There is a picture I made in my portfolio of a Crocodile character that I really love, The character is a powerful monster, but meek and likeable, gentle and awkward. I think I love it because there is so much packed into the image.
I have a collection of images that I keep in a folder called subject, these are images that I would like to do a version of, and the consists of a lot of the standard things that a picture book illustrator would need to draw. Parties, classes, museums, nature scenes.Maybe I’ll try combining a bunch of them into single images.
One thing that I think is super important about our portfolios in the digital age, is it needs to be easily accessible in all times. You can get to mine through all my social media and even my email signature.
A question i have about portfolios is: What are the objective qualities in a portfolio that makes editors or art directors notice?
Hi, I'm Ren! I'm a digital artist/illustrator with a focus on ecology, the environment, and earth activism.
This is reminding me that I made some edits to a page on my portfolio site which then made the mobile version of the page wonky and I never went back to fix it....like 4 months ago...yikes.
Putting that on the to do list!
My favorite thing is actually an illustrated pattern that I don't actually think is finished or something that would ever be licensed by a company. It's from a collection where I connect the myth of Persephone to the current climate crisis, and in the specific pattern, explore the ancestors of Persephone (meaning, similar goddesses that are connected to her from prior times) and the religious figures that seem as though they are descended from her. It's really different than the current work I'm doing for what I'm working on right now. But out of what's in my current portfolio, it stands out to me the most.
For what I'd like to add to it, I actually initiated the project I'm working on now with this question in mind - what type of illustration work would I like to do, and what would it look like if I were to give myself "briefs" to work with? I've had to learn a lot about illustrating scenes, perspective, and such along the way, but I'm really enjoying the framework around this project.
Question 1: Would you say most people stick to digital portfolios these days? Is it still common practice to send out printed iterations of portfolios, or postcards?
Question 2: I know the work should speak for itself. But there's also a lot of story/science/current events in my work. Do you think that text should be a part of a portfolio? If so, would you keep it minimal or do you think a 1-2 short paragraph description is helpful?
Thanks Adam for these thought-provoking questions!
Hi everyone! I'm Sophie Benmouyal, a children's book illustration from Montreal, Canada. (I used to work on all kind of illustrations gigs. Now I want to commit to children's books.)
The question is interesting. I'm beginning my 4th year as a freelance illustrator. But I'm a full-time illustrator since the end of last year. Before that, I was also working as a freelance graphic designer.
For the 2 to 3 first years of my illustration career, I was searching for my style. I tried several approach. My portfolio showed different kind of clients' work. Last year, I began to understand where I want to go and to commit to it. I changed the way I saw my portfolio and what I showed in it (I think I was also quitting my "graphic designer" way of thinking. At the moment, I'm trying to add more of what I like. I don't show all of my client's work anymore. Just the type of illustration I want to do again. There's also a lot of personal work.
Since I like to explore a lot of techniques, I now use my online portfolio as a way to remember where I want to go and how I want to draw things. An exercise I want to do eventually is to print some of my favorite work, paste it into a notebook and write beside each image what I like.
So I think that my favourite thing in my portfolio is my most recent actually. It feels like something has actually clicked with the way that I work. My intuitive nature with the brushes I pick has set in and I feel that maybe my style is cementing itself more maybe?! I always thinking about something that Riley said, when looking at work would you recognise who it was by without their name being on there and this is something that I am aiming for.. whether I am there or not remains to be seen but definitely a goal!
Wonderful topic! Something I’m going to have to learn more about. I’m just a dance teacher turned illustrator childrens book author, still trying to get my bearings. I’d love any advice at all! Thanks! Love your posts!
💼 My favorite thing in my portfolio is my ghost forest and flower spreads. I had fun playing with negative space to indicate the ghost. I've also been experimenting with brayers and acrylic ink, and I love how the trees turned out. I also like the energy the small splatters of paint created in the flower piece.
🕳 I would like to add even more outdoor scenes using the same techniques. I enjoyed both the process and the way it looks :)
👋 How can I learn to better evaluate my own work? How do I manage creating picture book dummies, art for social media, experimentations, and portfolio worthy pieces?
