The answer is yes and no. There are some things that just don't work well for a Sustained Investigation by their very nature. There are others that are just so overdone, so might want to avoid them. There are some that are trite and don't have enough "meat on the bone" to successfully explore them. This list will explain some of them. After you check it out, head over to 

, and read up on how to select a successful one or beef up your already existing idea.

Keep in mind that this is just a list of suggestions to avoid. You want to make artwork that speaks your truth and tells your story. However, out of all of the times that something overdone is submitted to AP, there can be a shining example that breaks the rule. If you aren't sure it will be you.... try to come up with something you will be amazed with!

However, finding an important, personally relevant topic and making it accessible for others can create amazing artwork. It can inform the viewer about an internal conflict they might have no prior experience with, such as this 

incredible AP submission dealing with the body dysmorphia experienced by a transgender student

Things to Avoid in your Portfolio

You don't need a fancy camera to photograph your work well. You can use any digital camera or phone that can take a clear photo. It's really easy once you get the hang of it. Plus, taking them with your phone makes it that much easier for you to drop them onto your social media accounts and wait for the ooooohs and ahhhhhs!

Does it Matter if My Work Is 2D, 3D, or Draw?

YES! When you are dealing with work that is primarily 2D (flat) you need to photograph it straight on. That sounds kinda strange to say, but most people put their work down and photo it. That leads to a distorted photo. This is what that looks like.

That is NOT what you want! There are two easy ways to get the correct straight on photo that you want.

You can tape or pin up the piece on the wall in front of you and aim. Make sure you hide the tape on the back or, if you put it in the corners, CROP IT OUT! Do not stand between your work and the light source. Try your flash if you find this hard to do.

You can place the piece on the floor and lean over it, centering the work in the middle of the viewfinder or screen and take the photo. Be careful - depending on where your light sources are, you can easily cast shadows on your work. Move yourself, the work, or the light source so that you can get a good photo.

Take multiple pictures, trying to center it, or even fill your image area with the work. If you can photograph it that way, it means less cropping later. Turn the image to best fit the viewfinder (camera) or screen (phone). You can rotate it later..... but it makes it easier for you to shoot.

Pro Tip: Always view the photos before you move on! Make sure there are no shadows, fingers, or miscellaneous feet shown in them. Checking photos as you take them means you don't have to redo your set up later.

If you are new to photographing artwork, try taking some with and without the flash. You don't want to flash out your color, but you also don't want shadows. Some people like to take their photos outside on an overcast day to reduce shadows.

You want your photo to turn out like this (but with finished artwork, not just something random you can reach for an example 😉).

This is a practice piece and, if it was really going to be submitted, the yellow shift on the white paper might need to be color corrected. You can do that on your phone, in whatever app you have, or just retake the shot in a more neutral light. Which brings us to......

No. Lots of people shoot outside. That can get hot, so if you prefer, do it indoors. For 2D, follow the above guidelines about lighting—inside or outside. For 3D, things get more complicated. When you are shooting 3D work you need to consider the following:

Background—You want a neutral background that "fades" out of the viewer's awareness. It should be ALL ABOUT THE ART, not what it's sitting on or in front of. If the piece is small, try using a large piece of paper, taping it behind the work, and bending it forward so that the artwork has a seamless background. If the work is larger, try using a solid color sheet, again making sure it extends under the piece and in front of it. White works well for almost anything. If the piece is white, consider using another solid color.

Shadows—When you are dealing with documenting (photographing) 3D work, you need to think about how it interacts with the space AROUND it. Are there interior empty spaces? Are there extensions you need to consider? The shadows created not only inform the viewer about the work, but they also contribute to the work by depicting the space it inhabits. Try moving your lighting source around the piece while photographing. Sometimes, it's easier to have someone else hold the light while you photograph.

 (meaning it occupies 3D space) rather than a 

 (confined to 2D or flat space), your photographs need to document the form of the work. Move around the work, changing perspectives, and viewpoints to capture all angles. You might want to move the lighting as you do this.

