Not a Student?
Go to AP Central for resources for teachers, administrators, and coordinators.
About the Portfolio
All portfolio types (2-D, 3-D, and Drawing) are submitted digitally only.
- Students are prohibited from using any and all artificial intelligence tools in any AP assessment work. Read more about our policy.
You’ll submit a portfolio of artwork for evaluation at the end of the school year.
The three Art and Design portfolios (2-D, 3-D, and Drawing) share a basic, two-section structure, which requires you to show a fundamental competence and range of understanding in visual concerns and methods. Each section contributes to the final portfolio score, which is on a 5-point scale.
Note: You may submit more than one Art and Design portfolio exam in a given year, but each must be a different type of portfolio. You may not duplicate works or images among the portfolios and portfolios may not be combined. For example, if you want to submit a portfolio for both Drawing and 2-D Art and Design, you will need to submit two separate portfolios with two completely different sets of artwork, and you must order two exams.
For the AP 2-D Art and Design portfolio:
- Your work should focus on the application of two-dimensional (2-D) elements and principles including point, line, shape, plane, layer, form, space, texture, color, value, opacity, transparency, time; unity, variety, rhythm, movement, proportion, scale, balance, emphasis, contrast, repetition, figure/ground relationship.
- Think about how materials, processes, and ideas can be used to make work in a two-dimensional space.
- There’s no preferred or unacceptable content or style.
- Here are some formats you can submit: graphic design, digital imaging, photography, collage, fabric design, weaving, fashion design, illustration, painting, and printmaking.
- Don’t submit video clips—they’re not allowed. You may submit still images from videos or film and composite images.
Portfolio Date
Portfolio Components
Section 1: Sustained Investigation
15 digital images 60% of Score
You’ll create a body of work that demonstrates:
- sustained investigation through practice, experimentation, and revision
- sustained investigation of materials, processes, and ideas
- synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas
- 2-D art and design skills
You’ll have to document in writing:
- the inquiry that guided your sustained investigation
- ways your sustained investigation developed through practice, experimentation, and revision
Section 2: Selected Works
5 digital images of 5 artworks 40% of Score
You’ll choose works that demonstrate:
- 2-D art and design skills
- synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas
For each work, you’ll have to describe in writing:
- your ideas
- the materials you used
- the processes you used
Works may come from the Sustained Investigation section, but they do not have to. They may be a group of related works, unrelated works, or a combination of related and unrelated works.
How We Score Your Portfolio
All portfolios are assessed by at least four highly experienced studio art educators (AP Art and Design teachers or higher education faculty). These evaluators, called AP readers, are trained to apply standardized scoring guidelines. Each of the two sections is reviewed independently based on criteria for that section.
If there is a wide divergence in the scores assigned by two readers to the same section of a portfolio, the section is forwarded to two Reading leaders for review and resolution of the scores.
Portfolio Preparation
Credit and Placement
Search AP Credit Policies
Find colleges that grant credit and/or placement for AP Exam scores in this and other AP courses.