Help! Would love advice on best things to add to portfolio (or edit, or remove!)
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@allysa I've noticed your images take a VERY long time to load on your website. Did you resize them and optimized them for web? When I try to click on images to zoom into them, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. The website is very buggy and sometimes displays like this:
I would also add a contact page or at least a contact form on your about page. Right now the only way to reach you is the tiny letter icon under your photo, and it took me a while to find it!
Apart from that I agree with the others - you have a lot of technical skill, but your work seems to lack a little magic, charm and relatability. You could improve your facial expressions and storytelling. You don't have any interactions, all the characters are alone and that's a big gap. Look for the little detail that makes it real - two characters sharing a look with a sparkle in their eye, a little touch on the hand, not knowing how to help, or the proud look a father gives his daughter while she happily plays, oblivious.
vanessastoilova.com
instagram.com/vanessa.stoilova/Check out my Youtube channel for tips on how to start your career in illustration! www.youtube.com/c/ArtBusinesswithNess
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@NessIllustration Yes, and when the characters are all looking at the camera blankly, it's kinda disconcerting, leaning towards uncanny valley because of the hyper-realism style... The "star knitter" book cover with the smiling character is much better for that.
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@allysa Take this for what it’s worth, because I don’t have agency representation myself, but two things:
- I never got a majority of your pics to load for me. I don’t think visitors to your website will want to wait around for the pics to load.
- Much of your artwork kind of has a bit of horror Coraline vibe to it. That’s not a bad thing. I really love doing creepy illustrations myself. However, if you were set on landing at an agency that doesn’t mesh with that style, they wouldn’t choose you over someone else. On the flip side, you could really lean into that if you want to explore agencies that really fit that niche.
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@allysa You have some amazing art in your portfolio, and on first glance, I see it mostly as editorial/magazine type stuff.
Your first step is to determine what kind of work you want to do. While throwing things at the wall to see what sticks may bring you work, it could lead you down a path that you dislike (much like getting typecast for an actor).
Once you figure out your niche, creating a personal project is a great idea, though like Jake Parker cautions in one of his videos, don't create a project, but make a product. Link to his video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZLzI0CwhkA
Like others have said, your biggest setback is that there is very little emotion in most of your portfolio. Consider adding more illustrations with characters reacting to each other or certain situations that children or teens might find themselves in. Your art would work very well on the covers of graphic novels and teen fiction. For example, take the wolf and 3 little pigs illustration, and turn it into a cover design. However, you would have a stronger illustration if the wolf was a bit more sinister, and the pigs appeared more more cautious. You could also turn the fallen angel, and the little girl with the umbrella into covers as well with a few adjustments.
For the kid and the cat on the book, redo that so there is a story there. Have them looking at each other in amazement, or pointing toward something showing they have a destination.
The stand alone illustration of The White Rabbit is almost there as it is as most people know the story. I would have him looking at his watch with an even more shocked expression to solidify the story.
You need some context for many of your other illustrations so the viewer understands what is happening. If you have work up there that was personal with no context, either take it down, or say that in a caption. Caption all your work.
Lastly, if there is anything there that does not reflect the work you want to be doing, take it down. Don't let anything be precious.
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@lpetiti hello! Thanks so much for your response - and yes, this makes sense. I do see that there’s a number of different styles in there; I’ll edit things down a bit, or possibly add a few sections if I end up with more scientific illustrations. Thank you
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@Mimi-Simon hello! Thanks so much for taking the time to respond to my post! I completely agree about the composition and storytelling and can see a way forward to address these (new pieces!), but I’m not quite sure what you mean by draftsmanship - would you mind clarifying? Also, I love your website - can I ask what platform you use? Thanks again
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@kayleenartlover hello! Thank you so much! It seems like the consensus (which is super helpful) is that I need more interactions, more emotion, more complex compositions. I see this is true. Once I’ve addressed this, I may look into one of the pro portfolio reviews down the road, but I except for now they’ll point out this same major flaw as you all have, so I’ll focus on making things a bit more interesting and emotive first. Thanks for your input; I appreciate it!
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@Robyn-Hepburn hello! Thank you so much - this seems to be the consensus and it’s super helpful that you’ve weighed in. I think I get really exciting about rendering and forget to make things look alive or interesting. I do see what you mean, though, and I think courses - or drawing people from life - are both good paths forwards. Thank you!
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@tom-barrett thank you for this detailed response! I’ll take a look at this video, and will make some of the edits you’ve suggested. Good path forward, hopefully away from the uncanny valley! Thanks for your input!
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@allysa You'll do great!
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@tom-barrett thanks again for this response; watched the video you suggested. Hard not to be precious in terms of taking things down, but do you have thoughts on the weakest/strongest pieces - anything you would scrap immediately, or definitely keep? Thanks again!
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@NessIllustration thanks for this! Yes, the website is a bit clunky (and I definitely agree with your other points as well). Your website is lovely - can I ask what platform you use? I think I need to move away from Weebly…
Thanks again!
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@allysa It's on Wix! But previously I had my website on Adobe Portfolio (which is free with the Creative Cloud) and I was really impressed both by how easy it was to build and how smooth the navigation was
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@allysa As I said previously, what to take down will depend a lot on what area of illustration you choose to focus on. My best advice without going thru a list of what to keep and what to remove (a very subjective choice) would be to take a very close look at your portfolio and decide which pieces will best put you in a position to get the work you truly love doing. Which pieces are you drawn to? Which piece(s) would you choose to put on a postcard to art directors? If it is editorial, showcase those on the homepage; if it is storytelling—whether for children or teens—showcase those. Then put the rest under category links in the top menu if you still want to keep those on your site.
I do have my ideas for what I believe should be there, but without knowing your preferred career direction, telling you those would be a moot point.
