Today, Natural Light talks to you about some user-defined thresholds that many foreign art schools will set, that is, independent proposition. The focus of independent proposition assessment in foreign art colleges is usually not professional skills or basic aesthetic quality, but the most important teaching focus of different disciplines and majors. Sometimes we need to answer this set of questions together in the collection of works, sometimes we need to submit another collection of works, and even there are different tests in the interview session This has also led many students to easily ignore the fact that they did not do specific research on a certain school. Therefore, today we will analyze the independent propositions of RISD, Parsons, SAIC, Pratt, RCA, UCL and other schools one by one, and lead you to study their "customs clearance secrets"!

Summary of independent topics of 6 universities:

Rhode Island School of Design RISD

When it comes to independent proposition institutions, the first thing that people think of is Rhode Island/RISD. In addition to its reputation, Rhode Island's independent proposition is more oriented to all undergraduate majors, and a small number of institutions have selected "new proposition" for students.

In 2016, Rhode Island School of Design The form of the proposition was reformed. The previous unified proposition "bicycle" was changed to the form of "one out of three". Three words were given, and students selected one of them as the proposition to create their own works. They completed two different works, usually without restrictions on the form and theme of the works.

Every year, the three topics given by Rhode Island will change accordingly:

2016 - construct, light, contain

2017 - plastic, collect, threshold

2018 - error, verify, forge

Looking at these words, we can easily find that they are generally broadly defined and tend to be more and more conceptualized. How should we face such abstract propositions? What is the focus of Rhode Island's investigation through these propositions?

First of all, when we get these words, we must not follow the idea of writing a "proposition composition", first translate from the literal meaning, then find works that can barely fit in from our "alternative library", and upload them directly. We must first make it clear that "proposition" ≠ theme works, and colleges and universities would like to see our thinking on theme extension.

This is why the independent proposition of Rhode Island does not limit the form and media of students' works. What colleges and universities want to see is more experimental attempts and creative thinking outside our works collection. Even the integrity of works is not the main reference, but more importantly, it reflects our different perspectives of observation. So in this process, we must not copy mechanically, but choose the topic that can stimulate our imagination most.

In addition to the meaning, the creative form is also the direction where we can diverge our thinking. Some students may try to make corresponding works to reflect their professionalism, but in fact, "independent proposition" is also our most legitimate opportunity to show our strengths.

Take Xiao, a natural light student, as an example. His undergraduate course is an interdisciplinary economics candidate for interior design in Rhode Island. Compared with students in this major, his professional skills are relatively weak, but he has a very clear dialectical thinking and rich imagination, so he chose the theme of "error" in his independent proposition.

Error - error, misunderstanding, error, deviation. Literally speaking, it is easy to associate people with "visual illusion", "psychedelic color" and other forms of visual expression. Xiao chose to discuss errors from the perspective of "thinking", and chose the most simple and clear sketch and illustration in the form of expression.

In the first work, he drew three pictures of holding the mobile phone with different gestures and poking his fingers out of the screen of the mobile phone in the way of sketch. In order to allude to contemporary people, he might hurt himself if he excessively indulged in technology.

In the second work, he used the form of a cartoon to express another possibility of Error, which is also an exploration of the unknown. In this cartoon, he described a scientist who found a universe hidden deep inside the cell when observing the cell with a microscope, and then an unknown object of one of the stars waved to the scientist.

These two works may not be particularly prominent in terms of techniques alone, but because they reflect the author's very "bold" imagination, and the ability to dare to try, and give the works a depth of thinking about the theme and subject matter, this is precisely the direction that Rhode Island's independent proposition attaches most importance to.

Parsons Challenge

Parsons' independent proposition, as its name suggests, is a "challenge" for students applying for it, because its biggest difference from RISD is that it requires students to create a new visual work based on our original work, and to submit 500 words of articles describing our creation process.

And in the latest requirements last year, Parsons School of Design Parsons also has two different requirements according to different undergraduate degrees. First, BA/BFA is for most art and design majors:

The specific requirements are: create a new visual work according to the theme of the work submitted in the work collection. It includes a 500 word article describing how ideas developed. In addition, we can submit up to two pages of additional content to record the process. The themes are not limited to painting, video, photography, sculpture, 3D works, collages and digital images.

The other direction is for business management applicants, that is, BBA degree: it requires us to create a new visual work, which can be inspired by advertising or the theme of our previous works. We also need to write a 500 word article to explain the creation process, in any form.

In addition, regarding the purpose of setting Parsons Challenge, Parsons said that in order to help the admissions association staff better understand how students spread their ideas, how to express creativity in visual language, and how to write. The Parsons Challenge helps the Admission Committee understand how a prospective student develops ideas,visually communicates those ideas,and defends the work in writing.

