To Build A Portfolio...

In discussing the organization of a body of work, how to categorize and share came up.  When I did this with photography and artwork long ago, it was straightforward:  Media and Subject Matter.

We’d display by type of artwork needed for particular reasons:  illustration or fine art or graphic design or a certain color palette or topic.

Models and hobby stuff are a tad different:  usually displayed by Color family for Finishwork.  Some artists have huge collections of a specialty color amidst the rainbow...besides your typical Blacks, Bays, Chestnuts, and Grays, you have spotted patterns. Pintos and Appy patterns are subdivided into Overos, Tobianos, Toveros, Sabinos, and even splash pattern.  Leopards, Blanket, semi-blankets, varnish roan and few-spot.  There are anomalies like brindled, zebra striped, and other markings or patterns.  Dilutes and Modifiers are displayed...Buckskins, Palominos, Grullas, Duns.  Roans on every base color.  Champagnes and Creams.  Silver and gold and dapples and chrome...we have it all in modeldom.  Every marking and detail is seen...mixed eyes, mapping and halos, tiny features from hoof to hair, by way of sculpture or customization as well as color and Finishwork.

Another discussion surrounding favorite artists and plans for unpainted (nekkid!) pieces came about...and in this we review that there are different scales, media, and signature strengths by each artist’s brush!  Models range from humongous scales to our main ones of “Traditional” 1:9, to “Classic” 1:12, down to the mini scales of Little Bit, Stablemate, and micro minis!

Artists often finish in paints, oils or acrylics, hand-brushes or airbrushed, or use pastels and pigments in layers of powder, sealed and built up, and even things like colored pencil.  Techniques may be specialized in, like etching or rehairing.  Many, like myself, are multimedia artist, combining materials and techniques to achieve desired effects.

Some model artists are makers as well - sculpting and casting, customizing, creating dolls or props or tack.  Regular Art art like 2-D flatwork or craft pieces are also depicted as creative endeavors.  I am not even touching on other nonvisual arts, such as writing or performance (like dance, music, acting) here, but all are portfolio-worthy!

Back to “specialists”, the concept is that certain artists truly excel at a particular area.  Maybe one does exceptionally beautiful glowing bays and chestnuts while another is known for their detailed Appaloosas.  A skilled tackmaker might turn out consistent sets while another artist focuses on micro scale Finishwork.  We are lucky to have so much talent in our hobby!  It is a real treat to look through online galleries and observe an artist’s catalog.

Me, I’m a humble hobby artist, but I have and do create for others from time to time as well as for my own enjoyment.  I have work documented in hard copy as well as electronically, but figured it was time to at least assemble a small sampling of equine colors and other visual art efforts, old and new.  It’s not perfect, but here it is:

https://shannontrodgers3.wixsite.com/shamrockfarmsinc

I welcome your inquiries!  Happy weekend, everybody.