Ceramics Portfolio Issue 20121

Check out my newly published Ceramics Portfolio.

Use this link to contact me: http://www.contactify.com/b83af

The Professional Art Portfolio

The Professional Art Portfolio

Every artist at some point will need to grapple with details of creating a professional portfolio to showcase their art.

There are many resources online that can help. I have chosen to work with two resources for getting my portfolio into print as a book, Lulu.com and Hp MagCloud.com. The portfolios can be viewed and /or purchased online at these sites. You can see my own published portfolios in this article. I'll also share the links here at the bottom.

What to Include in Your Portfolio

If you are an artist, you will need to consider what you want to put into your portfolio. You will need to come up with an image list with these details: title of work, medium, size, year completed. You can also add short details of how it was created. You might also consider including your artist statement if you have one. And don't forget the most important part, your images. The images will need to be high resolution, 300 dpi, in order for them to be printed in good quality.

• High resolution images (300 dpi)
• Image details: title, medium, size, year completed, any other pertinent data
• Artist statement

Create Your Own Portfolio

I would suggest enlisting the help of a graphic designer (me, perhaps?) to give your portfolio that winning edge. Lulu.com has a wizard that will easily get you up and running. You also have the option of uploading a PDF to either of these sites. I'm finding that HP MagCloud.com is easier to navigate. Creating a PDF for them seems to be easier than with Lulu. Jump into the forums of either of these sites and learn more.

What Have You Done?

Have you found an easy way to create your portfolio? Let me know what you did. Provide a link so we can check it out.


Here are my portfolios.

Graphic and Web Design on HpMagCloud.

Digital Images Portfolio on HpMagCloud.

Take Action

• Hop onto to lulu or magcloud to see if either of these options will work for you.
• View and / or buy my printed or digital portfolios for inspiration.
• Let me know if I can help you in some way. Perhaps you would like to purchase an image or use my design skills.
• Comment to this post.

Use this link to contact me: http://www.contactify.com/b83af

Staged Photography

This past week I had my final critique in Photo 3 class for the staging project. I did four different stages and showed my photos.

Going to a Fine Art Event, staged photography.
©2012 Mary A. Gravelle

Staging a photograph is just what it sounds like. Everything in the photograph is there by intention. As photographer and stager, I had to come up with an idea of what I wanted to say via the photograph. This is different from shooting a photo of what you are seeing that is already there, in existence. It is about creating the image that you want others to see. 

Hopeful Fecundity, staged photography.
©2012 Mary A. Gravelle

Car Advertisement, staged photography.
©2012 Mary A. Gravelle

I found this to be a fun project that involved other people. It also took me out of my studio, into other settings, and into the great outdoors. That was refreshing.

Life in Death, staged photography.
©2012 Mary A. Gravelle

Man and Cat, staged photography.
©2012 Mary A. Gravelle

Use this link to contact me: http://www.contactify.com/b83af

My First Fine Art Photography Book

Subscribe to my newsletter

I am happy to announce that I just completed my first fine art photography book.

Seventh Street Poles and Wires
A photographic catalog of poles and wires observed while walking 7th Street in Silver City, New Mexico. The walk began at E Street and finished at Bullard Street. I was intrigued by the patterns that the poles and wires create across the sky and landscape. Digital black and white photos in a fine art photography book. 


I started my walk thinking I would take photos of power lines. When I began shooting I realized that I did not know a power line from a telephone or cable line. So, I just shot all the poles and wires along my walk on both sides of the street, zigzagging across as I went. The day was gorgeous. It was a delicious project as I encountered people on bicycle and people watering their gardens. The sky was clear deep blue and the sun was warm.

Available here: Books by Mary on Lulu.com

Use this link to contact me: http://www.contactify.com/b83af