After finishing a really nice poster for my Spanish project, I finally decided it was time to start getting an art portfolio together for jobs and college.
I was wondering what you all would recommend as far as quality, price and size. Any links or information would help out. I’m willing to spend a good bit of money on a portfolio if it will last.
Thank you! Your help is appreciated! 
tlw-artist
March 12, 2010 at 3:10 am
I would investigate what a good portfolio consists of:
http://www.artschools.com/articles/portfolio/ This article discusses what should be included and how to select your work.
Another short discussion: http://www.ehow.com/how_2059475_put-together-college-art-portfolio.html
And another: http://www.intstudy.com/articles/saww5a18.htm
Most seem to leave the selection of the actual portfolio case up to the artist/student. I would recommend something that a standard 8.5×11 printed out image from your digital files of your work will fit into nicely. A nice Itoya presents well. There are a few similar types that would be simple to mail if you needed to mail in samples of your work. You usually don’t include originals unless they ask for them. So presenting prints of well-taken digital images of your work is usually sufficient.
There are larger cases, some with zippers and some made of leather. I promise you that the selection committee will not be impressed with an expensive portfolio case if the work inside is lacking. Present your best work in a professional and neat manner, paying attention to include everything listed by the admissions for whatever school it is you are applying to, and it won’t matter which kind of case you put it in. Do not decorate the case to make it showier, nor should you try to make it fancy inside. If they ask for 5 figure drawings, three plein air landscapes, two portraits, and a partridge in a pear tree, give them exactly that. They will be comparing hundreds of portfolios against their requirements. . . you don’t need to stand out by either skipping items or giving them more than they ask for. What will make your portfolio stand out will be excellent work in each category they ask for presented cleanly and neatly.
Good luck . . . my heart goes with you!
(By the way, I have several portfolios for presenting my work, and several “working” portfolios . . . the kind you carry works in progress to and from class or location in. I have soft-side, zippered, and hard plastic. I have one large and one small flat portfolio, the kind with the ties down the side . . . which I use when presenting originals . . . using glassine between each work of art. So if you buy one and find out you ned another kind, rest assured. . . you will likely use them ALL!!!)