Five things to prepare your Mural Portfolio

Mural Season is upon us (here in Toronto), and I think this is the perfect time to prepare your portfolio! So here are 5 things you can do to better your portfolio for this mural season.

Select your BEST WORK: 

Showcase your skills and unique style. If you have little mural experience, show BIG paintings or art explorations. Certain people believe they have a higher chance of being picked by putting in more pieces. However, having 5 GREAT pieces is better than having 15 bad ones. Showcase the work you want to do in the future. If you want to be in mural art, show me that, do not show me things you did three years ago that have nothing to do with mural art.

Take high-quality photos

Take photos in good lighting and ensure that you capture the entire mural and any important details. Show the murals in context to show size and location. You are in visual arts and must ensure your work is photographed well. Did you finish the work late at night? Then wait until the next day to take the photo. A dark, blurry image is not suitable for your portfolio. 

Organize your work

Organize your work in a logical and visually appealing way. This can be chronological, colour, size, location, brand, type of project, deliverables, or price. Just have a specific order, and it shows you are organized. I love arranging my work by date because presenting it chronologically demonstrates artistic progression.

Provide descriptions

Describe the location, size, deliverables(in case of design), and any interesting details or challenges you encountered during the creation process for each piece. Keep it short and sweet.

*Note: This might not be a requirement when applying to public mural art calls. 

Create an online presence

Use a website builder to create a website that showcases your work, or use an existing platform such as Behance or Instagram. Make sure to include up-to-date contact information on your portfolio.