25 Kidlit Portfolio Prompts: Farm Animals

At the many conferences I’ve attended there have been workshops or talks with art directors and editors. One of the questions that always comes up is “What do you want to see in my portfolio?” Sadly, since this answer is based on personal preference, I can’t tell you the secret image. One AD wants to never see another kitten or cat again. A different AD is fine with felines but may be sick of cute, fluffy bunnies. I’ve found the best image to put in your portfolio is one that is unique, showcases your talent and is never cliché. Remember, only put into your portfolio images you wouldn’t mind doing. If you have a nice puppy, and you include it, you better not mind drawing puppies! I have an artist friend that included one dog in her portfolio, even though she was iffy about doing more dogs, because she wanted a certain number of pieces. Guess, what? She was asked to do an entire picture book filled with dozens of dogs. She did the job, but to this day moans about having to draw and paint “all those dogs.” With all that in mind here are a new batch of portfolio prompts.