Themes Within A Portfolio...

I don't think themes, I think style. Consistent style leads to sticking in people's memory easier.

I agree with Heather, it's more about style, but in the same aspect I am very diverse in style or theme. I have a bad habit of carrying my canon with me everywhere so my style is very diverse. I may shoot a city skyline one day and fall colors the next to a portrait of a cat. All I can suggest is set up galleries and shoot what makes you happy!

I seem to know others' 'style' and can recognize their work, probably because they're consistent, yes.

Try as I might, there are groups of my works that reflect a 'way' or thoughts that inter-react, but mostly, I'm always excited more by creating a new path via another avenue for expressive art...........hence, I'm not defined by one way of working. Often, too, a subject needs a new style of approach.....not everything can be 'fit' into a 'way' that some adhere to.

I really don't know! I've a diverse portfolio and paint in different mediums as well! I guess, I should wait and watch as to what 'clicks' the best for buyers! Yes, one thing is clear now, as Mike too suggested... the quality of your art and a good marketing strategy gives you a stronghold.
Need to buy a good camera to capture my artwork! Need good advise on that! Anyone?

Looking at my portfolio I realise my style is somewhat minimalist. And as for a theme....that bumble bee flies in quite a lot!

I think it's important to get that style that's yours and recognisable. Still working on mine... One day :)

I agree. Style is that constantly evolving quality that makes you stand out from the pack. However, I don't know that style can be considered an intentional aspect. Technique yes, but not style. In my mind, recognizable style either develops with time or not.

Debra, your bumble bee is an excellent example of a theme. Very fun idea.

Instead of "themes", I suppose I should have simply said "galleries". As a painter, do you work toward the completion of a gallery idea, or just let the galleries fall together as they will? Do you paint one after the other 15 each of "Horses", "Trees" and "Eyes"or do you just create naturally and sporadically only to later find them coalesce into "Gallant Equine", "Seasonal Change" and "Soul Windows"?

Joe Burgess

its about having different things for different people. i've never been in an ice cream store where they served 31 flavors of vanilla. or a burger joint that didn't offer variations of a theme - chicken, etc.

its about creating new kinds of content.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Thanks, Mike. And I get that. A little something for everybody, assuming your painting for everybody. You're actually a perfect example of what I'm talking about. I see you go into "Steampunk" mode and churn out multiple pieces one after another within that theme. But you're able to turn an image around much faster than I am and therefore your mind is able to move from topic to topic more quickly. A couple of months later, you're onto an entirely different gallery.

I guess I'm torn between creating for myself and desiring some form of recognition in the long term, and wondering what that recognition requires of me. I spend a lot of time on my pieces. Maybe it shows or maybe I'm slow, that's beside the point. I don't want to spend 12 months painting 12 butterflies in order to complete a "Butterfly" gallery for the masses. I don't like butterflies enough to keep my mind enveloped with them for so long. But it seems some form of consistency is expected within the marketplace...

Joe Burgess

in each upload i'll send up 2-4 themes to add to the collective. if i'm creating digital art, usually one idea flows into another and i can batch them out pretty fast. the themes are a build up over many years, quite a few i abandoned and don't update at all. others merged and settled into a genre, once i found it sells better there.

the problem with making art just for yourself is - it will be hard to market. unless you have someone in mind who also might like it, it will be hard to sell otherwise.

in general you make a butterfly. then you make a deer. then you make a grapefruit. then you make a car. then you make another butterfly and add it next to the other one. then another grapefruit, or a pear, or a banana, so you have a fruit theme. you keep mixing and adding to each one. to do a series all at once would bore me to tears. i almost went mad making that alphabet. as your inspired to make something, you make something. you can really only get into it if your inspired, so you work hard on that one, and move onto whatever tickles you next.

it doesn't even have to be a butterfly theme, it can turn into an insect theme - where you do stick bugs, and stink bugs, dung beetles, and all the odd things normal people don't usually do. so you can corner a market and make a niche. that's how these collections all work. its a build up of adding new things to them on a near constant basis.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

I have a such a diverse portfolio and struggle with the "am I doing too many things to not stand out in the crowd?" but I do what inspires me at the moment. I find that once I am inspired and create a work of art, that work nudges at me to try something else. From that piece I am thinking of my next piece.I may not have thought of my next work last week but now I can't wait to create it. I sometimes wonder if that holds me back from finding my own style or consistency in my portfolio. In fact, I have actually eliminated some work I did in the beginning, not because of lack of sale, but that it doesn't mean anything to me anymore.

I too struggled like Mike when doing my Famous Landmarks series. I thought I was done, then got suggestions from others to do other cities and then realized I missed some great places, so made 30+ more. I couldn't wait to get done with them.

I too agree with Heather that I feel no matter what you are doing, your style will come out, and that is what will set you apart and make you unique.

I feel creating art is self discovery. You can't rush it, you have to work at it. One day, someday, it will hit you like a ton of bricks, then you will find your style or niche. Of course, that's not what the thread is about, but I am too looking for those golden answers of my portfolio being so diverse, and still finding what I am most passionate about. Also, still waiting for the ton of bricks.....

I'm like William and others above. I'm working with someone who is trying to help me develop a "style" but, for the life of me, it's not sticking yet. I love everything and if it grabs my attention and moves me, I shoot it and try to make it a piece that conveys to others what it conveyed to me at the time of capture. I do try to keep things categorized in galleries. But I do realize the importance of having a style that you can be recognized by.

═ Carolyn Marshall
www.carolynmarshallphotography.com

Joe. interesting question. I have to agree with others it is more about style. I looked at my past sales,( the ones with multiple sales from the same buyers) and seem to support that: .Some choose different subjects, some choose with similar color palette but over all they all have that look of my works.

Thanks, everyone. I immensely appreciate all the advice. It's hard not to be influenced and even envious of the things you see other people doing. I'm amazed at Mike's portfolio and all the different niches he's filled. He's got the entire market covered and has simultaneously maintained a consistent and recognizable style.

As much as I want to be efficient and aim for sales, I'm thinking it's more important to stay true to myself. That's the direction I'm currently heading with the hopes that I will find my work naturally falling into some themes, which I can then start to organize and categorize as I see fit.

Thanks again.

Joe Burgess
jb-imagery.com

Impossible for me to stick to one style. I have to try everything.

I also have never followed a theme until recently. I started to insects and arachnids to try and make a series. So you make series within your portfolio? Are all of your pieces different subjects? Or are you asking if you should have a theme throughout all of your series? I am also interested in this question. I do agree that style is more important than theme. I am about to start a new series and it will be completely different from the last.

Mik, I think I've managed to get the terminology all confused in here, but my original question was in regards to what you are calling "series". I do not work towards completing any specific series. I just have a crazy idea for an image and then go for it in the hopes that it will eventually fall into a category. It looks like you have an idea for a series and then complete several pieces one after another to complete the series. That's great. I just don't think I can do that.

Welcome aboard.

Joe Burgess
jb-imagery.com

Joe, I am glad we could sort out our terminology. I totally understand the crazy idea for an image thing. I am very much the same way. I only recently decided to start some series, so we shall see if I can manage it. I think that in the end, our "wild hair" ideas are probably the best ones. I like random ideas very much, but I also like that if I have a theme I do not very often get painter's block. I am only building a series because I have been lead to believe that it is "series" that sell. My intention is not necessarily to make tons of money, though I wouldn't mind it either. My intention is to be seen.