How I (think i) Got Accepted Into CalArts 🎨🤔 ft. my accepted portfolio

TIMESTAMPS:
00:10 - INTRO
02:05 - Portfolio Section
06:30 - Sketchbook Section
13:21 - Recap / Rejection / Closing Thoughts
📝 Other Resources / References:
Accepted CalArts Sketchbook (Low Res Video): • My Accepted CalArts Sk...
Accepted CalArts Sketchbook (Downloadable): mewtripled.gumroad.com/#leMjl
Should You Go to CalArts? (My Old Video): • Should You Go to Art S...
Art School Alternatives (Laura Price): • ART SCHOOL ALTERNATIVE...
Are art/animation schools and degrees still worth it? (Toniko Pantoja) • Are art/animation scho...
✨ Online Classes for the Animation Industry ✨
www.radhowtoclass.com/classes
www.theworkshopacademy.net/
www.visionsartschool.com/
www.warriorartcamp.com/
www.animationmentor.com/
gumroad.com/stringbing
www.schoolism.com/
artofsteveahn.com/
skl.sh/2B54hva (Leo Matsuda Storyboarding Class)
conceptdesignacad.com/
www.brainstormschool.com/#home
🌸 CLEARANCE SALE 🌸 etsy.com/shop/mewtripled
FOLLOW ME: / mewtripled
Support me on: / mewtripled
Buy my digital sketchbooks: gumroad.com/mewtripled
FAQ:
Recording Equipment:
Canon EOS M50 Camera, Movo Microphone, Yeti Microphone
Drawing Equipment:
iPad Pro 12.9in (2017), Cintiq 22HD, Random pencils and pens
Editing:
Final Cut Pro
Music by Grace Chiang - dinner on the moon - thmatc.co/?l=C1BEEECE
Music by Gil Wanders - R.O.A.S.N (Ramen On A Summer Night) - thmatc.co/?l=CD887373
Music by Gil Wanders - Soul - thmatc.co/?l=BB9C3D6D
Music by Gil Wanders - Poco Pico - thmatc.co/?l=59CC3019
Music by Ryan Little - Body Language - thmatc.co/?l=1BEF57F2
Music by Ross Cantrell - Too Late - thmatc.co/?l=BFEC324F
#CalArts
#ArtSchool
#ArtPortfolio

[@mewTripled]

Just a heads up this video does not talk about things like the video interview / intro or artist statement that also goes along with the application! My year was one of the last years to NOT have the video interview (luckily), but I would be more than happy to discuss the artist statement and other nuances to the application in a future video!

[@madsieart]

wow it feels so strange to see an “updated”version of your calarts videos knowing that those older videos helped me a ton to get into my dream animation school this year! hoping a new generation of kids are helped by this newest rendition of calarts advice and that they get into the school they want, calarts or anywhere else : D thanks so much for your videos, from a soon-to-be animation student : )

[@mewTripled]

Haha yeah I know right, I thought about how I never really made a PROPER review of my old portfolio so I was like, why not? I'm glad that this can help in any way, so thank you!!

[@LisaNaniOfficial]

"Take a subject and tell a story" -- is the best advice you can give to any aspiring artist 👏💖

[@postalexism]

THAT WAS YOURS???? I WOULD GO BACK TO WATCH THAT PORTFOLIO WALKTHROUGH DAILY IN HIGH SCHOOL PRAYING MINE WOULD BE THAT GOOD 😩 such memories and it’s s good to hear your thoughts about them now 😌💖

[@zaeseas]

I plan on applying to calarts character animation for fall 2022, I’m honestly feeling so overwhelmed with the portfolio and sketchbook portion, especially having art block every once in a while. 😓

[@L3mon_Mylk]

I wish you luck! When I have art block, I often fall back on the things I enjoy. It gets me motivated and excited to draw 😄

[@_sereyb_3411]

Sometimes to get me out of art block I watch Satoshi Con or Ghibli movies, they give me a lot of inspiration.

[@namyuum3276]

Omg!, I'm trying to apply to for fall 2022 too!

[@bffchannel9860]

Howd it go

[@zaeseas]

@@bffchannel9860 i’ll be honest, i gave up on that dream of even going to calarts considering that it’s in my hometown and it’s very pricey since i am very low income they don’t seem to provide enough scholarships that will help me out to pay for my tuition. I was able to pick another art college of interest such as laguna college of art and design, art center, and california college of the arts since hey do provide a full ride scholarship and they are outside of my hometown! Another thing i would like to add is that any art school will be the same thing as calarts such as providing the same classes, education, diploma etc. except the prestigious title, i’ve learned that you don’t have to go to calarts if you want to become an animator :)

[@maitesdiary]

i'm getting ready to apply for art school and all these portfolio tips were extremely helpful! will definitely be doing over some pages. thanks for sharing your thoughts with us :)

[@mewTripled]

Thank you and no problem! The best of luck to you!!

