A sustained investigation is a focused, inquiry-driven body of work: you start with a clear question or inquiry, then over time you repeatedly practice, experiment, and revise materials, processes, and ideas so the work shows development and synthesis. For AP portfolios that means 15 images that together visually document that process, plus written responses that (1) identify your inquiry and (2) describe how practice, experimentation, and revision moved the investigation forward (600 characters each). That’s different from “making a bunch of art” because random pieces don’t show a single guiding question, iterative development, or visual evidence of synthesis and growing skill. Judges look for coherence, process documentation (not just finished pieces), and evidence that your inquiry actually guided decisions. For tips and scoring details see the Topic 4.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-studio-art/unit-4/exam-score-makeup/study-guide/Z85Am2BNssbHriPdnG6h). For more practice and examples, check Fiveable’s practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-studio-art).

Write with specifics—not vague summaries. Start your 600-character inquiry as a clear question or focused statement (the CED calls it an inquiry), then in the 600-character description answer: what you tried (practice), what you tested (experimentation), and what you changed (revision). Use concrete verbs: painted, layered, stitched, reworked, adjusted scale, mixed pigments, changed composition. Tie each short phrase to images in your 15 photos so readers can see the evidence. Vary sentence length and use bullets or commas (you have 600 characters, not full essay) to avoid repetition. Example snippet: “Inquiry: How can fragmenting portraits reveal memory? Through repeated charcoal studies, photo collages, and three compositional revisions I shifted scale, eroded edges, and introduced transparency to suggest fading.” Want more examples and practice prompts? Check the Topic 4 study guide on Fiveable (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-studio-art/unit-4/exam-score-makeup/study-guide/Z85Am2BNssbHriPdnG6h) and try practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-studio-art).

Practice, experimentation, and revision are three distinct parts of the sustained investigation you must show in both images and writing (you’ll answer Writing Prompt 2 about this). - Practice = repeated use of the same materials, processes, or ideas to build skill and push an idea further (lots of sketches, iterations, or rehearsals). It shows steady development and improved 2-D/3-D/drawing skills. - Experimentation = testing different materials, processes, or concepts to discover new possibilities (trying new papers, combining media, changing scale or color). It’s about exploration and discovery guided by your inquiry. - Revision = intentional changes you make to existing works or concepts to clarify, reimagine, or strengthen your investigation (redrawing, reworking composition, altering materials based on discoveries). Revision connects practice and experimentation to the final work. For the portfolio, include process photos and notes that clearly link these three stages to your inquiry across your 15 sustained-investigation images. For more guidance, check the Topic 4.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-studio-art/unit-4/exam-score-makeup/study-guide/Z85Am2BNssbHriPdnG6h) and other unit resources (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-studio-art/unit-4). For extra practice problems, see (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-studio-art).

Synthesis means materials, processes, and ideas visibly working together so the viewer sees concept AND method as one integrated whole. In real work that looks like: a series of mixed-media panels where layered photo transfers (materials) are sanded and repainted (processes) to explore memory and erosion (idea); a ceramic installation using altered clay forms (material), slip-casting plus hand-carving (process), addressing containment and release (idea); or a drawing series where charcoal washes, embroidery, and collage (materials) are combined with repeated reworking and erasure (processes) to investigate fragmentation (idea). For AP: your Selected Works must show synthesis clearly across five works, and your Sustained Investigation images (15) should document practice, experimentation, and revision that leads to that synthesis (see rubric criteria and requirements in the CED). For targeted strategies and examples, check the Topic 4.1 study guide on Fiveable (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-studio-art/unit-4/exam-score-makeup/study-guide/Z85Am2BNssbHriPdnG6h) and try practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-studio-art).

You don’t need a fixed number of “finished” pieces—you need 15 images total for the Sustained Investigation that, taken together, show clear visual connections guided by your inquiry. Those 15 images can be finished works, process shots, details, or different views, but the preponderance of visual evidence across all 15 should demonstrate practice, experimentation, and revision and show synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas (per the rubric). Think of the 15 images as a narrative: include repeated motifs, material experiments, revisions of the same idea, and process documentation so the inquiry is visually obvious. Review the Sustained Investigation rubric and examples in the CED and Fiveable study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-studio-art/unit-4/exam-score-makeup/study-guide/Z85Am2BNssbHriPdnG6h) to plan which images best show development. For extra practice, try portfolio-style problems at (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-studio-art).

