How to Build an Impressive Animation Portfolio
If creativity is something that runs in your DNA, you probably want to pursue a design-related course or build a career in the same. Well, no matter how good your qualifications are, if you want to impress your clients, an animation studio or become a freelancer, think of your portfolio as your elevator pitch. It’s more important than your CV. A strong portfolio is your ticket to enter the animation world.
Also, no matter what stage you’re at in your career, having a well-defined portfolio is imperative. It helps you stand out in a crowd, draws attention to your skills and becomes a crucial part of your marketing strategy. Even when you give an interview, the recruiter isn’t going to ask you about what you studied in school. Instead, they’d be keener to know what you can bring to the table.
What is an Animation Portfolio?
As the name implies, an animation portfolio is a collection of your work that demonstrates your skills and speaks of your style as an animator. In this day and age, it’s usually in digital format and generally includes a variety of animations that display your abilities. Based on your portfolio, potential recruiters will decide if they should hire you or not. A lot of 3D animation diploma programmes help students create their portfolio at the end of the course so that when they enter the real world, they’re ready with a vast collection of their work. This makes the whole process of getting a job easier too.
Tips to Create an Online Animation Portfolio
Define your purpose/goal
Knowing your goals can help you tailor your portfolio accordingly. Building an animation portfolio isn’t a one-size-fits-all deal. Who are you trying to attract? Employers or clients? Once you know your target audience, you will be in a better position. Read the job description carefully. What kind of animation style are they looking for? Does your portfolio align with their vision and goals? The right portfolio can boost your visibility online too.
Include variety
As an animator, your versatility is your USP. Your animation styles and techniques will enhance your hiring chances. It should include a selection of your best work along with techniques and elements that make you stand out. Here are a few things employers usually want to see:
Character Animations
The first thing you should be good at as an animator is crafting character designs. It showcases your unique ability to bring imaginative concepts to life. As far as possible, include diverse character animations in your profile. A few things you should include are facial expressions, motion and your characters doing something. By doing so, the animator will be able to gauge your technical skills and grasp how good you’re at engaging and inspiring through various animation techniques.
Environment Animations
While your characters have to be interactive, creating immersive worlds is also an art. The environment you centre your characters around speaks a lot about you. Demonstrate your attention to detail as much as possible.
Avoid Fanart
As an animator, you may have your favourite characters from a particular film or TV series. However, we do not recommend including it in your portfolio. Clients are more interested in seeing original content rather than artwork based on fiction. Save that for social media sites. Instead, focus on creating characters that are original. That will take you a long way.
Collaborative Projects
If you’ve been in the animation space for a couple of years, chances are that you’ve worked with different companies, done an internship, and so on. Make sure you highlight all your collaborative projects in your portfolio. Clearly explain what part of the project you were responsible for. This highlights your teamwork skills.
Including a range of work can explain your versatility as an animator. Even when you include variety, ensure you organise your work in a clear and concise way. Organise it according to your theme/style and maybe you can even include a brief description about the project. A few collections you can include are 2D animation, motion graphics, storyboards, and other 3D work.
Introduce yourself
Though we said an interviewer isn’t going to look at your CV, it doesn’t mean they don’t want to know anything about you. At the end of your portfolio, include an about me page. This is your chance to create a personal brand and bio for yourself. Write about your experience and achievements, as well as your interests even if they’re not animation-related. Don’t miss adding contact details including phone numbers, email addresses, social media accounts and online platforms where they can see your work. This helps potential employers get a better sense of who you are and your style as an animator.
Final Words
Creating an impressive animation portfolio takes time and effort. It’s not something you can do overnight. By defining your goals, curating your best work and including variety, you can definitely impress potential clients and employers. A good place to start is by pursuing a visual art and design course at an animation institute in Bangalore. You will not just learn everything about visual art and animation but also understand how you can put together a good portfolio.
Pro Tip: Start with what you have, and watch your portfolio grow.
