Creating your own portfolio can seem like a daunting task. You might have that squirmy feeling in your belly that comes from having to assess the entirety of your work and decide what art to include. Even after two or four years of college, or even years in the field, most artists have not learned the necessary skills to pick the right work for their portfolio. Some believe it is impossible to create a portfolio on their own, that the task is so large it requires the aid of a gallery or museum. While these are valid concerns, you should not let them stop you. Like cleaning out that junky back room, putting together your portfolio is not nearly as scary as it seems. With a few simple steps and a close analysis of what makes an art portfolio effective, you'll be all set to make your own eye-catching and dynamic portfolio.
So what is the portfolio? The word portfolio comes from the French ''porte folio'' which literally means ''page carrier.'' Basically a portfolio is something that you carry around all of your pages in. That's not so intimidating, right? Your average print portfolio is about the same size as a sheet of newspaper, but that doesn't mean the stuff inside your portfolio has to fill an entire newspaper-sized page. As for what's inside, there are no rules for that either. You can have photographs, paintings, drawings, computer-designed images, collages, or even architectural sketches. Nor do you have to use an identical container for your work to what everyone else is using. Because we are in the digital age, your portfolio doesn't even have to be printed. You can scan in your art, like your photographs, color correct and optimize them in Photoshop, and then export them as PDF, JPEG, or other appropriate file formats. However, if you create a digital portfolio, you'll still want to have a printed one on hand, since many employers prefer a traditional medium. Whatever way you do it, there's nothing stopping you from making your own portfolio. No matter what your inhibitions are, you are the number-one expert on your own work.
Like a resume, and in a sense your portfolio is your artistic resume, it's not a bad idea to create different portfolios that highlight different aspects of your art skills. For example, you may want to create one black-and-white portfolio highlighting your black-and-white photography, another highlighting your color photographs, a graphic design portfolio, and even one to showcase your painting.
In designing a portfolio it is essential to think about your audience. ''Audience'' does not necessarily mean hundreds or thousands of people; it can just as easily be one person or only a few people, especially when you are applying for a job. However large or small your audience, you need to think about who the portfolio is aimed at impressing. Ask yourself: what images is my audience most interested in? Are there any images that it would be better for me to leave out? Is my work addressing a particular audience, or do some of my prints and photographs address multiple audiences? What reaction do I want my audience have? Maybe you want to challenge them, surprise them, or remind them of the nostalgia of childhood. Remember that your portfolio is being received by an audience. Think of that audience when you are selecting and arranging your art work.
Once you have a good idea of what work you want to include, it's important to get down to the nuts and bolts of putting the thing together. Your portfolio is more than simply a flip-book of your work. You also have the chance to talk about your process and give a few details about the creative origins of each image. The key is to make sure your portfolio is professional looking. Your portfolio should include a title page listing the photos, a cover offering an image that represents what's inside, photograph thumbnails, an elegant case, an artist's statement, and even a CD of selected music for your audience to listen to as they page through your work.
You also want to be careful not to include too many images, as it can overwhelm your audience and make you appear indecisive. A good rule of thumb is to have between 12 and 25 images in your portfolio, especially if you are showing it to a gallery. Also, be careful not to fall into the trap of becoming stymied because you believe that the portfolio must showcase only your absolute best work. Again it's a good idea to think of the portfolio as being like a visual resume, and focus on including things that will speak directly to the position you are applying for (or the place where your work is most likely to be displayed).
You'll know you're done with your portfolio when you decide to present it to your audience. When it's done, it's done-don't succumb to the temptation to go back and revise and revisit the same portfolio again and again. You can always make a new one, or many new ones, as you expand your skills. While creating your own portfolio can seem frightening at first, with these simple steps and little bit of moxie you'll be ready to put your art portfolio out there and present it in the best possible light.
