AP 2-D Art and Design

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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) each include two portfolio components: the Sustained Investigation and Selected Works. Each component requires you to show a fundamental competence and range of understanding in visual concerns and methods as described in the AP Art and Design scoring guidelines. Portfolio components are scored separately, and each 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, two different inquiry statements, and your AP Coordinator must order two exams for you.

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, connection, juxtaposition, and hierarchy.
  • 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, 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

May 10, 2024, 8 PM ET

AP Art and Design Portfolio Due Date

AP Art and Design students must submit digital portfolios to AP by this 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
  • image citations describing the source of ideas or pre-existing works (APA or MLA formal citations not required)

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

Article

Sustained Investigation Overview

Get detailed instructions on building the Sustained Investigation section of your AP Art and Design portfolio.

Article

Selected Works Overview

Get detailed instructions on building the Selected Works section of your AP Art and Design portfolio.

Credit and Placement

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