©Mary Adam, http://maryadam.com/ July 2012

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A

Homemade

Portfolio

©Mary Adam, http://maryadam.com/ July 2012

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A home-made portfolio

Here’s how to make a simple cardboard and canvas portfolio. It’s lightweight but quite

strong and it can accommodate several sheets up to 12” x 18” with room to spare.

Materials

Two sheets of cardboard, each approx 13” x 19” (or any other size you want)

Several pieces of cotton canvas cut to size as needed

White glue or PVA glue

A two-inch length of Velcro (the kind with adhesive backing)

A brush for spreading glue

Knife for cutting cardboard and canvas

A piece of cardboard 11” x 8” for the flap

Method

First cut two pieces of cardboard each

measuring 19” x 13”. One will be the front

cover, the other will be the back cover. Then cut

a piece of canvas 19” long and four inches wide.

Lay the two pieces of cardboard side by side on

a table with about an inch between them (Fig 1).

Don’t glue the long canvas strip yet.

Cut another piece of canvas (or strong

paper) for the inside pocket. Make it the

width of the cardboard plus two inches

(about 15” wide) and 9” deep as in Fig 2.

Lay the canvas on the table wrong side up and lay the back cardboard on top. Cut away

the corners of the canvas as shown in pencil in Fig 3. This will make it easier to fold the

canvas over. Fold the edges over to the back (Fig 4) but don’t make it tight, allow about

¼ to ½-inch on both sides so that the pocket will have depth and can accommodate

Fig 1

Fig 2

©Mary Adam, http://maryadam.com/ July 2012

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artwork without creasing. Brush glue on to both canvas and cardboard and press them

together. Rub with a paper towel to remove air-bubbles and to wipe away any excess.

Allow to dry.

Fig. 5: The pocket from the inside.

Now for the spine. Lay the two pieces of

cardboard face down on the table with the

back on the left. Align them neatly leaving

about one inch between them (Fig 6). Lay the long canvas strip wrong side up on a piece

of newspaper and rule two pencil lines about an inch in from each edge (Fig. 7). You will

be leaving the centre strip without glue. Brush glue on to both surfaces as shown. Align

the canvas carefully with both pieces of cardboard (placed about an inch apart) and press

them together (Fig. 8). If the canvas is not straight you can lift and realign if you do it

quickly before the glue dries. Press with a paper towel to remove air bubbles and excess

glue, and place under weights to dry.

Fig 6

Fig 7

Fig 8

Fig 3

Fig 4

Fig 5

Fig 5

©Mary Adam, http://maryadam.com/ July 2012

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Cut a strip of canvas or paper 19” by 3” for the inside spine. Trim a piece out of the lower

part so that it fits around the pocket without overlapping. Brush glue on to both surfaces

and press together. Allow to dry. The portfolio will look similar to Fig 9.

Cut a piece of cardboard 11” wide by

approx 8” deep. This is for the flap. Cut a

canvas strip 9” long x 2” wide. Turn the

portfolio over so the back is facing up and

align the cardboard flap with the top of the

back edge, allowing ¼” between the edges

so the flap can be raised and lowered

easily. Brush glue on to both surfaces and

apply the glued canvas strip to both pieces

of cardboard, pressing with a paper towel

to remove air bubbles. .

In Fig 10 the portfolio is shown from the front with the

flap in place and with a canvas tab to keep it closed. For

the tab, glue a small piece of canvas to the lower edge

of the flap as shown and allow to dry. Cut one inch of

Velcro and apply one part to the front of the pocket and

the other part to the underside of the tab (Fig 11). This

makes a neat means of closing the inside of the

portfolio.

Fig 9

Fig 10

Fig 11

©Mary Adam, http://maryadam.com/ July 2012

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Lastly, a way to close the two covers. As before cut a

small canvas tab, about four inches by two inches, and

glue half of it to the back of the back cover leaving the

other half free and overlapping the edge. When dry take

the remaining piece of Velcro and apply to the underside

of the tab and to the front of the portfolio, aligning them

carefully (Fig 12).

The portfolio is now complete.

Personalize the front cover . . .

. . . and pack with artwork.

Fig 12