When you are just starting as an illustrator, it can feel like you are caught in a loop: you need projects to build a portfolio, but clients want to see a portfolio before they hire you.
One way to break that loop is by contributing to a meaningful volunteer project.
A volunteer illustration is still a real project. You receive a brief, work within specific requirements, communicate with an organisation, meet a deadline, and create something for a real audience. If you choose the right project, the result can become a strong case study for your portfolio—and support a cause you genuinely care about at the same time.
This is how I started working with Histórias da Ajudaris.
In 2023, I received an email from Ajudaris, a nonprofit organisation based in Porto, Portugal. Ajudaris works to fight hunger, poverty, and social exclusion through education, training, and practical support for children.
One of its initiatives, Histórias da Ajudaris, invites children from different countries to write stories connected to citizenship and social values. Illustrators from around the world then volunteer to bring these stories to life.
The texts and illustrations are published as a collection of books to raise funds for the organisation’s work.
The theme in 2023 was Peace, and I created my first illustration for the project. I loved the idea of children writing stories to help other children and artists contributing their skills to make those stories more engaging.
It was not simply a personal drawing exercise. I was working with a real text, a defined format, a deadline, and a final publication in mind.
This year, I had the opportunity to contribute to Histórias da Ajudaris again.
The story I received was about a young sea turtle who mistakes a piece of plastic for seaweed. The plastic becomes stuck in her mouth, but two swimmers notice that she is in trouble and bring her to Dr. Beluga, a veterinarian specialising in marine animals.
After he removes the plastic, the turtle is safely returned to the ocean.
For my illustration, I chose the final moment of the story: Dr. Beluga gently releasing the turtle by the water. Instead of showing the most frightening part, I focused on relief, trust, and hope.
When you do not yet have client work, it can be tempting to fill your portfolio with unrelated drawings. Personal work is important, but a complete project tells people much more about you.
A good volunteer project can help you demonstrate:
• How you interpret a written brief
• How you develop an idea from sketches to final artwork
• How you solve composition and visual storytelling problems
• How you work with dimensions, deadlines, and technical requirements
• How your illustration functions inside a real book, campaign, website, or product
• How you communicate with an organisation and respond to feedback
Most importantly, it gives your work context. Instead of presenting one isolated illustration, you can explain the story behind it, your creative decisions, and the purpose it was designed to serve.
That is what turns an image into a portfolio case.
Volunteering doesn’t mean saying yes to everything. Pick one or two projects that truly fit your goals.
Check that the project has:
• A cause you care about
• A clear, realistic scope
• Fair deadlines
• Credit for your work
• Permission to use it in your portfolio
• A result you’re proud of
• Your time and skills still matter.
A good collaboration should feel respectful, not like free labour replacing a paid job.
If you’re starting out, look for charities, schools, community groups, or environmental projects that need creative help.
Choose work aligned with your future goals. If you want children’s books, support literacy projects. If you like environmental illustration, find conservation nonprofits. If you’re into social impact design, help local initiatives.
You don’t need permission to begin. Volunteer work can give you real briefs, real experience, and strong portfolio pieces.
For me, returning to Histórias da Ajudaris three years after my first contribution made it even more meaningful. It showed me how a single illustration can become part of something much bigger.
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