ArtPort Blog

ArtPort is a digital portfolio building platform and social network for artists.

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4 Resources For Finding a Creative Job You Love

So you've built a strong portfolio of creative work (and created an ArtPort portfolio to share it online, obviously!) and now you are on the hunt for the perfect, creative job: one that will allow you to use your artistic talent to pay rent, eat, and maybe buy that thing that's been in your Amazon shopping cart for months. We've been there. 

We understand looking for a job can be one of the most rewarding but equally frustrating pursuits - especially when you add the vastness of the Internet job board ecosystem to the equation. 

Well, have no fear you creative careers-men and women, we've assembled some of the best resources out there that will help you along this journey in finding the artistic job of your dreams. And even if you're not looking for a new job this very second, make sure to bookmark these sites for future use.

Find creative jobs with...

Entertainment Careers Entertainment Career’s name says it all - it’s a place where you can find job postings ranging from animation and 3D design to acting and music work. With just one click you can begin browsing jobs based on sector and location. It’s a great resource for people searching for both full-time jobs as well as internships in the entertainment industry. 

From Warner Music Group to ESPN, this site has a plethora of diverse opportunities for creatives. We recommend starting here for your job search!

Research those jobs with...

Glassdoor Once you’ve found a couple killer jobs that you’re interested in applying to, make sure to head over to Glassdoor to read up on the companies and positions. The site holds a growing database of 6 million company reviews, CEO approval ratings, salary reports, interview reviews and questions, benefits reviews, office photos and more. 

Unlike other jobs sites, all of this information is entirely shared by those who know a company best — the employees. So if a stocked kitchen or bagel Fridays are important to you, then Glassdoor is a great place to get this inside scoop (pun intended).

Organize your job search with...

JobHero So you found a bunch of great positions at awesome companies and have 30 tabs open on your browser so you don’t forget to apply to each one? Yep, we’ve been there too. Sometimes too much of a good thing can lead to chaos. But JobHero is hear to rescue both you and your tab-riddled browser. 

JobHero is a free job search dashboard that lets you organize and optimize your hunt for a new gig so you can get a better job, faster, and do it all in one place! JobHero lets you save jobs from across the web with one click, track job applications, record research and contact information, and set reminders to follow up. 

We recommend installing their browser extension “Sidekick,” which allows you to save job applications directly to your JobHero dashboard without leaving the page, job hunting has never been easier!

Grow professionally with...

The Muse Offering exciting job opportunities, expert advice, and a peek behind the scenes into fantastic companies and career paths, The Muse believes that you can and should love your job—and be successful at it—and they want to help make that happen. Whether you are still discovering your passion, need a career finder, want to change career paths, or hope to get ahead at your current job, The Muse has everything you need to take charge of your career. 

We recommend signing up for “The Daily Muse” email digest. It provides expert career advice and job opportunities right to your inbox, so you can focus on that interview you have and let The Muse find your next job for you. Good luck!

Do you use any job search tools that weren't on our list? Comment below to let us know about them! And remember, nothing looks better than a strong portfolio when applying for a creative position, so make sure to create a digital portfolio for all of your artistic work on ArtPort. Email us at [email protected] with any questions, comments or feedback.

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10 Instagram Accounts To Inspire Your Inner Photographer

Sometimes you can get in a creative slump - we get it. We’ve definitely been there before. But one of the best ways to break through a block is to venture out and get inspired by other makers, doers, and creators. That’s what ArtPort is all about. So if you are feeling a little uninspired, check out some of our favorite photography Instagram accounts below and it’s sure to spark your creative juices.

@nyonair

@cahmun

@andrewknapp

@earthpix

@onefinestay

@at_bobby

@arnold_daniel

@jermzlee

@samuelelkins

@samhorine

Like any Instagram accounts that didn’t make the list? Share them in the comments below! Have a lot of photos? Check out ArtPort to make a portfolio for all of your photography here: http://artport.me/

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How To Make Your ArtPort Portfolio

Here at ArtPort, we put the Internet to work for you, aggregating all of your content from across the web into a beautiful, digital portfolio. Whether you have music from SoundCloud or video from YouTube, we streamline your digital presence in just a couple clicks.

