Portfolio suggestions for students and designers just starting out.
1. Dick Blick offers a wide range of portfolios and presentation cases, and some are pretty splendid. I would suggest this presentation case in the 8-1/2" x 11" or 11" x 14" size :
Dick Blick Portfolios
You can certainly choose any others, or shop any other artists supply store.
The price is reasonable, and more importantly, it will not dwarf your work (standard 20" x 26" portfolio will, unless you mount or mat your pieces generously to lend class to the presentation). It does not require that you mount or mat anything. It uses clear sheet protectors. You may want to buy some high quality black or gray backing sheets (the ones that often come with the sleeves are cheap—don't use cheap anything). I use black Canson charcoal paper, or Strathmore charcoal paper.
Dick Blick Strathmore 500 Series Charcoal Paper
2. Assemble your best work and make good quality color printouts if you don't have commercially printed samples (usually laser color will do, inkjet can be flimsy and type can look bad), and for illustrations, logos, and other feature pieces, you might want to do photo quality printing on a substantial paper. Brochures, ads, and direct mail pieces will probably be fine on 20# or heavier laser paper.
3. In choosing your "best work," be practical about it: you don't need to show more than 12-18 pieces (it takes time to review a portfolio and 30-40 pieces is overwhelming).
4. Select work that best represents your strengths, and think in terms of categories:
• logo/trademark designs
• brochures
• illustrations
• print ads
• direct mail
• color and B&W solutions
• web sites/pages (in traditional portfolios, you can include a print of each website with links for interviewers to review)
Samples should represent your breadth and depth of experience and skills, in a minimal way (e.g., no more than 3 illustrations, 3 logos, 3 billboards, etc.). Each example should convey something unique about your abilities: complex logo, contemporary logo, whimsical logo; spot illustration, feature illustration, digital and traditional illustrations, cartoons, tech illustrations (more than 3 illustrations if your abilities go beyond 3 major types); posters, door-hangers, flyers, and other misc. promotional pieces; print ads, eMail blasts, etc. Do not pad your portfolio with repetitious examples, except where repetition shows that you can "do it again" or that you have developed a style (as in cartooning or illustration).
5. Arrange samples in sleeves so that reviewer does not have to remove items from the sleeves (this requires replacing them which is often awkward and interferes with the presentation).
Two-sided brochures can be viewed flat from both sides of a page protector. If you want to also show the folded brochure (as the recipient would see it initially), then place a black backing sheet in a left hand sleeve, with the folded brochure centered. In the right hand sleeve, insert the flat brochure (no black backing sheet) so reviewer can see the front and back by turning the page.
For letterhead, envelope, and card package presentation, arrange all 3 inside a single sleeve, or, place black backing sheets in two facing pages, arrange the card and envelope in left sleeve, with stationery facing them in the right sleeve. (Note: I think it's OK to cut the envelope down and fit it against the edge of the sleeve so you can display it horizontally in a "cropped" approach).
6. Write down and practice what you wish to say about EACH piece: if you have nothing to say about it, why show it? Yeah, a picture is worth a thousand words, but YOU are not a picture and neither is the reviewer. Why are you showing this piece? What is it you want the reviewer to learn about you and your skills from seeing it? NEVER say anything negative (not just bad, but any negative statement, like "This was my first pen and ink drawing—my other one is better but I couldn't find it"), and NEVER make any excuses for anything in your portfolio ("The teacher/client/Martian made me do it this way"). NEVER talk about software unless you are asked: you are a designer, not a computer jockey. Talk design, marketing, advertising. Your resumé will list your software skills.
7. Provide a resumé and business card that you can leave with any and all reviewers (more than one copy may be needed). The resumé should be no more than 2 pages, should have all your contact info, should not be "cute" or "witty" unless you really do "cute" and "witty" extremely well. There are different schools of thought on this; I don't appreciate receiving resumés that I have to wade through or figure out—remember, you never know who you will interview with, so the more basic, the better. If you DO know who you are going to be interviewing with, or simply want to be sure that you land all the Rapper jobs, and are not interested in the others, then, of course, your resumé will lean into that style.
Begin your resumé with your education (expected date of graduation and level), if you have more education than experience, then begin with experience. List professional organizations.
8. Some people advocate affixing a small, professional looking label to identify "school" projects in a portfolio, which is very important if your work might imply that you have been doing commercial projects for existing companies—don't ever mislead your interviewer (how do they know whether or not "Texas Homebuilders" is a real company, or that you didn't do that cover for the real Rolling Stone magazine?).
9. Remember that portfolios show your depth and breath of skill and experience. A portfolio review should neither drag, nor be too brief: interviewer wants to see your abilities, but does not want to go through "death by portfolio." Your resumé details your education and job history. If you include a cover letter, it should detail the position you want, the reason(s) you are an excellent fit, show your knowledge of the company/industry, and advise recipient that you will call on such-and-such a day to discuss a time to meet with him/her. You are asking for a job, be proactive, not passive.
10. Some cover letter and resumé info:
Cover Letters and Resumés
Note: this information is about "traditional portfolios," and as such, is primarily focused on print. A key feature of traditional portfolios is that interviewers can actually touch and feel the work. Designers are responsible for much more than simply arranging photos and choosing typefaces. Paper weights, textures, subtleties; die-cuts and embossing; drills and perforations; pop-ups; UV coatings; unique folds; containers; bubble packs and other printing specialties do not present well in digital print-outs or online. There is no substitute for touching and using the sample. Be warned: physical samples will convey the depth and creativity of your whole design solution, as well as your lack of knowledge, creativity and planning.
Finally, consider creating a digital portfolio in addition to a traditional one. Sometimes companies request that you send your work digitally, or want you to leave a "copy" of your portfolio, and a CD or DVD is perfect for this. If you are interested in working as a web designer/developer, Flash expert, animator, 3D artist, or other video specialist, then a CD or DVD is the way to go. I may take up the subject of digital portfolios in a later post, but for now, my advice is make them very easy to navigate.
