Making A Successful Portfolio

Thanks for all the great questions about putting a portfolio together recently. I decided it would be a better use of my time to write it all out since so many artists have the same questions. 

These are the first five pages in a series of posts about how to layout a portfolio, including content, images, size, material and everything in between. Part 1 is for the artist still deciding what to do for a discipline. I've catered the last three pages to a visual development portfolio for animation but the principles can be applied to any artistic presentation (illustration, design, even interior design).

These are my opinions and I realize there are many ideas out there which are also fantastic. What I have written are simple truths and tips I've learned along the way. This doesn't represent a studio I work for or will work for. I hope it is helpful and can provide some perspective into a competitive portfolio and help you land your next job!