Just starting a portfolio??

Aug 9, 2016

Taegan T.

Hey, I'd really like to start out my portfolio I have a few pictures I can include and I'm not really sure what kinds of pages to include on an online portfolio? If anyone has any tips that would be great! (I currently don't have enough money to pay for a domain or anything so I'm using weebly for now until I start up my potential makeup artist business)

Aug 12, 2016

Jacqueline H.

In my opinion, you need an online and a print portfolio. I personally liked using Wix.com. Wix allows you to utilize far more features for free than Weebly does. Just my opinion.

You will also need a print portfolio. Any time you meet face toface with a client, you need to have a print portfolio with you. Even though we live in the social media(YouTube, Instagram, etc. etc.) internet age, some prospective employers will refuse to look at an online portfolio; they wan to see your book, and if you don't have one, you won't get the gig.

When building your portfolio, you want to think about 2 things that go hand in hand: How to best display your unique style, while displaying the technical skills and techniques that a capable makeup artist should have. The very first image in your portfolio should be your most eye grabbing. It needs capture the viewer's attention right off the bat. In this business, you have one shot to capture the viewer's interest, so that first shot should make that person want to flip your first page and see more of your work. Whatever you think captures the very best of your skill level needs to be the very first page.

If you have worked with a well known model, a well respected photographer, or a celebrity that most anyone would recognize, or a tear sheet... photos like that need to be at the front of your portfolio. In addition, do not make the mistake via online or in print of only displaying photos the makeup you have done on yourself. No one will care what you can do on yourself, people want to see what you can do on others. In addition, In the back of your portfolio, after all the images, you can give a list of references who will recommend you, and you can add testimonials that praise your work. When people will see that others have trusted you and love your work, they'll be more likely to hire you and use your services. If you choose to use testimonials, they tend to work for you when doing bridal makeup. Do not use testimonials for editorial portfolios, you'll get laughed at. If you do bridal work, that should be a separate portfolio. Don't mix bridal work in with your more editorial images, it's an amateur move.


As a general rule, You want to show that you are a versatile and capable artist. You want to show that you can create a plethora of different looks. In my opinion, you should include one or more photos of clean makeup, editorial makeup, and avant-garde. If you can include photographs that clearly show that you have mastered the basics, and can produce something that is different from every other photograph you put up, you'll be ahead of the game.

Now when you're trying to pick and vary the images in your portfolio, there are a few things you need keep in mind:

1. Like I mentioned above, the first image should be one that presents the message you want to send. Figure out how you want to be seen, and find the best photo that represents you as an artist.

2. I love black and white photos, but some muas go a little overboard with them. Makeup for black and white photos requires a different skill set than makeup for color photos. While it's great to include black and white, don't overdo it because you are telling whoever is looking at your portfolio that b/w is your only, or most predominate skill set. It's all about showing fluid competency, not your favorite thing to do.

3. Include a few shots of model's/client's clothes. It may sound silly but when your images are being flipped through, a photographer will want to know that you are capable of coming up with a look that enhances the look, feel, and vibe of the clothing.

4. Include models/clients in very different lighting circumstances. One of the most challenging parts of being a mua is anticipating the light that the subject will be photographed in. Do looks under different lighting: indoor, outdoor, fluorescent, direct spot light, etc. etc. If you can show that you understand the basic fundamentals of makeup application in relation to different lighting situations, you'll be even farther ahead of the game.

As I lightly touched upon above, it is not at all uncommon for muas to have two or more portfolios ( I have 4), each for a different kind of makeup. If you have the skill set that spans across different areas of makeup, you may have a fashion portfolio, a bridal portfolio, SFX, etc. etc. As an artist, you'll need to make a decision about whether you'll be doing editorial makeup or bridal makeup, and have your entire portfolio full of photos of one or the other. You should never include images of both types in one book. If you're showing your portfolio to someone who is looking to hire you for a photo shoot for a magazine, they'll want to see your editorial photos, not your SFX or bridal work.

How many images should be in your portfolio? Well, you want to have enough photographs to show your range, but not so many that you don't bore someone to tears. You want to knock their socks off with a couple of images, and then have them wanting more. In a print portfolio, that could be anywhere from 10 to 15 images (at the very most); in an online portfolio, you can have as many images as you want; however, if there is an area of your site entitled "Portfolio," you really should stick to 10 to 15 images for the viewer. The biggest mistake I see other muas make? dumping hundreds of photos on a website. It makes it difficult for the viewer to navigate through the site. When building a portfolio, I recommend showing some form of restraint... It's quality over quantity.

You also wan to have a very logical order to your images, or a theme. For example, lets say you have 4 close-up images of clean makeup: two of a model's eyes, one of the lips, and one of the entire face. One photo from a small editorial shoot, two black and white, and one from a shoot with a known fashion brand. How do you organize that? You would put the well-known brand first, because it shows you've worked on some larger projects. Then you would include the small editorial shoot, followed by the close-ups, one after the other. You don't want those those shots interspersed throughout your portfolio because it will look disjointed. Last but not least...the black and white photos to show that you've learned different styles of application.

How you place your photos in order is subjective, and there's no 'correct' way to order the images in your portfolio. Everyone will order things differently, this is just how I roll. The most important thing to keep in mind here is 'flow' when similar photos are grouped together. It shows you have some semblance of understanding of your work, and it comes across as much more professional.

Some muas like to add 'before and after' photos. I don't. In my opinion that can come across as sooooo cheesy, especially if you do editorial work. Blech. If you are an artist that wants to focus on your local market by doing makeovers, and brides, a 'before and after' section of your portfolio can work for you. It just really depends on where you want your career to go, and what kinds/types of gigs you want to get.

In addition, some muas like to place a resume or CV in the back. Make sure there are no spelling or grammar errors. Individuals who will hire you want to know that you pay attention to e-v-e-r-y-t-h-I-n-g, and contrary to popular belief, in our industry details (continuity) do matter. Even the color of your portfolio, and the size of your photographs matter.

I hope this helped a bit.  :)

Aug 16, 2016

Jacqueline H.

You're welcome Taegan.