Building Your Surface Design Portfolio
Ready to start licensing your art?! One of the first things you’ll need is a surface pattern design portfolio, which is very different from an art portfolio you’re probably used to.
When we first learned about Art Licensing portfolios, we really had to shift our mindsets.
Our portfolios as freelance designers were focused on showcasing our potential & style, and what we were capable of. These portfolios were full of past projects with mock-ups that showed off ideas for dream projects.
(Wondering WTF is Art Licensing? - check out this video.)
An art licensing portfolio, or surface pattern design portfolio, is all about displaying available artwork that’s ready for buyers to use as is.
We like to think of it as a menu. The menu at a restaurant, for example, shows what’s available to order, just like your licensing portfolio would show the art pieces that are available to purchase!
What type of work should be included in your licensing portfolio?
This depends on what type of work you want to get! Remember that Art Licensing means renting your art for clients to put on products, and there are a TON of products.
Narrowing down what market you want to be in will help you decide what work you should add to your portfolio.
This could look like greeting cards and gift items, or fabrics and wallpapers, toys, or pets! It’s up to you to decide where your work would fit best, based on your style, skill sets, and interests.
In our video, What Goes in An Art Licensing Portfolio, we go over how many pieces your portfolio should include and so much more!