Putting together a portfolio can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re juggling other commitments. But it doesn’t have to take weeks — with a focused approach, you can get your portfolio organised and ready for applications in just a couple of days.
Here’s a simple, two-day plan to help you stop procrastinating and start submitting — with confidence.
Day One: Gather, shortlist, reflect
The focus of Day One is to get everything out in front of you.
Start by gathering all your recent work — sketchbooks, finished pieces, digital files, even things you’d normally leave out.
Next, shortlist pieces that speak to your current practice. Think about what excites you, what reflects how you see, the questions you are asking, and what shows progression and experimentation.
Aim to choose more than you need. Once you have your body of work in front of you, certain works might start to leap out at you. Keep looking, reflecting, but don't remove anything just yet. Tomorrow's objective is to edit.
Day Two: Curate, label, upload
Day Two is all about clarity and action.
Refine your 10 drawings made up of dry media, ink, or watercolour.
Then, select your 10 additional works of any medium.
Ask yourself:
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Am I demonstrating connections within my art practice? Is my voice clear?
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Have I included recent work that shows what I am doing right now, and where I might be going?
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Am I showing my best work as well as experimentation or investigation in my practice?
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Am I showing a dedication to drawing?
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Can I explain why I have chosen each piece for my portfolio and highlight a few key talking points for each?
Take photographs of the works that you shortlist. Make sure they are evenly lit, closely cropped and high resolution. Label each photograph, and upload!
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