Need you help again. Portfolio review?
-
Hi everyone,
I would like to ask for your opinion and critiques again. Some days ago I asked it was ok to illustrate using diverse techiniques and how to show that in my portfolio. I tried to have different sections based on each technique but most of my illustrations are mixed media and I also feel that I have ended with too many sections, in my opinion. So I decided to do a big gallery on the first page. I also added some sections but I am not sure if it is ok.
I would like to know what you think, and also I would like to know if there is something that I could improve. I have been trying to find more opportunities in the children's book industry, but it is being somewhat difficult, so I would really appreciate any opinion or critique.
-
@flordevitaz I like it, looks cohesive to me. Love your style, embroidery illustrations are absolutely stunning. I don't think it needs any more separate sections, since you set your book and project work apart.
Your work is beautiful, good luck!
-
I think it really works with the big gallery. Your work is stunning and I´m pretty sure you’d get work in the children books space if you advertise and promote yourself.
It feels very cohesive to me, even including your embroidery work. I think your work would be a perfect fit for books about latin culture, ethnic myths and legends from South American or African settings - the colors and style are so much in tune with that visual legacy! If you target publishers that work in that space, I think you should raise some attention.
If I have a suggestion, if at all, is that maybe you have too many pieces in your portfolio. You have so many that you definitely have the opportunity to take out the ones you`re not in love with or the kind of work you like doing less. I think even half of the pieces you have would be plenty! -
@smceccarelli Thank you for you comment. I have been trying to be represented by an agency but I have not had any luck. Maybe I have to be more present in social media or find how to get more exposure.
I followed your advice and took out some illustrations that I felt were too old or weren´t necesary. I feel that it did help, the gallery doesn´t look too saturated. Maybe I will also take out a few more.
-
Hey there! I'd echo what smceccarelli mentioned and encourage removing a few more pieces. OR removing duplicates, I noticed some artworks appear in the Illustration gallery as well as in 'projects'.
Your work is rich and gorgeous, but it also means that looking at a lot one after another, fills the brain so much, personally I get overwhelmed (in a good way! but still overwhelmed)
Curate all the portfolios down to their absolute essentials.
Keep only your absolute favourite pieces that makes you feel that you want to produce MORE work of the same (or better) standard.
-
@flordevitaz Exposure certainly is important - probably even more than I think already. I came across a children book catalogue directed to booksellers a couple of days back and, on nearly every title, it listed the number of followers that the author or illustrator have on social media as a selling point (if it was high, of course). Seems to suggest that this has really become a part of gauging a publisher´s interest in content creators and a staple of their advertisement strategy...
I know Adobe does the same since many years already (bloggers have a much higher status by Adobe events than journalists).
Anyhow - I’m pretty sure you’d find an agent if you query the right ones. Your style is original and definitely marketable, in my eyes. Maybe you should make it a target to query a certain number of agents in the next few months. Or ramp up a following - my agent found me on social media, after all. -
Hi Flor! You have amazing work!
I would suggest organizing your images similar to this illustrator:
http://www.beccastadtlander.com/
Even though you took out some images, I feel as if your website is still a bit visually overwhelming. I think having larger and less images on the landing page, will allow your visitor to focus and be able to form a stronger first impression of your work and be able to see that you are indeed a mixed media artist. Also some of the images, while all attractive, are redundant to the overall first impression. I think you should still keep most of your images on your website, just not on the landing page.
-
Thank you so much @lei @smceccarelli @TessaW for your comments. It helped me a lot to improve my website.
These few days I experimented based on your suggestions and tried having different sections and also removing images. I ended with a version that I think looks much better and not too overwhelming. I also moved some images to other sections and organized it better.
-
@flordevitaz Glad to be a help! And it's a good exercise to do every few months... refresh and review
-
I like the changes you made. You can really see your beautiful work a lot better now.
