AP Art and Design Portfolio Exam Structure

AP Art and Design Portfolio Exam Structure

The AP Art and Design Portfolio Exam Structure outlines the requirements for students to showcase their artistic skills through two main sections: Selected Works and Sustained Investigation. Students must submit a combination of physical works and digital images that demonstrate their synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas. The Selected Works section emphasizes individual artistic expression, while the Sustained Investigation section focuses on in-depth exploration and experimentation in art-making. This guide is essential for AP Art and Design students preparing for their portfolio assessments, providing clarity on scoring criteria and submission guidelines.

Key Points

  • Explains the structure of the AP Art and Design Portfolio Exam, including Selected Works and Sustained Investigation.
  • Details scoring criteria for evaluating student portfolios based on artistic skills and synthesis of ideas.
  • Outlines submission requirements for physical and digital works in various art forms.
  • Guides students on documenting their artistic process and experimentation for the Sustained Investigation section.
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AP Art and Design
Portfolio Exam Structure
All three AP Art and Design Porfolio Exams contain two sections. The Selected Works section requires students
to demonstrate skillful synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas. The Sustained Investigation section requires
students to conduct a sustained investigation based on questions, through practice, experimentation, and revision.
Both sections of the portfolios require students to articulate information about their work.
Both sections are required. Students earn a score for each section, and sections scores are combined to produce
an overall portfolio score that may offer opportunities for college credit and/or advanced placement. The order
in which the sections are presented is not intended to suggest a curricular sequence. The works presented for
portfolio assessment may be produced in art classes or on the student’s own time and may cover a period of time
longer than a single school year. The table that follows summarizes the section requirements for each of the
three portfolios.
AP 2-D
Art and Design
Portfolio
AP 3-D
Art and Design
Portfolio
AP Drawing
Portfolio
Selected Works (
40% of Total Score)
Five physical works or
high-quality printed reproductions
of physical works that each
demonstrate synthesis of
materials, processes, and ideas
using 2-D art and design skills
10 digital images
consisting of
two views each of five works that
demonstrate synthesis of
materials, processes, and ideas
using 3-D art and design skills
Five physical works or
high-quality printed reproductions
of physical works that each
demonstrate synthesis of
materials, processes, and ideas
using drawing skills
Sustained Investigation (60% of Total Score)
15 digital images of works of
art and process documentation
that demonstrate sustained
investigation through practice,
experimentation, and revision
15 digital images of works of
art and process documentation
that demonstrate sustained
investigation through practice,
experimentation, and revision
15 digital images of works of
art and process documentation
that demonstrate sustained
investigation through practice,
experimentation, and revision
Students’ portfolio scores are a final, end-of-course, summative assessment of their learning related to portfolio
requirements and assessment criteria. Since portfolio scores are based on AP Art and Design scoring rubrics
(available on AP Central), it is essential that the teacher and their students understand the scoring rubrics and are
able to accurately apply them to assess portfolio work. Teachers can introduce students to AP Art and Design
scoring rubrics at the beginning of the year by demonstrating how the rubrics are applied to scored samples of
student work on AP Central. Throughout the year as students develop their portfolios, rubrics should be used as
formative assessment criteria to give students feedback on how their work aligns with portfolio requirements and
evaluation criteria.
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 31AP Art and Design Course and Exam Description
Selected Works Section
This section of the AP Art and Design Portfolio Exams
offers students the opportunity to make and present
works of art and design with minimal constraints. Each
work is expected to demonstrate skillful synthesis of
materials, processes, and ideas.
Students should carefully select works that best
demonstrate their skillful synthesis of materials,
processes, and ideas. The submission can be a group
of related works, unrelated works, or a combination of
related and unrelated works. These works may also be
submitted in the Sustained Investigation section, but
they don’t have to be.
Along with each work, students are required to
submit written responses to prompts about the work.
Responses are evaluated along with the images that
students submit. The most successful responses in
terms of assessment are those that are clearly related
to the images of work submitted, that directly and
completely address the prompts, and that provide
further evidence of skillful synthesis of materials,
processes, and ideas shown in the work. Responses
are not evaluated for correct spelling, grammar,
or punctuation.
There is no preferred (or unacceptable) material,
process, idea, style, or content. Students should
be the principal artist or designer of the work they
submit. If work involved collaboration, the student
submitting the work needs to have made all key
decisions about materials, processes, and ideas
used and needs to have performed the activities that
produced the work.
REQUIREMENTS AND PROMPTS
Submit five works that demonstrate:
§ 2-D/3-D/drawing skills (depending on type of
portfolio submitted)
§ Synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas
For each work, state the following in writing:
§ Idea(s) visually evident (100 characters maximum,
including spaces)
§ Materials used (100 characters maximum,
including spaces)
§ Processes used (100 characters maximum,
including spaces)
For specific details on how works or images of works
are submitted for each portfolio type, see Types
of AP Art and Design Portfolio Exams, beginning on
p. 35.
SCORING CRITERIA
The five works will be evaluated collectively and
holistically based on the following three scoring criteria:
Scoring Criteria Corresponding Skills
Make works of art and
design that demonstrate
2-D, 3-D, or drawing skills.
Skill 2.D
Make works of art and
design that demonstrate
synthesis of materials,
processes, and ideas.
Skill 2.C
Identify, in writing, materials,
processes, and ideas used to
make works of art and design.
Skill 3.C
The most successful portfolio submissions will
demonstrate:
§ Visual evidence of advanced 2-D, 3-D, or
drawing skills
§ Visual evidence of synthesis of materials,
processes, and ideas
§ Visual evidence of the written idea in all five
works of art
Sustained Investigation Section
This section of the AP Art and Design Portfolio
Exams offers students the opportunity to make and
present works of art and design based on an in-depth
investigation of materials, processes, and ideas
done over time. Sustained investigation is guided
by questions. It involves practice, experimentation,
and revision using materials, processes, and ideas.
The Sustained Investigation section is expected to
demonstrate skillful synthesis of materials, processes,
and ideas. Works from the Sustained Investigation
section may also be submitted in the Selected Works
section, but they don’t have to be.
Along with each work, students are required to
submit written responses to prompts about the work.
Responses to these prompts are evaluated along with
the images that students submit. The most successful
responses in terms of assessment are those that are
clearly related to the images of work submitted; that
directly and completely address the prompts; and
that provide evidence of inquiry-based sustained
investigation through practice, experimentation, and
revision. Responses are not evaluated for correct
spelling, grammar, or punctuation.
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 32AP Art and Design Course and Exam Description
There is no preferred (or unacceptable) basis of inquiry,
type of investigation, or use of material, process,
idea, style, or content for the Sustained Investigation.
Students should be the principal artist or designer of
the work they submit. If work involved collaboration,
the student submitting the work needs to have made
all key decisions about materials, processes, and ideas
used and needs to have performed the activities that
produced the work.
REQUIREMENTS AND PROMPTS
Submit 15 images that demonstrate:
§ Sustained investigation through practice,
experimentation, and revision
§ Sustained investigation of materials, processes,
and ideas
§ Synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas
§ 2-D/3-D/drawing skills (depending on type of
portfolio submitted)
State the following in writing:
§ Identify the questions that guided your sustained
investigation
§ Describe how your sustained investigation shows
evidence of practice, experimentation, and revision
guided by your questions (1200 characters
maximum, including spaces, for response to
both prompts)
Questions that guide the sustained investigation
are typically formulated at the beginning of portfolio
development. Students should formulate their
questions based on their own experiences and ideas.
These guiding questions should be documented
and further developed by students throughout the
sustained investigation.
Identify the following for each image:
§ Materials used (100 characters maximum,
including spaces)
§ Processes used (100 characters maximum,
including spaces)
§ Size (height × width × depth, in inches)
For images that document process or show detail,
students should enter “N/A” for size (see Additional
Information About the Sustained Investigation Section
on the following page for more details). For digital and
virtual work, students should enter the size of the
intended visual display.
SCORING CRITERIA
The 15 images are evaluated collectively based on
four scoring criteria. Each of the four scoring criteria
is evaluated separately and assigned an independent
score. The final score for the Sustained Investigation
section is calculated based on the relative weight
of each of the four scoring criteria. The four scoring
criteria along with their corresponding skills and
section weighting is as follows:
Scoring
Criteria
Corresponding
Skills
Section
Weighting
Formulate and identify
in writing questions
that guide a sustained
investigation.
Skills 2.A
and 3.A
20%
Demonstrate
written and visual
evidence of practice,
experimentation, and
revision guided by
questions in a sustained
investigation.
Skills 2.B
and 3.B
30%
Make works of art
and design that
demonstrate synthesis
of materials, processes,
and ideas.
Skill 2.C 30%
Make works of art
and design that
demonstrate 2-D, 3-D,
or drawing skills.
Skill 2.D 20%
The most successful portfolio submissions will
demonstrate:
§ Written and visual evidence of questions/inquiry
that furthers the sustained investigation
§ Written and visual evidence of practice,
experimentation, and/or revision that furthers the
sustained investigation
§ Visual evidence of synthesis of materials,
processes, and ideas
§ Visual evidence of advanced 2-D, 3-D, or
drawing skills
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 33AP Art and Design Course and Exam Description
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FAQs of AP Art and Design Portfolio Exam Structure