Check out our How To video below to see how easy it is to get your ArtPort portfolio up and running - we added a new video, checked out Twin Wave’s portfolio and messaged them - all in under a minute!

Can you beat our time? Let us know in the comments below. You can sign up for your own ArtPort account here: http://www.artport.me/

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5 Tools To Take Your App Designs To The Next Level

Sketch

Sketch is like Photoshop, only leaner. This means that the learning curve is much shorter, and you can easily start designing and exporting mockups in no time. One of the great features of Sketch is that you can export designs that are optimized for all platforms at once, which means you don't have to build out multiple versions of each of your objects for various devices (iOS, desktop, etc.) - creating responsive designs has never been easier. Did we mention its super affordable? With a $99 price tag, this piece of software is a must have for all app designers.

Keynotopia 

So you have a great app idea but your software chops are a bit lacking? Keynotopia is perfect for you then. By purchasing the Prototyping Bundle for either PowerPoint of Keynote (currently, only $97 dollars!), you get access to a litany of pixel perfect, vector objects that you can use to prototype pretty much any app concept. What's great, is that Keynotopia comes with objects custom made for any device you can think of (yes, there's even Blackberry UI templates included), so all of the spec work is done for you. Use it in Keynote or PowerPoint and let your creativity flow.

Balsamiq

Balsamiq is similar in concept to Keynotopia, as it provides a drag and drop solution to easily build and design mockups for any of your app ideas. What's great about Balsamiq, is the product was designed with quick app-making in mind, so there are pre-made menus that hold all of the objects you will need for your designs. This makes the wireframing process quick and easy. In short, with Balsamiq, you can go from prototyping to rapid prototyping. 

Invision

Invision is used by some of the heavy hitters in the app design world - Twitter, Evernote, Salesforce - to name a few. And they're definitely using it for a reason. If you are working in a bigger team with a lot of cooks in the design kitchen, than this piece of software will prove to be incredibly useful. With real-time design presentation and collaboration tools as well as version control for your designs, Invision makes it easy to design together.

Proto.io

If you are comfortable making static designs but want to make them more interactive, than Proto.io is perfect for your needs. This app makes it incredibly simple for you to animate your designs. But taking it one step further, Proto.io lets you preview your prototypes on actual devices (Android and iOS) without having to install anything. Now there's no excuse for you to not build your dream app. 

Have any other design software essentials? Let us know in the comments below or Tweet us your favorites: @artportme

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Equipment Needed For A Cheap, Home Recording Studio

So you've written a Top 40 track...but there's a problem. You don't have the money to record it in a professional studio. Never fear, with minimal investment in some basic equipment, you can record, mix and master your own tracks in your room for a fraction of the cost. Check out the steps below to get started.

Minimum Equipment Needed:

Computer/laptop  DAW (Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Ableton, etc.) MIDI Keyboard

Advanced Equipment:

Preamp Condenser microphone XLR cable 1/4" cable

Starter Studio Setup

To get started, download a DAW to your computer. Pro Tools and Logic Pro are industry standards. If you have a Mac, Logic Pro might be the way to go. It also is an extremely intuitive software, so you'll be up and running in no time. DAWs act as the brains of the recording operation, and provide you with software instruments, thousands of sounds and effects, a tracking station, virtual mixing board, and mastering studio. What used to cost tens of thousands of dollars is now condensed to a software that costs a couple hundred dollars. Thank you technology. Don't have the money for a premium DAW? GarageBand or Fruity Loops are great, free alternatives.

The next piece of equipment for your recording studio should be a MIDI keyboard. This piece of hardware can plug into your computer via USB and allows you to trigger the sounds in your DAW. NOTE: MIDI keyboards do not come with any preloaded sounds, so you'll need software to use it. But with this combination, you can record piano, drums, strings, horns, or whatever other sounds your DAW has on it. Did we mention these are relatively cheap? You can get your hands on one for under $80. However, we recommend the M-Audio Axiom 61 if you have some extra cash.

If you are looking to just make beats or instrumental/electronic music, with this setup (a computer, DAW, and MIDI keyboard), you have all you need. But, if you're looking to record vocals or other instruments, keep reading.