Lighting—For your lighting, you have several options. While regular room lighting might show the work, it won't give you strong shadows. You can try shooting outside and let strong sunlight do it for you, but you have to watch for your own shadow. For controllable directional lighting, you can use the flash on your camera or phone, a flashlight, or any small movable lighting source. A small desk lamp is usually really good for this, especially if you can remove the shade. As you light the work, move the light into different positions - high, low, left, right - and look to see what creates the most interesting lighting on your work and the best shadows.

Pro Tip: 3D work is ALL ABOUT SHOWING FORM AND SHADOW!

Multiple views—As you photograph, make sure to MOVE AROUND THE WORK, changing perspective and viewpoint. For 3D work, you will need at least two photos of each work showing significantly different views to help the readers understand how the work interacts in the space. It's perfectly acceptable to move the work to keep the background neutral, especially if you are working in a tight space. 👍🏽 If you have several great shots of one piece, you can always use a 

For documenting your artwork, you want the photo to look as NATURAL as possible. Things like cropping, straightening, color correcting, and increasing contrast are all ok. You don't want your photos to look overly "done". Things like filters, color changes, over saturating, and overly HRD'ing it all will distract from the work and shift the focus to the effect, not the work.

When you are preparing your photos for submission, save your work as a JPG. Make sure it is saved in the correct 

 (vertical or horizontal). Save your images as close to 5 MBs as possible. The website says 3 MBs and gives a specific size.... it will take up to 5 MBs. You don't want your images too small to be viewed! 🔍

Name your files so that you will know they are the ones edited and prepared for AP. This will make it easier to find the correct ones. You can use the name of the piece or something as simple as SI1, SI2, etc. The image name isn't shown so don't worry if it "doesn't match" the location you put it in. 😉

Simple answer? NO. Keep your photos as close to raw as possible. See the above post.

All submissions must be under 5 MBs to be able to be uploaded. Keep the size as close to that as possible.

Name it something that will designate to you what it is. Use the name of the piece or something like SI1, SI2, etc. This will make it easy to find and it will let you know you have already edited and sized it for upload. 👍🏽

Photographing Work for Submission

What’s the Difference Between Plagiarism and Appropriation?

This is a tricky concept for people to grasp. As a rule of thumb, a found (re)

 (one you found on the web instead of taking yourself) must be at least 65% changed to be considered an 

. Artistically, appropriation simply means to take a source image that is not your own and change it SIGNIFICANTLY to suit your own personal vision. Plagiarism means to directly copy something from someone or somewhere else.

For this analogy, let's say you borrow a sweater from a sibling without their permission – that would be plagiarism. You make no changes to it, it is still the same sweater. It might look different on you, people might even think it’s yours, but it’s still your sibling’s sweater, unchanged. Now, suppose you take that same sweater, cut off the arms, and splash paint all over it. Now, it’s YOUR sweater – you’ve changed it from what was their sweater to something new you made. That’s appropriation. I don’t recommend doing this with a sibling’s sweater, but for working with a found source image, it’s GREAT! 🤩 🙌🏽

Well, How About a Visual Example? 🙋🏽‍♀️

Sure! This is the Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci, arguably one of the most famous artworks in the world. It is instantly recognizable. It has been reproduced, written about, studied, and admired all around the world. It is one of the world's most valuable paintings, and nearly six million people a year visit her in the Louvre Museum in Paris.

This is “L.H.O.O.Q” by Marcel Duchamp. While there is a minor physical change to the work, there is a huge conceptual impact, which forever changes the work for the viewer.

“But how?” you might ask “That’s just a tiny mustache and goatee!” You have to understand a few things. The title spells out “Elle a chaud au cul” which translates into “She has a hot a**”. He took the most famous painting in the world, and created a piece mocking how revered it was, and therefore, took on the idea that art is precious. He forever changed how one views the Mona Lisa because once you see his, you will think of it when viewing the original. He’s kind of a character - google his work. You will be glad you did. 😍 🤣 🤓 (art nerd alert)

On the left is a photo from Associated Press photographer, Mannie Garcia. On the right is the famous Shepard Fairey Obama portrait.

Fairey used the photo he got doing a google image search and created the image on the right. He thought that he changed it enough to count as appropriation. Since he used a credited image without permission, he was sued and had to pay a substantial fine. 😢 💲 Only use 

 (images within the public domain available for use by everyone- they will be marked) as sources for your work. If you can, take your own original source images to work from.

