

What should I put in my online portfolio?

Need portfolio pointers?鈥疻e’ve created online portfolio advice tailored to every clearing course.鈥�

Simply click on your course in the list below to see exactly what we're looking for.

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Your portfolio helps us understand how you think, make, and explore ideas in three dimensions. We want to see your curiosity, creativity, and ability to use materials in imaginative ways – not just finished work.

What to include

Provide 15–20 images (still or short moving images) that demonstrate your creative approach, from concept to outcome.

Your portfolio should show us:
- how you develop your ideas through the use of a range of materials and media
- how you approach making in three dimensions
- experimentation, imagination and technical exploration
- the hand skills you use to make models or 3D pieces.
Include work that highlights:
- your creative process and journey, from sketches or models to final 3D outcomes
- how you explore materials, techniques and processes
- how you research and develop ideas – show us pages from sketchbooks, notebooks, or preparatory studies
- 2D and 3D work created outside formal study that shows your personal interests.
Tips
- Think about the order in which you present your images – use the sequence to tell us your creative story.
- Count a page from a sketch book as one image.
- Help us by labelling each work clearly: title, date, material/process, type of project.
Your portfolio helps us understand how you think, create and tell stories through movement and image. We want to see your curiosity, creativity and how you explore ideas using different techniques – not just finished work.

What to include

You should provide 15–20 examples of your work which demonstrate your creative approach, from concept to outcome.

Your portfolio should show us:
- completed and in-progress work. If you don’t have a finished animation, include storyboards or sequential drawings with notes describing the project
- finished outcomes in 2D or 3D design, illustration, animation, or moving image
- your potential to generate ideas and explore them through experimentation with different techniques and media.
Include work that highlights:
- how you develop ideas and your personal interests using any medium or combination of media (for example, drawing, typography, collage, photography, animation, or video)
- how you take an idea from concept through to a finished project
- sketchbooks or notebooks that show how you explore, experiment, and iterate using different techniques and media.
Tips
- Think about the order in which you present your images – use the sequence to tell us your creative story.
- Count a page from a sketch book as one image.
- Help us by labelling each work clearly: title, date, material/process, type of project.
Your portfolio helps us understand how you explore and communicate ideas through creative work. We are interested in how you observe, record and test ideas – not just finished pieces. We welcome work made as part of school or college projects, as well as personal explorations.

What to include

Aim for around 15–20 images (jpg or pdf) that show the range of your creative interests. These might include:
- drawings, paintings or photographs that show how you explore form, structure, material, light or space
- models, 3D work or constructions made from any materials – card, paper, clay, recycled or found objects
- sketchbook pages showing how your ideas change and grow
- finished work or experiments that demonstrate your curiosity and creativity. You can include school or college work, or your own personal projects.
Your portfolio should show us:
- how you explore and develop ideas through your creative process
- how you notice and respond to the world around you
- a balance of hand-made and digital work (if you use digital tools)
- your curiosity and enjoyment in making, testing, and discovering.
Tips
- Arrange your work in a clear order so we can follow your ideas developing.
- Label each work clearly: title, date, material/process, type of project.
- One sketchbook page counts as one image.
- Quality of thinking is more important than perfection – unfinished work is always welcome.
- We do not require you to show us architectural work – a broad range of creative work which helps us understand you is welcome.
Your audio works helps us understand how you think, create and explore ideas in sound and music. We want to hear your creativity, and how you experiment with music and audio techniques — not just finished compositions.

What to include

You should provide a selection of audio or audio-visual works with a total length of no more than 10 minutes.

Your submission should show us:
- your ability to generate ideas and explore sound
- your creative process in one or more of the following: composing, producing, performing music, song writing, scoring for film, animation or games
- experimentation with different techniques and approaches in electronic music.
Please include a short description of the production of compositional technique of each track.

Tips
- Think about presenting varied and contrasting works.
- Help us by labelling each work clearly: title, date.
Your portfolio helps us understand how you think, explore ideas and communicate visually. We want to see your curiosity, creativity and how you experiment with fashion and design – not just finished work.

What to include

You should provide 15–20 examples of your work that demonstrate your creative thinking and visual communication skills.

Your portfolio should show us:
- both finished outcomes and work in progress, highlighting your creative development
- work that reflects your personal interests, ideas, and approach to fashion communication
- two or three sketchbook pages.
Include work that highlights:
- your drawing ability
- your ideas related to fashion, including photography and styling, graphics, layout or film
- experimentation in 2D and 3D
- conceptual ideas that you are developing from a project
- ideas using collage, paint, textiles or mixed media.
Tips
- Think about the order in which you present your images – use the sequence to tell us your creative story.
- Count a page from a sketch book as one image.
- Help us by labelling each work clearly: title, date, material/process, type of project.
Your portfolio helps us understand how you think, explore ideas, and develop creative solutions in fashion design. We want to see your curiosity, creativity, and how you experiment with materials, media and design – not just finished garments.

