Visiting lecture: Fig Taylor

On Tuesday 13th our university was visited by 'How to Create a Portfolio and Get Hired' author Fig Taylor. Taylor is an AOI portfolio consultant, unrelenting and highly experienced in her work and a very funny lady in person.

We were encouraged to take notes even if we'd finished our Design Practice updates on visiting lectures, and I am still grateful for this since she gave us a wealth of information and advice that was both practical and applicable.
It was very beneficial to have expert insight on illustration agencies, the professionals in the industry and how illustrators can best showcase a portfolio to get work in return. Taylor went into great detail; she did make several points concerning the ratio of jobs to the mass of illustrators trying to get into the industry, but it was still comforting to have an expert talk to us about what we should (and should not) be putting in our portfolios and how to make the best impression in an interview so we stand a good chance. I made two pages of very haphazard notes which had to be condensed into the following.

Rules of the Portfolio

1) If you don't like it, don't put it in.

Understandably, a piece of art produced in a method you absolutely detest, even if the piece is good, is a bad one to include. A client assumes that everything in your portfolio is work that you would willingly recreate - don't mislead them.

2) Know the clients.

Research before you go to an interview; the portfolio should be focused on the client's needs. Clients want to be able to classify an illustrator quickly.

3) Know your style.

The illustrator should show one strong illustrative style, rather than a mesh of techniques. Clients want variety in subject matter rather than working method. The execution of work should look like yours - be honest with yourself about your strengths, work in a way suited to you and remember that eccentricity is valued.

4) Mount work so it looks its best.

Even if it means it has to be pasted on green graph paper. As long as it looks professional and the best that it can be, it doesn't matter how you mount your work. Few clients specify that all work has to be mounted on black or white card, and there are no standard presentation specifications.

5) A4 or A3 is industry standard.

Your portfolio should be light and portable and not maim people if it falls on them.

6) Be completely self-sufficient.

Don't email clients as an introduction as they get thousands and thousands daily and may overlook or simply ignore one more email. Be polite, honest and willing to do the work for them (as in phone, get back to them yourself and don't wait for a client to get in touch).

7) Laptops can explode.

Along with the sacred Rules of the Portfolio there are also things that should never be included or done:

DO NOT:

- Bore clients to death with details.

- Include anything that is irrelevant; i.e. there must be something illustrative about every piece.

- Include ancient work. It is redundant and will drag on and on.

- Include life drawings. The client should know you can draw.

- Include stuff that doesn't look like you produced it.

- Include anything that takes ages to complete or that needs special equipment.

- Let yourself be exploited (read the small print).

And principally your portfolio should say the following: This is me. This is my style. This is who I am. And this is how you can use my work.

She ended with saying that some artists have a fixed idea about who they want to work for, and don't look into other areas where their work could be - perhaps better - suited to ('I want to live in a house made of angel cake and ride a unicorn to work' were her precise words).  She emphasized research and gave us an abundance of advice which will hopefully be included in her book that I've now got round to ordering. Thank you Fig Taylor for coming to visit!

My next update will be on Leeds Book Fair, and then I have honestly no idea as I'm working on my Macmillan work at the moment, which is quite intensive. Thanks for visiting~ <3