1. Relevancy -
- Do your homework, know the goal of your portfolio.
- If you are applying to a variety of places, or different jobs, you may need more than one portfolio.
- Know what kind of art the studios produce, Make sure yours is on the level in quality and appropriateness
- Know what specifications or guidelines are required by specific studios (ex. Figure drawing, sketchbook, 3D modeling, Digital, what programs etc.)
2. What to Include
- Your goal is to sell yourself as a professional Visual Communicator and Problem Solver. you want to convince the art Director of your dream studio that you are qualified for the job and are an asset to their team. Your portfolio needs to communicate that you can solve any visual problems that you may be given if you worked there in a creative and useful way.
- Include work that will make the art director say "Hey! He/She would fit right in Here!"
- There is a difference between Fan Art and Creative art
- Don't include Fan art! This is not visual problem solving, merely showing that you can copy stuff ... and sorry, just about any good artist can do that.
- Your work can resemble theirs, but should still show creative and competent skills that show that you can solve the same problems as their artists do.
- Showcase what you excel at!
- DONT include ANY work that shows your weaknesses
- DONT include anything that you don't like to draw - Even if its really good
- Usually some Diversity is good, but the bulk of the portfolio should be based around what is most relevant to the job you are applying for. You should only include something if it is AMAZING, not just because it adds variety. For ex. an amazing illustration or editorial piece, Figure drawing or sketchbook page.
- Show your flexibility in mediums and styles - prove you're not a one act pony - but also don't confuse them with work that is all over the place and seems schizophrenic.
4. How Many
"The most important thing about a portfolio is that it must be impressive. .. So, only include work that will amaze other people."
"I need less than ten drawings to judge a person's talent, but I like to see dozens."
- ONLY SHOW YOUR STRONGEST STUFF - They will mostly remember your worst piece
- It is WAY better to have LESS and BETTER stuff, than MORE and WEAK stuff
- An art Director should be able to get a pretty good feel for your abilities in 5-10 drawings. I would never do less than 5 - that just looks suspicious. If you can provide more than 10 - than go ahead and astound them.
- Be Impressive
- Especially for Concept - show "sets" or "complete Packages"
- Stand-alone pieces are not nearly as impressive as a full set of concept art for a game. A random space marine doesn't demonstrate concepting ability nearly as much as an entire set of characters for a game.
- Include concept art for features such as how interchangeable team colors are represented on the characters, or how vehicles look after they take damage. Include concept art for things like environments, weapons etc. most important - establish a look and feel for the game and make sure that everything works together.
- Include at least some environment and background - this tends to be a weak point for character designers and if you are competent - It will really make you stand out and be more valuable
- Include short explanations
- Include concept art of characters from front, side and back that are needed for 3D modelers. This shows that you have the ability to completely design all the details of a character and also demonstrates that you have the ability and understanding needed during development
- A note on 3D modeling - Including extra stuff like this can make you more valuable as an artist - you have more skills and know more programs. Studios also need more modelers than concept artists - it may make you more likely to get a job, but maybe not the one you hoped for. - consider a toe in the door - there are a lot of studios where artists can migrate.
- Also note: Concept art is not the only creative job in a production studio - ask me what I do as a texture artist and why I love it. -if possible - talk to an artist who has your dream job. Get the "inside" story. Each studio is different in how it is set up and organized.
6. Page Design
- Keep all your pages looking clean, elegant, professional and readable
- make sure you're work is showcased the best it can be
- In Design, aim to make it look like a page out of an "Art Of... " book.
- Connect visually "complete Packages" or projects, especially if there are more than one.
- Less on a page is usually more
- Keep in Mind BIG-MED-SMALL - make sure they are seeing the most important things first
- Have your NAME on EVERY PAGE so that it is drilled into their heads
Examples of Good Portfolios
Liz Pulido
Tyler Carter
Tyson Murphy
