Well, it has been a few weeks since my last post. Unfortunately, I suffered a series of illness that just crushed me. Not that you need to know the details, but I was home sick and unable to move for several weeks. This complicated matters when I tried to go back to school and make up a mountain of homework and projects that had been building up for over a month - while I was out sick. In the end I had to withdraw from school for the trimester and will start again in April. I still wanted to finish this blog on professionalism, however.
The short answer is "yes." I believe that while digital versions of a portfolio help with convenience, the tactile physical portfolio has an undeniable presence and substance that goes a long way in establishing yourself.
The short answer is "yes." I believe that while digital versions of a portfolio help with convenience, the tactile physical portfolio has an undeniable presence and substance that goes a long way in establishing yourself.
Portfolios seem to be an unnecessary source of anxiety to some of the students in my classes. I think that many students get nervous about showing their work to professional entities, because the students feel woefully unprepared. True that the portfolio is the "one chance" or your "ticket" to the job you are applying for - and it should be handled with care. However, if the student has taken a professional approach and mentality to the work that he or she has been producing throughout school, as well as personally, then what is there to worry about? Anyway, that is an entirely different blog post.
It has been my experience that potential employers enjoy having something they can feel, hold, flip through and otherwise experience. It is true that there are psychological impacts to packaging that entice consumers to purchase products. For example, the high-waisted, slim-hipped, frontal female form embedded in the Palmolive dish soap bottle is designed to provide a physical reference to the body of the most likely buyer. None of this is news to any of us, and we've always known we are being manipulated the moment we step into the grocery store. Would a good designer ignore such a powerful tool at his or her disposal? I think not. Package your portfolio in a way that it will appeal to the intended audience.
A fun article on the subject of psychology and packaging was written by Chappell Ellison and is worth a read.
It has been my experience that potential employers enjoy having something they can feel, hold, flip through and otherwise experience. It is true that there are psychological impacts to packaging that entice consumers to purchase products. For example, the high-waisted, slim-hipped, frontal female form embedded in the Palmolive dish soap bottle is designed to provide a physical reference to the body of the most likely buyer. None of this is news to any of us, and we've always known we are being manipulated the moment we step into the grocery store. Would a good designer ignore such a powerful tool at his or her disposal? I think not. Package your portfolio in a way that it will appeal to the intended audience.
A fun article on the subject of psychology and packaging was written by Chappell Ellison and is worth a read.
Make it Shine
Like anything else, there are some things that can be done to ensure that you are presenting your portfolio in its most favorable light. The following list is mostly common sense, and is more for my own benefit as a reminder of what I should be doing myself. This was written by Michelle Morgan, with some editing by myself.
- BE METICULOUS -
Don’t show your portfolio until it is clean, perfect, and functional. I still remember when one artist came walking across the lawn towards me with things dropping out of his portfolio. That’s not the image you want to portray.
- DESIGN THE ENTIRE PACKAGE -
Integrate your logo, business card, and folder into one well-designed theme. Your contact information should be on everything.
- ADD MULTIMEDIA -
Today, the best portfolios combine a multimedia presentation with hard copies. Put a CD or DVD presentation (in a beautifully designed case, of course) inside a folder along with enlarged images of your art printed on a glossy photo paper. Include your resume as well. Organize and label your images Your images build upon your presentation. Use your best, most recent works and when in doubt—leave it out.
- GROUP SIMILAR WORK TOGETHER -
Do you have a single style or do you paint differently every other day? Grouping artwork together by style is important. You can put have a face and a landscape with the same style, but you wouldn’t want to put abstracts and realism in the same series. By all means, still show a variety of artwork, just make sure to have it separated into the appropriate groups inside your portfolio.
- INCLUDE ALL IMPORTANT INFORMATION -
Mark the dimensions, medium (oil on canvas, hand painted silk, etc) and, if necessary, price for every piece. Viewers should never have to guess or search for this information.
Start giving off the right attitude confident, optimistic people seem to attract success. "Fake it until you make it."
- WHEN SHOWING YOUR PORTFOLIO, BE POSITIVE -
Never put yourself down or apologize for your art. If you love your art, and your portfolio makes you smile, the likelihood is that someone else will take notice too.
- DON'T BE A PRIMA DONA -
You’re never too good, or too famous, of an artist to be nice to others, or learn something from someone else. It is amazing how many opportunities or how much work "established" artists have missed out on, because they are a pain in the @$$ to deal with.
Brush up on your salesmanship. Learning how to sell is part of being a professional artist. Practice often. Whether it is a gallery presentation, or sharing ideas with your creative director - it is all sales.
- SELL YOURSELF FIRST -
Art buyers won’t usually find you—you must find them. When you do, get involved, network, and put your best foot forward. If they like you, they’re much more likely to purchase your art.
- PERSEVERE THROUGH REJECTION -
It is important that that you continue trying, even after the tenth phone call or tenth door slammed on you. Keep going and keep smiling!
For more articles by Michele Morgan, please visit her blog at colorthemes.com.
Anyway, physical portfolios are an important part of your own personal brand, and should not be discarded.
- BE METICULOUS -
Don’t show your portfolio until it is clean, perfect, and functional. I still remember when one artist came walking across the lawn towards me with things dropping out of his portfolio. That’s not the image you want to portray.
- DESIGN THE ENTIRE PACKAGE -
Integrate your logo, business card, and folder into one well-designed theme. Your contact information should be on everything.
- ADD MULTIMEDIA -
Today, the best portfolios combine a multimedia presentation with hard copies. Put a CD or DVD presentation (in a beautifully designed case, of course) inside a folder along with enlarged images of your art printed on a glossy photo paper. Include your resume as well. Organize and label your images Your images build upon your presentation. Use your best, most recent works and when in doubt—leave it out.
- GROUP SIMILAR WORK TOGETHER -
Do you have a single style or do you paint differently every other day? Grouping artwork together by style is important. You can put have a face and a landscape with the same style, but you wouldn’t want to put abstracts and realism in the same series. By all means, still show a variety of artwork, just make sure to have it separated into the appropriate groups inside your portfolio.
- INCLUDE ALL IMPORTANT INFORMATION -
Mark the dimensions, medium (oil on canvas, hand painted silk, etc) and, if necessary, price for every piece. Viewers should never have to guess or search for this information.
Start giving off the right attitude confident, optimistic people seem to attract success. "Fake it until you make it."
- WHEN SHOWING YOUR PORTFOLIO, BE POSITIVE -
Never put yourself down or apologize for your art. If you love your art, and your portfolio makes you smile, the likelihood is that someone else will take notice too.
- DON'T BE A PRIMA DONA -
You’re never too good, or too famous, of an artist to be nice to others, or learn something from someone else. It is amazing how many opportunities or how much work "established" artists have missed out on, because they are a pain in the @$$ to deal with.
Brush up on your salesmanship. Learning how to sell is part of being a professional artist. Practice often. Whether it is a gallery presentation, or sharing ideas with your creative director - it is all sales.
- SELL YOURSELF FIRST -
Art buyers won’t usually find you—you must find them. When you do, get involved, network, and put your best foot forward. If they like you, they’re much more likely to purchase your art.
- PERSEVERE THROUGH REJECTION -
It is important that that you continue trying, even after the tenth phone call or tenth door slammed on you. Keep going and keep smiling!
For more articles by Michele Morgan, please visit her blog at colorthemes.com.
Anyway, physical portfolios are an important part of your own personal brand, and should not be discarded.
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