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Some Thoughts on the Children's
Book Illustrator's Portfolio - compiled by Marla Frazee
The portfolio itself should
be as compact, light-weight, and squeaky clean as you can possibly make it.
There should be about 10 - 15
pieces, each one being your very best work. Do not begin with your best piece
and progress to your worst. Each sample should show you at your finest. If
you work in a variety of styles, consider having more than one portfolio rather
than combining your work into one. (i.e. realistic watercolors in one, graphic
monoprints in another).
If you present your work uniformly
mounted and unbound, the samples can be passed around a room, turned for optimum
viewing, or substituted with other pieces at your discretion. Take the date
off your samples. You want to give the impression that your work is hot off
the press, and you could repeat an illustrative success at a moment's notice.
Don't admit that you painted a piece in 1972.
What about the content of your
portfolio? Consider including the following:
-Design and develop a character,
which you show from a variety of viewpoints. Demonstrate your ability to keep
the character looking consistent. Be specific not generic. Develop a picture
sequence, in which you tell a visual story. Think in terms of a combination
of images that show action, character consistency, and narrative. This can
be be mounted together and serve as one sample.
-Compose your illustrations
across the double-page spread, demonstrating your awareness of the gutter,
the left and right hand page, and the placement of type. -Include type, whenever
possible, as an example of your ability to interpret text and to design your
images with type in mind. Anything you can do to show your familiarity with
the book form will be helpful.
-Illustrate a book jacket, type
included, keeping in mind that this is the most commercial aspect of a book.
This sample needs to be eye-catching and aimed at the age-appropriate audience.
-Consider including a picture
book dummy, sketches only, of a favorite story. Demonstrate your ability to
pace a manuscript, vary your page layouts and enlighten the words with your
images.
-Include samples of your work
to leave behind. Don't forget to put your phone number on them. Remember,
each sample left is a seed you've planted.
This article © 1998 by Marla
Frazee, and it has been copied and pasted into this page directly from a website,
for the sole purpose of sharing its wise counsel with the readers.
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