Portfolio Requirements

Attention: These are NEW portfolio requirements that were updated on June 2, 2023. For applicants applying to begin the MScBMC program in the Fall of 2024 (preparing and submitting applications in the Fall of 2023), feel free to submit pieces that were part of the older requirements, and we will understand if you do not hit every category in the new requirements. Applicants applying to begin the MScBMC program in the Fall of 2025, must have a portfolio that meets the requirements listed below.

Your portfolio should demonstrate your observational drawing skill, design sense, and visual problem solving ability. Suitable subjects include life drawing, portraiture, natural science illustration, landscape and architectural rendering, still life, cartooning and graphic design. Media should reflect aptitude in a number of different techniques, traditional or digital, and could include drawing, painting, sculpture and 3D modeling. It may also include sketchbooks and lab manuals if applicable.

What to submit

12 - 20 examples of recent work must be included as part of your portfolio. See the “Examples” section below for examples of each category.

Required WORk (You can inlcude more than the minimum of any of these categories)

• 4 observational figure drawings from life (nude or clothed, full figure, including gestures, short poses, and long poses)

• 1 illustration of hands and/or feet

• 1 portrait

• 1 storytelling piece (e.g., comics, storyboards, depiction of a process or set of instructions, etc.)

  • Include process work from your sketchbook that shows how you arrived at the solution

• 1 example of graphic design

• 1 imaginative work (e.g., original character/creature design, environment, imagined space, etc.)

Personal/other work (minimum 3 of any of the following, up to 11)

• Architectural and landscape

• Illustration

• Comics

• 3D modeling, rendering, sculpting (traditional or digital)

• Scientific, medical, and/or biological illustration

• Still life

• Sketchbook spreads

• Animation

• Interactive media

• Photography (no more than 2 pieces)

Additional notes

• We strongly recommend you also include a few pieces created digitally

• No artificial intelligence (AI)-based artwork should be submitted

• All portfolio pieces should be original works completed by you. Work should not be copied from—or based solely on—single photographs or based exclusively on photographic reference.

Examples

Click on the thumbnail images below to see sample drawings from the portfolios of successful past applicants (all images are copyrighted by the respective artist, and all rights reserved).

Observational figure drawing from life

Observational Drawing of Hands and feet

Portraits

STORYTELLING

graphic design

imaginative work

still life

ARchitectural & Landscape

Scientific and biological

Technical exercises

SKetchbook spreads

Naming and submitting your files

Still image files should be saved as RGB .jpg or .png files. The width and/or height of any submitted image file should not exceed 2000 pixels.

Obtain clear, sharp scans or digital photographs of traditional media submissions. Blurry, unsharp or muddy images make proper assessment difficult.

Files should be named according to the following format:

LastName_FirstName_ImageTitle_Date

For example: Smith_Mary_Still Life_2021.jpg

Other more complex digital media should be provided as web links in the illustration list. You can include small or simple media files (e.g. video) in the uploaded portfolio if they are less than 100MB in size.

Illustration list

The portfolio must include a ‘List of Illustrations’ in .txt or MS Word format, including:

• your name and, if known, your application number, or U of T student number;

• title of the piece;

• the medium;

• the date the piece was created;

• a brief description of the image objective.

How to submit your portfolio

The portfolio is required as part of the formal application process and can be uploaded directly to your applicant portal.

Pre-Application portfolio review

Potential applicants to the BMC program can seek feedback on their portfolios of visual work and transcript(s) in preparation to apply. This feedback may be requested between April and August, before applications open in September. Requests for review will not be granted during the application period September to December or during adjudication January to March.

To request a portfolio review, email 5 to 6 small (approx. 200kb each) jpeg samples of your artwork, and an unofficial copy of your transcript, to the graduate program administrator. Include samples of the five required illustrations. Your materials will be forwarded to one of the BMC faculty for review and feedback.

Pre-application visits would best be scheduled after a portfolio review and between April and August before the program begins to accept applications in the fall.