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How to make a portfolio.
Basic tips from an Illustrator who doesn’t know everything. The extremely long thread I promised last night.
Basic tips from an Illustrator who doesn’t know everything. The extremely long thread I promised last night.
1) Look at the portfolios of the artists who do the kind of work you want to do. How do they present their folio? Because an animator will present differently to a graphic designer! The answers are out there, with people already doing it. Maybe it’s not a folio it’s a showreel!
2) Decide the folio's purpose. If it's to apply for work/projects or a school, what kind? Illustration? 3D concept work? Comics? If it's for fun perhaps it's to make you happy or remind you that you make lovely drawings.
2.2) For example if you want to work in comics drawing covers, consider having a piece or two that is “fanart” of easily recognisable characters. You have to prove to them you can draw the characters they give you.
2.3) But for instance if you’re selling DnD character pieces, make a DnD folio full of the kind of work people will expect to get if they buy a character from you.
2.4) Or even if all you want to do is get into fan zines, consider showing off your best fanart, the kind of work you’d make for a zine.
3) You can have multiple portfolios! (Or multiple tabs/pages in your folio) If you apply for both Character work, and Storyboarding work you’re going to want a folio for Characters and a folio for Storyboards.
3.2) But oppositely if you never apply for work in something, don’t add it to your folio. I don’t have a 3D page, because I don’t solicit 3D pro work. Even though I’m proud of myself for my 3D. Keep your folio nice and clear!
4) Decide how you want to collect the work. Maybe a slick personal website (consider your budget, I DO pay for mine but that’s not necessary) Premade templates are also fine so long as it looks nice! Some folk even just use a google docs folder! Whatever works.
4.2) Again consider looking at the professionals in your target field, what do they do. It clearly works. Do that!
4.3) If it’s just for personal happiness, a folder on your HDD titled portfolio will do. Or you can have a site if you like, or a special hashtag on your tumblr (outside a general art tag!) You're more free because you're not aiming for work. Be Free!
4.4) If it’s to apply for a school check that school’s guidelines carefully and ask your teachers for some help too!
4.5) It’s rare now but sometimes people may still want an in person portfolio. Similar ideas apply but consider the kind of book or folder you are using. You don’t always need an expensive folder, but make sure it's presented well, not messily. Act like the pro you want to be.
5) Pick your images. 10-15 pieces of work that suits the purpose of your folio. If you’re going for Illustration work you need illustrations, not fine art paintings, not character design. At uni I was told my portfolio had to BLEED Illustrator! (same for other disciplines)
5.2) Make yourself choose at least 10. Ask your friends, fellow artists, a teacher or trusted mentor if you feel stuck. Sometimes the picture we think is terrible is actually amazing, we just don’t see it that way.
5.3) If you have too many pieces, are you are saying the same thing multiple times? For instance I draw a lot of birds flying. I don’t need 5 pictures of birds flying to show a client I can draw them. One or two will do. (pick the best!)
5.4) Remember you’re trying to draw someone’s attention to the BEST of you. 10 punchy pieces will stand out far more than drowning someone in 50 pieces, even if they are 50 lovely pieces!
5.5) If you’re applying for a specific job, (or school etc) read their requirements carefully and tailor your folio to match. They may request a certain number of pieces, no more no less. They may wish to see certain skills. Make it easy, do it right.
5.6) DO NOT put an image in your folio if you never want to draw anything like that ever again. Clients have a way of sniffing out that picture and going “ooh that’s lovely, can you draw something like that”. Don’t do it to yourself!
5.7) Where possible title your image and name the project or client esp if commercial. "Book cover for Title" "Poster for Band" If your work is all “personal” you can also title it “Illustration of This from Thing”. Give context to your pictures.
6) For professional sites it’s often necessary to have an “about” page with an artist’s statement. We all hate doing this, you’re not alone. Again check out what other artists have done if you’re stuck.
6.2) For pro - also make sure there is a clear way of contacting you on your folio. It is an Art Director’s horror to find an artist they like and not know how to contact them. ADs are busy folk, they will likely find someone else. Make it foolproof.
7) Huzzah you have a folio! Have a party! Then sit back and consider your collection of work as a whole. This can help you plan your future art. e.g If you struggled to find 10 illustrations instead of character pieces, consider spending some time doing some more illustrations!
7.2) If you find your folio lacking, this is OK (and normal!) Analyse WHY and work to fix it in future art pieces. Don’t just berate yourself for not being “enough”. Use your folio to help you find direction!
8) Keep your folio updated, (the fun part!) I operate a one picture in, one picture out, strategy. Then if you have a picture you hate but put in there because some folks liked it, you can take great pleasure deleting it when you make a better one!
9) Remember you don’t HAVE to show anyone. This is not social media, it’s not about likes or virality. You could choose to have a private collection you only share when you’re applying for a job or showing your gran your best pictures.
10) Enjoy the fruits of your labour. If it’s a site perhaps share on twitter, or send to your groupchats. You’re the bomb. You have a folio and that’s amazing.
10.2) If you are a pro, or aspiring pro make sure your folio link is obvious in all your socials. If someone finds a cute sketch you did on twitter they may want to see more of you! Make it EASY for them. If you are not a pro, still consider linking your folio! Be proud!
Bonus) My first portfolio was a ring binder filled with plastic wallets and my best anime fanart. I was 10. I showed everyone.
Bonus 2) My first online portfolio I built the entire site by hand in code and it had an animated background of star sparkles (it was 2002.... And hosted on geocities.) I was very proud.
Bonus 3) You do NOT need to be a professional, or aspiring professional, to make a collection of your work to share. You do not need permission to take up space as an artist! Maybe your work is beginner level, it doesn’t mean it’s not worth sharing to people.
I think I covered everything, Portfolios according to Fiona. You may agree or disagree with my tips! Feel free to leave questions or ask for further clarification. Twitter’s character limit is not the best for trying to explain complex things!
Oh and here's my portfolio, since I've just rambled on about them so much. http://fionacreates.net
I probably break more than half of my own tips in my own folio. But ah well!