Some members of “The Inklings” picture book critique group review their portfolios at a pre-conference “emergency session” at Austin’s Central Market Cafe in April. One of many critique groups in the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Austin Chapter, these “Inklings” were preparing to have their work examined by their peers and artists’ agent Christina Tugeau at the Austin SCBWI Spring Conference that Saturday. Left to right around are illustrators Martin Thomas, Diandra Schwartz, Amy Farrier, Austin SCBWI Illustration Chair Christy Stallop, Sarah Ackerley and Clint Young.
Thumbs up, down or sideways?
It was the nonverbal language of the portfolio huddle. Christy Stallop, author, creator of humorous illustrations and the Austin SCBWI illustration chair initiated the Sunday morning “emergency session” review. It would be an RX for those with portfolio jitters before the regional Spring conference that was set for that Saturday.
All right, review may be too milquetoast a word for what came down at the cafe amid sleepy tables of taco breakfasters and laptop mullers.
Thumbs up and thumbs down, of course, derived from the Romans deciding fhe fates of fallen gladiators. Thumbs sideways is Christy’s contribution to the vernacular. It means “Toss It.”
“Get it out of your portfolio before it ruins everything !”
Sometimes she would say “Out” flatly while also gesturing thumbs sideways — a sort of combo-imperative. (Christy is a very talented, “tough love” illustration chair.)
Great pointers from Christy and the group:
1.) Get a real portfolio at an art supply shop. It does not have to be large, but it should have pages with protective sleeves to slide your work into, like a photo album. Never put original art in your portfolio. Only show reproductions — scans and transparencies are best. (See more on that below.)
2.) Avoid a busy-looking portfolio with busy pages. I.e. Don’t stuff your portfolio — one piece per page is best. Then the viewer can actually see the artwork. Of course the corollary to that is the artwork you select for the page must have an impact and be unassailable. Ask yourself, “Is the piece good enough to stand on its own?”
2.) Don’t worry too much about “rules” of portfolio presentation or format. Use your common sense. But do find a way to present and organize your portfolio so that it makes good sense for your work. For example, have all of your art pieces lining up the same way in the album so the viewer doesn’t have to turn it this way and that way to examine pieces right side up.
Grouping is nice. It breaks things up in a nice way for a better read and gives the viewer a bit of a rest, too, going through.
Christy suggested that I group my portfolio into two sections — one for color and one for black and white, with each section prefaced by a title page with some spot art (either B&W or color, suggesting what’s to follow.)
3.) Get business cards professionally printed before an event such as an SCBWI conference. (Christy expressed this a little more emphatically to me than that.) If you don’t have a print shop handy and you need the cards fast, try a place like Overnightprints.com. They have plenty of templates on their website that you can use to hastily throw together your card — and still it won’t look like an amateur effort. Yes, you will pay to have the cards sped to your doorstep.
4.) Yes you may include a few of your “tearsheets” or color photocopies of your published work.
But carry some of your best original art to a print shop and have it professionally scanned there.
If you’ve scanned your own artwork at home (make sure the resolution is nothing less than 300 dpi) bring your flashdrive or CD to printshop to have the piece professionally reproduced. Choose a matte rather than gloss finish. Yes, it is expensive to make these professional scans. If you must economize, use just a few as your portfolio showstoppers.
5.) Remember you’re showing your art to editors and art directors in the children’s book industry. So consider this in your selections. Kids, animals, people — especially in action. are good. Duh.
Industrial art, however well done, should probably go. Same with the techy-looking digital game art, graphic design, most cartoons, album covers, machinery, cars, monsters, sci-fi, architecture (real or fantasy), space ships, nudes from art classes… Thumbs sideways.
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How To Be A Children's Book Illustrator 