💼 I think my current favourite (it changes all the time) is an illustrative representation of a special group of friends; it's the three of sitting on one friend's sofa, which is our 'safe space' where we talk about so many different things. It's not a literal representation of us or the space, as there are lots of additional or changed details, but the emotional response it elicited in my friends was so powerful to me and the level of response I'd love to elicit from strangers in times to come. [all that said, no idea if it's the technically best piece or one that would be in any way appreciated by art directors!]
🕳 I am feeling quite good about my portfolio and that it has enough of the kind of work I'm looking to get. I think it could usefully have more children and work that would be suited to children's publishing, but I also think I'm fine to concentrate more on the grown-ups for the moment.
👋 I am constantly wavering between whether to just have the single page with all work on, or separate categories. Currently I have nine categories and the front page has a selection from all of them. I hear points for doing it both ways. I feel like I may be leaning more toward a single page again and keeping it much more curated. But then, what do you do with the old stuff? Keep it on a non-public page, or just on your desktop? Put all work beyond a certain age on stock sites? Something else?
I would love for you to check it out and give me any feedback you might have.
Long story short, I’m self taught and fairly new. My passion found me at 38 and i’ll be celebrating 3 years in this field soon. So far i’ve illustrated 2 books that will be released in 2023. I’m actively looking to be represented by an agency, in fact I got everything set up and started sending my portfolio out this last week. 😬
• my favorite thing about my portfolio is that i think it covers the things that should be in a children’s book portfolio, for example: diversity, different body types, animals, classrooms, friendships etc.
•I would like to add more cute, delightful, playful illustrations to it.
Can I reserve my question about portfolios till after your feedback?
Hi I’m Adam, picturebook illustrator.
There is a picture I made in my portfolio of a Crocodile character that I really love, The character is a powerful monster, but meek and likeable, gentle and awkward. I think I love it because there is so much packed into the image.
I have a collection of images that I keep in a folder called subject, these are images that I would like to do a version of, and the consists of a lot of the standard things that a picture book illustrator would need to draw. Parties, classes, museums, nature scenes.Maybe I’ll try combining a bunch of them into single images.
One thing that I think is super important about our portfolios in the digital age, is it needs to be easily accessible in all times. You can get to mine through all my social media and even my email signature.
A question i have about portfolios is: What are the objective qualities in a portfolio that makes editors or art directors notice?
Hi, I'm Ren! I'm a digital artist/illustrator with a focus on ecology, the environment, and earth activism.
This is reminding me that I made some edits to a page on my portfolio site which then made the mobile version of the page wonky and I never went back to fix it....like 4 months ago...yikes.
Putting that on the to do list!
My favorite thing is actually an illustrated pattern that I don't actually think is finished or something that would ever be licensed by a company. It's from a collection where I connect the myth of Persephone to the current climate crisis, and in the specific pattern, explore the ancestors of Persephone (meaning, similar goddesses that are connected to her from prior times) and the religious figures that seem as though they are descended from her. It's really different than the current work I'm doing for what I'm working on right now. But out of what's in my current portfolio, it stands out to me the most.
For what I'd like to add to it, I actually initiated the project I'm working on now with this question in mind - what type of illustration work would I like to do, and what would it look like if I were to give myself "briefs" to work with? I've had to learn a lot about illustrating scenes, perspective, and such along the way, but I'm really enjoying the framework around this project.
Question 1: Would you say most people stick to digital portfolios these days? Is it still common practice to send out printed iterations of portfolios, or postcards?
Question 2: I know the work should speak for itself. But there's also a lot of story/science/current events in my work. Do you think that text should be a part of a portfolio? If so, would you keep it minimal or do you think a 1-2 short paragraph description is helpful?
Thanks Adam for these thought-provoking questions!
Hi everyone! I'm Sophie Benmouyal, a children's book illustration from Montreal, Canada. (I used to work on all kind of illustrations gigs. Now I want to commit to children's books.)
The question is interesting. I'm beginning my 4th year as a freelance illustrator. But I'm a full-time illustrator since the end of last year. Before that, I was also working as a freelance graphic designer.