What to include

You should provide 15–20 images of your work that demonstrate your creative ability. Sketchbook work and idea development should make up roughly three-quarters of your portfolio.

Include work that highlights:
- drawing in many forms eg observational drawing and life drawing experimenting with a range of media, materials and colour
- sketchbook and fashion design development work: visual research, 2D and 3D experimentation, sketches, drawings and collage
- 3D experimentation with fabrics and materials applied to the body, demonstrating awareness of fashion and textiles design and making processes
- fashion image making, such as fashion illustration, collage, photography or styling.
Your portfolio should show us:
- your wider cultural awareness and interests in fashion design
- your understanding of shape, line, materials and form in relation to the body
- your understanding and interpretation of subjects and the world around you
- how you respond to a brief or develop an initial idea as a fashion design outcome.
Tips
- Think about the order in which you present your images – use the sequence to tell us your creative story.
- Count a page from a sketch book as one image.
- Help us by labelling each work clearly: title, date, material/process, type of project.
Please note that pattern cutting and garment-making skills are not required for entry, but examples may be included to demonstrate creative idea development.
Your portfolio helps us understand how you think, explore ideas, and approach your practice in fine art. We want to see your curiosity, creativity and your ability to investigate ideas independently – not just finished work.

What to include

You should provide 15–20 pieces of work that demonstrate your artistic interests and approach.

Include work that highlights:
- your enthusiasm for fine art
- how you research and critically reflect on topics or themes within sketchbooks, models and preparatory studies – this is as important as providing examples of your completed artworks.
Your portfolio should show us:
- self-motivated investigations and independent projects in addition to examples of any work resulting from set briefs
- finished work and work in progress, which show how your ideas evolve.
Tips
- Think about the order in which you present your images – use the sequence to tell us your creative story.
- Count a page from a sketch book as one image.
- Help us by labelling each work clearly: title, date, material/process, type of project.
Your portfolio helps us understand how you think, explore ideas, and develop your painting practice. We want to see your curiosity, creativity and experimentation – not just finished work.

What to include

Provide 15–20 images (still or short moving images) that demonstrate your creative approach, from concept to outcome.

Include work that highlights:
- what you are most interested in exploring
- how you think and develop ideas, not just final results
- evidence of your painting and drawing skills, experimentation and independent creativity.
Your portfolio should show us:
- finished works and works-in-progress, such as studies, sketches, drawings, or collages
- work in other media if it connects to your interests
- moving image works, if relevant
- detail images to show texture or materials, alongside full views.
Tips
- Think about the order in which you present your images – use the sequence to tell us your creative story.
- Count a page from a sketch book as one image.
- Help us by labelling each work clearly: title, date, material/process, type of project and approximate size.
Your portfolio helps us understand how you think, create, and explore ideas in games art and design. We want to see your curiosity, creativity and experimentation – not just finished work.

What to include

Submit 10–15 examples of your creative work.

Your portfolio should show us:
- how you develop ideas and your personal interests
- how you use media and combinations of media including drawing, typography, collage, photography, animation and video
- completed moving image, animation or interactive work
- finished outcomes in 2D design, illustration, animation or moving image
- sketchbooks showing how you experiment and explore different techniques and media.
Include work that highlights:
- your ability to take an idea from concept through to a finished project
- evidence of your potential to experiment and explore ideas using different techniques and media.
Tips
- Think about the order in which you present your images – use the sequence to tell us your creative story.
- Count a page from a sketch book as one image.
- We recommend using Vimeo for animation and moving image work.
- Help us by labelling each work clearly: title, date, material/process, type of project.
Your portfolio helps us understand how you think, create, and communicate visually. We want to see your curiosity, creativity and experimentation – not just finished work.

What to include

Submit 15–20 images (still or short moving images) of your creative work.

Include work that highlights:
- your design process, including use of sketches and experiments, and your wider influences
- your exploration and communication of a range of subjects and themes
- your thinking in terms of invention, imagination, expression and interpretation.
Your portfolio should show us:
- a broad range of work, both successful and less successful, ideally in chronological order
- typography and letterforms – expressive, applied and kinetic
- photography and image-making – inventive, creative and applied approaches
- type and image – imaginative, bold and creative approaches.
Tips
- Think about the order in which you present your images – use the sequence to tell us your creative story.
- Count a page from a sketch book as one image.
- Do not include life drawing unless it is part of a project.
- Help us by labelling each work clearly: title, date, material/process, type of project.
Your portfolio helps us understand how you think, create, and explore ideas as an illustrator. We want to see your curiosity, creativity and experimentation – not just finished work.

What to include

Submit 15–20 images of your work.

