How to Send an Art Portfolio by E-mail

As a working artist, there are times when you must show your portfolio to prospective clients. However, it may not always be practical or feasible to hand-deliver it or send it by mail. In such cases, it is best to send your files electronically via email.

Photograph your art using a high-quality digital camera, preferably a digital SLR-type camera. Set the camera to output files in JPEG mode. If you can select an output quality, select the medium or space-saver mode. This will provide sufficient output resolution for viewing your work on a computer monitor.

Connect the camera to your computer and transfer the digital picture files to your computer's hard drive.

Right-click on the desktop and select "Create New Folder" from the options that appear. Once the folder has been created, it will appear on the desktop and you can give it an appropriate name.

Select the digital picture files that you want to send by email and drag them into the newly created folder. Or you can select multiple files by holding down the Command/Option key, selecting the photos that you want and then dragging them all into the folder at once.

Right-click on the folder that contains your art project and select "Compress Folder" from the options that appear. This will create a compressed or "zipped" folder that will still contain all of your original art files but in a compressed format that is easier to send by email.

Open your email application and choose the "Add Attachment" option. Select the desktop folder that contains your artwork and click "OK" or "Attach." Finally, address your email and click send.