As an artist at SMU Guildhall, you will major in 3D asset creation, and 2D art will be your minor. Prior knowledge of digital 2D and 3D programs is a definite advantage for what you will be doing, but it is not a requirement.
Your portfolio will consist of past examples of art work that showcase your talent. Examples may be digitally based and/or original art executed in traditional media (like drawing, charcoal or clay) to show a variety of subjects and styles. Your submissions will tell us a lot about you as a student and as an artist/illustrator. It will help us determine the degree to which you can look at a reference and accurately recreate it, and your ability to see what is actually there and render it in detail.
If you have a portfolio of 2D and 3D art, upload it to our online application site. It is preferred that your portfolio includes 10-20 examples of your past work. You may upload a link to a digital portfolio, or individual files.
If you do not have a portfolio, complete and submit to our online application site the following:
- Figure poses/life drawings (3)
- Portraits (4) — include front, side, and three-quarter views, male and female subjects, and one non-human creature
- Architectural or environment drawings (2)
- Large animal, such as a horse or large cat (1)
- Imaginative character concept of your favorite super hero in three-quarter view (1)
- Imaginative character concept of a unique character for a digital game (1)
- Drawing of the environment in which the character lives (1)
- Graphic/commercial art example such as a logo, ad or banner (1)
Copyrights and References: You may have been taught that working from photographic reference is to be avoided. That is not the case in our courses. High quality reference (photographic or from life) is essential to the skills you will develop at SMU Guildhall. Composition and presentation always matter, as do well-considered choices regarding value, hue, and chroma in colored works. All that having been said, you must respect the copyrights of others. Do not use copyrighted photographic reference without the permission of the copyright holder (usually the photographer). Do not submit things drawn from the work of other artists. That includes commercial books on sketch techniques. The safest photographic reference is a photo you have taken yourself — and the offer the bonus of allowing you to control the setting, pose, and light. Violation of these rules will result in an unfavorable review of your submission.