No Client Work? No Problem. Here’s How to Build a Portfolio That Gets You Hired

“I don’t have any client work, what do I even put in my portfolio?” 

This is one of the more common worries we hear from illustrators who are new to developing their portfolios, but we want to encourage you to reframe this question: Having no client work isn’t a weakness, try to view this as having creative control in your illustration career.

When you’re not working to a brief, you have the freedom to decide what your portfolio says about you. And really, that’s what art directors are really looking for; they don’t need proof of paid work, but would rather see your personality and voice, your interests, and how you solve visual problems with consistency and intention.

Your portfolio isn’t a record that’s stamped with what you’ve done and where you’ve been. It’s a preview of what you can do and, most importantly, where you want to go.

And the good news? You don’t need to wait for permission to start building it.

Decide where you want to place your work and build a portfolio, whether this be publishing, licensing, advertising or, editorial, have a clear intention of what areas interest you. Set yourself the briefs you would like to attain and dive into these projects. Instead of thinking, “I want to draw a mermaid today,” try asking: ’Where does this image live?’

Is it a middle grade book cover or the cover of a board book? A black and white chapter opener? A double-page spread? What’s the moment you’re capturing? Ask yourself questions and set the parameters before creating your portfolio work. 

Suddenly, you’re not just making an image, but you’re creating something with purpose. Something that feels like it belongs on a bookshelf in the real world. This is where personal projects become powerful. Treat them like real briefs. Give them context, a format, an audience. You’re not just drawing, you’re art directing yourself!

Try building a small, thoughtful series. A mini project of 3 – 5 finalised images around a theme will say far more about your abilities than hundreds of disconnected, rough illustrations. It shows consistency, storytelling, and that you can carry an idea across multiple pieces. This is something clients value.

Of course, there are a few common pitfalls worth watching out for:

• Too many styles can make your portfolio feel unfocused
• Pretty but empty images without narrative and intention don’t tend to land as well
• Context is key, you want how the work could be used to be clear
• Inconsistent quality can weaken even your strongest pieces

If you are finding that you are struggling with portfolio curation, or just want to learn more, ITSme offers the Be a Pro at Curating Your Portfolio course. Which will help you gain insight from creative experts from multiple agencies. You even have the chance to undertake a portfolio review as part of the program!

So if you’re at the beginning of your career, or simply between projects, don’t hold back. Make the work you want to be hired for. Set your own briefs. Build your own world.

More often than not, it’s the work you create for yourself that opens the door to everything else.

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