High School Digital Communication Arts
Please carefully read all the instructions and rubrics below.
The following bullets are highlights of the portfolio, the link to the portfolio rubric is located below this list. All students are required to participate in an assessment of their choice located on the bottom of this page (Creative Writing, Graphic Design, or A Photo Manipulation) in addition to the portfolio requirement on their assessment date and time.
For a successful completion of the HS Digital Communication Arts Assessment you will need to do the following:
- A portfolio containing the necessary elements
- An assessment activity of your choice on the day of your scheduled assessment
The portfolio (submitted the day of your assessment) should contain the following:
- A traditional or digital portfolio.
Portfolios should not be submitted in any Google Docs file format (.gdoc, .gslides, .gsheet, .gdraw, . gtable, etc.). Please use a common file type like “.pdf” or “.txt” for any text files or stories. Google Doc “files” are not actual files- they are links to the files located online. Please save all Google Docs as “.pdf” before submitting.
- There are 3 main sections of the portfolio that you will turn in to Mr. Greider on the date of assessment. The “Artist Statement,” “2 Finely Polished Pieces” showing what you are proud of, and 3 of the 4 different “Samples of Work.”
Portfolio Sections are listed below:
All of these have more requirements than displayed here and can be found in the Portfolio Rubric.
- The Artist Statement Section
- Provide a written statement about why you want to be a Digital Communication Arts major here at Cab.
- Finely Polished Pieces Section. A showcase of work. (Choose 2 of the 7 categories)
- 6 Photographs showing various areas of study (you can use a free meta-data viewer to view settings of your image here)
- 2 Pieces of graphic design (Usually either an advertisement or logo)
- 1 Photocomposition (Should be made from at least 3 different pictures. Please include the original images alongside the composition in the portfolio)
- 1 Screenplay story (2-4 pages)
- 1 Website (Not from a template builder)
- 1 Edited Narrative Short Film or Animation (1-3 minutes, edited with at least 10 cuts/transitions, exported as a final video)
- 1 3D-Printed or Digitally Sculpted Object (Submitted as a .stl file or physically printed object)
- Work samples Section from 3 of the following categories. (Choose 3 of the 4 categories) The sample of work should be labeled as finished pieces. These can be a variety of skills and are not weighted as much as the finely polished pieces.
- 3 Photographs (Of different subject matter)
- 2 Poems (At most 1 page per poem, default line spacing, 12pt Arial or Helvetica)
- 1 Short story (At most 1 page in length, default line spacing, 12pt Arial or Helvetica)
- 1 Heavily edited photo (Edited in some photo application)
See links to the rubric that you will be scored against: HS Digital Communication Arts PORTFOLIO RUBRIC 2019
All digital communication arts portfolios must be picked up from Cab Calloway between the dates of January 28th to February 4th.
If you are submitting a digital portfolio as a flash drive, please place it in a 6 x 9 envelope clearly labeled with your full name. When picking up your flash drive, please look for it to be in an envelope with your name on it.
Day of Assessment Information and Rubrics
Be prepared to participate in an assessment activity as it pertains to your specific concentration on your assessment date and time. You will pick from 1 of 3 different assessment activities to participate in. Two assessments require knowledge of free software called “Gimp” (which is compatible with Mac’s and Window’s machines), or Adobe Illustrator, and/or Adobe Photoshop. Knowledge of Adobe software is not required to pass the assessment, however knowledge of some software will allow you to create your project. Remember Gimp is free, Adobe programs allow you to create a free 30 day account for you to play around with. You may choose to use any one or more of the listed software to complete your assessment. If you opt to complete the creative writing assessment, knowledge of a word processor like Google Docs or Microsoft Word is required.
- Creative Writing Assessment – CREATIVE WRITING RUBRIC 2019
- Graphic Design Assessment – GRAPHIC DESIGN RUBRIC 2019
- Photo Manipulation Assessment – PHOTO MANIPULATION RUBRIC 2019
If you have any questions, please feel free to address them with Mr. Greider through email.
If you are applying to the Communication Arts assessment twice, you will need to submit a different portfolio for each time you apply. That being said, there should be different portfolio pieces submissions for the “Finely Polished Pieces” for each submission. But, you are allowed the same submissions for the “Work Samples” in both portfolios.
EMAIL: william.greider@redclay.k12.de.us
Looking for tips and more information about this major? Try these websites that have some information about the Communication Arts Fields and Coding.
Info about Comm Arts as a profession: Comm Arts Magazine
More free websites about Coding: Khan Academy for learning Web Design | Code Academy for Web Design
There are countless tutorials to learn the programs, here are a few Youtube series on how to learn GIMP, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator
Info about Creative Writing: Creative Writing Prompts, 301 Short Story Ideas
An in-depth look at HS Comm Arts Majors – Made by a High School Comm Arts Major.