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Writer's pictureNiladri

6 Tips to Create an Impressive Art Portfolio for 2023's Drawing Competitions

As an artist, giving the audience a glimpse into your imagination is important. It showcases your unique skills and creativity. However, expressing your art can sometimes be challenging.

Even so, you need to make a long-lasting impression in drawings competitions. But how?

There are multiple ways to let the world know what defines you and your artwork; the art community still considers a well-organized art portfolio an impressive way to astound art lovers and collectors in one go.

As a professional or a beginner artist who wants to get a high-profile position, we recommend you create an art portfolio ASAP.

While art portfolios serve as a great medium to introduce your creative work, how to create an art portfolio for upcoming art and drawings competitions, still stands as a big hurdle in many artists' careers.

If that has been a concern for you lately, TERAVARNA is here with some proven tips. We know all the ins and outs that will help you create a great art portfolio for online art competitions. In this guide, we will share those valuable hacks so you present your work in a way that leaves the audience awe-inspired.

Let's begin the journey to a great art portfolio.

What is an Art Portfolio?

art portfolio

Before we jump to our secret sauce to create a fantastic artist’s portfolio, here's what an art portfolio is all about:

An art portfolio is an artwork collection showcasing an artist's creative abilities and skills. Much like a big digital or physical folder, you can fill it with photos and videos of your drawings, paintings, sculptures, and anything that describes your art.

In one sentence, pick the best stuff and put it in the folder.

Another important thing, late action equals ineffective results. So, start making an impressive art folder and let the hosts of drawings competitions know how good you are with your artwork. In one look, they'll get clarity about your creative sides and what inspired you to turn the artistic tides on your side.

Let them take a sneak peek into your imagination by following our tips.


6 Tips to Create an Impressive Art Portfolio

Impressive Art Portfolio

Now that you know about an art-related portfolio, here are some tips for creating one:


Tip 1: Create Separate Portfolios: One Online, One Offline


When you are creating a portfolio, you must first understand its requirements. For example, anyone who wishes to apply for a job as an art tutor must submit an offline/physical portfolio. The best technique is selecting and arranging the samples of your artwork's photographs in a way that appeals to the people.


To ensure images in your portfolio look great, ask a professional photographer to take them from different angles that put your work in the spotlight. If you are a photographer, there is no need to worry; make sure the shots are high-quality.


If you opt for a physical portfolio, print your photos in high resolution on premium-quality paper and arrange them in an orderly way that looks good.

Finally, choose a high-quality portfolio case to protect your artwork's little book and make it look its best.

On the other hand, if you wish to create a portfolio for a virtual art exhibition platform, consider making a fantastic online website or blog and include the following:

  • High-quality images of your work

  • A biography or artist statement

  • List of your previous exhibitions

  • Press kit with links to articles about your work

  • A blog section to connect and engage with your audience

  • Calendar of upcoming events to promote your work

Tip 2: Arrange, Organize & Keep it Simple But Engaging

Once you have selected the format of your art portfolio, it's time to organize it a little. So, first, you should gather all your artwork, including sketches and digital images. Second, pick art pieces that showcase your talent and represent you as an artist. Make sure you feature your best work at the beginning since viewers will only have time to go through some things in detail. At last, include relevant info, such as contact details and where to find more of your work, adjacent to each piece for a gallery’s hosts and art buyers.

Tip 3: Preview Before a Launch is a Must

Before you send your portfolio to art schools or at a virtual art exhibition platform, it's crucial to share your portfolio with your family and friends. You can also join local art groups and ask for feedback. However, you don't have to be afraid of critiques, as their suggestions will help improve your portfolio.

Tip 4: Be the Original

What's the best way to impress your audience with only snippets of your artistic expression?


Do you remember the quote, "Be you, be different"? That's what we recommend. Simply put, add all of your original artwork and ideas to your portfolio before participating in any abstract, still-life, or any other drawings competitions. Let your creativity flow in whichever direction, and paint all that exists with your imagination.


Therefore, when you include digital copies and photographs of your creativity, ensure everything sounds like an enchanted version of your mind, strokes, and skills.

Also, scan all your work properly for both online and offline portfolios, whether it's still in progress or ready to be displayed. This is because the art school or virtual art exhibition host sometimes demands details about your works-in-progress. So, list all your original artworks to build a strong case for yourself.

Tip 5: Well, Portfolio Presentation Matters a Lot


Nobody likes to see a haphazardly arranged portfolio. On the other hand, investing your time and effort ensures the portfolio looks appealing and precise, whether digital or physical. You must keep each page of your portfolio neatly and orderly so that it can highlight your every art piece effectively.

Avoid using too many fonts; simply using any two-three fonts will do the work. Additionally, use white space effectively by adding text boxes with information about your artwork, such as titles, dates, and place names. This will help viewers understand your work without cluttering the design.


Tip 6: Adding Updates is Good

As an artist, adding new artwork to your portfolio is important. This tells people to recognize your passion and builds trust in your work. In addition, it also lets you display and experiment with different skills and styles, which is good if you love the freedom while creating art or have yet to narrow down your specific styles.

So, keep updating your portfolio to keep people interested and engaged with your work.

Final Thoughts


Crafting an artist portfolio is a must, and with TERAVARNA's quick tips, it will be easier than you may think. You can easily prepare an impressive and unique portfolio by following the easy-to-follow tips shared in this guide.

Best wishes for your portfolio, and we hope to see your artwork in our upcoming online art competitions at TERAVARNA!


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