Puritan Portfolios

Throughout my blogging I’ve discussed all of the work that goes into a complete portfolio and my naivety toward the subject. Because I thought portfolios were simply websites I never explored nontraditional portfolios. Nontraditional portfolios have unique ways of displaying the designer’s work. “The most distinguishing feature is often an unusual exterior- a record box, film can, or vintage suitcase” (Page 140). However, some nontraditional portfolios have no container. Nontraditional portfolios run the gamut in terms of make, style and presentation. When it comes to designing a nontraditional portfolio it is important to make sure it fits with the designer. Being different just to be different isn’t the best approach. “The portfolio should match the work, and never overpower or upstage the design samples inside” (Page 140). The work presented in a nontraditional portfolio shouldn’t be radically different than the actual nontraditional portfolio. A theme could provide consistency between the portfolio and work.

One of the nontraditional portfolios that I found compelling was Nathan Zarse’s. He is a recent graduate of the Herron School of Arts and Designs. His nontraditional portfolio is a vintage suitcase. The suitcase is consistent with his interest in bringing back the design styles of the 1940s and 1950s (Page 150). Within the suitcase are ordinary manila envelopes. These manila envelopes are labeled with a distinctive sticker label he designed. In addition, he has an antique leatherette notebook that remains consistent with the vintage feel of his nontraditional portfolio (Page 150). I found this portfolio interesting because Zarse directly addressed the style of design he is interested in by choosing this nontraditional portfolio. I also found it appealing because of my own interest in vintage trunks and suitcases.

Pieces within a nontraditional can speak to art directors. “Any portfolio piece that takes a stand on an issue, or poses and then answers a question, helps an art director understand the person behind the work and their interests” (Page 151). People tend to work harder on things they are passionate about. If an art director knows you have an interest in sailing then he or she might want you to work on an upcoming project for a marina. As a designer I believe it is important to have opinions and be able to take a stand. If an art director sees that a person is dedicated to something than he or she might be more likely to hire them.

Websites are probably the best means of meeting a broad audience. They also give the opportunity for interested parties to survey a designer before deciding to meet with them. “A website is inclusive and anonymous; anyone with an Internet connection can visit a site without the designer or firm knowing who he or she is” (Page 162). Other portfolios are not as wide reaching. The designer is typically in control of who sees other means of portfolios. However, with websites someone could potentially be looking at it in another country and decide to offer you work. Additionally, websites are always available (Page 162). Their availability is not dependent on the designer sending out a copy or an art director asking for designers.

Portfolios are the best way for designers to display their work to potential employers. In particular nontraditional portfolios and websites can speak volumes about who a designer is. It is important infuse your personality into both all while remaining consistent with the work displayed in your portfolio.

Print Portfolios Squared

As it appears today Web-based portfolios are the preferred means of displaying work. “Because Web-based portfolios are so convenient, print versions are becoming less common among design professionals and design studios” (Page 94). However, print portfolios play a vital role in the processing of displaying design work to clients during interviews and presentations.

Often times print portfolios are required of designers. “Sometimes, a professional designer needs to present a portfolio when applying for a grant or award, such as a prestigious Cooper-Hewitt’s National Design Award” (Page 94). In these situations your website portfolio will not cut it. It is important to make sure that your print portfolio is as great as your website portfolio.

Several examples of excellence in print portfolios were highlighted in “Building Design Portfolios.” The following were designs that I found intriguing and inspirational:

Modern Dog- This group is irreverent and successful because of it. The firm’s portfolio arrives at a destination unassembled in a FedEx box. Within the box is a CD containing poster work, stills of old TV shows, CD designs for Loud Reed and the Pretenders, as well as gum packages, lip gloss, playing cards, a T-shirt, sheets of play stamps, and various books of logos and designs spilled out of the FedEx box. This way of displaying the work is outrageous yet compelling. People will want to know more about the company after receiving this print portfolio (Page 112).

Robin Lynch- This print portfolio intrigued me. Lynch uses a tin box for her portfolio presentation. She makes this box out of cut-up coffee cans and lined in comics. Within this container there are sub-containers to organize relevant work. The approach Lynch takes provides her with flexibility in customizing presentations, which has helped in providing her with a wide array of clients (Page 113).

The print portfolios of design students differ from professional print portfolios. “Most graduating design students create print portfolios; they typically spend the last part of the senior year assembling all their best projects into a presentation box of some kind” (Page 114). Many student portfolios are presented in the form of printed books that are organized around ideas that best express the ideas of the student (Page 114). Websites spread the word about a designer quickly but print portfolios displayed in a new, fresh manner may set a design student above the rest.

The student portfolio that I connected with most was that of Kathryn Cho’s. Her portfolio is a bound book that spans five years of work. The book is simple and allows the design work to be displayed without anything extraneous. One element of her graphic designs is dots. These dots are used as they serve as a reference to both print and computer screens. To enhance the dot theme, Cho puts her book in a bag with a dot patterns. The dots on the bag reflect Cho’s belief in graphic design permeating all mediums. All around Cho’s portfolio is a solid representation of who she is as a person and designer (Page 136).

Portfolios, both professional and student, are critical in getting a designer work.

Websites and Sounds

Before reading “Building Design Portfolios” and “How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul” I wasn’t aware of how much went into a portfolio. It is more than a sample of your work and a link to your contact information. A portfolio sets up who you are and what you’re about as a designer to potential employers.