Through the explanation on the official website, we can see that the focus of the investigation for students is more inclined to the creative process and speculative ability. What is different from RISD is not only the need to examine students' divergent thinking, but also how students can re-examine completed works from different perspectives and record the process in words.

Therefore, in order to reflect different perspectives under the same theme, we can try completely different themes, that is, the application of "interdisciplinary", to show our ability to use more meta materials.

For example, Meiqi, a student of natural light, took only three months to change his major to produce a collection of professional works of pure art, which was recognized by Parsons, especially the excellent completion of Parsons Challenge.

Her work is an interdisciplinary creation, adding photographic elements to the original self portrait works, and the theme has become a "mask" to explore the thinking of completely different dimensions. It fully reflects Meiqi's visual cognitive ability and artistic sensitivity.

SAIC Oriental&Abstract

As one of the top art schools in the United States, the Chicago Academy of Arts (SAIC) is famous for its comprehensive and creative visual expression and superb teaching style of professional and technical skills. This is also reflected in SAIC's enrollment requirements, which require applicants of all art disciplines to include observational and abstract works in their works.

　　1、Show us 10–15 of your best and most recent works.

Including 10-15 best or recent works

　　2、Use your portfolio to showcase your interests,skills,and creative potential.

Demonstrate our interests, skills and creative potential

　　3、You may show us work created across media or focus entirely in one medium.

Display different cross media works or focus on one media

　　4、Work can range from observational to abstract.

Works range from observation to abstraction

First of all, many students will join in the form of observational drawing to show our hand painting ability, but the observational works mentioned by SAIC are not just simple still life or figure painting.

It focuses on how students can express objects and think through different perspectives after mastering basic painting skills, and create more possibilities through this seemingly mundane painting form.

The abstract form of expression is to further investigate our creativity. It is generally believed that abstract forms of expression are more suitable for pure art works, but in fact, the abstract here is not only limited to the form of expression, but can be abstract concepts, themes or even pure theory or conceptual creation.

That is to say, for the collection of works applying for SAIC, solid hand painting skills are only the basis. What we need to show is how to use basic skills to show more creativity.

Pratt Film, Pratt College of Arts

Pratt, as a professional college with great artistic value in the United States, its film major is the same. In addition to providing students with very professional skills training, it is more important to cultivate innovative expression. Compared with other majors, a single visual work can not well reflect the professional ability of applicants. Therefore, Pratt's professional film collection requirements are very different from other majors.

The work collection requirements are divided into two parts. The first part is vision, which provides applicants with two choices. First, the visual portfolio should consider of 12-20 pieces of your best work. It should consider of a variety of media and approvals. It contains 12-20 best works. Various media and techniques of expression can be used.

　　Students must submit three to five observational drawings. Examples of observational work include landscape, still life, self portrait, figure drawings, and interior spaces. The content can include landscape painting, still life painting, self portrait, figure painting and indoor space.

In addition to the visual collection, the other two options are:

　　A、visual portfolio as described above. Applicants may also include a three minute maximum video for which the applicant has primary creative control in addition to work in other media.

　　B、Graphic Series:A series of photographs you have taken or drawings you have made which, when viewed in a sequence,tells a simple story,or portrays an original character or place.Include a brief(less than one page)written narrative about the character,place,or story you’ve created.(It must be submitted on Slideroom). Photography series: a series of photos or drawings taken by the applicant, through which a simple story can be told, or characters or landing places can be depicted. In addition, a written narrative of at least one page about the role, location or story should be submitted.

In addition to visual projects, the second part is a small paper that must be submitted. There are also two options:

　　Option 1:Write about a milestone, an unexpected encounter or an event that was a turning point in your life.And then include some strategies you might use to tell that story through image and sound. Write down the milestones in your life, which can be an unexpected encounter or a turning point in your life. It also needs to include some strategies for you to tell stories through images and sounds.

　　Option 2:Describe in detail a moment from a film or any other art form that you find particularly moving. What was its effect on you? How has it influenced you? What techniques do you feel the filmmaker/artist used to accomplish such impact? Describe in detail the movies or other art forms that are particularly moving to you. How does it affect you? How does it affect you? What technology do you think filmmakers/artists can use to achieve this effect?

RCA interview questions of Royal Academy of Arts

Huangyi/RCA, as the top art school in the QS school rankings for many consecutive years, is a dream school for many students. Naturally, it is not easy to apply. In addition to requiring students to hand in high-quality collections of works, the interview is also a major difficulty.

Maybe many people think that entering the interview is almost certain. As long as the language is not a problem, they will be rejected. But this statement does not apply to Huangyi. Everyone knows that Huangyi only offers postgraduate courses. After entering the school, students will have a fixed tutor as the learning object.

