Make a Design Portfolio
A stellar design portfolio will open doors, answer questions about your abilities and showcase your talents to prospective employers. Students just out of art school can use class projects and more experienced artists will have a variety of client projects to use as examples. Your samples demonstrate your talents, range and skills. A design portfolio is an artist's resume.
Instructions
1. Determine the type of portfolio you want to make as well as its purpose. For an interview, you will want a hard copy of your resume and perhaps a leave-behind printed piece. For cold calling and an ongoing presence, consider a custom CD or DVD or personal website.
2. Choose a variety of samples highlighting your very best work. Demonstrate your skills and talents by choosing only remarkable pieces. Make sure your portfolio is well rounded, including a variety of mediums such as composition, drawing, modeling, photography and digital art.
3. Limit the number of pieces you include. Quality trumps quantity when you only have a short time to showcase your many talents. Include only 15 pieces in your portfolio which requires discernment on your part and demonstrates respect for the client's time on their part.
4. Show your involvement from concept through execution by including the same piece of artwork through these stages. Exhibit your involvement through the process by revealing each stage of the piece and showing a collaborative effort.
5. Mat each color copy, photography and art piece onto a heavy sheet of black cardstock or on the page of a coiled binder used in a portfolio folder. Attach the piece securely so there is no danger of it falling off or the edges curling.
6. Rearrange your artwork included based on the job description or duties. A portfolio should be able to be updated, changed and modified easily.
7. Upload several of your art pieces onto a unique website, preferably with your first and last name as the domain address. Create thumbnails of your best pieces with the option to click for a closer view. You can include more pieces on a webpage because the viewer can pick and choose which thumbnails he wants to click.
8. Create DVD or CD to display artwork that you can mail with a cover letter, send in a direct mail package or leave behind after an interview. Make sure to label both the sleeve and CD with a nicely designed label that includes your name, address, phone number and email address.
9. Perfect your portfolio by making sure the artwork is presented in the best way possible. If you are showcasing a sculpture, create a single sheet that shows the sculpture from several angles.
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