What should an illustration portfolio look like

This is because when you are showing something that is going to be judged you want to go there with the best option that you have got. Clients will always choose the designers that impress them and if you want to have big chances the best option is to play your best hand. It is probably better to avoid this type of situations and the best way to do it is by not putting this type of designs in your illustration portfolio.

Ping is based in Brooklyn and has illustrated for clients big and small. Her work has been recognized by fancy institutions as well as her parents. Laying on a sun-baked rock near a body of water is a good feeling. Deshi Deng pronounced: deh-shee deng is a Canadian illustrator based in Toronto, Ontario.

These observations are often given new life through illustrations, comics, or animations. Nate Kitch is an award-winning UK illustrator who works using a mix of pattern, collage, mark-making, photos and textures, and whose clients include Tate, Wired, The Guardian and New Scientist.

Based in London, he creates concept-led images and type compositions for a diverse collection of personal and commercial projects. Since , Alvaro has worked as Art Director in design projects and as Film Editor and Post-producer in audiovisual projects. Cressida Djambov is an illustrator and artist based in London who specialises in portraits and hand-drawn type. With a passion for tactile processes, her confidence spans many media.

An Artist, Illustrator, Drawer. Nayeon is an illustrator who is engaged in conceptual thinking to create visual stories and design for commercial applications. She wants to share her experiences, perspectives, and beliefs with you — and wishes you could find connections through her visuals. Jan Bowman is an architect-trained artist, author and illustrator. Originally from Scotland via Canada and now based in London.

Marne Grahlman, a freelance illustrator from a small woodsy town and currently inhabit the city of Toronto, Canada. Add a personal touch like where you live, hobbies, etc. Remember this is not your LinkedIn profile, you can be more personable. Your view of the world informs who you are as an artist. Use your words to paint a picture of who you are. Be authentic and concise to express who you are as an illustrator.

If you know someone who is a good writer ask them to compose it for you. You can exchange the favor with your work, for example create a logo for them, provide images for one of their projects, etc. Look at the sites of your favorite illustrators and see how they talk about themselves. Imagine how you want to be seen by your clients and present yourself in that way.

Credit: Mike Thompson. Aim for clean, gallery-style site that is easy to navigate. One way of presenting is to have thumbnails of your pieces which can be enlarged. When creating this ensure that your thumbnails create a pleasing collage on the landing page. This illustrates that you have attention to detail, are professional, and have visual skills that permeate everything you do.

Create visually appealing thumbnails that showcase your style for your image gallery. Credit: Yancke. Ensure your contact information is easily accessible. Include your email address and links to social media sites.

Contact forms can be frustrating for someone trying to contact you as there is no way of knowing where the message went.

You want any potential clients to be able to contact you easily and confidently. Social media sites are a great way to display your work. They can act as your actual digital illustration portfolio or as an enhancement to your primary site. They are easily accessible by everyone at any time by the ubiquitous cell phone.

Instagram is the social media site of choice for artists. With a subscription of 1. Because of its chronological nature, Instagram shows the progression of your work and tells the story of your career.

Facebook is also a favorite for illustrators, it extends your social media presence, operates on a linear basis and can be linked to Instagram for easy posting. Here are some tips on how to maximise that opportunity. Freelance illustrators without an established online presence are all but invisible to potential clients. Creating a professional gallery that displays your best work in an organised, attractive layout and makes it easy for prospective clients to get in touch is vital for launching a successful illustration career.

Ensure that you:. Prospective clients only want to see your best work and with limited time to review multiple portfolios, less is definitely more when it comes to building a strong body of work.

These websites allow artists to display their design work in an organized and professional manner by creating a profile. Here are some of the popular ones:. Your style gets different, your way of working, and the outcome becomes different. Displaying everything will confuse them and may reduce the chances of closing the client. Instead, focus on your best pieces, and include a description of the work along with it. Explain your process of working, the challenges you faced, how you overcame them, and even client testimonials.

That will build trust and credibility because, along with your work, now they know about your backend process too. Having an unorganized and cluttered portfolio is not the kind of first impression you want to make on a prospective client.

Wherever you host your portfolio, be it your website or a third party website like Behance, make sure you organize your work neatly. You can even categorize them as per industry or any other measure you deem fit and which might help the client navigate through your portfolio. The quality of your portfolio matters as much as the work displayed in it, so spend time neatly stacking your portfolio.

Ultimately, clients always go for the option which impresses them the most. Mostly your portfolio will do that, but why leave anything behind?

Make the process easier for them by organizing your work.