How to Build your Artist Portfolio
What is a portfolio?
A portfolio is an online or physical curation of your work. Consider a portfolio as a way of showing off yourself professionally with a show and tell. By highlighting your skills and accomplishments, you show the audience what makes you unique among your peers. Preparing your portfolio is not a difficult task, however, it is a task that you should approach with intention, confidence and creativity.
How to build a portfolio.
Know your target audience. Before you even begin curating your portfolio, it is important to research your target audience. Target audience refers to the specific group of people most likely to want your creative services or creative products. Knowing your audience will help you understand what they want to see and effectively communicate your portfolio to them.
Choose the right pieces. Your portfolio should not only include your strongest pieces but also show off what makes your creative work unique. Don’t crowd your portfolio with every piece you’ve worked on. Consider what you are trying to accomplish and control the narrative of your work.
Introduce yourself. A portfolio tells the story of who you are. Briefly include your story, your background, and what type of person you’re like to work with. You can also do this by including testimonials on your skills and any collaborations you might have. Feel free to share your industry philosophy, your work ethic and your strengths.
Call to action. Encourage prospective clients to engage with you by having a clear call to action, be it through a contact form, an email address or a link to your social platforms. You can simply add in the message “Hire Me” or “Get in Touch”. Reaching out to you should be as simple as possible. If it is difficult to get in touch with you, it’s highly likely that the clients won’t.
How to promote your portfolio
In the days of social media, producing good content is not enough. You’ll also need to ensure that your creative content is accessible. Using a social media platform like Instagram, Patreon or even posting on Youtube are some avenues you can explore. Not only do these platforms showcase your work, but they also offer a behind the scenes look at the creator. You can do this by adding commission information on your profile which acts as a call to action for clients. This also encourages clients to reach out to you.
One thing to consider with these platforms is the necessity of protecting your boundaries. You may choose to restrict who can message or interact with you directly. Whether you update the platform on a regular or semi-regular basis, it’s a good idea to keep track of the engagement each content piece gets.
How dARTbase Can Help You
dARTbase’s website has been designed to make connecting clients and creators easy. With dARTbase all your information is curated in one space which means you don’t need to rely on sites like Wordpress or Wix to promote your work. Why deal with tech development tasks when you don’t have to, right? Rather than tweaking with themes and website presentation, you can spend more time connecting with potential clients and pursuing your creative work.
Your dARTbase profile allows you to list a commission sheet of sorts. This means that, if you are a photographer, you can include details about the kind of services you offer, your specialities whether it be weddings or outdoor events, and even list out which of your services are in high demand. With dARTbase, you have the peace of mind knowing any bespoke commissions or requests will come directly to you. Consider us your digital front shop.
Cam
