Visual communication

Requirements for portfolio

The applicant creates and submits a portfolio of his/her own works. The applicant’s portfolio should cover the media range of studies at the study programme of Visual Communication. It should, for example, contain: logotypes, visual identities, typography, posters, animation (submit only a link—a functional URL link—where the animation is available online: YouTube, Vimeo...), if it is not public, the password necessary to play the animation should be provided, packaging design, spatial applications (graphic design applied to space), graphic design of books, magazines and other printed press, the applicant’s own original projects, photo documentation of drawings such as portraits, still lives... (maximum 3 pages). 

Portfolio should contain also these four mandatory assignments:

• The visual identity of a place where I spend my Friday nights
  Shop window. The applicant should fine a particular shop window in the place he/she lives in and drafts a new design of the shop window. The result might have a form of a drawing, collage, visualization or a model. The three-dimensional content behind the glass panel should be considered not the glass decoration.
• Design of the lettering (thorough study and understanding of this term in writing practice is required) for a hoodie with the name of the street of your high school.
• Video application of maximum 60 secs in which the applicant will introduce himself/herself.  The video application must be uploaded on YouTube or Vimeo and the link—a functional URL link to it must be inserted to the applicant´s portfolio. If the video is not public, the password necessary to play it should be provided too.

The parameters of the applicant’s electronic portfolio: 

• A4 format in the width orientation
• A maximum extent of 30 pages
• Format .pdf, max. 20 MB (in resolution medium, screen or interactive)

How to submit works:

• Digital version of homework - portfolio will be uploaded by the applicant after submitting the electronic application and attachments in the period from December 6, 2022 from 12 p.m. untill December 9, 2022 by 8 a.m. via the website: https://ulozisko.vsvu.sk/; access data and instructions will be sent to the email addresses listed in the application no later than 12 p.m. on 6 December 2022. The digital portfolio must be included in one joint PDF format (maximum up to 20 MB) titled as name_surname_study programme visual communication. Individual works must be marked.

Further details of individual tasks during the admission procedure:

1st round

• by the distance method, without the applicant’s physical presence
• assessment of all portfolio components listed in homework requirements (portfolio). Each member of the admissions committee evaluates on a six-point scale (0-5 points).
• evaluation of the mandatory assignments. Each member of the admissions committee evaluates on a six-point scale (0-5 points).

2nd round

• in person, with the participation of the applicant who passes to the second round from the first round. The second round of the admission procedure lasts for two days.
• creative assignments at talent examinations can consist of the following media: portrait (drawing), logo, pictogram, poster, postage stamp, postcard, T-shirt, advertising item, comics/storytelling, typography, three-dimensional object and other. The given assignments are realized without the use of computer and other digital technologies.
• Each member of the admissions committee evaluates each task on a six-point scale (0-5 points), if a full-day task is assigned, it is evaluated on an eleven-point scale (0-10 points).

 

• an interview with the applicant in front of the admissions committee, is a dialogue with the applicant with the aim of obtaining an overall picture of the applicant's insight into the overview of current events in graphic design. Each member of the admissions committee evaluates the interview on a six-point scale (0-5 points).
• Part of the interview is aimed at finding out an overall overview of the high school curriculum in history, literature, history of visual arts and orientation in contemporary art and socio-cultural overview. It is evaluated on a six-point scale (0-5 points) separately by two members of the commission designated for this part of the admission interviews from among internal and external teachers of the Department of Theory and History of Art.
• Applicants from abroad will be allowed to complete the interview in English, but in the case of successful acceptance, they will continue their studies in the Slovak language (minimum level B1 is required).

Tools needed at the admission exam:

The applicant brings his/her favourite working tools and instruments, such as a drawing board in A2 size (it is obligatory for portrait drawing), rulers, stencils, pencils, charcoal sticks, pastels, ink, markers, paints and brushes, colour spray paints, material for stencils, paper sheets of different colours, surfaces and weights, self-adhesive foils of different colours, pair of scissors, cutters, glue, adhesive tapes and other tools according to one’s own choice.

Literature:

• Art History.
• The History of Applied Arts and Design.
• Pijoan, J.: Dejiny umenia 1 – 10. Bratislava, 1982 – 1986.
• Pijoan, J.: Dejiny umenia 11 – 12. Bratislava, 2002.
• Gombrich, H. E.: Príbeh umenia. Bratislava, 2000.
• Rusinová, Z. (ed.): Dejiny slovenského výtvarného umenia – 20.storočie. Bratislava, 2000.
• Kolesár, Z.: Nové kapitoly z dejín dizajnu, Slovenské centrum dizajnu, Bratislava, 2009
• LONGAUER, Ľubomír: Modernosť tradície – Úžitková grafika na Slovensku po roku 1918. Slovart.
• LONGAUER, Ľubomír, a kol.: Typografia a písmo na Slovensku. Začalo to Cyrilom a Metodom.

Books about design, architecture and fine arts from the following publishers

Phaidon, Taschen, Gestalten, Princetown Architectural Press, Laurence King Publishing, Slovart, Roto Vision

Specialised and popular magazines (also archive numbers)

Designum, Typo, Font, Eye, Works that work, Dot Dot Dot, 2+3D, Print, Novum

Catalogues

Trnava Poster Triennial, Design week Bratislava, The Biennial of Graphic Design Brno, The Venice Biennale of Architecture and Art

Web pages

www.vsvu.sk, www.scd.sk, https://edesignum.scd.sk, www.designby.sk, www.detepe.sk, www.designportal.cz, www.font.cz, www.designobserver.com ...

Orientation in periodical specialised press on contemporary art, architecture, applied arts and design, culture and politics

Consultations – Visual communication