Most important things to put in your picture book portfolio | Childrens book portfolio tips & tricks

Summary

In this video, professional illustrator Nes shares essential tips for creating a successful children's book portfolio. She emphasizes the importance of storytelling and character focus, explaining that illustrations should be designed to tell a story, with characters as the central element. Nes also highlights the significance of formatting by showcasing actual book pages, including single and double-page spreads, to demonstrate skills such as text space management and composition. The video concludes with an announcement for Nes' 10-day email course, 'Picture Book Portfolio Prompts,' offering further guidance to aspiring children's book illustrators.

Takeaways

• 😀 Storytelling is the primary purpose of children's book illustration, and it should be reflected in every piece of artwork in your portfolio.
• 😀 Focus on the characters in your portfolio illustrations, as they are the agents of the story and should be the main focus in your artwork.
• 😀 Avoid showcasing illustrations that focus too much on backgrounds or make characters too small or secondary to the scene.
• 😀 Use text prompts to help tell a story in your portfolio, and don’t just illustrate what the text says—add your own creative interpretation to the scene.
• 😀 Having a strong portfolio means showcasing correct formatting, including showing actual pages and double-page spreads, not just standalone images.
• 😀 Show your understanding of the picture book layout by demonstrating how you would leave space for text and design for proper page flow.
• 😀 If you’re new to the industry, create fake pages (mock-ups) to show your ability to layout a book, even if you haven’t yet worked on a published one.
• 😀 Be mindful of book design elements, like font size and placement, when including text in your portfolio. Bad typography can hurt your presentation.
• 😀 When illustrating double-page spreads, demonstrate that you know how to split the composition and leave room for text without disrupting the scene.
• 😀 Consider enrolling in specialized courses like the 'Picture Book Portfolio Prompts' program to refine your skills, with specific tips and prompts to improve your portfolio.

Q & A

Why did the creator's first portfolio fail?

The creator's first portfolio failed because it focused too much on backgrounds and lacked a strong emphasis on characters, which are the central element of storytelling in children's book illustration.

What is the main goal of children's book illustration?

The main goal of children's book illustration is to tell a story. The illustrations should support and enhance the narrative, focusing on the characters and their actions and emotions.

What mistake did the creator make in their first portfolio?

The creator made the mistake of focusing too much on backgrounds and landscapes, and not enough on characters, which should be the main focus in children's book illustration.

How did the creator improve their portfolio and ultimately get gigs?

The creator improved their portfolio by focusing more on characters, ensuring that each image was centered around telling a story. After receiving portfolio reviews and following the advice, they revamped their portfolio, leading to gigs and their first picture book deal.

What are the three key recommendations for illustrating a picture book portfolio?

1) Focus on the characters in your illustrations, making them central to the story. 2) Use text prompts to help tell a story and don't just illustrate what's written. 3) Create actual book pages, including single pages and double-page spreads, to showcase your understanding of book layout.

Why is correct formatting important for a picture book portfolio?

Correct formatting is important because art directors need to see how your illustrations would work in a book layout. Showing actual pages helps them visualize how your art will translate into a published book, demonstrating your understanding of composition and space for text.

What specific skills do art directors look for in a picture book illustrator's portfolio?

Art directors look for skills such as creating balanced compositions, leaving space for text, understanding book layouts (like double-page spreads), and maintaining a natural flow that aligns with the reading direction.

What advice was given about including text in portfolio images?

It is recommended to study book designs, fonts, and text placement if you include text in your portfolio. However, it's not mandatory to include text in your images; leaving space for text is often sufficient for art directors to imagine the finished product.

What should a children's book illustrator do if they have no prior book experience?

If an illustrator has no prior book experience, they should create 'fake' book pages for their portfolio. This allows art directors to see how the illustrator would handle book layouts and the specific requirements of picture book design.

What was the significance of the double-page spread created by the creator for their portfolio?

The double-page spread, which featured a religious theme, was crucial because it demonstrated the illustrator's ability to create a balanced layout that flows from left to right, with space for text. This showed the art director that the illustrator understood picture book composition, even without the text included.