In its simplest terms, only the BEST of your best work. Don’t try to show how you may have improved. You want to indicate to a potential employer that you can ALWAYS produce top quality work, EVERY time. (even if that’s not exactly true)

Student work, pro bono pieces and professional pieces are all fine, as long as each one looks like it was done by a seasoned pro.

If you have ANY doubts about a piece, throw it out. Better to have a light portfolio that bring it all down by one, single, marginal work.

Shoot for about a dozen pieces, nicely mounted.

Work that shows sincere and genuine observational skills. Work that shows risk. Work thats shows experimentation as well as final conclusions. Finsih your portfolio on your best piece- that way you will finish on a “high” – to impress your interviewer. Ultimatley your portfolio should commu8incate your ideas as well as you. Stay away from Chocolate box illustrations as was previoulsy mentioned here. Push your boundaries.

A varied portfolio of about 15 to 20 pieces is what you should be shooting for. And only your best work. Pencils, pen and ink, paint, textiles, photography, printmaking, ceramics, … show a wide variety of media and styles, both color and black and white, 2D and 3D if possible.

Avoid comic book type illustrations and fantasy (unicorns, rainbows, etc…. you’d be surprised at how many people put those in their books.)

Only good works should be included,exclude allthe weak creations.