In the past, sign painters and artists would put together a photo book of their work in a Portfolio or Sign Pictures Portfolio, so the client could feel confident that the sign artist could do the work they were hired to do. I had a Sign Portfolio for many years that I carried around. I used an ‘illustrators portfolio’ case and placed my pictures in what I hoped would be an artistic setting and tried to limit the pictures to 6 per page for each catagory, trucks, walls, windows etc. I figured they would be convinced I could do the work then it was a matter of ‘could I do their work’. I still have the portfolio that I used before computers.
Today we have the internet. Yes, word of mouth is still the best way to promote your work, but the Sign Portfolio of today is on your website, or pictures you put on Instagram or Facebook. It is so convenient to show your pictures to a client, on a Kindle HD or a laptop, and hopefully some care is given to the presentation.
My website Sign Portfolio shows pictures of many different jobs I’ve done because each job is unique and different. Truck lettering can be hand lettered, vinyl lettered or digital print. Doing a custom hand lettered banner is rare but a digital print banner is not. Window signs present a unique palette. Water gilding, surface gilding, hand lettered enamel or vinyl can all be used on this medium. The application can be inside or outside the glass. I’ve done both.
Another popular sign type is sandblasted or routed signs, that give a dimensional look, or you can apply individual letters to a substrate or wall. Traditional hand lettering can be done on mdo plywood, metal, show cards and any number of surfaces and you will see most of that here.
A Sign Portfolio is a valuable tool, one of many, to help bring in the work.