This is a famous image of Tupac Shakur from Getty Images

. They own it. If you want to use it for your work, it costs $175. I am properly crediting it for this example to show you that internet images ARE NOT FREE.

I’ve seen various unauthorized copies of this photo, hundreds of times over the years. If you want to do a drawing or a painting to practice your skills or because you love his music, great! 👍🏽Hang it on your wall or give it to a friend. However, it’s not appropriate to submit as an original work of art for the AP portfolio. 👎🏽

If you take the same photo and think, how can I change this image? For some reason, I thought about putting a Captain Crunch hat on his head to cover his bandana. Then I thought about how else I could change the images I was working with. I wanted the Captain to represent a person of color (POC), so I changed the skin tone and the text tone.

I added Tupac to the slogan because I thought of how many students I’ve had that would love to be “Tupac-a-tized” and instantly have his talent. Then, I added a filter to further change the image. I’m not saying it’s great art, but it is showing a significant change to source images I did not own. It also presents a different reality showing a prominent advertising spokesperson as a POC, which is a powerful message.

Not only did I change the images, but I also showed a purposeful intent to change the messaging sent with it. That is the 

 (the idea or thought) behind this piece. For a stand-alone piece, there is probably not enough change in the image. However, if I was using this as part of a larger 

 exploring “How can a person of color be included in product branding to reach a more diverse market?” or “Would using a person of color as a product spokesperson change perception?” it might work within the larger exploration.

So, when you want to use an image as a source that you didn’t photograph yourself, make sure you are altering the image into a new and DIFFERENT work. AP used to call this changing the “image in the service of a larger personal vision”. You might find this idea useful as we talk about 

Plagiarism vs Appropriation

Since selected works will count for 40% of your overall score, make sure to select your BEST WORK.

"When applying the rubric, the response does not need to meet all three criteria for each score point. You should award the score according to the 

 (the score the majority of the work would receive): however, if 

the written evidence is completely unrelated to the work, the maximum score is 2." -

So, if you state that the idea shown is "exploring color theory in logo design" and your image is a photo of a sunset, clearly there is a disconnect between the visual and written evidence. The rubric states the highest score you could receive would be a 2 out of 5 possible points. Make sure you support the visual evidence with your written commentary.

 (graded as one entity). Even though there maybe inconsistent quality, the body of work is graded on the level of the majority of the work. So, if you have 2 works that might rate a 3, and 3 works that would rate a 4, the preponderance of the evidence shows that this work would be scored as a 4.

When you look at the rubric below, you look for the score point that shows you achieving the at the highest level of the 

 ( preponderance of the evidence) of the work. The work can still be of uneven quality, so look at what identifies the MAJORITY OF THE WORK.

This portion of the rubric deals with how well you show the Principles of Design through the skillful application of your chosen media.

The skills, directly from the AP Art and Design rubric are:

 - Use of two-dimensional elements and principles - point, link, 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.

 - Use of three-dimensional elements and principles - point, link, 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.

This score point reflects the degree to which you use materials effectively to communicate your ideas visually with the viewer. For example, if you want to create a linear sculpture with strong straight lines, you wouldn't want a soft material that could flop over or bend. Selecting the correct material to create your work is important.

 is the way you test the materials to ensure they are able to able to do what you need for them to do so that they align with your idea. This is called 

 where all of the parts work together to successfully create what you want.

This point refers to your ability to identify and briefly explain your ideas and processes. This does not need to be done in complete sentences, and spelling does not count. However, try running your work through a word processing program to double-check word count and spelling. Chop unnecessary words, and then cut and paste.

As you can see, the rubric aligns so that each row A score point deals with the quality of the 2D/3D/Drawing Art and Design skills. Each row B deals with materials, processes, and ideas evidence. Row C is a reflection of the quality of the writing.

Note that each score point shows a reduction (or increase, depending on if you start at the top or bottom) in how well you demonstrate what that row measures. There are qualifiers for each, so as you look at this, focus on these differences! You receive the score where you meet the MOST of the points. If you meet all three under the score point 3, but might reach 2 on the score point 4.... then you would be rated a 3. Remember... the preponderance of the evidence. 😉 👍🏽

Let's break down each score point and look at the differences between them. Keep in mind that each score point is designed to depict a RANGE of achievement within it.

