Portfolio Oomph - Julie Read

17/09/2026

An utter travesty, I'm finding it very difficult to compute, I really am.

Textiles, Jewellery and Costume Design....3 of the most successful design courses at ECA being wiped out due to finance decisions.
The Scotsman The Herald The Guardian Creative Scotland

16/09/2026

I'm in Glasgow today at the Glasgow Create event for Glasgow Schools.

I love getting out and about to meet young people who are considering a career in the creative industries.

I have job profiles of many career paths that you might take if you were to study in the creative subjects.

Getting to speak to students at this time of year is critical as it takes a while to build a successful portfolio. Deadlines aren't until the end of January, but please don't start thinking about it then... get yourself organised, now!

The best thing that you can do is get my book "Creative Careers, unlocking art school admissions". It's currently free, I just ask you to pay P&P of £3.95.

It'll set out what you need to do, when and a little bit about how. Link to get yours is in the comments 👇

08/09/2026

Great branding!

I couldn't resist a photo, whilst in the carpark of our Community Hospital taking our daughter for her MenB vaccination.

Sadly, it was lost on her, must be a Mum thing 😂💿

05/09/2026

I can thoroughly recommend a trip to the "Land and Sea" exhibition at the Bowhouse in St. Monans.

I went yesterday, super work by many former colleagues at Edinburgh College of Art. And fabulous space, all near the beautiful coastline.

It's only on until tomorrow. If you go, take your swimming cozzie, the tidal pool at St. Monans was fab, apart from the 40mph winds! 🏊🏻‍♀️

31/08/2026

Last call for my final Masterclass of the year TONIGHT! Sign up link is in the comments 👇

We kick off at 7pm and we'll be covering:

>What universities are looking for
>How to select and structure their work
>How much development to show
>What makes a sketchbook engaging
>How to demonstrate their creative thinking
>How to avoid a last-minute rush

I’ll also share practical advice, examples and insights from the students I’ve supported, including:

>What universities are looking for in a portfolio
>How to approach portfolio development
>What can make a sketchbook stand out
>5 common mistakes students can avoid
>How to make the process feel more manageable
>Real examples from students I’ve worked with

Perfect for young people (and parents!) who want to feel clear and confident about the year ahead.

29/08/2026

I don't normally post at the weekend, but wow, so good to get out ❤️

I really needed that after having some kind of virus, tummy bug, achy thing. Spent last weekend in bed, including my birthday 🥺 and ate very little for 3 days.

So this is really what I needed, a run along the coast, a coffee then a sea swim. I feel SO much better.

There's loads of sea buckthorn, bit early as it's not very big yet. Hideous stuff but very good for you! Seabuckthorn ice cream is 👌

Hope you're having a great weekend.

27/08/2026

Well that was an amazing in-person training day courtesy of Google Digital Garage. I'm so over Zoom, are you? It was really good to be in the room with some real people!

There's always so much to keep ahead of as a business owner, lifelong learning is something I firmly believe in.

I know AI is a real issue for creatives, in terms of the actual creative work. But we had some great conversations around the limitations of AI in the creative world.

I'm also seeing how it can really assist creatives in many aspects of business, marketing and strategy. Areas that many creatives find very difficult to embrace and I'm all for using it in that way. Another tool I guess.

What have you learnt recently that really tested the old grey matter?! 🧠

20/08/2026

DO YOU EVEN NEED ART AS A HIGHER OR A-LEVEL?

This is one of the questions we’ll be answering in my upcoming Portfolio Masterclass.

📅 Monday 31 August
⏰ 7pm UK time
👉 Come along and discover exactly what you need to know about getting into art school, building a standout portfolio and making sure you’re not ruling yourself out unnecessarily. Link to book in comments 👇

Because this came up in a Facebook discussion yesterday...

I was chatting about all sorts of things relating to art and design applications.

Interestingly, the thing I found myself writing about wasn’t even the main point of the conversation.

That was about how prescriptive and unenjoyable Art at school can sometimes become.

I’ll save that rant for another day! 😆

Instead, the conversation took an unexpected turn...

DO YOU EVEN NEED ART AS A HIGHER OR A-LEVEL TO GET INTO ART SCHOOL?

Wow.

You’d think so, wouldn’t you?

But actually... not necessarily.

I’ve worked with students who didn’t have Art at Higher or A-Level and still went on to secure places at art school.

👩‍🎓Meet Lily in the photo below - she's just graduated from Falmouth in Animation (link to find out more in comments too).

It’s certainly a more unconventional route, but it can absolutely be possible.

So if Results Day has left you thinking:

“I haven’t got Art at Higher or A Level. What do I do now?”

Don’t panic.

All is not lost.

And this is just one of the things we’ll be exploring in the Masterclass.

We’ll be looking at:

🎨 How to build a portfolio that gets noticed
🎨 What art schools are actually looking for
🎨 The mistakes that can quietly sabotage an application
🎨 Alternative routes into art school
🎨 How to give yourself the strongest possible chance of getting that offer

If you’re a parent or student thinking about art school, this is for you.

📅 31 August | 7pm UK time
👉 Come to the Masterclass and discover how to build a portfolio that makes an art school think: “We want this student.”

Link to book in comments 👇

18/08/2026

I love hearing from past students and what they are up to...I've a few in the pipeline to share with you over the coming weeks.

This is a project that a student who went on to study at Abertay University on their BA (Hons) Computer Arts degree has been working on.

A short film "Drop Deadstream" with a team from Abertay University. As 3D Lead she handled a whole lot of style guidance, integration and troubleshooting, as well as creating custom systems for lip-syncing 2D sprites on a 3D model (and doing some modelling and animating of her own).

It's really important that you visit each University course to see how it compares to others of a similar vein. Abertay is quite a large course, lots of collaborative group projects and is at the centre of the gaming culture.

Check out this film below 👇

Join Drop Dead Gorgeous Chloe’s livestream where she discovers the ...

18/08/2026

Do you feel like the school curriculum is hampering your creativity? Join me on 31 Aug. 7pm online to find out how you can work alongside your school work to create a strong, personal, creative portfolio for success at art school.

Link to sign up for the session is on the comments 👇