Building Your Portfolio

Building Your Portfolio#

Your portfolio is how organizations evaluate your work when reviewing applications. Here's how to create one that represents your practice well.

Add a portfolio work#

1. Go to Portfolio from your dashboard
2. Click Add New Work

Upload your main image#

• Drag and drop or click to upload
• Minimum width: 1200px
• Formats: JPG, PNG, WebP
• Max size: 10MB per image

Use high-resolution images with good lighting. Avoid dark, blurry, or cluttered backgrounds.

Fill in the details#

Required:

• Title — Be specific ("Urban Fragments #3" rather than "Untitled")
• Year — When you completed it

Optional but recommended:

• Medium — Be specific ("Oil on canvas" not just "Painting")
• Dimensions — Height × Width × Depth with units (e.g., "36 × 24 × 2 inches")
• Description — Explain the concept, process, or context

Example entry:

Title: Memory Palace Year: 2023 Medium: Mixed media installation: found objects, textiles, LED lights Dimensions: 8 × 12 × 6 feet Description: This installation explores the relationship between personal memory and architectural space. Using objects collected from abandoned buildings, I created an immersive environment that invites viewers to navigate their own memories of place.

Add additional images#

You can add up to 2 more images per work. Use them for:

• Different angles (for sculpture or 3D work)
• Detail shots
• Installation views
• Process documentation

Choose images that add new information, not just duplicates of the same view.

Add video or audio#

For time-based work, paste URLs from supported platforms:

Video: YouTube, Vimeo Audio: SoundCloud, Spotify, Bandcamp

Make sure your content is set to public or unlisted (not private) for it to embed.

Add text content#

For written or conceptual work, use the text editor. This works for poetry, performance scripts, or detailed descriptions.

Organize your portfolio#

Sorting options:

• Newest first
• Oldest first
• Custom order (drag and drop)

Organization strategies:

• Chronological — Shows how your work has evolved
• Thematic — Group by series or concept
• Best work first — Lead with your strongest pieces

Many reviewers focus on the first few works. Put your strongest, most representative pieces at the top.

Set work visibility#

• Public — Visible on your profile and in applications
• Private — Only visible in applications, not on your public profile

Private works still show to organizations reviewing your applications. Use this for works you want to share only in specific contexts.

Add tags#

Tags help categorize your work and make it searchable:

• Medium: "oil-painting", "ceramics"
• Theme: "landscape", "portrait", "abstract"
• Series: "urban-fragments", "memory-series"

Link to CV entries#

Connect your portfolio works to relevant CV entries: exhibitions where the work was shown, awards it received, or publications featuring it. This gives organizations context about how your work has been recognized.

Best practices#

Image quality:

• High resolution (1200px+ width)
• Good, even lighting
• Neutral or context-appropriate backgrounds
• Accurate colors

Work selection:

• Quality over quantity
• Show range while maintaining coherence
• Include recent work
• Focus on pieces that represent your overall practice

Maintenance:

• Keep information accurate and complete
• Add new work regularly
• Review and update descriptions as your thinking evolves

What's next#

• Creating Your CV — Document exhibitions, awards, and achievements
• Applying to Opportunities — Use your portfolio in applications
• Best Practices — Portfolio presentation tips