Please note here that the main words are LITTLE or NO evidence. All three rows mention unsatisfactory evidence of achievement was present for each row.

Here we see that the A, or skills, row is upgraded from LITTLE or NO to reflect RUDIMENTARY (simple or basic) skills. The other score points remain the same as the 1 score point.

At the 3 score point, there is a fundamental shift towards achievement in all three rows. Row A switches to MODERATE (adequate or average) achievement in skills. Row B states there is an evident relationship in M, P, and I, but it might be unclear or inconsistent.

Row C specifies that the writing must IDENTIFY, which means it must successfully explain what you are showing. From this point on, if your writing identifies the materials, processes, and ideas, you have demonstrated the Row C. 3 is the first score point that might qualify you for college credit.

The 4 score point increases quality in A and B. For A, visual evidence of skills moves from moderate (average) to GOOD (proficient) skills. B moves from having evident but inconsistent relationships between M, P, and I to CLEARLY EVIDENT relationships. Row C remains the same.

The 5 score point increases quality A and B again, while C remains the same. Row A moves from good to ADVANCED (highly developed) skills, an important distinction. Row B includes clear evidence and 

of M, P, and I: materials, processes, and ideas working together to create a cohesive whole. 

Selected Works Rubric

Scoring Rubric for Sustained Investigation

practice, experimentation, and revision (P,E,R)

2D/3D/Drawing skills (depending on the type of portfolio submitted)

 or Question(s) that guided your Sustained Investigation

Describe how your Sustained Investigation 

shows evidence of practice, experimentation, and revision GUIDED BY your Inquiry or Question(s)

. (1200 characters maximum, including spaces, for a response to both prompts)

Questions that guide the Sustained Investigation are typically 

formulated at the beginning of portfolio development.

Students should formulate their Inquiry or Question(s) based on their own experiences and ideas. These guiding questions should be documented and further developed throughout the Sustained Investigation.

Scoring Criteria - Let's break it down! 🤔

, "the process of asking questions in order to seek, to search, and to discover".  As you can see, this score point assesses whether or not you IDENTIFY an inquiry and if your work is a visual answer to the inquiry.

For instance, if the inquiry identified is "How can I use the translucent properties of oil paint to represent the beautiful variety of skin tones through underlying colors in portraits of POC?", possible points could be broken down like this:

1 pt: You state your inquiry (Guiding Question) and your visual evidence was unrelated paintings in various media. There might be a portrait in there, there might be an oil, there might be a POC, however, they aren't ALL aligned with your inquiry. You didn't support or demonstrate the inquiry statement with the visual evidence. Alternatively, you don't give an actual INQUIRY, but possibly just wrote something like "I wanted to get better in my art".

2 pts: You IDENTIFY the inquiry and may show art that doesn't necessarily showcase portraits of POC, maybe it's all portraits - but not all POC or all done in oil. It relates but doesn't ANSWER your question. The visual evidence demonstrates awareness and an attempt at showing the inquiry but is not entirely successful.

3 pts: You IDENTIFY the inquiry, and it is clearly evident that the question GUIDED all of the work. Your visual evidence SUPPORTS the idea of the inquiry - there are all oil paintings of POC. but there might be 

 - this means some of the work might be of a better/lesser caliber than others.

Row A counts for 12% of your overall score and is represented by "SI-A" in the self-grading formula above.

Row B deals with Practice, Experimentation, and Revision (P,E,R)

Breaking down the score points, please notice Row B seems to dovetail nicely with Row A. If you don't have a sustained investigation (guided by inquiry), you can't practice, experiment, or revise it. Make sense? 😉 😎 For the example above, the things you might address for this row would be things like mixing shades, practicing applying paint in a 

technique (building up thin layers of paint to create depth), trying underpainting, posed vs. candid portraits, different compositions and backgrounds, etc.

1 pt: You DO SHOW any or all of the P, E, R, but your work does not show a sustained investigation. Using the example inquiry given for row A, you might have tried a variety of techniques but say you did a variety of paintings - maybe portraits, landscapes or still life, and they might not be in oil.... so it doesn't tie to your Sustained Investigation.

