Example of Junior Cert portfolio, by Georgia Corcoran Grade A (Higher Level) Preparatory Studies for painting

Georgia Corcoran: example of preparatory work; click here for enlargement

Preparatory Studies show the examiner how you created your finished pieces. You are marked more for your prep. studies than you are for the finished artwork, so make sure they are comprehensive. As you are working on something keep every bit of roughwork that you do. Sketch down all your ideas even if you know they wont make it into the finished pieces. Include all these sketches, materials used, photos or accounts of experiments and samples of your work in the prep. studies. Label all the items going onto the sheet so that the examiner knows why they are there, if neccessary include a description. If not all of your Prep' studies ae completely filled, don't create rubbish to fill in the spaces. As long as they are complete, and you have shown all your steps, there is nothing more you can do. The examiner will understand this and be grateful he won't have to read through loads of waffle.

All tips given above are by Georgia Corcoran next / index