The AP Studio Art Program consists of three portfolio exams—2-D Design, 3-D Design, and Drawing—corresponding to the college foundation courses. Portfolios allow flexibility of coursework while guiding students to produce college-level quality, artistic investigation, and breadth of work. The 2-D Design portfolio addresses two-dimensional design issues and involves decision making about how to use the elements and principles of art in an integrative way. Students' portfolios demonstrate skills and ideas developed, refined, and applied throughout the course to produce visual compositions. Students may choose to submit any or all of the portfolios. Portfolios are evaluated based on standardized scoring descriptors aligned with skills and understanding developed in college foundation courses.
Portfolio Overview
In early May, students submit actual works of art and digital images of works for their 2-D Design portfolios. These works should demonstrate artistic growth and development.
All portfolios are assessed by at least seven highly experienced studio art educators (AP Studio Art teachers or higher education faculty) who apply standardized scoring criteria.
Visit the AP Studio Art 2-D Design student page for exam information and exam practice.
Portfolio Format
Section I Selected Works (Quality) — 5 actual works | 33.3% of portfolio score
- Works demonstrating understanding of two-dimensional design in concept, composition, and execution.
- Includes works that exhibit the synthesis of 2-D form, technique, and content.
- Works may come from the Sustained Investigation or Range of Approaches sections, but they do not have to.
- Works describing an in-depth exploration of a particular 2-D design concern.
- Must not include images of the work included in the Range of Approaches section.
- A variety of works demonstrating understanding of 2-D design issues.
- Must not include images of the work included in the Sustained Investigation section.
Any work that makes use of photographs, published images, or other artists' work must show substantial and significant development beyond duplication. This is demonstrated through manipulation of the formal qualities, design, or concept of the source. Students' personal, unique artistic vision should be clearly evident.