As a cartoonist, your portfolio and your connections are your two magic keys to the kingdom (outside of your creativity and artistic skills, of course). But most cartoonists don’t spend nearly enough time working on building a portfolio. This is where you can set yourself apart.

What is a Cartoonist Portfolio?

A cartoonist portfolio isn’t just a random collection of sketches – that’s just a sketchpad. You can think of a portfolio as a carefully curated representation of your skills, storytelling abilities, and artistic range. Whether you’re looking to get hired by an animation studio, land freelance gigs, or publish your own work, you need to create a portfolio that grabs attention and makes a lasting impression.

Tips for Building Your Portfolio

Not sure where to start? Here’s how to put together a portfolio that highlights your best work and shows the world what you’re capable of.

1. Choose Your Best Work (Not Just Your Favorite Pieces)

It’s tempting to throw in every piece of art you’ve ever created, but your portfolio should be a carefully curated selection, not a random dump of your work. Focus on quality over quantity – 10 to 20 outstanding pieces are far better than 50 mediocre ones.

When selecting your work, think about versatility. You want to demonstrate a range of skills, including:

● Character design: Show how you bring unique characters to life with personality and consistency.

● Storyboarding: If you’re aiming for animation or comics, include storyboards that highlight your ability to tell a visual story.

● Line work and coloring: Display your technical abilities, whether you specialize in clean lines, digital coloring, or hand-drawn techniques.

Even if you love a particular piece, ask yourself: Does it add value to your portfolio? If it doesn’t showcase your strengths or versatility, leave it out.

2. Organize for Easy Navigation

Your portfolio should be easy to browse, whether it’s a physical book or a digital collection. Organizing your work in a logical flow helps guide potential clients or employers through your artistic range.

Consider grouping your work into sections, such as character concepts, animated sequences, comics, storyboard panels, etc. You can also do progress pieces, showing your initial drawings contrasted against finished pieces.

3. Create Both Digital and Physical Versions

In today’s world, having a digital portfolio is basically a requirement. A website, PDF, or an online portfolio site (like ArtStation, Behance, or even Instagram) makes it easy for clients and studios to access your work from anywhere.

However, don’t overlook the power of a high-quality printed portfolio. A physical book lets you stand out in meetings, conventions, and networking events. Holding a tangible portfolio creates an experience that’s more personal and memorable than scrolling through a website.

This is why selecting the right printing partner is crucial. A poorly printed book with bad colors or flimsy pages can make even the best artwork look unprofessional. Invest in high-quality printing with vibrant color reproduction and durable materials. Your portfolio is a representation of your brand – so make sure it looks polished.

4. Keep Your Style Consistent

One of the biggest mistakes cartoonists make is trying to showcase every possible style they’ve experimented with. While versatility is important, your portfolio should still reflect a recognizable artistic voice.

Think of it this way: If someone hired you based on your portfolio, what style would they expect? If your work is all over the place – with hyper-realistic portraits mixed with cartoony sketches – it might create confusion about what you specialize in. People don’t want to hire generalists. They want specialists who are going to excel at what they do.

That doesn’t mean you should limit yourself to just one look, but make sure there’s a common thread in your work. Whether it’s your color choices, line quality, or storytelling techniques, your portfolio should feel cohesive.

5. Showcase Professional and Personal Projects

While commissioned work or published pieces are great additions to your portfolio, don’t underestimate the value of personal projects. Some of the best creative work happens when you’re not bound by client expectations, and personal projects often showcase originality and passion.

For example:

● Original comic strips or graphic novel pages
● Experimental character redesigns of well-known franchises
● Storyboard sequences for an imagined animation or game

Personal projects can also be a great way to demonstrate your growth as an artist. If you have older work that shows how your skills have evolved, consider including a “before and after” section. This can illustrate your ability to refine ideas and improve over time.

Design the Ultimate Portfolio

Building out your own cartoonist portfolio is something that should get you excited. It’s your collection of work – your chance to show off and create a curated look at your best art. And while there’s technically no wrong way to do it, there are plenty of best practices. Keep these in mind!