[@l_am_a_cookie7055]

2 years later did you get in?

[@picnicsandstars]

Advice for current students! While I'm not sure whether this was the case eight years ago, I have heard consistently from CalArts students and admissions officers today is that SKETCHBOOKS ARE THE LEAST IMPORTANT PART of your application. This isn't to say that less time or thought should be put into them, but that the actual portfolio section is often underdeveloped because of the widespread presence of sketchbook tours on KZbin. From what I've heard, sketchbooks are what set you apart AFTER they narrow down fundamental skills from portfolios.

[@lehgendary833]

hey!! although i’m not in the character animation program, you were one of my inspirations when i applied for fall 2021. your student films not only made me appreciate animation as a medium on a different level, but it also gave me a message that i should show who i am as an artist :,D i’m now an incoming 1st year student under the graphic design program over at calarts and i rlly wanna thank u for being one of the ppl that inspired me to achieve this dream in the first place :)

[@Hueventure]

This is going to be very helpful for many, especially those wanting to get into an art school. It took me a long time even in school to realize how much more my portfolio was important regardless of what you did in school. People generally want to know that you are already thinking of your future, if you can apply your skills to a production more than what grade you got. Young me didn't understand that. Also put in pieces that can apply to the kinds of positions you may be going for was huge. I think the advice you gave on ways to showcase your voice is huge even for me. I still to this day have a problem with that and floating characters and I realize that having those singlet pieces are fine but it barely tells any story to the characters, so thanks for the tip sis. I'll start using more environments and more vulnerability in my work lol. Good job -Cj

[@lindalee3679]

I think it’s a great thing that you are making videos on how to break into the animation industry. Thank you for doing it.

[@durazmomo]

This was sooo informative and also comforting :) thank you

[@andrea_das]

Thank you so much. You don’t even know how much all of your videos have helped me

[@andreatenorio3846]

Wow tu sketchbook y tu portfolio están super cool, esto me dio una idea de las cosas que debo mejorar, muchas gracias ✨

[@---pu7ke]

This was such an encouraging and informative video!!

[@qianacomstock588]

It is so great to hear what you think of your portfolio now. Super helpful as always! Also the look your cat gives you at 15:12 😍

[@mewTripled]

awww yesss nothing beats the admiration of a cat T_T

[@MushyRoom77]

Hella! I loved watching that sketchbook tour back when it was first posted so it's nice to see your thoughts on it today~

[@mewTripled]

Haha omg I wish I could go back in time and use a proper camera with good lighting T_T oh well the things you learn as time goes on, but thank you so much!

[@tokyotourist]

It’s incredibly pleasing to see how much your channel has grown and you’ve grown as an artist. Art school is one of the most daunting things to think of for any artist. I absolutely loved seeing your life drawings especially the charcoal. You’re absolutely one of the realest and most authentic artists on youtube. I’ve been obsessed with your art since your 1 week sketchbook and being wowed 🤩

[@mewTripled]

Aww thank you so much that means a lot to me! Thanks for sticking around since then!

[@Bloomkyaaa]

I'm amazed you *didn't* think you would get in. Your art is amazing and your portfolio was solid... from my unprofessional eyes you were accepted before you even submitted.

[@destinydoodles5399]

Loved seeing your old work and seeing how you played with style and story back then. Very inspirational.

[@mewTripled]

Thank you!!

[@discorice1175]

This helped alot! can't wait to finish highschool and get into this!!!!

[@sunshell]

me, an art student in art school: mm yes good tips

[@pleadofthee]

thanks a ton, these are pretty good tips. i still have about 3 years left until college, but good advice for later.

[@bleeblublo6561]

I love your channel so much!!💖

[@YAEL112300]

I applied for an animation program in a school I really want to study at and got rejected. It was on zoom and I was scared to apply and at the end only had like a month to really work on a portfolio. I now try to make a portfolio and hopefully this time it won't be on zoom. I feel kind of lost and anxious about what they want to see and it makes me doubt myself. Your video is super helpful. I know I'll watch it a few more times when I feel like I need some inspiration, so thank you!! 💞💞

[@graceoartyo]

i’ve been going through a bit of an art block recently because i had to take some time away from drawing over the summer because i was too busy, so when i went back to it i was rusty and i felt my drawings weren’t as good as before which was discouraging. But this video reminded me that the point of drawing for me right now is not to make a pretty picture to post on instagram, the point is to work toward my goal of eventually becoming a storyboard artist, and i’ve got too much work ahead of me to let a “bad” drawing discourage me.

