Here are 11 tips for presenting your art. When it comes to your portfolio, you’ll want to do everything you can to make your work look as good as possible. You’re going to want to get the best quality reproductions of your artwork as possible, and the best presentation possible on the pages of your book.
TIP: For a more economical approach, try our 5″ x 7″ Mini Portfolio for $6.99.
And here are tips for keeping costs low when printing your portfolio:
Use a photocopy machine at home or at school. You’ll get better quality than you would by having a book store or copy shop print them.
Create a graphite mark-up of each piece that needs compositing, and use that as a guide when laying out the pages in your book. Include crop marks (horizontal and vertical) so that each page is used efficiently. This will save you money in paper costs, and will result in a higher quality portfolio because there will be less retouching needed after printing.”
A portfolio is a collection of your work that you show to prospective clients. If you’re an artist and you’re not actively showing your portfolio, you’re losing business!
Here are some suggestions for the portfolio:
1. Make sure it includes your best work. People may only spend a few seconds looking at each piece, so make very sure that your best work is front-and-center.
2. Use a clear plastic binder with clear plastic sheets. This makes it easy for people to see your work.
3. Be sure all your contact info is readily available, including email address, phone number, and website address (if you have one).
4. Include an “executive summary” sheet that describes who you are and what kind of art you do in just a few sentences (using keywords).
5. Be sure to include any awards or accolades you’ve received for your art (if any).
6. Consider including a brief bio or resume that describes who you are and what kind of art you do (just a few sentences).
7. Don’t include any photos of yourself or information about yourself on the pages in the portfolio itself; keep that separate so the viewer’s attention stays focused on the art instead of being distracted
When you are putting together a portfolio of your own art, it is important that you do it correctly—both to give a good impression of who you are as an artist and to avoid raising any red flags among art directors. A well-made portfolio will get you more assignments and help you advance in your career, so it is worth the time and effort to make sure yours is done right.
1. When you present your art, give the viewers a sense of place. Where did you create it? What was the weather like? What time of day?
2. Give each piece a title or a number, or both.
3. Tell about the materials and techniques you used, and how you made them unique.
4. Explain what your art is about, or where your ideas came from.
5. Show lots of photos of your process and step-by-step instructions for creating new pieces with similar materials and techniques.
6. If possible, include a history of how the piece was created: what you were thinking while creating it, how long it took, and any interesting stories that happened along the way.
7. Embellish your presentation with photos of you creating the pieces: show that you are an artist in action!
8. Demonstrate that you are not just an artist but also a scholar: write about your art in detail so people can learn more about it.
9. Promote your art by giving out business cards, flyers, postcards, bookmarks and other items with information about your art on them.
1. Make sure your portfolio is current.
The best time to show off a portfolio is when it’s fresh. Make sure your portfolio has your most recent work in it, and that the pieces you choose are your best work.
A great way to refresh your portfolio is to add new work you’ve done since you’ve last shown it off.
Make sure the images are crisp and clear, since people will be looking at them onscreen–not to mention that no one wants to look at fuzzy images.
What does it mean to be a professional artist? It means to consistently create art that is recognized by patrons, critics and other artists. Here are tips on how to do just that.
1. Start small but dream big
Picasso started out as an artist who sold individual drawings in the streets of Barcelona. He didn’t have gallery representation or a marketing team. He was simply an artist who was very good at what he did.
2. Do your homework
The old saying, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” is a reminder of how important it is to study art history. The study of art history can help you connect with the work of other artists and understand how certain styles evolved into what they are today.
3. Be persistent
Picasso’s first painting sale was not until 1900, when he was 30 years old! He was able to keep working his trade even after becoming a father in 1901, and kept grinding out paintings until he finally got his big break in the Paris art scene in 1904. Remember that you don’t have to make it right away; just keep heading down your chosen path and building your reputation as an artist! 4. Study the masters
It takes courage to paint like a Picasso or Van
1. Ask yourself what you are trying to say. Are you trying to say something limited or are you attempting to define a new genre? If you are attempting to define a new genre, be sure that the message of your work is clear and concise.
Trying to cover too many ideas in one piece will confuse your viewers and result in the loss of a clear message.
2. Be innovative, but not overbearing.
Being different is good; however, being too different can turn people off to your work. It is important to recognize the difference between being innovative and being outlandish.
3. Promote an idea of form as well as content in your work.
It is important for viewers to understand your concept of content, but it is also essential for them to understand how this concept was created and executed in relation to form. This will help strengthen your credibility as an artist by showing the viewer that you are concerned with more than just making pretty pictures.*4.*4.*4.*4.*4.*4.*4
4. Allow every piece of art you create to be viewed from multiple perspectives. Remember that there are three main points of view from which all art can be viewed: aesthetics, psychology and philosophy.’5.’5.’5.’5