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Which artworks should be included in an artist’s portfolio?

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How do you choose?

An artist’s portfolio is a very personal thing, and every portfolio looks a little different depending on the artist’s skill and style. However, there are a few criteria that all artists should consider before including an artwork in their public portfolio. What do you think they are? Try to guess using the pictures below. Then, click the pictures to enlarge them and learn more.

trophy
trophy

Is it your best work?
Any artwork that you put into your public portfolio should showcase your best work. If you worked hard on it and you feel that you did well, then it should be included. This can also apply to artwork that you may not be completely satisfied with, but that has received high praise from peers or mentors. Remember, even if the artwork isn’t perfect, it can be included as long as you put a lot of effort into it. These works can show your growth as an artist.

target
target

Does your work show your versatility as an artist?
Just like businesses hire candidates who are able to do a variety of tasks, potential employers will give you more work and support if you show them that you have multiple artistic strengths. Are you good at drawing, painting, and graphic design? Your portfolio should show that!

growing plant
growing plant

Does your work show growth?
When applying for jobs or art schools, remember that the people reviewing your portfolio want to see that you have grown and improved as an artist. They also want to see that you are not afraid of taking risks and pushing yourself as an artist. That not-so-great portrait that you worked really hard on a couple of years ago could be placed next to a more recent work to show how much you have improved. Did you take a class to learn about graphic design? Include those works as well and show how you are taking risks to learn more. This will impress anyone looking at your portfolio.

When you are considering an artwork for your portfolio, apply these criteria:

  1. Is it my best work?
  2. Does it show that I am a versatile artist?
  3. Does it show that I have grown as an artist?

If you answer yes to at least two of those questions, consider including the work in your portfolio. The other thing you must consider is whether or not that artwork fits with your other pieces. If it does, great! You can fit in with the pieces that it works with. If it doesn’t, then you will have to decide if you want to put it in its own category, or if you want to rearrange your categories. For example, if you have a lot of portraits but there is a landscape you want to include, you could categorize your artwork by color palette or medium instead of subject matter.