Short answer: there’s no single “right” material—use whatever lets you investigate your inquiry deeply and show practice, experimentation, revision, synthesis, and strong 2-D/3-D/drawing skill. The CED explicitly says any original materials and processes are allowed as long as you demonstrate development over time. Practical picks: - Choose a focused set (but varied) materials you can push: e.g., ink + collage + digital editing for 2-D, clay + mixed media for 3-D, graphite + ink washes for drawing. - Use materials that allow repeated trials and visible revisions so your process images show experimentation and development. - Include clear process documentation photos (you need 15 Sustained Investigation images) and note materials/processes/digital tools for each image. - Don’t use generative AI; record any digital edits per AP rules. For strategy and examples, check the Topic 4.1 study guide on Fiveable (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-studio-art/unit-4/exam-score-makeup/study-guide/Z85Am2BNssbHriPdnG6h) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-studio-art).

Think of your inquiry as the question that steers every decision you make—materials you try, marks you repeat, and changes you choose. Start with a clear inquiry (what you’ll identify in the 600-character prompt). Then: - Turn it into actions: list 3–5 experiments (materials, scale, techniques) you’ll test to explore the question. - Practice repeatedly: make many small studies, not just finished pieces, to build skill and variations. - Revise intentionally: pick a study, change one variable (color, surface, scale), document the result, and repeat. - Document with images that show progression (you need 15 images total for Sustained Investigation) and write how each stage answers or reshapes your inquiry (the second 600-character prompt). - When selecting images, include process shots that prove experimentation and revisions and final works that show synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas. For step-by-step examples and scoring guidance, check the Topic 4.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-studio-art/unit-4/exam-score-makeup/study-guide/Z85Am2BNssbHriPdnG6h). Want practice prompts and sample progressions? Try Fiveable’s practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-studio-art).

“Good” (proficient) vs. “advanced” 2-D skills on the rubric comes down to consistency, control, complexity, and how your skills push your inquiry. Good means several works show competent use of 2-D elements (line, value, color, composition, figure/ground, etc.) and clear technical control. Advanced means your work shows highly developed, deliberate choices across many pieces: sophisticated handling of value/color/space, complex compositions, confident mark-making, and purposeful manipulation of elements to support ideas. Use the decision rules: the Sustained Investigation row D looks for some works with good skills (score 2), some with advanced skills (score 3), and a range from good to advanced across the set for the highest points. Show process images, repeated practice, and revisions that demonstrate growth and intentional refinement of technique. Remember portfolio requirements (15 images for Sustained Investigation; 5 for Selected Works) and make sure your strongest technical evidence is visible in those images. For concrete examples and practice, check the topic study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-studio-art/unit-4/exam-score-makeup/study-guide/Z85Am2BNssbHriPdnG6h) and the practice set (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-studio-art).

Written evidence = the words you submit (the two 600-character prompts for the Sustained Investigation). It must identify a true inquiry (a question or investigation, not just a topic) and describe how your investigation developed through practice, experimentation, and revision. Scorers read this to judge Skill 3.A/3.B and to decide whether your inquiry actually guided your making. Visual evidence = the 15 images you upload (works, process shots, details). Visuals must show the actual practice, experimentation, and revision, plus synthesis of materials/processes/ideas and 2-D/3-D/drawing skills (Skills 2.B, 2.C, 2.D). Scorers look for concrete visual links to your written inquiry—repeated trials, altered versions, process photos, material tests, and final works that show development. Key scoring fact: written and visual are judged separately but must relate. If your writing names an inquiry but visuals don’t demonstrate it, your score for the written row will be limited. For more rubric walk-throughs and examples, see the Topic 4.1 study guide on Fiveable (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-studio-art/unit-4/exam-score-makeup/study-guide/Z85Am2BNssbHriPdnG6h) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-studio-art).

Yes—you can absolutely use digital art and photography in your Sustained Investigation. The CED explicitly allows “graphic design, digital imaging, photography” and still images from video; digital/virtual work should list the intended display size (see the Sustained Investigation requirements). For every image you submit you must fill the Digital Tools field, identify materials/processes, and provide image citation. Make sure the work is your original creation, document practice/experimentation/revision visually and in writing, and don’t use generative AI at any stage (embedded AI features are prohibited). You may also edit photos to accurately represent finished work, but edits should clarify—not alter—your creative choices. For how digital pieces fit each portfolio type and exact submission rules, see the Topic 4.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-studio-art/unit-4/exam-score-makeup/study-guide/Z85Am2BNssbHriPdnG6h) and the unit overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-studio-art/unit-4). For practice, check the AP Studio Art practice bank (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-studio-art).

