NOTES ON PREPARING A PORTFOLIO

If it's time to create a professional-looking portfolio, then follow these tips from the January issue of Art Calendar magazine

1. Upgrade and purchase paper and matching envelopes.

2. Use a two-pocket folder. If you want to mount a postcard of your work on the front, use 3M mounting paper for a strong mount without wrinkles.

3. Buy large white envelopes to fit the folders.

4. Buy blank slide mounts from a professional slide developer. Always ask for a blank back when getting your slides developed.

5. Buy plastic slide sheets.

6. Design a logo. This is optional, but if you do, make sure it reduces down to be legible.

7. Design a letterhead. Don't let it take up too much room. Include your e-mail address.

8. Business cards are optional, but look at photo cards for a professional look.

9. Rubber stamps with your address and logo are an inexpensive way to pull the portfolio together.
   ...... .....     now for the difficult part 
   

10. Create a professional cover letter with date, contact person, title, and address. Be brief, specific, and appreciative.

11. Keep the format simple on your resume. Refine your resume constantly.

12. Your artist's statement is what you do and why you do it. Write down key phrases, and continually revise this depending on the work and who you are sending it to.

13. A biography is an insight into who you are. It's used by gallery owners to help sell your work.

14. Slides ... Take great slides or have a professional take them. With a fine marker, label your name, the name of your work, date of completion, dimensions, media, and an arrow pointing to the top. Many shows ask for a specific placement of this information, so always keep duplicate slides available.

15. Arrange the slides in a visually pleasing order and accompany the slides with a slide list that includes slide number, work title, media, dimensions, and date of completion.

16. Include photographs of previous exhibitions, reviews, and postcard invitations of previous shows.

17. Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope with enough postage.

This May, the gallery and NIAA will present two Saturdays full of information on correctly framing your work, using a professional photographer, and showing you how to organize your work for presentation.  

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