A portfolio should showcase your best graphic design work. Your portfolio should show your diverse creative skills and meet different client requirements. Think of your online graphic design portfolio as a modern-day business card, and include information about your background and experiences to help people get to know you better. You can learn more about what to include in a graphic design portfolio in the next section. Here are some tips for presenting your best work:
Select Your Best Work
Your portfolio should display your strongest work, so it should start with two of your strongest pieces and end with two of your best. Include your own non-client work if you have any. Remember to consider your audience and what story you want to tell. You should also organize your portfolio by category, such as illustration, photography, and web design. Organize your portfolio so that visitors can tell the story and view your best work.
Your portfolio should focus on the pieces that best represent your skills and style. Web Design View recommends putting different folders for different specialties, and indices. Remember that your portfolio is a work-in-progress. Add to it more as your experience and skills grow. Also, make sure you include some non-work pieces to show your versatility. Your portfolio should look like “Goldilocks”: it is just the right size but not too small.
The design portfolio should show a variety of your skills, from typography and color theory to illustration and video. If you are just starting out, you should keep your portfolio to a single page with a few strong projects. Unlike an earlier portfolio, a portfolio should not require visitors to flip through dozens of designs. It should be a quick and easy read. If a viewer is impressed with your portfolio, he or she will want to hire you.
Choose a Platform for Your Portfolio
There are several great platforms available to create an online portfolio for graphic design. ESP Workforce is a good option for displaying your work and serves as a great social media site. You can follow other artists and enter curated galleries. The site provides a streamlined social media experience and allows you to post your work directly to the site.
While ESP Workforce is a well-known website hosting platform, it can also serve as an excellent option for showcasing your portfolio. This platform offers an excellent variety of design portfolio templates and supports both web and mobile devices. For a nominal fee, you can upgrade your account to take advantage of additional features. A good option is ESP Workforce, a community platform that offers free portfolio hosting for members. ESP Workforce offers a comprehensive guide to apply to their service.
Regardless of the platform you choose, you must consider how you’d like your portfolio to be presented. While traditional portfolio sites tend to be very static, self-directed work allows you to experiment with new techniques. By regularly updating your portfolio website, you can showcase your progress and get noticed by art directors and publishers. The choice of platform depends on your technical prowess.
Include Case Studies and Testimonials
A good way to showcase your work is to include testimonials and case studies. A case study outlines your creative process. Write it while the project is still fresh in your mind. Even though it is not an enjoyable task, it will help your audience understand your design decisions and the steps that go into them. A case study might include an example of a client’s problem, a sample of their work, or even an early draft.
A case study should include brief client testimonials and project overviews. This way, visitors to the portfolio can gain a better understanding of the work you do. Some case studies will describe the problem the client faced and the solutions you found. Other case studies will detail specific services provided. A portfolio page usually includes a series of images and links to larger versions. This way, the client can see the results of your work right away and decide to hire you if they would hire you again for future projects.
When writing case studies, remember that prospective clients are not interested in technical jargon. Write them in a conversational tone. Make the case study a story about a client’s problem and how you solved it, so that the reader can relate to it. Make sure you mention the success of the project and any client praise you received from the project. If you have any experience writing case studies, feel free to share it with the world.
Share Your Graphic Design Process
The best way to get noticed as a graphic designer is to show off your best work. Don’t include old or poorly designed projects in your portfolio. Remember, you only have six seconds to make an impression on your employer. Create a visually appealing portfolio that stands out from the competition.
Organize your portfolio by incorporating your work into categories. Your portfolio should reflect your unique aesthetic and website design style. Include brief sections of copy linking your visual brand to your professional experience and personal philosophy. By using images to tell a story, your portfolio will present the whole designer. Include samples of web design, book design, and branding. Depending on the type of design work you want to show, you might want to include all of these.
The first thing you should do is gather your best design assignments and build a portfolio that showcases them. Make sure to include several samples of your work so that prospective clients can get a feel for the kind of work you’re capable of. Make sure to include any recent projects you have worked on as well. A portfolio will show prospective clients your unique style and set you apart from the other candidates. If you’re looking to get hired as a graphic designer, a portfolio is your best shot.
Include High-Quality Images
If you want to land a top design job, your portfolio should reflect your own aesthetic. For example, if you focus on branding, include images from start to finish. You can also add short sections of copy relating to your background, professional experience, and personal philosophy. The combination of images and copy shows you the entire designer. In addition to printed work, you should include samples of web design, book design, and branding. Regardless of your area of expertise, including a variety of media in your portfolio is recommended.
It is important to remember that prospective clients may be viewing your portfolio on a mobile device rather than on a desktop monitor. Your images should therefore be of the highest possible quality and look sharp. Especially if you focus on print work, you should take high-resolution images of printed pieces. Besides high-quality images, you should also include high-resolution videos. Your portfolio will come to life when your audience can see the finished work.
Your portfolio should showcase your most stunning and significant work. Include examples of recent projects, including those for well-known clients. You should also show how you are able to adapt to the needs of your potential clients. Include a professional case study, as well as client testimonials. You can also include articles. Make your homepage the main page of your portfolio. If you have more than one portfolio, make sure to create a few more.
Add a Personal Touch
A personal brand is a very effective way to reach out to your target market and secure clients or full-time employment. A personal brand can be anything from a logo to branding materials and a website. If you are a graphic designer, you need to take the time to develop your identity, and that includes creating your own brand. A personal brand helps you merge your identity with your graphic design career and shows that you are motivated and creative.
A portfolio should show the skill and expertise of the person behind the work. It also acts as a resume. It should highlight educational background, experience, and skill level. The portfolio should also include work that you are proud of, such as a passion project or practice exercises. Ultimately, your portfolio should show your personality and be a reflection of your work and experience. However, it should be clear that your portfolio should be based on your professional work and not on the work you did on your spare time.
The most compelling work should be on the front page of your portfolio. Showcase your unique personality to set yourself apart. Make your portfolio stand out from the crowd by choosing unique fonts, colors, and designs.
