Etiquette for portfolio under a pseudonym?

**Avenier** · February 6th, 2013, 04:18 PM

So I have a question I am certain has been asked a few times before but... I thought I would get some fresh takes on the issue:

I want to get a professional art portfolio rolled out soon, but I currently work under a pseudonym. What is the general etiquette surrounding using a pseudonym for hire?

**Elwell** · February 6th, 2013, 04:33 PM

I don't think there's any particular stigma attached to it, if that's what you're asking. The only real issue is payment, especially if you're going to be getting checks.
EDIT: I see from your current site that most of your work is erotic, are you planning on looking for non-adult work? Because that could indeed be an issue, and you may want to differentiate the work you've been doing under your pseudonym from a more mainstream portfolio site.

**Avenier** · February 7th, 2013, 01:52 AM

Originally Posted by Elwell

I don't think there's any particular stigma attached to it, if that's what you're asking. The only real issue is payment, especially if you're going to be getting checks.
EDIT: I see from your current site that most of your work is erotic, are you planning on looking for non-adult work? Because that could indeed be an issue, and you may want to differentiate the work you've been doing under your pseudonym from a more mainstream portfolio site.

Thanks for the response! This year I am really stepping up my game with art, implementing new techniques that I have learned, and focusing moreso on design and composition in hopes of landing some occasional free-lance work--of which may or may not be erotic in nature. So far I have done a few book covers--some erotic, some not--but I really would like to build a portfolio that does not focus on these subjects.

Would you suggest that I use an entirely different name for my mainstream work, and leave any casual/erotic work specifically for this name? I have been really curious about how wise it would be to mix the two.

**Aly Fell** · February 7th, 2013, 06:46 AM

I was advised by the publisher when I started working in the children's book market, to use a pseudonym. The work that attracted them to me was a cheerleader with her boyfriends head in her lap. I was asked if this style would be adaptable to a less 'graphic' nature. I was happy to do so. It has at no point hindered anything. I keep church and state separate so to speak, and the same image has led to other work as well, bizarrely. This however was a happy accident, so if you are starting from scratch, then a separate portfolio site might be a good idea. It's perfectly OK to have parallel portfolios but with different aspirations or agendas. As far as payment is concerned, this hasn't been an issue. Contracts are issued under your real name for obvious reasons, but the 'public' name is agreed by both sides.

**Elwell** · February 7th, 2013, 07:21 AM

More discussion going on right now at http://conceptart.org/forums/showthr...-not&p=3642372

**Avenier** · February 7th, 2013, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by Aly Fell

I was advised by the publisher when I started working in the children's book market, to use a pseudonym. The work that attracted them to me was a cheerleader with her boyfriends head in her lap. I was asked if this style would be adaptable to a less 'graphic' nature. I was happy to do so. It has at no point hindered anything. I keep church and state separate so to speak, and the same image has led to other work as well, bizarrely. This however was a happy accident, so if you are starting from scratch, then a separate portfolio site might be a good idea. It's perfectly OK to have parallel portfolios but with different aspirations or agendas. As far as payment is concerned, this hasn't been an issue. Contracts are issued under your real name for obvious reasons, but the 'public' name is agreed by both sides.

Thanks for this! I am curious, parallel portfolios--should I use a separate pseudonym for the "tame" port vs the erotic? I am so reluctant to split my work into two groups since the followers of my erotic work also really enjoy the tame, and I would really hate not to expose my audience to that side of my work as well.

**Frida Bergholtz** · February 7th, 2013, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by Avenier

Thanks for this! I am curious, parallel portfolios--should I use a separate pseudonym for the "tame" port vs the erotic? I am so reluctant to split my work into two groups since the followers of my erotic work also really enjoy the tame, and I would really hate not to expose my audience to that side of my work as well.

Your professional portfolio would not be for your followers and fans, you can keep a blogg where you churn out whatever you feel like for them. Your portfolio would be all about getting you the kind of jobs that you like to have and have a possibility to get. So you have to think it through carefully.

**Qitsune** · February 7th, 2013, 04:41 PM

I'm a bit confused by your portfolio because you have different size thumbnails under illustrations, and they are separated in groups, but I couldn't find a logic in that. You have super sweet general public illustrations scattered with stuff that is not just erotic, it's plain gore. I think even if you get a separate portfolio, it would be wise to identify the pg images, the erotic images and the gore images and sort them accordingly in the one you have now. When I saw the art nouveau layout and 18+ I was not expecting to see someone being fucked in the eyesocket.

By the way, I really like the harem guy character.

**Aly Fell** · February 7th, 2013, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by Avenier

Thanks for this! I am curious, parallel portfolios--should I use a separate pseudonym for the "tame" port vs the erotic? I am so reluctant to split my work into two groups since the followers of my erotic work also really enjoy the tame, and I would really hate not to expose my audience to that side of my work as well.