2 pts: Your P, E, or R relates to the SI (notice that you have an SI here, which differs from point 1) AND your written evidence RELATES to your visual evidence. So you have the SI, and it is tied to your visual evidence, similar to the Row A score point 2. So you have an idea, you tried some stuff, but it's still not solid. Example - You try creating different skin tones, but they aren't for POC, it relates.... but it's not the evidence you need for what you wrote.

3 pts: Your P, E, or R is not only obvious but what you learned from it DRIVES the work and you are able to articulate it in the written evidence. Your P.E.R all aligns with and revolves around the different ways you used of oil paint to create varied portraits of POC.

Row B counts for 18% of your overall score and is represented by "SI-B" in the self-grading formula above.

Row C deals with the Materials, Processes, and Ideas (M, P, I).

For this score point, you need to show how you conceptualized the work, what you used to help plan or visualize it, and the physical media you chose to create it.

 evidence that M, P, and I work together. So, if you just "paint stuff" - that is the use of a material(M). Simplistic, right? 🤔 It doesn't show that you planned or picked (P) painting for any reason other than you just wanted to paint (no idea). There's nothing tying everything together except a media.

2 pts: Visual relationships between M, P, and I become 

. Here, let's say you created those same paintings (M) of different things but added sketchbook evidence showing you tried different things as well. That becomes a process (P). You are showing the relationship of M and P visually.

3 pts: The evidence supports that ALL THREE (M, P, and I) components are working together as a result of your choices. This is SYNTHESIS. So, for this.... you created paintings (M), you used your sketchbook (P), and then decided to make them all portraits (Idea - following your SI guided question)

Row C counts for 18% of your total score and is represented by "SI-C" in the self-grading formula above.

Row D deals with your skills. You may review those skills here 

. Please note that this is the only portion of this rubric that really addresses how well you actually DO the art. The majority of this rubric is about how well you THINK, EXPLORE, EXPERIMENT, and REVISE your guiding question. It cannot be understated how important it is that the guiding question comes first, as all SI work should spring from it! 🙌🏽

 (emerging or underdeveloped) skills. Be honest with yourself. If you need to improve, get to work. You can do it! 👍🏽

 (proficient) skills. Lots of work falls here. Remember, it's a range in each band and this one tends to be big.

 (highly developed) skills. Like other bands, place yourself where the majority of the work scores!

Row D counts for 12% of your total score. SI - D for the above formula.

Hopefully, this will help you score your work as you go, identify your strengths and weaknesses, using the rubric, to create the best portfolio possible. 🙌🏽 🥰 🎨

Here are some examples provided by the College Board. Practice using the rubric to evaluate them, since you will know the score - it's a great way to see if you grasp the rubric and to figure out what parts confuse you. At the end of each example, the give a rationale about why that work received the score.

As you practice with these examples, it's important for you to remember several things.

These are designed to demonstrate score points and there is a broad range of achievement within each band.

They are not listed so you can copy the work. This work is already created. You need to create the work only YOU CAN CREATE. 🥰. Show the what is important to YOU.

Do NOT compare yourself to these works. Artists come in all different skill levels, work across many media, and deal with different ideas. Don't feel that your work is less than any work shown..... it's just different. Different is good! 🙌🏽 💯

Sustained Investigation Rubric

There are two parts to your AP Art and Design test, the Sustained Investigation and the Selected Works. Each one of these has a rubric designed for that section that measures specific "requirements and prompts" that you need to successfully demonstrate. The College Board (CB) states that the rubric is "the contract with the student", so it is incredibly important that you understand what they are talking about in it. 😉

I'm going to break these down for you, but here is the College Board site for more information: 

Selected Works and Sustained Investigation Rubrics

College Board states that: "When applying the rubric, the score for each row should be considered independently from the other rows. Students may receive different scores for each row. When applying the rubric for each individual row, you should award the score for that row-based solely upon the criteria indicated for that row, according to the preponderance of the evidence. "

This means you select the score point achieved for each row. The body of work is graded 

 (as a whole, all together) for each row. There is a formula you have to plug them into to get the credit score for this section. The total score generated by that formula will represent 60% of your score. Please see the row breakdown below - trust me, it gets easier. 🙂

The two parts of your portfolio are combined to make your score. The Selected Works portion provides 40% of your score. The Sustained Investigation portion supplies the other 60%. More importantly, the Sustained Investigation is broken down into four sections, and each row, independently, has a portion of that percentage. Here's the breakdown:

If you are someone who "likes to do the math", more power to you! 👌🏽 Here's a formula to use to create a rough approximation of your score.