What are the main components of the AP Art and Design Portfolio Exam?
The AP Art and Design Portfolio Exam consists of two main sections: the Selected Works section and the Sustained Investigation section. The Selected Works section requires students to submit five works that demonstrate their artistic skills and synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas. The Sustained Investigation section involves submitting 15 digital images that document a sustained inquiry into artistic practices, showcasing experimentation and revision over time.
How are portfolios evaluated in the AP Art and Design exam?
Portfolios are evaluated based on specific scoring criteria that assess the quality of the artworks and the effectiveness of the written documentation. The Selected Works section is evaluated on the demonstration of artistic skills and synthesis of ideas, while the Sustained Investigation section is assessed on the depth of inquiry and evidence of practice and revision. Each section contributes to the overall portfolio score, which may lead to college credit or advanced placement.
What types of works can be submitted for the Selected Works section?
For the Selected Works section, students can submit five physical works or high-quality printed reproductions that showcase their 2-D, 3-D, or drawing skills. These works should reflect a skillful synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas, allowing students to express their unique artistic vision. The selection can include related or unrelated works, providing flexibility in how students choose to present their artistic capabilities.
What is the purpose of the Sustained Investigation section in the AP Art and Design exam?
The Sustained Investigation section allows students to delve deeply into a specific artistic inquiry over time. Students are required to document their process through 15 digital images that illustrate practice, experimentation, and revision. This section emphasizes the importance of developing a conceptual framework and exploring various materials and techniques, ultimately demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the artistic process.

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