How one can Create a Robust Greeting Card Portfolio


On your shoppers and clients, having a superb number of greeting card designs lets you efficiently receives a commission to your artwork, in addition to showcase your potential as a card designer. Over the previous three years as a greeting card designer, I’ve had the prospect to study from my errors, my successes, and different artists. The portfolio ideas under will be simply accommodated to your distinctive artwork apply, so listed below are six key methods to construct a robust greeting card portfolio.

How to Create a Strong Greeting Card Portfolio | Sketch Design Repeat

1. Showcase designs that actually characterize you

As artists, we have to visually characterize ourselves with work that matches inside our inventive bandwidth and pursuits. Oftentimes, we make errors by including artwork items to our portfolio that have been simply informal explorations, trials, or compelled creations. They may not be the work that we like or made thoughtfully. 

It may be tempting to share all of the work you create. However bear in mind, you by no means know which consumer is shopping your work and making selections primarily based on what you’ve showcased in your portfolio. The work you present units an expectation that you’re able to making that exact kind of artwork in the long term. It additionally gives the look that you simply’re good at making that form of artwork. 

For instance: a majority of your playing cards embody cursive typography however sooner or later you simply tried block lettering (which isn’t your core curiosity), however you needed to indicate in your portfolio that you simply tried one thing new. Whereas there’s nothing flawed with attempting one thing new, is it consultant of your model?

How to Create a Strong Greeting Card Portfolio | Sketch Design Repeat

To simplify, ask your self whether or not the artwork you present in your portfolio is one thing you wouldn’t thoughts creating time and again. Is it the artwork that represents who you might be, and what your vibe is? I bear in mind one time I put up a design I made in a rush that wasn’t standard for my artwork fashion, only for the sake of including items to my portfolio. I used to be hooked up to what I made, however after I mirrored on the design, that card was one thing I made one random day for a Father’s Day submission. Have a look at your present playing cards and sift via what’s ‘you’ and what may not be!


Associated Article: Design Greeting Playing cards That Stand Out

2. Embrace extra on a regular basis classes

Greeting card events will be broadly divided into two classes, on a regular basis and seasonal. Seasonal playing cards are one thing that sells just for a specific time of the yr, I.e. Mom’s Day, Christmas, Diwali, St, Patrick’s Day, and so on. Quite the opposite, on a regular basis playing cards are offered all yr spherical, I.e. Birthday, get effectively quickly, wedding ceremony, new Child, and so on. These playing cards are evergreen they usually can normally herald constant gross sales for you as a greeting card designer. 

Why do I recommend having extra on a regular basis classes in your portfolio? Your design has extra possibilities of being picked up for licensing as a result of firms are all the time searching for on a regular basis playing cards. Whereas for those who method them with solely seasonal playing cards, chances are high that they may not want the design as of now, for some time. 

Don’t get me flawed, presenting each card classes will sooner or later or one other enable you develop into a licensed artist, nonetheless, on a regular basis playing cards promote extra and are required extra by clients since they don’t have a set interval of peak gross sales. 

How to Create a Strong Greeting Card Portfolio | Sketch Design Repeat

Provided that they promote all yr spherical, the competitors is so much too, as a result of each artist wants constant gross sales. Therefore, while you create an on a regular basis card, be certain it’s not generic however is completely different and distinctive along with your spin on it. 

The market has quite a lot of ‘completely happy birthday’ playing cards however for those who take the identical event and create one thing out of the field, you’ll stand out it doesn’t matter what. I’d say, have a 60–40 ratio between every single day and seasonal designs. Despite the fact that seasonal playing cards may spike your gross sales because of a distinct segment demand, on a regular basis playing cards will get you sustainable gross sales all yr spherical!

3. Bear in mind the area of interest classes

As I discussed within the earlier level relating to the ratio of the cardboard classes, the seasonal or ‘area of interest’ playing cards shouldn’t be uncared for altogether. Despite the fact that they don’t promote all yr spherical, it’s finest to make good use of the restricted interval with a superb design. In my expertise, Valentine’s Day and Mom’s Day drive quite a lot of gross sales for me. Since my fashion leans extra in the direction of female and floral components, I select to focus extra on these two events. Likewise, different common card classes like Christmas, Thanksgiving, Commencement, New 12 months’s, and so on. may do this for you. It’s a matter of experimenting with each card class and discovering out what works finest to your artwork. 

