Portfolio and statement: some advices
We guess that, only by reading the title, these words – PORTFOLIO and STATEMENT – have already put you in awe: no fear, it happens even to the most experienced artists!
However, it is important for you to understand the significance of these two materials for YOUR work.
Let’s start from the beginning:
What portfolio is? It is nothing more than a coherent album of information about you and your work, accompanied by texts and images.
And the statement? It is a short text, part of the portfolio, that can be used in several further occasions, in which you explain the meaning of your artistic discourse.
As you may know, today the art world moves very fast and being able to present your works in an effective manner is definitely a real job.
I am sure you have already realized that these materials are your business card and you MUST know how to make them professionally.
Surely, you have already tried different strategies to make them more appealing:
- change fonts;
- change the layout;
- add more images;
- print on very expensive paper;
- edit the texts.
After sending these materials to all galleries, institutions, friends and even the coffee shop next door that organizes events, what did you get?
No answers or vague promises for an exhibition.
Dear artist, this is NOT what you need!
You need, in fact, visibility in the right context to increase sales and opportunities for future projects.
For these reasons, the portfolio and the statement MUST present peculiar characteristics:
- no mistakes;
- present all the important information;
- be exhaustive but not repetitive.
Unfortunately, these features are NOT enough: the presentation materials, by being your business card, are just the starting point, exactly as happens in Companies.
What does that mean?
EVERY action linked to your name, that is effectively your brand, must have consistency and follow a precise strategy based on WHAT do you want to communicate and especially to WHO you want to communicate with.
Without using a strategy placed in a broader “marketing” context, the risk is to waste time, money and energies in accomplishing something that most people will trash after the second page.
As you can see, it is not just about “playing” a bit with layouts software: every detail, from pagination to content, is fundamental and event just neglecting one can make a huge difference!
Don’t know where to start? Contact us and ask for a consult.
Together we will study the situation and set the most appropriate strategy for you.