Advanced Studio Setup

To record any type of instrument or vocal, it's best to get a preamp. A great, simple preamp that we love here at ArtPort is the MOTU 8pre. It gives you eight inputs and allows you to control gain right on the device. If you're ever looking to track something like a drum kit, this preamp is perfect. 

Once you have the preamp, pick yourself up an XLR cable or two and a 1/4" cable as well. These will allow you to connect your microphones and electronic instruments to your preamp. Most preamps will connect to your computer via USB or Firewire. Make sure to check your computer's inputs before buying a preamp. Nothing is more painful then opening up a brand new piece of hardware and realizing it doesn’t play nice with your computer. Not that we’ve done that countless times...oh, the pain. But enough about us. From there, you can sync this new hardware to your DAW and start laying down those sweet guitar riffs you've been meaning to record.

Now, if you want to record vocals, a solid condenser mic is necessary. The Blue Baby Bottle delivers a quality sound and will last for your studio’s lifetime. It’s definitely an investment, but one that we think is worth it. Nothing is worse then belting your lungs out only to have it sound crackly on the recording. Just hook the mic up to your preamp with an XLR cable and you’re ready to get your Diana Ross on. No shame, we do it too.

With this basic setup, you can be up and recording in no time with minimal investment. There are definitely more items you can add to improve your studio (studio monitors, quality headphones, boom stands, etc.) but those can be added over time. A home studio is something you can continue to invest in and improve as you grow as well. 

So what are you waiting for? Go to your favorite music retailer and pick up these essentials - we’re looking forward to hearing your work!

Have any other recording equipment essentials? Let us know in the comments below.

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Attention Writers: 5 Apps To Improve Your Writing Process

1. Trello for storyboarding

Trello is a task management tool for organizing your life, or, in this case, storyboarding your next novel or essay. To get started, create board headers for items like characters, plot points, locations, acts of the story, or even one for super villains (if your story calls for an awesome section like that). Then, add cards to each of these boards to flesh out the content. What's great about Trello is that you can move around the cards or boards the same way you would move around sticky notes on a wall. But with Trello instead of the stick-notes-all-over-your-walls-scenario, you save trees and your friends won't think you're a crazy vigilante trying to solve cold cases in your room.

2. Pomodoro Timer for time management

We understand it's tough to focus on writing. Especially when your Facebook feed is begging you to watch another cat video. In the mercurial world that is the Internet, focusing on anything, let alone something like writing, is difficult. That's where Pomodoro Timer comes in handy. You can use the app to help you set goals, time them, track progress, and more than anything, budget for breaks to earn the right to watch that hilarious cat video. So set a goal (maybe knock out a card or two from your Trello board?), time it with Pomodoro Timer, and watch your productivity increase tenfold. 

3. Pocket for reading

Reading, who's got time for that? In between binge watching House of Cards and thinking about maybe starting your next writing project, reading is definitely tough to squeeze into your busy schedule. But with Pocket, you can easily save blogs, articles, or whatever you want to read online for later, say during your commute, when you have time, or when you're waiting on line at the DMV, when you have a lot of time. Pocket stores your saved articles in an organized queue and allows you to brush up on your backlog of The New Yorker must reads with just a few clicks. You can also look up definitions within the app to improve your lexicon (seriously, we just learned that word from Pocket). 

4. Dropbox for sharing your work

So you've written the next, great American novel and now you want to send it to friends, family, coworkers (anyone who doesn't say "no" when you ask them to read it). Well, no one likes massive attachments or huge strings of text in email. Also, uploading a file 50 times is way more of a headache than uploading it once, right? If you agree, then create a Dropbox account, upload your work to the cloud, and share the URL to all of your unsuspecting family members, who have now become your unofficial editors.

5. ArtPort to showcase your work

Once you've done all of the hard work of actually writing something, now it's time to share it to the world. Sure, Twitter and Facebook are great social vehicles for promoting, but you actually need to send people to a place to view your work. And that's where ArtPort comes in - you can create a digital portfolio for all of your writing work in one, digital destination. Never worry about having to create a personal website again. In less than five minutes, you can sync all of your articles from around the web (personal blogs, press clips, copywriting work, etc.) to ArtPort. Sharing all your writing clips has never been easier. 

Make your ArtPort digital portfolio in less than five minutes at www.artport.me. Have any questions? Shoot us a line at [email protected]