PERFECT YOUR PORTFOLIO - Page 2
You know you're good, but how to convince others? This is where to go to find out how to create that award-winning portfolio that will really help to get you noticed. Learn inside secrets from how to mount and display your work in ways that grab attention, to how to present each piece both physically and visually. It's all here!
SS1 would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to DIGIT Magazine for letting us use their previously published words of wisdom... happy reading!
Build your portfolio
The most common mistake people make with portfolios is over-designing the book. Because you're creative and want to show how creative you are, it may seem its a great idea to make a really unusual, overly-designed portfolio. However, your book is about you and your work, not about your skills with card, plastic folders, and a stick of glue.
Focus on your work Whatever you use to present your portfolio, don't let it draw attention away from your work. A portfolio doesn't have to be extravagant - clarity is the objective here. If your portfolio is in print, don't use distracting colours or patterns behind your pieces. Use only as many pages as there are pieces of work - don't leave empty pages at the back.
Web designers should provide print versions of their work, and avoid over-complicating your online portfolio. The work on the site is the important bit: make sure it's clean, simple, easy to navigate, and works in all browsers.
Assembly line Poor assembly can wreck a book: inside pockets packed with loose sketches, unsecured work spilling out from frayed edges can be as overwhelming as one with too much stuff in it. Secure content well, and ensure your book is clean, crisp, and fresh.
Portfolio variations As a designer, you'll have a creative streak that means it's tempting to avoid the standard-issue black, oversize portfolio case. That's OK, portfolios themselves can vary widely. However, whatever size and style you choose, there are a few rules rules to consider.
The portfolio case should be easy to carry, not too large, durable, and able to protect your work. It must be simple to operate, open, and leaf through. Inside, make it easy to view, easy to rearrange, and durable. Use high-quality pages and page protectors.
Label, label, label This often comes as a surprise to new creatives - many directors are so busy that they'll ask for the portfolio to be dropped off with the aim of reviewing it over the following few days. So, make sure that you clearly label each piece, including the name of the client or project title, your role in the project, the tools you used, and a sentence or two outlining why the piece is important. It's basic stuff, and it also gives you some cues to lead a discussion on your work when you're wilting under the pressure of a live interview.
Presentation order There are several ways of ordering your portfolio: by chronology; by complexity; and by category. If you take a chronological approach, then it's best to start with your most recent work as it's probably the most accomplished. Unless your work is of one type, however, then the best method is by category - it could be divided into different techniques, such as digital illustration, or vector art, for example, or different types, such as Web work, graphic design, and so on.
A third category to consider is by type of work, such as posters, magazine covers, or corporate identity. Organizing by complexity is more challenging, but means you can group work by, say, spot colour work, four-colour work, package design, and so on.
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