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Major Textile Project
Textiles and Design Major Textile Project forum questions
The portfolio
What is the stuff that I have to put into my portfolio and how do I set it out?
Is it best to leave the portfolio until you have completed your garment or do you do it as you go?
Is it best to do the portfolio in a book and leave unused pages blank or should you do the portfolio on separate pages then compile them together?
You will find that you will be working on different parts of your supporting documentation at various times. For this reason I would recommend doing the work on separate pages, and then compiling them later. It will also make it much easier if you make a mistake, or want to change a page. Be sure, however, that you still adhere to the page limits as set in the syllabus.
What is the stuff that I have to put into my portfolio and how do I set it out?
The person who is marking your project knows absolutely nothing about it, so the supporting documentation is your opportunity to communicate your design work to them. The marker is looking to give you marks (marks are never subtracted) so it is in your best interest to present your work as clearly as possible. Don't make it hard for the marker to find the answers.
The Textiles and Design syllabus (page 36) details what to
put in each section of your supporting documentation. It also
specifies the maximum size of your documentation, and lists
the maximum number of pages to be allocated to each section
of your work. The Marking guidelines are also very
useful in specifying what is required to gain marks in each
section. Both the Syllabus and the Marking
guidelines can be found on the Board of
Studies 
web site.
So, which is better A3 or A4?
There is no difference in terms of the marking of your work. It is purely a personal choice on your part. Consider these questions:
- How do you want your work to look?
- How are you going to set it out to present the written and graphical information?
- What resources do you have access to?
- How much do you want to spend on this part of your work?
- Remember that it needs to have a contemporary look. This would include the use of modern technologies, whilst keeping the presentation appropriate and relevant to the style or theme of your textile item.
Present your work so that it is easy for the marker to find the information. Use the same headings and wording as is listed in the syllabus criteria. In terms of layout, consider the following:
- font style
- font size
- font
- paper colour and texture
- text block size.
Is reading your work easy on the eyes? Get several people to read your work and give you some feedback on this. In a block of text use bold or underline to emphasise key words or concepts.
Your sketches and pictures will be invaluable in communicating many of your ideas and designs, but just as importantly, you must label them well. Remember, the marker doesn't know your work, and won't assume anything unless you communicate it clearly through both graphic and written means.
Lastly, don't waffle on. More writing and more pictures or sketches doesn't necessarily mean more marks. Just make sure you cover all the criteria requested in a clear, logical, relevant and well-presented manner.
I would say good luck, but really luck has nothing to do with it. It's up to you. Seek out and consider good advice, do your best to satisfy the criteria (answer the questions), and above all, get on with it now!
Is it best to leave the portfolio until you have completed your garment or do you do it as you go?
The supporting documentation is an account of the whole
process of your design work. It demonstrates that you have
worked through the design process, and not just decided to
make a dress and then create some sort of supporting
documentation after the fact.
The best work, which scores the best marks, is that which
clearly shows the consistent working through the design
process (the markers can tell the difference).
Of course you can't finish your written work until after the completion of your garment or item, however you should be devoting some time to both areas, right from the start. To make it easy for yourself, you need to record everything you do, as you do it, and keep all your sketches and pictures, as well as testing and experimentation samples. Then putting it all together is just a matter of deciding what is important to include, and how you are going to do the layout and presentation.
Do you have to take photos as you go of your major work? I am making a cushion, what section of the portfolio would they go under?
No, you don't have to include photos in your supporting documentation. You do need to document the progress of your MTP, however, (see the Syllabus and the Marking guidelines) and if you feel that photos would assist you in doing this, then go ahead. Be aware, of course, that they are included in the page limit of any section you put them in.
Cushions could fit in the focus areas of furnishings or textile arts, depending on the direction of your design work. You would then need to address all of the criteria for the MTP as specified in the Syllabus and Marking guideline documents. These can be found on the Board of Studies web site.
If I were to include photos on the last page in my portfolio, would it count towards the pages, even though the portfolio were to be finished on the right amount of paper; so the photos are there to be looked at, but aren't counted because it's not in the page limit?
Please look at my answer to the question above regarding photos. Yes, they can be a good and useful addition to your supporting documentation, but they will be included in the page limit. So place them where they can contribute marks for you.
Click here for more on photos.
My teacher seems to think that doing an A3 portfolio instead of an A4 portfolio will gain you marks, is this true? What does the HSC marker prefer?
Markers do not have a preference for one or the other. It is all about presentation. You need to think about the style of your presentation, and the material (text, pictures, sketches, etc.) you wish to include. Can you present it best in the smaller or larger format? Of course the most important thing is what you put into your supporting documentation in order to satisfy the marking guidelines.
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