AP Breadth Overview

In this section, the artworks you submit in the 2-D or 3-D Design portfolio should demonstrate your understanding of the principles of design. Include examples of unity/variety, balance, emphasis, contrast, rhythm, repetition, proportion/scale occupied/unoccupied space and figure/ground relationship in your Breadth section. In the Drawing portfolio, submit artworks that demonstrate your understanding of a range of drawing concerns. Include examples such as drawing from observation, work with invented or nonobjective forms, effective use of light and shade, line quality, surface manipulation, composition, various spatial systems and expressive mark-making. You are asked to demonstrate that you are thoughtfully applying these principles while creating your art.

The best demonstrations of breadth clearly show a range of conceptual approaches to design or drawing. For example, a single Breadth section might contain:

in the 2-D Design Portfolio:

• work that employs line, shape or color to create unity or variety in a composition; and
• work that demonstrates symmetry/asymmetry, balance or anomaly; and
• work that explores figure/ground relationships; and
• development of modular or repeat pattern to create rhythm; and
• color organization using primary, secondary, tertiary, analogous or other color relationships for emphasis or contrast in a composition; and
• work that investigates or exaggerates proportion or scale.

in the 3-D Design Portfolio:

• work that employs line, plane, mass, volume or motion to activate form in space; and
• work that suggests rhythm through modular structure; and
• work that uses light or shadow to determine form, with particular attention to surface and interior space; and
• work that demonstrates an understanding of symmetry and asymmetry; and
• assemblage or constructed work that transforms materials or object identity through the manipulation of proportion/scale; and
• work in which the color and texture unify or balance the overall form of the piece; and
• work in which color or texture is integral to the overall form of the piece; and
• work that explores the transition from organic to mechanical form.

in the Drawing Portfolio

• the use of various spatial systems, such as linear perspective, the illusion of three-dimensional forms, aerial views and other ways of creating and organizing space; and
• the use of various subjects, such as the human figure, landscape, still-life objects, etc.; and
• the use of various kinds of content, such as those derived from observation and expressionistic viewpoint, imaginary or psychological imagery, social commentary, political statements and other personal issues; and
• the use of different tools, materials and processes to represent form and space, such as rendered or gestural, painterly, expressionist, stylized or abstract form; and
• the investigation of expressive mark-making.

If you chose to use a single medium - for example, if your portfolio consists entirely of charcoal drawings or photography or ceramics - the work must show a range of approaches, techniques, compositions and subjects.

For this section, in the 2-D and Drawing portfolios you must submit 12 images of 12 different works. Detail images may not be included. You may not submit images of the same work that you are submitting for your concentration. For this section in the 3-D portfolio, you must submit 16 images - 2 views of each of 8 works. The second view of each work should be taken from a different vantage point than the first view and could be a detail, if it informs the viewer about a particular aspect of the work. You may not submit images of the same work that you submit for your concentration.