Graphic Design portfolio

The Graphic Design program admission requirements include a portfolio submission. Your portfolio helps NSCC evaluate your visual communication skills, technical ability and overall fit for the program. We understand that applicants are still developing their skills and we are looking for creative potential, thoughtful ideas, and a willingness to learn and grow.

Your portfolio should represent your best work and demonstrate your ability to communicate ideas visually. Applicants are encouraged to present a variety of work that highlights an emerging design sensibility, typography, layout and attention to detail. A successful portfolio will reflect thoughtful design choices, originality, and good technical execution, showing some basic understanding of digital tools.

Important: This program uses SlideRoom, a third-party portfolio management software platform, for portfolio submissions. Once you've reviewed the requirements and prepared your materials, you'll need to create a SlideRoom account, upload your portfolio, and complete any required submission forms. An application fee of $15 USD is required for each portfolio submission in SlideRoom.

Portfolio contents

Your portfolio should consist of the following items, to be submitted digitally through SlideRoom:

• A logo design assignment consisting of:
  • 5 idea generation sketches
  • 1 final logo design
• 8 - 10 examples of your original visual design work (posters, brochures, logos, etc..)

Below, you’ll find details about each of these items and instructions on how to submit them.

Logo design assignment

This assignment will help to demonstrate your ability to solve communication problems through visual design.

Part 1 - Choose a client

WindFarm Incorporated
This large corporation wants to become a recognizable energy option for communities and businesses in Nova Scotia. They need a logo design that represents movement, growth, energy and environmental responsibility. They would like the colour and form to reflect a natural setting (windmills are often placed where the wind is best caught) and would also like to appear professional and reliable.

InnerTech
This medium‐sized computer repair company needs a logo design that represents technology, professionalism, friendliness and dependability. They would like the colour and form to reflect cutting-edge technology, approachability and reliability.

Dragon Fruit Café
This small, local business specializes in Fair Trade Coffee, organic fare and baked goods. The Café also provides local artists with a place to display and sell their work. They need a logo design that represents local flavour and aesthetic. They would like the colour and form to reflect an organic, grassroots, artistic business.

Part 2 – Create 5 idea generation sketches for your client’s logo

• Create 5 thumbnail sketches demonstrating unique ideas for the company logo.
• Sketches should include the name of the company chosen.
• Sketches must be completed on paper by hand, you may use any physical medium you wish (pencil, ink, paint coloured pencil, etc).
• You may research or gather inspiration, but all sketches must be your own original work.
• Scan or digitize your sketches to include in your digital submission.

Note that all sketches must be in support of only 1 of the clients listed above: WindFarm Incorporated, InnerTech or Dragon Fruit Café.

Part 3 – Create 1 final logo design for your client

Based on your thumbnail sketches, select the strongest concept that best communicates the company visually and create a digital logo based on that concept.

• Keep the concept simple and easy to understand at a glance.
• Focus on clear communication and basic design principles such as composition, shape, typography, and visual balance.
• The logo must be scalable and remain clear at all sizes, whether enlarged or reduced.
• Use no more than two colours. Black is considered a colour; white is the background/paper.
• Final work should be presented on 8.5 × 11 inch (letter size).
• The final logo must be submitted in a digital format; however, you may use any software or tools. This can include vector-based design software, layout software, digital painting software, tablet illustration apps etc. We are not expecting professional-level software ability, but we do want to see basic digital skills and the ability to refine and present your ideas clearly in a digital format.
• This should be your original work. Do not use templates or AI-generated content.

Visual design work

Select and submit 8-10 pieces of original design work that best represent your abilities and support your application to the program.

• Submission should include a variety of common graphic design products such as: brochures, logos, newsletters, posters, magazine pages, packaging, advertisements, drawing, painting, web design, digital imaging or photography.
• Work should demonstrate an understanding of basic design principles and a developing “design eye” (awareness of what makes work visually effective).
• Submissions should show attention to typography and layout, not just image-making.
• Illustration and photography are welcome but are best presented as a component of design work (for example, an illustration or photograph used within a magazine cover design that also includes typography, layout, and supporting content).
• The submission should not focus on fine art or illustration, as this is a design-focused portfolio and the emphasis should be on demonstrating emerging design skills.
• Some of the pieces may be hand-created, but applicants should also aim to demonstrate basic technical competency, and the ability to translate ideas into digital form.
• Overall, we want to see range, ideas, and your ability to solve visual communication problems through design. Your work does not need to be perfect; we are looking for curiosity, engagement, and potential.

Original Work and AI Use

Portfolio submissions must be fully original and created solely by the applicant. This means:

• AI tools must not be used to generate any content (e.g., text, images, audio, or video).
• Work created by others must not be submitted.

The use of standard tools and plug-ins within audio, video, and graphic design software, including those with AI components, is permitted to support your original work. The portfolio is intended to demonstrate your individual creative ability; submissions that do not meet these requirements may not be considered.

How to submit your portfolio

Before you submit your portfolio, review this checklist to ensure your submission is complete:

Completed	Portfolio components
	Logo design assignment – idea generation sketches (8 total)
	Logo design assignment – final logo design (maximum of 1)
	Visual design work (8 - 10 total samples)

Portfolio Submission via SlideRoom - NSCC uses SlideRoom, an online platform, to collect portfolio submissions. There is an application fee of $15USD for each portfolio submission per program.