[@safegourd]

i dont even plan on applying to calarts (or any brick and mortar school) but this video was really helpful!

[@persimmons.135]

this was really amazing to see! I really liked how you explained everything. It's nice to see you pointing out everything you thought helped not only you get into the school but made you grow as an artist :D I am not applying but this was a really interesting video!! :D

[@dazaisart2406]

I remember watching your calarts accepted years ago and it's so fun to see you talking about it now! Love your channel

[@ramses7156]

Thank you for sharing this video Michelle! I hope you & your loved ones are doing well, I would like if you could make a video focused on the portfolio aspect of the application, mainly you breaking down your submitted pieces, I feel like everyone is so fixated on the sketchbook part more so than the portfolio & artist statement part of the application

[@mewTripled]

Hey Ramsés that sounds like a great idea to do a more focused review on those sections! I'll definitely consider it for a future video! But yeah the artist statement is also another big portion although I have no idea how much it really affected my acceptance haha. I think there is a video interview portion too, but I was the last group of students to go through the application without that part luckily x'D Thanks again!!

[@ramses7156]

@@mewTripled thank you for replying Michelle! Thanks for letting us know your insights!!! I just feel like it’s important to highlight the other parts of the portfolio for aspiring artists so the sketchbook isn’t the only thing they put more work into, have a nice day!!!

[@kariannek7326]

I’m starting the process of applying for Calarts (if you have any advice PLEASE feel free to give it to me) so I’m starting to watch a bunch of videos of portfolios so I know what I want to do with mine. This was super helpful, thank you so much for posting it!

[@MarielleMorris]

Michelle, if possible could you include one of your friends/coworkers who took the conventional route to get where they are now and their insight in a video? 🤠

[@dustinwong1299]

best video ever

[@pattykrabbies]

A professor I had in college who was also a Calarts professor at the time stressed the importance of story telling and this vid reminded me of that lmao

[@best_of_ant]

Gonna be watching this after lunch, peace y'all ✌️

[@mewTripled]

Have a good lunch!

[@-Invader-Gigi-]

Cal Arts is my dream college this is so much help!

[@mattyvarnas1736]

I'm an art student at Nassau Community hoping to get a career in animation and I always thought that you had to bring in drawing in a manila folder along with a sketchbook. Nowadays, everything is digital. But I hope to get to CalArts or Full Sail or something to work for Adult Swim.

[@pattykrabbies]

Applying to calarts this year and it is both stress inducing and exciting

[@michelleeriksen6816]

Did you get in?

[@melcco]

7:09 this is so true on so many levels. I literally have no clue what “my voice” means. No clue. I have no idea how to draw that. Like what…

[@kris-jk8jm]

ive been following you for a while and love your videos:D idk if you can help but one of the calarts character animation requirements that reallyyy confuses me is the general education credits thing??? im a senior in hs but i dont go to school in the us, can i just apply to the character design bfa without having “credits”?? lmao the american education system is so confusing i hope this made sense, if it did; please help

[@aatifshawkat7712]

Your art school just saved 80 million lives

[@PrezPretzel]

CalArts has always been my dream college to go to, but this year I have had second thoughts about applying to it since I don’t think I could afford it, especially since I’d have to live in California haha. Which is why I have started to look for cheaper colleges, but then that made me think: does it matter what school I go to if I want to become a successful animator? Or should I try to take the leap and apply to a more expensive/prestigious school that is known to have more experience with it? I am not so sure what to do, so if anyone has any ideas or suggestions, please let me know. I’d appreciate it ;v;

[@rebecapineda7534]

So helpful! I wonder if you have any advice for young children that want to pursuit that career? Any program or class you recomend? How did you learn to draw so beautiful?! Ehay age you where when you started this dream?

[@vanessamunoz9143]

I got accepted to CALARTS this year and may be attending this later this year. Currently I’m deciding whether to go to CCA or CCS. I wanna develop my style and not accustomed it to the grade and I have no idea if any of the school do that. Just a fear I guess. But I honestly thought I was gonna be denied and move on to a smaller art school. I did have a storyboard. One pretty long in my sketchbook. One I did on paper. And I did multiple story telling drawing of my character with interactions. I just wanna know if I will be able branch out to be a better artist. So far I’m tilting between both because I see other artist that got accepted my year or how diverse the other school is an I can learn more. Sometimes I see one side of the students trying more than others but it really just depends on the artist. I need a statement that will help me decide between both. And I’m going as far as to leaving my state to visit the colleges April 1st for CALARTS and April 15th for CCS.