This is not a guarantee of a particular score, but you can use this tool as a way to predictively score your work and figure out where you need to concentrate to move your score as you work.  👍🏽 💯 🙌🏽

Score Makeup

A significant portion of your score for AP Art and Design comes down to you being able to come up with an idea, and then being able to articulate that idea both in written and visual evidence. While that may sound scary, it's actually not bad! 😉 Here are some tips to get you through it.

Ummmmm, a sketchbook is for drawing, why are you talking about it in a writing section? 🤨 Not only is your sketchbook a place to visually record your images, but it's a record of your entire creative process. You should use it to record ideas for future works, record your thoughts, do samples of paints, save scraps or color swatches you like, and most importantly, document your work.

What do you mean "document my work"? Exactly that.....as you try different things, think of yourself as a scientist conducting experiments and record that data. Scientists start with a 

 (an idea or concept they think might be true), then they try different things to prove or disprove that hypothesis. As you try things, write them down. State what you tried, how it turned out, and if it was what you thought would happen or not. Then, look back and what works and what didn't. Use that information to think about next steps and write those ideas down. Doing this as you work will be invaluable later!

If you get stuck, it's always good to go back and revisit the ideas in your sketchbook. Sometimes, looking back you will find new inspiration or something that hadn't occurred to you before.

After each completed assignment, go in and list the following with your preparation pages. Make sure to keep it all together. It will make it so much easier to enter the information required later for your submission.

Work title (if it has one - it might not)

Idea - what were you trying to do or show? What are you exploring? (WHY)

Materials used - list all the supplies you used include things like paint, photos, wire, etc. Concentrate on physical materials used (WHAT)

Processes used - this can be things that are actions. I took photographs for reference, I planned, I polled, I researched my subject, I sketched, I tested, etc (HOW)

Size - height x width x depth. If it's strictly 2D, you would list 0 as the depth.

Reflections - what did you like? what would you change? Where should you go next?

Writing About Your Guiding Question ✍🏽

There's an entire section on how to come up with and develop your 

 so check that out. Here's where you can get a few tips if you are worried about the writing. Don't stress, it's not traditional English class writing you are doing, with footnotes and wherefores and such. This is simple, factual writing. As a matter of fact, there isn't enough spaces to use "fancy English class writing". You might need to abbreviate or even leave out some words due to space considerations.

On each piece, you will need to fill out specific information. All of that should be already written in your sketchbook (see above), so it will be easy for you to just plug it in. Since you did it as you completed each piece, you won't have to worry about forgetting anything.

Think of your writing as a conversation with the AP Reader. You are telling them WHAT you did, HOW you did it, and WHY you did it. Keep in mind, the WHY is really important and should not just be something like "I wanted my Art to get better". That's the goal of every artist, it's not the WHY they made a specific piece. The WHY goes back to your Guiding Question, as it should be guiding your body of work. Make sure you talk about it and explain your WHAT, HOW, and WHY.

In mid-November, you can create your account to upload your 

. As you complete each work, make sure to 

 and upload it. You will then fill out the writing parts as you go. It gets easier as you practice, so doing it throughout the year will make you feel more confident in the process. Plus, an added bonus of doing it early means you won't be as stressed at the end when EVERYONE is trying to upload.

It's super simple to go back in and change the wording, the location of images, or even adding or deleting images if you decide you want to do so. Just make sure you save as you go so that you don't lose all of your work.

The College Board is VERY CLEAR they don't penalize for spelling or grammar. However, if it cannot be understood by the Reader, that is a problem. As you write, try using a word document to check spelling and grammar.

