The Business of Home Murals: Ten Steps to Building Your Portfolio

The first thing a prospective client will ask for when they are considering you for hire is to see your portfolio. The more extensive and impressive your portfolio is, the more likely you will be to be hired, and they will be more likely to pay you more. Follow these steps to building a quality mural portfolio.

Step 1: Paint, Paint, Paint: The only way to choose your best images for your portfolio is to have a lot from which to choose. Paint walls, floors, canvas, wood panels, paint big and paint small. This way if you do not have any actual mural experience, you will have pictures showing you can paint in various sizes. Try to stay true to your most natural style. Do not attempt to paint in a style that is difficult for you as your future clients will expect that same style and painting such murals may be laborious for you.

Step 2: Take good photos with a good camera: Most cameras purchased since 2004 for upwards of $200.00 should do the job. You need a minimum of 5mp and 3-x zoom. If you find that you take lousy pictures or cannot buy a good camera right now, ask a friend (preferably a photographer friend to do it for you). Arrange a trade of their services for your services.

Step 3: Photograph yourself: As many of your photos as possible should have you standing next to the mural, or even painting the finishing touches. (Of course you will need someone else to take the photo for you. There are several reasons for this.

� When you post your photo online, no other artist can steal it and use it in their own portfolio
� Your future clients will have no doubt that you painted the mural yourself
� The photograph with you in it will better show the scale of the mural

Step 4: Take “before” and “after” photos: Having “before” and “after” photos will deliver a dramatic effect, showing how much of a difference a mural will make in a room.

Step 5: Photograph the entire room: Whenever possible, include the entire finished room in your photographs. For example, if you are painting a mural of a castle on a girl’s bedroom wall, the “after” or “finished” photograph should show the way it complements the dÃ?©cor of the entire room.

Step 6: Flesh it out: If you do not have an extensive mural portfolio, feel free to add some photos of preliminary mural sketches, and completed smaller pieces of artwork. Having preliminary sketches next to, the photo of a finished job will show the client what they can expect from you in a sketch, and how the finished work will differ from the sketch. Having other artwork included in your portfolio like portraits and abstracts will show your client what else you are capable of. This may being you more work later. (You will want to avoid having adult content in your “children’s murals” portfolio.

Step 7: Purchase a nice artist portfolio case with room for your receipt book and contract
blanks. Use the largest photo you can so clients can good a good look at your talents.

Step 8: Insert your pricelist into your portfolio along with prices of what you charged for each job (or would charge for a similar job).

Step 9: Update your portfolio regularly: Insert those jobs you are most proud of, and remove your least favorites. Your pride in your portfolio will show through when you are presenting it.

Step 10: Keep it with you: You never know when someone may want to look at your portfolio. You should keep it with you, especially when you might be meeting new people. Keep it or a duplicate portfolio under the seat of your vehicle, or carry sample brochures to show anyone who might be interested in your work. At the very least, have a duplicate portfolio on the internet and a business card with your web address on it.