[@rjules4724]

Great video! Can you please do a video on creating a pitch bible

[@mewTripled]

Yeah I can try to! Although I have never made a successful one X'D

[@meghoopps5528]

Hello, not sure if you're still responding to comments, but I was wondering how long your sketchbook took to complete (if you remember)? I'm a full-time college student but thinking of applying this fall and am trying to finish within a year.

[@hagitkasa7326]

Its was really helpful thank you Can i ask what is the range ages of the students in calarts ? There are students who are above 26 years old ?

[@LunNightMoonLight]

Maybe I would have had more luck getting on if I had started sooner but I wasn’t encouraged to apply or go, so I went to a different t college for 5 years and then finally decided to try and do what I actually wanted and tried many times to get in and didn’t just because the curve and skill level went up a lot since o graduated highschool, I honestly should give up I’m an old ass now… with carpal tunnel from intense studying and practice to get into that school it just sucks all my efforts didn’t yield anything good it broke me and for what nothing

[@fuzzydragons]

I know storyboards would have been needed in applying for the animation course at my uni unless you were really good at characters designs and story telling, even thumbnail stick figure storyboards would have prob worked lol

[@orpheus6398]

So weird that the day I got my second commission to draw a girl with horns and halo is the day you upload too xd

[@mewTripled]

hehe i have been summoned ;)

[@orpheus6398]

@@mewTripled I just delivered the order to them and they love it.

[@yuhaino]

I was wondering, can you estimate how long it took you to complete your portfolio? I'm stuck on ideas for my portfolio and my sketchbooks are just. not it. I can *start* applying this advice from now on for sure, but I'm worried on whether if I have enough **time**. I'm starting my senior year of highschool and I'm worried that I might not make it. (sorry for the rant, I'm just kinda troubled.)

[@mewTripled]

Ahh yeah I totally understand how that can be super stressful, I remembered feeling that way too. I believe I started May 2013 of that year, and finished November 2013 that year. so I guess it was about half a year, but only drew in it a few times a week / not everyday. You also do have a choice to choose a sketchbook of your size preference too so no need to fill in a big one! The best of luck with everything!

[@yuhaino]

@@mewTripled thanks a bunch for the reply!! I def feel more relieved now, I guess I do still have a chance. I really appreciate you doing videos like these because its hard to find the resources that youre actually looking for. You've been a big help so far, and I'm sure that a lot of people feel that way too 💞💞

[@ineedabetterusername4803]

Im watching this to apply to litterally every art school i apply to. I hear canada is cheaper

[@mewTripled]

Good luck with your applications! Yeah Canada (for me it was Sheridan) was way more affordable for sure

[@thinthle]

Can confirm I went to VFS (Vancouver Film school) for 2d animation which was quite expensive but not nearly as much as America because it is only one year instead of 4.

[@jadefairy]

I’m 15 so I can’t go to college quiet yet but I want to so bad

[@mewTripled]

In a few years it will happen!

[@orpheus6398]

I'm honestly just gonna apply to calarts to see if I can get in. Can't afford xd. If there's a school in the US that gives full scholarship please let me know lol.

[@buildgrist1560]

kimda late, but from what I know scad, lcad, and pnca are the only ones that offer full scholarships. for scad and pnca you have to apply to it separately but for lcad it’s only given once every two years and is based purely on portfolio.

[@guggvcjhh3713]

Can you do the same thing for your job acceptance portfolio? :o

[@mewTripled]

Yes! I actually have already made one here! kzbin.info/www/bejne/gIepf5ZjgJaMY9U

[@ahgremlin7869]

Damn I really want to go to cal arts too bad im not American and poor 😞

[@nachoss2228]

What if I don't have a voice? For so many years I've been constantly drawing and studying. Yes, I came tl a point where I don't need references anymore, but still all I draw is from life. From cultures, races, history. Nothing is original, nothing is touched by my own voice or style. I feel like I just became a professional copier? Or professional references taker. I literally feel like an impostor, because Ive never meet an artist who doesnt have a voice, but me.

[@josephstalin3120]

At least we avoided another world war.

[@willexcel]

1:27 Ya'll seeing that, right? #sizequeen

[@princelupingamer9395]

Thank god you got accepted into art school. 💀

[@ineedabetterusername4803]

Fuck im first

[@kiarahelen6006]

Are you a terf?