Once you have it the way you like it, check your CHARACTER COUNT. A character count means letters, numbers, spaces, and punctuation count toward your total. After you've made sure you have everything all spiffy, you might need to go back in to start abbreviating to get under the count. 😂 You want to make sure you are AS CLOSE to the 1200 character limit as possible without going over.

It's always a good idea to have someone proof your work. Have them read your information and make sure you've included everything. Make sure the writing and artwork stand alone to make your point. If you need to explain your idea or it isn't clear, FIX IT. Have someone pretend to be a "Reader" and, without your help, test how clear your idea is. This is SO IMPORTANT. If you do this as you work, it gives you a chance to change and revise (major components in the rubric) so that you will be successful when you submit. 🙌🏽

Writing for AP Art

The SW part of the test is exactly what the name implies..... it consists of five works selected by YOU to be scored. These works should be your very best pieces. They will be sent to Salt Lake City to be physically seen by the AP Art and Design readers. This is considered the highlight of the reading, with getting to actually see the AMAZING work you created in front of us, not on a computer screen. ❤️ Readers are always so excited to know they are "walking" (and scoring) the rows of beautiful work.

Simply, you want to send your BEST works. If you are having a hard time selecting, ask someone to help. Put your ten best works on the table and have friends and family help select. You can run a poll on Facebook or Instagram. This lets people see your work AND helps you decide! 😃 The top five pieces with the highest number of votes go into the portfolio. This ensures that the strongest works are submitted and not just your favorite pieces. Kids struggle with this year after year.

Don't submit a piece just because you like it, because it was your "first watercolor", or it reminds you of summer or an old friend. The reader won't know why you sent that picture and will grade it only on aesthetic considerations.

Pro-tip: Avoid sentimentality and only send your BEST work. Having others weigh-in can be helpful.

There are several rules to keep in mind about your SW.

Size—The size of your work cannot be larger than 20" x 30" or smaller than 8" x 10". Works smaller than 8" x 10" must be mounted onto an appropriately sized surface. Works MUST fit inside the portfolio provided by the College Board (CB).

Canvases—You are not supposed to send in canvases because the CB cannot guarantee their safety during shipping. You can attempt to send them, but it's a risk! If your canvas arrives damaged, it will be placed on the table and graded just as it is. Canvas boards are a better bet... play it safe! 😉

Books—If you want to send a sketchbook or an altered book, you need to be aware that it will be placed on the table, and whatever page it opens to will be the one shown and scored. A better idea would be to send an altered book with only one spread or to have it clipped so that only that page will open. You can also remove the page and send it directly, or photograph it and send in a high-resolution print. Keep these constraints in mind, and consider planning to use something else.

How Much Do my SWs Count for Toward my Score?

Your SW will count for 40% of your overall score. The five works are graded 

 (meaning as one unit), and you will be given that score. If you want to understand more about how your work is scored, check out the 

Selected Works

As previously stated, an Inquiry is the work created through the process of developing, creating, revising, and exploring the idea of your 

Your guiding question is an idea that you are interested in EXPLORING, EXPANDING, and REVISING over a year long investigation (hence the name Sustained Investigation) 🙌🏽. While it does not have to be written as a question, that might help you to think of the resulting work as being a direct answer to a question being posed.

Pro Tip: A guiding question needs to be significantly broad to give you ample area to explore, but defining enough to GUIDE you. Think of it as a thesis statement for your art. 😉 When someone reads it they will know what they will see in the rest of the work. Check out the 

If you are trying to decide on a guiding question, start thinking about things you care about, that you have a strong opinion about, something you want to learn more about, or something that inspires you. Write down your ideas...... as you write them down, you might find ideas flow from each other, or you might find you get stuck. 🤔 😬 😃. Keep going, it will probably take some time. Aim for 15 to 20 different ideas to start with and narrow it from there.

A common mistake in art is to go with your first idea. If it was the quickest one you could think of ..... lots of people will think of it. This is "low hanging fruit". It's the easiest to pick so anyone can get it. 😬 You want to find a topic that you will find interesting enough to keep working on and broad enough that you will be able to explore it.

Keep in mind, things that are "interior" or self-based cannot be easily visually communicated to an exterior audience. By that, you might want to pick a guiding question like: "What do I think about when I listen to music?". Sure, that's great for you..... you KNOW what you are thinking, you also know the music you are listening to. The reader doesn't have that information.

