October 01, 2025

The most essential part of illustration is storytelling.

Your illustrations must:

• Tell a compelling story

  
  

• Further a narrative

  
  

• Convey emotion

  
  

• Show action

All portfolio images must be highly narrative and stuffed to the gills with solid visual storytelling.

Adapted from the article "Is Your Portfolio MIssing the Critical Piece?" from the Red Rabbit Dispatch, School of Visual Storytelling, Ocotber 1, 2025.

Storytelling, imagination, and emotion. These are three most important aspects of an illustrator's portfolio.

I tried drawing in a non-photo blue pencil but I think I'll stick with my favourite 1.6 black ball point pen for a while.

---Trying to find non-photo blue pencils that I can afford in Canada is nearly impossible. The ball point pens are cheap and available now in every store. It's a bit of a no-brainer.