How to Make an Artwork Portfolio

Artists can create a professional portfolio to show.

A great artwork portfolio can be a big factor in helping you get a job in the art industry or entice people to purchase your work. A digital portfolio and hand portfolio are two ways to represent your work in different settings. Digital portfolios can be seen online or made into a CD, and a hand portfolio can be viewed in person.

Things You'll Need

• Portfolio
• CD
• Graphics software

Instructions

1. Gather your best pieces to appeal to a prospective employer. Find about 20 pieces or fewer. You don’t want a portfolio with too many pieces because the employer could be overwhelmed. Display artwork in your portfolio that showcases who you are as an artist. Your portfolio should showcase your techniques, skills, strengths, and versatility. A good portfolio should provide a clear vision to viewers of what you are trying to convey.

2. Purchase a nice art portfolio. These portfolios can be found in various craft stores. Have a portfolio that is big enough to fit all of the work that you want to showcase. Have a portfolio that looks professional and place your art pieces inside it.

3. Create a digital portfolio. You can scan the pieces or use a digital camera and take pictures of your work. This will allow you to be able to send your portfolio to different people and employers online. It saves printing costs, and it is a quick way to send your work to employers in different cities. Some employers like seeing digital portfolio, and these portfolios can be made into a CD. A digital portfolio helps show your computer design skills as well.

4. Use graphics software and upload your artwork. You can use Microsoft Word, InDesign, or Illustrator. After you upload your artwork, create pages and place images on each page. Add descriptions of your individual pieces to each page. Save the pages in a PDF format for viewing.

5. Ask a professional or friend to view your portfolio before submitting it to any potential employer or buyer. These people can give you suggestions to make sure your portfolio looks ideal. They can give you insight on how others will view your portfolio.

6. Choose from your publishing options. To publish your portfolio online for the public to view it, you can create a website or upload the portfolio of your work to other online services.

References

• Artist Portfolio Guidelines
• How to: Build a Great Art or Design Portfolio
• Digital Art and Design Site: Diane Cipollo