I have yet to find the perfect Digital Portfolio app that I think I would use exclusively in a Visual Arts class. Some apps can be used as graphic portfolios or as beautiful sketchbooks, others are great at sharing. Not all of the apps available are great at all of these things. I have spent a heap of time trying to find one and would be more than happy for someone to send me the name of one they are using successfully. Having said that the following are apps that I would consider using;
Evernote: FREE
Evernote is an easy-to-use, free app that helps you remember everything across all of the devices you use. Stay organized, save your ideas and improve productivity. Evernote lets you take notes, capture photos, create to-do lists, record voice reminders--and makes these notes completely searchable, whether you are at home, at work, or on the go.
http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/evernote/id281796108?mt=8
Paper: FREE
Paper is an easy and beautiful way to create on iPad. Capture your ideas as sketches, diagrams, illustrations, notes or drawings and share them across the web. Paper was designed from the ground up for touch and creating on the go. No fussy buttons, settings or other distractions. Paper works the way you think, like a familiar notebook or journal. Have all of your ideas with you in one place.
http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/paper-by-fiftythree/id506003812?mt=8
Three Ring: FREE
Three Ring is a fast, flexible, and simple way to organize and present your students' real world work, from handwritten assignments to classroom presentations. Unleash the power and the flexibility of digital tools, without sacrificing the important work your students do in non-digital formats. Rescue student work from the bottom of backpacks, trashcans, and filing cabinets and have it at your fingertips.
http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/three-ring/id504311049?mt=8
Coolibah: FREE
Coolibah is a digital scrapbooking app that could just as easily be used to present student's work as a digital portfolio. The features include: creating your own layouts using unlimited photos, elements, frames and text. You can move, size, and rotate photos, elements and frames anywhere on your layout. More importantly it has layout export for sharing online, texting and emailing
http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/coolibah-digital-scrapbooking/id325079858?mt=8
Voicethread: FREE
VoiceThread is already in use by architects, executives, kindergartners, professors, and engineers around the world. More than 25% of the top Universities in the U.S. use VoiceThread to connect and communicate around digital media. Create and share conversations about documents, snapshots, diagrams and videos - basically anything there is to talk about. You can talk, type, and draw right on the screen.
http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/voicethread/id465159110?mt=8
Minimal Folio: $2.99 AU
Minimal Folio is the easiest way to present your portfolio of images, video and pdf on your iPad. The app is unbranded so your folio does the talking. Minimal Folio allows you to copy and paste between folios or apps. It also allows Cloud sync to multiple devices with Dropbox as well as the ability to transfer files with iTunes. Settings in the app enable video scrubbing, sync options and more.
http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/minimal-folio-design-photo/id385429744?mt=8