Uhh...tell me what to draw.

[gogidolim]

My semester is ending next week, and I was told to concentrate on one subject for my portfolio. My graduation date in on July so I have 2 months to do new artworks.

People suggested that I should go for prop designs. But I don't know where to start. The only subjects I can draw decently are people, robots, and aliens. :(

So basically I am asking you guys to tell me what to draw. Pretty stupid, but I don't want to attend all those art studios in LA for portfolio preparation. Those 'school's are mostly for teenagers who want to enroll straight to Art Center or Otis, and I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars for that.

So what should I draw? What should I put in my portfolio? For now I want start from some relatively simpler objects because I got burned out drawing robots and figures.

[JJacks]

What exactly are you making a portfolio for? If you're sending it to a specific place it would help to know what that place generally accepts.

We can't really tell you what to draw because we don't know your goals. However, figures are always a good thing to have in your portfolio. Try to get a few really good life drawings in.

[Sekino]

What do you intend to draw (who will be your customers) when you'll be out of school? Make a portfolio that makes sense according to your own goals.

A big part of being a professional artist is initiative. The clients will want someone who's able to come up with ideas and techniques on the fly. They won't have the expertise to tell you everything you have to draw and how to do it.

I'm not saying that to be negative, I just don't think it will help you or your confidence if you need others to dictate what you should draw.

[gogidolim]

Props. Costumes. Vehicles. And probably scenery. I was told that recruiters looking for concept/prop artists don't like to see sequential stuff in the portfolio. Still I am planning to add comic book sample pages just to show that I can draw. Of course, I will create characters and props for the sample pages.

But for now I am doing a bunch of figure sketches from reference photos.

[JJacks]

If you heard that they don't like to see sequential art in a portfolio than I would say it's a bad idea to include it anyways. Just focus on showing them what they want to see. They're not going to care about anything extra.

[Raceme]

Maybe I can help a little. I don't know whether I agree with steering away from the sequential inclusion to your portfolio. If you're a good storyboard guy, that's a great career. If your teacher's talking about comic book content - dunno. I teach college game art and animation. Great work is great work. You really need to focus on what YOUR OWN DREAM is. You won't be happy doing what other people tell you. Storyboard work shows a lot of areas of skill: storytelling (obviously), lighting, camera or cinematic eye, staging, etc. Not to mention drawing skill and ability to draw on model.

What I look for in student portfolio is one's ability to take an idea and follow through. I sort of gag at page after page of fantasy with no background idea. I love seeing rough sketch, if you're a character guy, make your character and one that is a sidekick. Draw the objects that the character uses and the world he lives in. Does he/she have a pet? Draw the heck out of him. Put him in poses, expressions, draw him in some panels so others can see what he looks like doing something.
Do some lighting on him, do it all. Show his world. There are a lot of people who can make a single "cool" drawing, but much fewer know what makes their character laugh or cry.

If you can write a scenario that comes from your own life it's best. Nothing beats the truth. I've seen people with pretty scant portfolios get work because they show they know the whole process.

I was a very late bloomer when I got my first job. I didn't even want an animation job, I just wanted to feed my kids. I was pretty manic about drawing and learning anything I could. I didn't have the benefit of a formal education/degree. I COULD do the work.

Now I'm going to give you the good/bad news. The portfolio you're making will most likely NOT be the one that gets you a job. You're going to probably need to make a new one based, not on student projects, but on work that you actually do on your own.

I just spoke with a girl who has been trying to get work for months after grad. I asked her about her portfolio, what was her Photoshop like? She said she had a couple of projects that she did. I said to her, she needed to do some work now that she knows how to use the software. Don't show the FIRST thing you ever did! (maybe to your mom and dad).

When I was going for the industry work, I went to a guy who was a pro to ask if I could do the work. He said "The good news is you can probably do the work, the bad news is you're going to need to draw a new portfolio - and learn how to draw animation style (drawing through). I had a fine art portfolio. I just thought, no prob. At least I know what to do. I did what he said and got hired five months later.

Do what you love in your book, but show how you think. Have a sketchbook that KILLS!