Building a portfolio

I've been asked quite a bit to talk about building a strong children's illustration portfolio. I noticed a couple of other blogs have touched on the subject so figured it would be a good time to discuss it as well. (Links to their blogs are at the end of this entry.)

If you've done your research , you don't need me to tell you what your portfolio should consist of. It would be easier to just tell you about my journey. After much studying I came up with 3 main points that I felt I needed to achieve :

*Create a signature style
I want the editor to know it's "me" when a sample lands on their desk so I worked on developing a consistent style that was recognizable.

*Create work that I truly enjoy (10-12 solid pieces)
After fighting with myself (spent a long time frustrated that I wasn't the next Norman Rockwell) I decided to embrace the whimsy that comes naturally to me. I'm allowing myself to create pieces that are naive and simple. It makes me happy. =o)
I've found my work appeals most to toddlers to 8 years old so I'm honing in on that.

*Project professionalism
Again this came down to doing my homework, going to scbwi meetings and spending money on promotion.  Initially hard for me to do because that meant that I had to believe in myself enough to validate the cost. But I found as soon as I started treating myself like an illustrator, work began to show up and editors started taking me seriously. As cliche as it sounds it's so true. You have to believe in yourself before anyone else will. You can rely on friends and family for that support only so far. Don't apologize for your work, EVER. Yet on the opposite end of the spectrum, overly boastful doesn't work either (heard this at a conference). I found simply owning who I am has worked the best, warts and all.

To be honest with you , I am so bored with the work I have in my portfolio right now and the pieces aren't that old! I'm sure it's because I've learned a lot this year and I'm moving to the "next level".
What am I learning?  Perspective and interaction.

At my last scbwi conference I had my first 'real' portfolio review. If you have an opportunity to do this, please go for it. It's scary and you feel vulnerable but it's so worth it. You may not agree with everything they say but try to absorb it with an open mind.  I've noticed the things that we become the most defensive about are actually the things we truly need to work on. The comment that affected me the most was that my work is too linear. My lines are too horizontal / vertical, not dynamic. Suggestion: Vary perspective.

Later on that same month, a well established illustration rep showed interest in my felt work. Her suggestions were similar. Work needs to be more dynamic, pieces are too presentational (where the characters are facing front too much). Many pieces show action but not as much interaction.

So I'm busily working on these two aspects, wish me luck!

Heather Powers of Humblearts just came back from a conference and shares her experience.  Go visit for a good read and some great insight!

Monica Lee is discussing the possibility of a group that can support eachother with building a strong portfolio(not just for the children's market). If this interests you, I'd recommend you post at her blog and let her know!

LAST WORD: Create several solid pieces that represent your heart and the work you want to be hired to do. But don't stop there. Our portfolios are never finished , It's ever evolving as we are so forget about trying to obtain that "happy ending" with your port. There's no such thing.

Happy illustrating!

Comments

[janee]

Thank goodness our portfolios AREN'T ever finished, what with our propensity for getting bored with a piece within hours of completing it. :-P

[wynlen]

Great to hear about your portfolio journey. I've read a lot about putting a portfolio together, and I'm about to do it now. I've done a lot of sketching. My old portfolio is full of pieces I don't like anymore, and they don't fit very well to the childrens book market, so I have to make a lot of new illustrations.

[Maggie]

I too have been working on a strong and unique illustrative style. I allow myself however to shift and flow each with each illustration. I find that as I do, more emotion come through in my work and can be seen as a link throughout my work. Thanks for sharing your helpful insight into this process.

[Don]

Hey Roz,

Thanks for visitin'. You are the second person to visit today who actually knew who Andrea is. Anyway, great post you have here. Good points and it reminds me I need to revamp my portfolio. Actually, I havent had one in years, so I need to create one!

All the best.
Don

[donna]

So glad that I read this, I have a portfolio critique next month and really needed to get focused! Thanks for passing on the great information :) Off to the drawing table....
Donna

[Maeflower]

Thank the publishing gods that you and your buddies exist! I can't tell you how helpful your combined posts are to aspiring illustrators such as myself. The best thing is, you write it in plain English! Imagine!
I'm hurriedly trying to get my minimum number of illo set in my portfolio (10-12) so I can post it on my website, therefore allowing me to send out promotional postcards with my website on them! Oh, there I go, getting ahead of myself again. haha, you rock, Roz!

[paula]

Hey Roz, I appreciate all you guys discussing your perspective on building a portfolio. Question: What do the experts you talk to say about using already published work? I don't see anyone speaking about that, yet I always thought that was important, as it demonstrated one's work in action, as well as a track record.

Just wondering.

[roz]

As far as I know, absolutely yes, show artwork that has been published if it's a strong piece that represents ones' style well. The majority of mine are pieces that are published. However, I have some published pieces that will never see the light of day again because I was so unhappy with the way they turned out.
=o)
Roz

[paula]

Uh huh...I hear ya. I, too, have got a slew of published stuff that "will never see the light of day", as you said.

So, yes, published client work is a good thing. The bonus, as I said before, is not only will it display your style, but demonstrate you can be taken seriously, I guess is one way to say it. Someone hired you and published your piece. You were able to meet the obligations that went along with that. Hence it's good to take on some jobs (whatever jobs) to show your ability to meet client needs.

[roz]

That is such a good point, Paula, about taking jobs that aren't necessarily all that great of pay or name credit. But their value is in the experience! It's a process and each job is a stepping stone from one level to the next.