At the AP Reading, readers can't google songs, even if you list them. Therefore, this is what is known in science as an "untestable hypothesis". The experiment cannot be duplicated to test validity. You are asking them to guess, not only what you are reacting to, but how you react to it, and then to validate that response with a score.

Pro tip: Avoid topics that are so internalized that others cannot understand or relate to them. Pick something more accessible. 

This principle applies to all kinds of ideas. Guiding questions like "What does family mean to me?" are nearly impossible to show visually. Showing a stranger, through a completely visual media, the emotional meaning of something is a struggle for even the world's greatest artists.

A better way to deal with that idea would be to change the phrasing to something that can be shown visually. By changing a guiding question to "What special activities or traditions bring my family closer?" or "Special moments with my family have created a close family bond", you would be able to depict those ACTIVITIES that create the feelings rather than the FEELINGS created. 😉

Please note that the second example is NOT a question. You could write it as a question by just adding the word WHAT in front of it. That would be "WHAT special moments with my family have created a close family bond?". It is, however, an IMPLIED question that could be answered by the visual evidence you present. That is perfectly acceptable. 😃

How Do I Know I Picked a Good Guiding Question?

A good guiding question will prompt the beginning of the work and provide enough depth for continued exploration. Do some basic research on your ideas. Sketch out some ideas, and think about how you can explore the idea and communicate it visually to your audience.

Don't be afraid to rewrite it, revise it, and let it change over time. Showing the evidence of your active thought processes through purposeful choices is exactly what readers wish to see.

Remember the analogy of the tree branch. Your guiding question is the main part of that branch, and there might be little offshoots that go nowhere. But, there will also be little branches that lead to their own little branches.

Don't be afraid to have a pivot point where you go off and explore a related idea. It might be amazing and grow, or it might just be the end of that little branch. 😉 Either is totally acceptable!

This is the best part.... you MAKE THE ART! Make art that answers and responds to the question that you chose. The guiding question is the BEGINNING of all of the work. It will guide you throughout the Sustained Investigation. It is not something you decide later. All SI work should be based on answering the

Inquiries and Guiding Questions

A Sustained Investigation (SI) makes up the majority of your AP portfolio. It should be a cohesive body of work that significantly explores an 

The Inquiry is the work created through the process of developing, creating, revising, and exploring the idea of your 

Your guiding question is an idea that you are interested in EXPLORING, EXPANDING, and REVISING over a year-long investigation (hence the name Sustained Investigation) 🙌🏽. While it does not have to be written as a question, that might help you to think of the resulting work as being a direct answer to a question being posed. 

If you use the analogy that the Guiding Question is the thesis of your SI, then the work is the body of the paper. The work will be all of the information generated by your exploration: sketchbook pages, media trials, unfinished work, work that changes your direction, ideas you explore that don't quite work out, and any finished pieces you create.

The simple and, oddly, not so simple answer to this is you have fifteen IMAGE SPACES to show your work. What you put in them is up to you. I hear you asking "What can I put in these spaces?". Well, here's your answer!

These spaces can be used to show sketchbook work, early drafts, and materials trials—these would be considered 

. It will show how you thought, planned, and revised the idea or resulting work as your SI progressed.

 shots. To show the work as it progresses in a linear fashion, try a 

 image. With the composite image, you could show multiple stages of the work or different views. Be wise with progress shots, as they might not be the best way to show inquiry and may, instead, just show time passing.

Join our Discord

AP Art and Design Community 2020-21🎨

Trending

Study by Unit

Unit 1

Course Overview

Unit 2

Portfolio Design Skills

Unit 3

Portfolio Analysis

Unit 4

Exam Rubrics

Unit 5

Tips and Tricks

Other Resources

Creators

Sherry Ross

Join Our Discord

AP Art and Design Community 2020-21🎨

Trending

Study by Unit

Unit 1﻿

Course Overview﻿

Unit 2﻿

Portfolio Design Skills﻿

Unit 3﻿

Portfolio Analysis﻿

Unit 4﻿

Exam Rubrics﻿

Unit 5﻿

Tips and Tricks﻿