I finally understood what makes a good art portfolio stand out

A guy from a gallery was talking at my local library last Tuesday about what they look for in submissions. He said most artists show their best 3 pieces but leave out the messy sketches and process work that led there. It made me realize I've been curating my showcase like a polished Instagram feed instead of showing how I actually think through a drawing. Has anyone else tried adding their rough drafts or thumbnails next to the finished piece in their portfolio?

3 comments

3 Comments

hollywhite1mo ago

Have you tried putting a quick thumbnail sketch next to each finished piece? Honestly, that's what made my portfolio feel way more real to me once I started doing it. Ngl, it helps show the thinking behind the work instead of just a pretty picture.

jadej501mo ago

Including a messy sketch of your failed attempts too, that way they see how you worked through the hard parts and not just the easy wins.

kim_ramirez31mo ago

The art lecturer at my community college once said that galleries actually respect messy process work more than finished pieces because it shows genuine problem solving. She told us that one big gallery she worked with even asked for the crumpled up sketches before the final versions. I started including a small sequence of three thumbnails beside my main paintings and it helped me get into a small group show last spring. Did you find it hard to decide how many process images to add without overwhelming the viewer?