To submit your portfolio, follow these required steps

• Step 1: Carefully review the portfolio requirements listed on this page.
• Step 2: Prepare, create, and gather all required files for your submission.
• Step 3: Once your materials are ready, visit the NSCC Graphic Design SlideRoom submission page to complete your portfolio submission.

In SlideRoom, you will be required to:

• Create a SlideRoom account.
• Enter your NSCC Student ID number (included in your most recent email from NSCC Admissions after applying on nscc.ca).
• Upload your portfolio according to the program requirements listed on this page.
• Submit your portfolio by the posted deadline (Atlantic Time).

You may begin your submission, save your progress, and return to SlideRoom at any time before submitting. Once submitted, changes cannot be made.

Upon successful submission, a confirmation screen and submission number will be provided for your records.

• For technical support, visit the SlideRoom Applicant Help Centre

For questions about portfolio requirements, contact NSCC’s School of Access, Business, Creative Industries and Education

File types and upload requirements

Preferred Formats

• PDF (.pdf)
• JPG / JPEG (.jpg), PNG (.png): Images and artwork

Note: .tif and .tiff are supported but are often too large—please convert them to a high-quality PDF or JPG before uploading.

Do Not Upload

• Working files (.ai, .psd, .indd) → export before uploading
• Web-only formats (.webp, .avif)

File Size Limits

• Images: ≤ 10 MB

Adequate demonstration of basic technical and digital skills​

	Exemplary potential         9 to 10  points	Strong potential         7 to 8  points	Satisfactory potential           5 to 6  points	Developing potential         3 to 4 points	Limited potential            0 to 2          points	Not attempted 0 points
Logo: Sketches	Highly exploratory and well-developed.	Strong exploratory.	Adequate; basic exploration of ideas.	Limited exploration; minimal concept development.	Minimal exploration of ideas.	No evidence provided.
Logo: Digital execution/skill	Highly proficient digitization of logo; strong control and fluency.	Strong digitization of logo with confident use of tools.	Basic digitization of logo meeting minimum technical expectations.	Developing digitization of logo with inconsistencies in execution.	Limited digitization of logo; minimal control of tools.
Logo: Concept	Compelling, original, and highly relevant concept.	Strong, focused concept with clear relevance.	Clear but basic concept with some relevance.	Developing concept with limited clarity or relevance.	Unclear or underdeveloped concept.	No evidence provided.
Logo: Overall Design	Exceptional demonstration of logo principles; excellent balance, scalability and visual cohesion.	Strong grasp of logo principles with good balance, scalability, and visual cohesion.	Adequate understanding of logo principles, with basic balance and scalability.	Developing awareness of logo principles. Inconsistent balance and scalability.	Limited demonstration of logo principles.	No evidence provided.
Portfolio: Technical Ability	Highly proficient use of tools. Advanced technical control and fluency.	Strong demonstration of technical and digital skills.	Adequate demonstration of basic technical and digital skills.	Developing demonstration of technical ability with inconsistencies.	Limited demonstration of digital skills.	No evidence provided.
Portfolio: Variety/Exploration	Highly diverse exploration of styles and approaches.	Strong variety of design and solutions.	Adequate range of styles and exploration.	Limited range of styles and approach.	Minimal exploration of styles and variation.	No evidence provided.
Portfolio: Attention to detail	Exceptional attention to detail; highly refined execution.	Strong attention to detail, consistently polished.	Adequate attention to detail, minor inconsistencies.	Inconsistent detail; lacks polish.	Little attention to detail; underdeveloped execution.	No evidence provided.
Portfolio: Conceptual Development	Highly developed concepts with strong design thinking.	Strong concepts with evident design thinking.	Basic but clear ideas showing some design thinking.	Developing ideas with inconsistent design thinking.	Unclear concepts with limited design thinking.	No evidence provided.
Portfolio: Typography	Thoughtful, intentional use and control of type.	Clear, controlled, and purposeful use of type.	Functional typography; meets basic expectations.	Some inconsistency in typographic choices and application.	Limited control of type and typographic decisions.	No evidence provided.
Portfolio: Design Fundamentals/ Visual awareness	Sophisticated understanding of design principles; strong visual judgement and composition.	Solid grasp of design principles; good visual judgement and composition.	Adequate understanding of core principles; basic visual judgement and composition.	Developing awareness of fundamentals; inconsistent visual judgement.	Limited understanding of fundamentals.	No evidence provided.
Total /100
Adherence to Application Specifications	Extent to which the applicant follows all application specifications, including completing required components and submitting materials correctly. Fully adheres to all application specifications; all required components are complete and submitted properly with no errors.	Largely follows all specifications; only minor deviations in details that do not impact overall completeness.	Moderate inconsistencies with specifications; some minor missing elements but core requirements are mostly met.	Significant deviations from specifications; missing components, or incorrect submission elements.	Does not follow key application specifications; submission is incomplete or incorrectly submitted.	No evidence provided.

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