How to Create a Strong Greeting Card Portfolio | Sketch Design Repeat

However what is going to you do after the event is over? My scorching tip can be to easily repurpose the design for an additional event! Play with the phrases, colours, and illustration components. For example, can your floral Mom’s Day card develop into a birthday card? Go for it! Normally, card firms are okay with licensing playing cards which were licensed elsewhere; they solely search for a degree of distinction. This will assist your artwork be repurposed to its most potential. This tip is useful while you require a recent design however don’t have the temper or time to make a brand new card!

4. Make designs with and with out phrases

Whereas there may be an undoubted expectation for greeting playing cards to have a message on them, clean playing cards (i.e. playing cards with out phrases) have a requirement as effectively. Playing cards with phrases are broadly offered and are kind of a norm within the business since you’re normally expressing a sentiment while you ship somebody a card. Good lettering or typography paired with an emotion-provoking illustration could make a greeting card interesting. However what about playing cards with out phrases? 

How to Create a Strong Greeting Card Portfolio | Sketch Design Repeat

Clean playing cards have solely illustrations and no phrases on them. Christmas timber, floral bouquets, and summary patterns are some examples of clean card motifs. In my expertise, the preferred motifs are flowers. Florals promote effectively as a result of they’re a common image of gift-giving. 

Prospects can buy a clean card and write something inside, whether or not it’s ‘get effectively quickly,’ ‘considering of you’ or perhaps a ‘Completely happy birthday!’. Clean playing cards permit shoppers to customise the within of the greeting card in any approach as a result of the surface motif doesn’t characterize any specific event. Clean playing cards are for shoppers who might not choose daring, foolish designs however choose a easy one thing with simply an illustration. It’s a area of interest class however one to look out for! My finest tip to create clean playing cards is to repurpose present illustrations of yours that you will have created for Instagram or simply for enjoyable! 

How to Create a Strong Greeting Card Portfolio | Sketch Design Repeat

5. Experiment with tones

As folks, we’ve alternative ways of expressing our emotions. Some choose sarcastically whereas others might choose a cherishing approach. Because of this your portfolio must mirror playing cards with completely different tones. Have a wide range of playing cards that vary in tones akin to humorous, sarcastic, cheerful, heartfelt, naughty, honest, and so on. You needn’t faucet into all of them directly, however experiment with every tone. 

For me, humorous and heartfelt playing cards promote one of the best. I attempted promoting sarcastic playing cards, however they didn’t do effectively for me. Likewise, you’ll be able to faucet into one or two tonal concepts talked about above and see what works finest for you! This manner, you don’t miss out on a wider target market.

When you really feel confused, analysis and research different playing cards on-line with an analogous fashion to yours and see what recurring tonalities seem. If you go to on-line marketplaces, you’ll get an concept of the best-selling card designs, which will be utilized to your apply as effectively. However don’t copy the concepts as is, make them your personal or just use them as inspiration. We don’t need to copy playing cards, even when we’re simply studying!

How to Create a Strong Greeting Card Portfolio | Sketch Design Repeat

6. Hold your portfolio updated

Now that you’ve some basis laid out, you can begin designing playing cards as and while you’re ready. Take into accout to replace your portfolio in an environment friendly timeline. I’d say each 6–8 months, maintain including newer playing cards and take away older playing cards out of your portfolio to maintain it recent. In fact, you’ll be able to modify the timeline as per your artwork profession, however that is what works for me. 

When you get an thrilling venture days after you replace your portfolio, don’t draw back from posting it straight away! Regarding my first tip, displaying designs that characterize you is admittedly necessary. Don’t maintain older designs from which you might need grown out of as an artist. 

In case you overlook to replace, set a future calendar date for your self so that you simply bear in mind to remain on prime of your sport! Lastly, take a superb day or one week to correctly replace your portfolio, as a result of it is rather more likely to be consultant of you for the following few months. Ensure you take your time in order that potential and present shoppers can see one of the best of your work that displays your greeting card abilities!

To conclude, these six ideas are beginning factors so that you can have enjoyable and create extra greeting card designs that align you in the direction of what you actually want to promote.

Bear in mind, that as greeting card designers, we get to be part of somebody’s life as candy little moments, so be certain your card portfolio displays that!


Written by Daksha Giri

Web site: www.dakshagiri.com
Instagram: @dakshagiri

Daksha Giri is an illustrator and lettering artist primarily based in India who creates lovely and distinctive paintings that’s each visually interesting and emotionally resonant. Her work is seen in greeting playing cards, packaging, giftware & house décor.



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