On Thursday I went to Chase Design Consultants in Manchester for a portfolio visit. Having never been to the Chase before my first impression of the place was met with the delightful smell of coffee. I thought I had stepped into a posh café with a sleek print of the Mona Lisa on the wall and tables and chairs set out in the reception area. After the receptionist confirmed I was in the right place I made myself comfortable at one of the tables. I had originally arranged to meet with Mika Shephard but unfortunately she was off ill. All was not lost though as Associate Director Lise Brian was kind enough to spare me some her time to look at my work. Lise was really friendly and gave me some excellent feedback on my work. She liked the layout of my portfolio and commented on how the presentation had been well thought out. I had a good mix of black & white and colour work. She asked me if I had considered working as a children’s book illustrator as she could see my characters working well in a book, she also said she could see my work transferring well editorially especially the black and white stuff.
Lise explained that she preferred the original sketch drawings of my characters to the finished coloured versions and said it could be a style all by itself. She would have liked to have seen more of my work, but appreciated I probably had unfinished work which I could later add. She also said It would be a good idea to show some of my finished work in context so that whoever looks at it can fully appreciate the artwork. This could be in the form of a photograph showing a poster in the setting or the finished mural print on the wall of the school. I really enjoyed my visit to the Chase and appreciate the advice I was given. I still have a lot more to do to get my portfolio up to scratch but I’m starting to get a better understanding of what a potential client might want to see and what can strengthen the skills I have.
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