Include work that highlights:
- your abilities and potential as an illustrator and your understanding of illustration
- what interests you.
Your portfolio should show us:
- three examples of drawing: observational, life, developmental or location
- three images demonstrating your technical skills or experimentation with photography, printmaking, 3D, film, animation, digital imagery
- four images demonstrating image making or illustration
- two images showing material process or design thinking such as character development
- two images of your sketchbooks
- one image showing your inspirations or interests: for example film, environment, politics, music or fiction
- one photograph of your favourite book or film
- one image showing what you judge to be a successful example of visual communication
- a profile film introducing yourself – maximum three minutes long.
Tips
- Think about the order in which you present your images – use the sequence to tell us your creative story.
- Count a page from a sketch book as one image.
- Help us understand the context of your work by labelling each work clearly: title, date, material/process, type of project – college/school or self-directed.
Your portfolio helps us understand how you explore ideas and use creative work to think about space, people and place. You don’t need to have studied architecture before. We’re interested in how you observe the world and imagine how spaces might be adapted, reused or transformed through making and drawing.

Include work that shows your curiosity – we want to see how you experiment and develop ideas, not just finished pieces.

What to include

Aim for around 15 to 20 images (jpg or pdf) that show a range of your creative work.

These could include:
- sketches, drawings, and/or photographs that explore shapes, materials, light or atmosphere
- models or constructions made from any materials – card, paper, clay, recycled objects, found things
- pages from a sketchbook showing how your ideas change and grow
- any finished artwork or design that reflects your interests or creative approach.
You can include school or college work, or your own personal projects.

Your portfolio should show us:
- how you explore and develop ideas through creative process
- how you notice and respond to the character of spaces or objects around you
- a sense of curiosity and enjoyment in making, testing, and discovering — whether through hand-made or digital work
- preparatory drawings and studies, as well as any finished pieces from previous projects or personal work
- a good proportion of analogue (non-computer) generated work
- a variety of work in different media.
Tips
- Arrange your work in a clear order so we can follow how your ideas develop.
- Label each image (title, date, material or process).
- One sketchbook page counts as one image.
- Quality of thinking is more important than perfection – unfinished work is always welcome!
Your portfolio helps us understand how you explore and communicate ideas through creative work. We are interested in how you observe, record and test ideas – not just finished pieces. We welcome work made as part of school or college projects, as well as personal explorations.

What to include

Aim for around 15–20 images (jpg or pdf) that show the range of your creative interests.

These might include:
- drawings, paintings or photographs that show how you explore form, structure, material, light or space
- models, 3D work, or constructions made from any materials – card, paper, clay, recycled or found objects
- sketchbook pages showing how your ideas change and grow
- finished work or experiments that demonstrate your curiosity and creativity.
You can include school or college work, or your own personal projects.

Your portfolio should show us:
- how you explore and develop ideas through your creative process. We’d love to see some analogue (non-digital) work as this helps us understand how you explore ideas through your hands and senses
- how you notice and respond to the world around you
- a balance of hand-made and digital work (if you use digital tools)
- your curiosity and enjoyment in making, testing and discovering.
Tips
- Arrange your work in a clear order so we can follow your ideas developing.
- Label each work clearly: title, date, material/process, type of project.
- One sketchbook page counts as one image.
- Quality of thinking is more important than perfection – unfinished work is always welcome.
Your portfolio helps us understand how you think, explore ideas, and develop your photographic practice. We want to see your curiosity, creativity, and experimentation - not just technical skill.

What to include

Submit 15–20 images demonstrating the current stage of your creative photographic work.

Your portfolio should show us:
- project work that explores your ideas, showing consideration and organisation
- effective titles for the portfolio as a whole or for separate sections, where applicable.
Please note: We are primarily interested in project work that explores your ideas rather than solely demonstrating technical skill. The portfolio should not be a self-reflective statement on your own work.

Tips
- Think about the order in which you present your images – use the sequence to tell us your creative story.
- Count a page from a sketch book as one image.
- Help us by labelling each work clearly: title, date, material/process, type of project.
Your portfolio helps us understand how you think, create, and explore ideas as a product designer. We want to see your curiosity, creativity, and experimentation — not just finished work.

What to include

Submit 15–20 images of your work that show the range of your creative interests. Your portfolio should demonstrate your skills, creativity, motivations, and interests as a designer. Include work produced during:
- A-levels or equivalent
- foundation courses (any creative course such as art, design or technology)
- work experience
- personal projects, hobbies or crafts.
You could include:
- sketching and technical drawing
- photos of 3D objects you have designed and made
- CAD modelling and rendering
- 3D printing or coding
- research (consumer, user, visual, etc.)
- photography, typography, illustration
- fashion and textile designs (including cosplay).
Include process work such as sketching, model making and prototypes. Add annotations to explain your ideas and show how you think as a designer. Focus on your best work, but avoid spending too much time on minor details that could delay submission.

Tip
- Think about the order in which you present your images – use the sequence to tell us your creative story.
- Count a page from a sketch book as one image.
- Help us by labelling each work clearly: title, date, material/process, type of project.

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