I read about Behance, an online community for creative professionals, in a LinkedIn group "Visual Artists and Their Associates." (If you are on LinkedIn but haven't explored LinkedIn Groups, I highly recommend it!) Behance allows you to post multiple portfolios (images, audio and video) for free! You can also post your experience/resume, and get feedback from other artists about your portfolio. You also have the ability to download an ad-free PDF version of your portfolio to send to clients. The website isn't limited to visual arts, there are portfolios for writers, exhibition designers, even ice sculptors. You can also choose your own favorites and "follow" other artists in the network.
One of the most attractive features about Behance is that allows you to link your portfolio directly to your LinkedIn page, making your images directly accessible in that platform.
I decided to give it a try. The first section is a series of questions designed to identify and characterize your work by style, medium and segment, plus personal information including your website, email address and twitter account. The second section allows you to make multiple portfolios (called "projects"), so you can organize your work any way you like.
I am in the process of putting my portfolios up, and will keep you posted about my progress. The interface is very clean and easy to use, and you have the option to use their very clean templates or upload a pdf page if you want to create your own layout. Photos need to be RGB and under 1megabyte and I am sure videos would have parameters too, so you may need to resize your images before you can upload. The layouts seem to prefer horizontal images but there may be a way to work around that. I have used it with both Safari and Firefox browsers without issue.
I really like the fact that it is designed with creative pros in mind, unlike many of the template-based web solutions that offer few options for artists. The connectivity with LinkedIn is a major plus.
I will let you know when my page is launched! Let me know if you try it, too, and please post your comments about Behance here.
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The Behance plug in for LinkedIn is a real life saver for artists. I hated using LI before this app because the network is all text and boring graphics. You had to rely too heavily on people taking the initiative to follow your website links to see your artwork. Not everyone does!
ReplyDeleteThe portfolio app gives your profile a much needed shot of color and guarantees that users will see your artwork right away - which increases the chances that people will learn more about you.
It's a great thing.