For the 2 to 3 first years of my illustration career, I was searching for my style. I tried several approach. My portfolio showed different kind of clients' work. Last year, I began to understand where I want to go and to commit to it. I changed the way I saw my portfolio and what I showed in it (I think I was also quitting my "graphic designer" way of thinking. At the moment, I'm trying to add more of what I like. I don't show all of my client's work anymore. Just the type of illustration I want to do again. There's also a lot of personal work.
Since I like to explore a lot of techniques, I now use my online portfolio as a way to remember where I want to go and how I want to draw things. An exercise I want to do eventually is to print some of my favorite work, paste it into a notebook and write beside each image what I like.
Hi I'm Kim, I have spoken to most of you through MATS at some point I am sure!
I am new to digital art by a year and am looking to move full time from teaching in to illustration, especially kidlit.
I have set up a website www.kimberleyadams.co.uk and have an instagram www.instagram.com/kimberleyadamscreates which I use a my portfolios but I am still trying to gain an agent and a bigger following... it takes time I know sigh! haha!
So I think that my favourite thing in my portfolio is my most recent actually. It feels like something has actually clicked with the way that I work. My intuitive nature with the brushes I pick has set in and I feel that maybe my style is cementing itself more maybe?! I always thinking about something that Riley said, when looking at work would you recognise who it was by without their name being on there and this is something that I am aiming for.. whether I am there or not remains to be seen but definitely a goal!
Wonderful topic! Something I’m going to have to learn more about. I’m just a dance teacher turned illustrator childrens book author, still trying to get my bearings. I’d love any advice at all! Thanks! Love your posts!
Hi everyone,
I'm Rachel Michelle Wilson, a children's book author-illustrator.
Portfolio: rachelwonders.com
💼 My favorite thing in my portfolio is my ghost forest and flower spreads. I had fun playing with negative space to indicate the ghost. I've also been experimenting with brayers and acrylic ink, and I love how the trees turned out. I also like the energy the small splatters of paint created in the flower piece.
🕳 I would like to add even more outdoor scenes using the same techniques. I enjoyed both the process and the way it looks :)
👋 How can I learn to better evaluate my own work? How do I manage creating picture book dummies, art for social media, experimentations, and portfolio worthy pieces?
💼 I think my current favourite (it changes all the time) is an illustrative representation of a special group of friends; it's the three of sitting on one friend's sofa, which is our 'safe space' where we talk about so many different things. It's not a literal representation of us or the space, as there are lots of additional or changed details, but the emotional response it elicited in my friends was so powerful to me and the level of response I'd love to elicit from strangers in times to come. [all that said, no idea if it's the technically best piece or one that would be in any way appreciated by art directors!]
🕳 I am feeling quite good about my portfolio and that it has enough of the kind of work I'm looking to get. I think it could usefully have more children and work that would be suited to children's publishing, but I also think I'm fine to concentrate more on the grown-ups for the moment.
👋 I am constantly wavering between whether to just have the single page with all work on, or separate categories. Currently I have nine categories and the front page has a selection from all of them. I hear points for doing it both ways. I feel like I may be leaning more toward a single page again and keeping it much more curated. But then, what do you do with the old stuff? Keep it on a non-public page, or just on your desktop? Put all work beyond a certain age on stock sites? Something else?
Hey Adam, hi everyone! I’m Cheryl, a children’s book illustrator.
My portfolio website is
https://www.cherylannwarren.com/
I would love for you to check it out and give me any feedback you might have.
Long story short, I’m self taught and fairly new. My passion found me at 38 and i’ll be celebrating 3 years in this field soon. So far i’ve illustrated 2 books that will be released in 2023. I’m actively looking to be represented by an agency, in fact I got everything set up and started sending my portfolio out this last week. 😬
• my favorite thing about my portfolio is that i think it covers the things that should be in a children’s book portfolio, for example: diversity, different body types, animals, classrooms, friendships etc.
•I would like to add more cute, delightful, playful illustrations to it.
Can I reserve my question about portfolios till after your feedback?
Thank you and Happy Holidays