Therefore, when choosing their own students, the tutor will also be strict and will refer to whether the students' interest points correspond to the tutor's style. Therefore, the interview of Huangyi is not only an interview but also an entrance exam, with a certain proportion of elimination rate.

Take Innovation Design Engineering (IDE) as an example: Selected applications are invited to the Program for an entry examination which compares of an interview (15 minutes in duration, with staff and a student representative)and a creative exercise(one hour).

The applicant will be invited to take the entrance exam after the portfolio is approved, which includes an interview (about 15 minutes, not only the interviewer but also the student representative), and an hour of creative practice.

　　IMPORTANT:You will need to bring with you a physical portfolio containing the contents of your online submission.

Important note: We need to bring the real works submitted online.

The examination questions of Huangyi are usually released by the interviewer on the spot during the interview, and we are required to complete them within the specified time. This form of examination actually tests the creative accumulation of applicants and their ability to think in time in the face of unexpected requirements.

As for the form of examination questions, they are very specific. Taking the 2019 Huangyi Interview Challenge as an example, its theme is Domestic Life in the Circular Economy/Family Life in the Circular Economy. With the theme, the college has also set a very specific story background.

The background of the story is in 2030. After years of environmental protection struggle, what will we see in 2030? What products do you think have helped the environment between 2018 and 2030? What new technologies would you like to see? Why? Applicants need to propose three novel design concepts or scenarios in the context of sustainable development in 2030.

The length of the exam is also one hour, and there is no limit to the form of expression. Students can use the materials at hand to create according to different ways of expression. After one hour, students will also have two minutes to elaborate on the design. This exam is for GID, IDE, IED, service design and other majors.

In addition to the examination questions, we also need to pay attention to how to show the interviewer the unique thinking of the work concentration during the interview process. Taking Ziyi, a natural light student, as an example, she received the graphic design offer of Huangyi from zero foundation. We mentioned in our interview that during her interview, the interviewer of Huangyi said that among all the works he saw, the most favorite thing is that she has been doing interdisciplinary hybrid applications.

The interviewer also asked her specific questions about her creative ideas. Ziyi told him that she paid more attention to how to use design to convey practicality and discuss with culture.

UCL Bartlett, University College London

When it comes to UCL, we can't get around the major of architecture, which belongs to Bartlett College. The architecture specialty itself has the "learning bully" attribute. Moreover, the UCL Architecture Department, which ranks first in the UK and is coveted by countless people, its enrollment requirements are of course distinctive "high standard".

　　 University College London UCL's independent proposition/assessment task is mainly aimed at undergraduate students majoring in architecture. They require applicants to provide a set of "proposition" works of art in the works collection, and colleges and universities not only limit the theme, but also specify the theme, size and even creation time.

The specific proposition changes every year, but the form is mostly the same. Taking last year as an example, UCL requires applicants to provide six observational paintings in the works collection. The objects of observation can be objects, people or landscapes, but not photos or copies of existing paintings.

In addition, the college also stipulates that applicants need to strictly control the drawing time of each proposition work, which is divided into four categories from 5 minutes to 90 minutes:

This setting of proposition requirements also shows that the college is not only assessing our hand painting skills, but also that students can choose what theme is suitable for fine expression and what form is suitable for a short time to show a sense of space. The college focuses on how students allocate time rationally and understand three-dimensional space.

In addition to observational painting, the college also needs us to provide ten pieces of visual creative works, and provides seven ways of expression. We choose at least three of them to combine our creation: painting, sketch, any 3D form of media, collage, photography, digital media, and video.

In addition to the form of expression, the university does not stipulate the theme, nor does it need us to fit in with the architecture major. We hope that we can rely entirely on imagination to spread freely. The purpose of the creation of this theme is to investigate students' divergent thinking and exploration of different materials.

After that, if the applicant's portfolio is approved, UCL also has an interview. In addition to self explanation, the main content of the interview is the applicant's explanation of the above two parts of work, and may also be required to provide other creative original works.

Today, Natural Light introduced the independent proposition of six British and American TOP art schools. In addition to the schools we mentioned today, there are many schools that have special requirements on application, such as the collection of works needs to be mailed in kind, and the submission of collection of works must be in web page format, etc. Many students will choose to apply for more than one school at a time, and students in natural light are no exception. Some students even apply from multiple countries at the same time. In this case, we should pay more attention. Today we only sorted out some outstanding art schools, but many art schools, as I said, have subtle requirements on some "easy to ignore details". Do research in advance, make a list of their own Dream School application requirements in advance, check several times before submission, and avoid application accidents, It is the greatest responsibility for oneself!

Natural light shares more topics for you:

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