Well I can only use my personal experience as a template, and ultimately it’s up to you. Whilst the followers of your erotic work would no doubt be very happy to see your broader scope, it may not work the other way round. I also have a good friend who has become a very successful children’s author/illustrator and uses a pseudonym to separate one branch of his work from the other, not that it's erotic based, just fantasy. It’s not about being secretive or dishonest but about preserving audiences and keeping the personal apart from the professional, if that’s appropriate. Sometimes both will meet, and that’s great, but for example, say you got a job illustrating a series of ‘Spot the Dog’ type books for pre-teens, and a mum or dad was doing a search on Amazon for your name and came across a compilation of your erotic work… I personally don’t have an issue with that, but your publisher may. In the end you need to know what the main priority is in your artistic career and how you want to manage that.

**Avenier** · February 7th, 2013, 06:52 PM

Originally Posted by Frida Bergholtz

Your professional portfolio would not be for your followers and fans, you can keep a blogg where you churn out whatever you feel like for them. Your portfolio would be all about getting you the kind of jobs that you like to have and have a possibility to get. So you have to think it through carefully.

Aah I see, so I should likely consider the exact content that I want to put into a professional portfolio as opposed to a website which houses everything, from sketches to fun doodles, erotic work etc. That makes sense since I plan to take my work in a somewhat different direction--with careful thought and execution as opposed to my current work on Avenier, which is extremely casual. Thanks for the tip!

Originally Posted by Qitsune

I'm a bit confused by your portfolio because you have different size thumbnails under illustrations, and they are separated in groups, but I couldn't find a logic in that. You have super sweet general public illustrations scattered with stuff that is not just erotic, it's plain gore. I think even if you get a separate portfolio, it would be wise to identify the pg images, the erotic images and the gore images and sort them accordingly in the one you have now. When I saw the art nouveau layout and 18+ I was not expecting to see someone being fucked in the eyesocket.

By the way, I really like the harem guy character.

Thanks! As for the thumbnails, since this I would call the site more of a showcase or gallery as opposed to portfolio, I ordered the thumbnails in different sizes based on completion--the larger, highlight images are on top, the unfinished material and very old material sinking down smaller to the bottom (as they are eventually removed). I mean to revise this soon and not use this method on my actual portfolio *nod* Also I had to lol a bit at that last line--yeah I get that a lot! Haha. I have been considering revisions--as you say--to separate the "extreme" content from the relatively casual and erotic work.

Thanks for the compliment as well!

So all in all I think I have a pretty good feeling on what I need to do as far as ordering my work and how to present it. I will definitely have to consider my portfolio arrangement and keep it separate from this website, since there is a lot of casual fluff work posted here as opposed to things I spend days on (most of these images, none of them exceed 6-8 hours of work).

Thank you guys!

**Avenier** · February 7th, 2013, 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by Frida Bergholtz

Your professional portfolio would not be for your followers and fans, you can keep a blogg where you churn out whatever you feel like for them. Your portfolio would be all about getting you the kind of jobs that you like to have and have a possibility to get. So you have to think it through carefully.

Aah I see, so I should likely consider the exact content that I want to put into a professional portfolio as opposed to a website which houses everything, from sketches to fun doodles, erotic work etc. That makes sense since I plan to take my work in a somewhat different direction--with careful thought and execution as opposed to my current work on Avenier, which is extremely casual. Thanks for the tip!

Originally Posted by Qitsune

I'm a bit confused by your portfolio because you have different size thumbnails under illustrations, and they are separated in groups, but I couldn't find a logic in that. You have super sweet general public illustrations scattered with stuff that is not just erotic, it's plain gore. I think even if you get a separate portfolio, it would be wise to identify the pg images, the erotic images and the gore images and sort them accordingly in the one you have now. When I saw the art nouveau layout and 18+ I was not expecting to see someone being fucked in the eyesocket.

By the way, I really like the harem guy character.

Thanks! As for the thumbnails, since this I would call the site more of a showcase or gallery as opposed to portfolio, I ordered the thumbnails in different sizes based on completion--the larger, highlight images are on top, the unfinished material and very old material sinking down smaller to the bottom (as they are eventually removed). I mean to revise this soon and not use this method on my actual portfolio *nod* Also I had to lol a bit at that last line--yeah I get that a lot! Haha. I have been considering revisions--as you say--to separate the "extreme" content from the relatively casual and erotic work.

Thanks for the compliment as well!

So all in all I think I have a pretty good feeling on what I need to do as far as ordering my work and how to present it. I will definitely have to consider my portfolio arrangement and keep it separate from this website, since there is a lot of casual fluff work posted here as opposed to things I spend days on (most of these images, none of them exceed 6-8 hours of work).

Thank you guys!

(if this posts double I'll take care of that, somehow my page isn't showing the original reply)