Experimentation doesn’t have to look “messy”—it needs to show intentional testing of materials, processes, and ideas. Do focused, controlled experiments: make small studies (thumbnails, 4–6 variation grids) where you change one variable at a time (color, scale, surface, technique). Photograph each stage and include clear process images that show progression (practice → experiment → revision). Use annotated notes or short captions to point out what you learned and how you revised (these feed your 600-character description of development). For finished pieces, refine composition/edges so they read as resolved while keeping nearby process images that reveal your experimentation. When you select your 15 images, sequence them to show inquiry-driven development and synthesis of materials/processes/ideas (this targets Rows B and C of the Sustained Investigation rubric). For examples and tips on sequencing and documentation, check the Topic 4 study guide on Fiveable (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-studio-art/unit-4/exam-score-makeup/study-guide/Z85Am2BNssbHriPdnG6h) and try practice prompts at (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-studio-art).

A good AP inquiry is a clear, open-ended question that guides investigation over time—not just a topic label. It should invite discovery, experimentation, and revision (so you can show practice, experimentation, and revision visually and in writing). Aim for: 1) specific focus (e.g., “How can surface texture convey memory in mixed media?”), 2) openness to multiple materials/processes, and 3) obvious ties to visual outcomes you can document across 15 images. Your written inquiry (600 characters) must describe questioning and exploration (a theme alone won’t score). Make sure your images show development guided by that question—sketches, trials, reworked pieces, and final works that synthesize materials/processes/ideas. Need examples and practice? Check the Topic 4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-studio-art/unit-4/exam-score-makeup/study-guide/Z85Am2BNssbHriPdnG6h), the unit overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-studio-art/unit-4), and thousands of practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-studio-art) on Fiveable.

“Visual relationships” means obvious connections between the visual components across your works—how materials, processes, ideas, elements (color, line, texture, scale, composition) and principles (repetition, contrast, unity, hierarchy) relate so viewers see a coherent investigation. In the Sustained Investigation, graders look for these connections as evidence of synthesis (Row C) and development over time (Row B). How to create them: - Pick 2–4 repeating elements (a motif, color palette, mark-making, or material) and use them in multiple pieces. - Show process images that track experiments and revisions using the same processes/materials. - Vary scale, format, or context while keeping an anchoring feature (e.g., same motif in painting, print, and photo). - Sequence images to show progression: early experiments → refined works → final pieces. - In your written prompts, name the inquiry and point out the visual relationships so reviewers see synthesis. Remember you submit 15 images for Sustained Investigation—use some to document practice/experimentation and some final works. For examples and tips, check the Fiveable Topic 4.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-studio-art/unit-4/exam-score-makeup/study-guide/Z85Am2BNssbHriPdnG6h) and try practice prompts (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-studio-art).

Keep each image-level description short and specific because the AP Digital Portfolio enforces character limits. For every of your 15 Sustained Investigation images you must enter: - Materials used—100 characters max - Processes used—100 characters max - Digital tools—100 characters max - Image citation—100 characters max - Size (HxWxD in inches) or “N/A” for process/detail shots Separately, the two long prompts for the whole investigation are 600 characters each: one to identify your inquiry and one to describe how practice, experimentation, and revision developed the investigation. Use those 600-character responses to explain development and connect images to your inquiry—the short image descriptions should just label specifics (e.g., “oil on canvas; gesso underpainting; palette knife”) that support the visual evidence the rubric scores. For more guidance and examples, see the Topic 4.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-studio-art/unit-4/exam-score-makeup/study-guide/Z85Am2BNssbHriPdnG6h) and practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-studio-art).

You need to document both process AND final pieces. The Sustained Investigation requires 15 images total that show sustained investigation through practice, experimentation, and revision—that means finished works plus process documentation (sketches, tests, detail shots, photos of stages) that together demonstrate development of your inquiry. You also must write a 600-character inquiry statement and a 600-character description of how your investigation developed through practice, experimentation, and revision. For process/detail images you can enter "N/A" for size. Remember the Selected Works section is separate (five final works). Use your 15 images and writing to make the inquiry and the practice–experiment–revise arc obvious to the reader. For more guidance see the Topic 4.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-studio-art/unit-4/exam-score-makeup/study-guide/Z85Am2BNssbHriPdnG6h) and practice problems on Fiveable (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-studio-art).