World Illustration Awards: Put Your Best Foot Forward

Put Your Best Foot Forward: Industry Advice for Assembling your Portfolio.

First impressions are everything, and the way an artist compiles their work is no exception. With more than 40 years in the industry, the team at Workbook has seen what has and hasn’t worked. 

Before you hit the reset button on your portfolio for the new year, Workbook Client Rep Mary Preussel and Social Media Director Thomas James offer some Do’s and Don’ts to consider:

DO: Know Your Audience
Mary says, “Remember who your audience is. Be able to edit your portfolio to fit your creative viewer’s needs (share more food illustration for creative viewers who have Food Accounts, more people/lifestyle imagery for those who have Accounts that are more lifestyle-oriented, etc.).”

DON’T: Make it Hard to Find
Thomas suggests thinking about your online user experience and get them to your artwork ASAP. “You should remove any extra steps that might be required for an Art Director to get to your portfolio or view your work on your website. Independent steps may not be a deal breaker, but they can add up quickly and ask too much of your visitor’s patience. “

DON’T: Lose Your Voice
“Share your ‘commissions’ in a group at the end of your portfolio and only if you feel the need to prove you have been hired for your illustration,” says Mary. “It is more important to show imagery that resonates with your creativity. Create pieces in your style that shows where you want to go; not where you have been.”

DO: Think ‘stronger’ not ‘bigger’
Thomas offers a new way of looking at your work: “If you’ve just completed a new Illustration that you’re really proud of and want to include in your portfolio, chances are you would normally just add it to the mix. Instead, try to determine if there is another, lesser Illustration that you could replace with the new one, thereby strengthening the overall impression you make. By repeating this step with each new portfolio-worthy piece, you will constantly be weeding out the least impressive work and adding a newer Illustration that makes a real impact.”

Workbook are supporting the World Illustration Awards 2019.

Entries are open until 31 January 2019.

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