An important part of your identity as a designer is your website. Websites are extremely useful in terms of portfolios. “They are also a great way to display any piece that would need to be photographed for inclusion in a traditional print portfolio- everything from food packaging and outdoor signage to large three-dimensional objects” (Page 74). All around a website is a great way to get your name out there and display your work. Also, because the Internet is widely used it makes it easier for designers to display their work and generate interest in their work.

Websites says a lot about a designer. Not only does it speak to the designer’s personality but also it shows the dedication a designer has to his or her craft. “It’s a sign that a designer is established and serious about his or her work” (Page 74). Even the website of a young designer can make the designer seem more experienced than he or she actually is. When reviewing a website clients “…consider the material the site is showing them, and then, the site itself” (Page 76). Though the design of a site is secondary to the work that is displayed, a well executed website can sell a designer to a client.

It is crucial to your success as a designer to change your website. “Many successful design studios redesign their sites as often as once a year to maintain a good reputation and stay current” (Page 74) Redesigns are done to keep the designer or design firm seem modern, hip and exciting. However, sometimes it is difficult to redesign a site as often as you’d like. If you were an established designer that hasn’t redesigned your site I wouldn’t lose sleep over it. As an established designer word of mouth and demand will keep you employed. Websites might get you in the door but it is your reputation that will keep you working.

Website portfolios aren’t full proof. There are some practical issues with websites. For example, modem speed, plug-ins and software. Chris Pullman of WGBH states that “A website can be a dangerous proposition. A Web designer doesn’t know by which method people are viewing it” (Page 76) If a viewer doesn’t have the most up to date technology they may not be able see some of your best work. “It’s essential that the client have compatible and up-to-date software and equipment so that the work can be presented smoothly- without interruption or painful pauses” (Page 82). Keep in mind that not everyone is as modern technologically as many designers are.

Another issue that designers run into with websites is how they make the viewers feel. It is said, “…websites have a tendency to be cool and impersonal” (Page 77). Most clients will want to work with a designer that will be fun. Designers that don’t infuse some type of personality into their portfolios are at a disadvantage.

It is not just the display of your work that is important. It is suggested that designers give some background information on the work they’ve produced. “It also helps to give context to individual samples. What was the problem? And how was it solved? (Page 76). A small block text can answer all of these questions and give insight into your thought process as a designer.

Navigation needs to be looked at when designing your portfolio. You need to designer “…a site in which it is impossible to get lost by setting up a menu incorporating icons for easy navigation” (Page 77). Make it as easier for the user to get to where they need to get to from anywhere on the site. A user should never be frustrated using your portfolio website.

One tip that I didn’t think about was removing designed that have been involved with failure. Not to say the design was the reason for failure but if you design a logo for a restaurant that has closed takes it off your site (Page 79). No one wants to his or her work associated with failure. Though you might not be the cause it still could affect clients psychologically.

Finally, something that impressed me was the approach Will Staehle took when job searching. Staehle invested in the production of six books at the cost of $100 per book. He gave each of these books to his design heroes at an Adobe awards ceremony (Page 92). As a result he landed a job with one of his heroes, Rober de Vicq de Cumptich at HarperCollins. Will Staehle produced a book at $100 per copy and gave them to design heroes at an Adobe awards ceremony. This approach impressed me because he put a lot of faith into his work. Though I wouldn’t go about job searching this way, I think it is an interesting and inspiring story.

Fifteen Minutes on High

In baking there is a specific order as to how the ingredients need to be mixed. If you stray from this, your cookie, cake or pie might not come out as you had hoped. In “Building Design Porfolios” the order of things in terms of portfolios is discussed. Unlike baking there is no set recipe or formula to volume, however there are things you need to keep in mind while arranging the work in your portfolio.

Sara Eisenman writes “The first thing in your portfolio or presentation box should be a strong design sample- a drum roll to get the viewer excited or, at the very least, engaged” (Page 40). The initial work in your portfolio needs to grab the attention of the viewer. The person needs to want to see more in order of the portfolio to be successful. However, this piece should not be your best work. The work you’re most proud of should certainly catch the viewer’s attention but you need to build the anticipation of the viewer. Showing your best work first could be detrimental as the viewer may forget how great the first piece was while looking at your less impressive pieces. The pieces within the portfolio should build anticipation and excitement. When the anticipation has reached its boiling point you should show the highlight of your work (Page 40).

In terms of live presentations you are in control. You are the “master of ceremonies.” During the presentation you’re running the show. With this in mind you can change the order of things, linger on certain works or move quickly over portions you’re not particularly proud of but found portfolio worthy (Page 40). You’re decisions and comments should be based on how you think the clients are responding. If you see they’re bored by apiece you thought would be a showstopper move on!

As a recent graduate most of the work your portfolio will contain will be from class projects. It is important to rework and polish these older pieces (Page 42). This is necessary in order to unify them and make them seem as if they are part of an overall theme.

One of the most important parts of your portfolio is infusing you into it. Eisenman writes, “…a good portfolio should express in some subtle way who you are and what relationship you have to the world” (Page 42). By demonstrating who you are and what you’re interests are you could potentially stand out from other designers who opt to simply show their work and not a part of them.

Graphic designers are expected to be neat and organized. That is why it is crucial to make sure that when you’re presenting your work they are easily put in and removed from your storage system. Whichever way you choose to display or transport your work should also speak to who you are. Though an expensive leather portfolio might look nice, a personalized photo box will tell the client something more about who you are. This can be a good thing depending on the client. The leather portfolio might be good for more a more corporate setting.

As I mentioned in my last blog “Building Design Portfolios” makes what was written about in “How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul” seem more like a reality. Sara Eisenman does a great job including tips about interviews, resumes and cover letters. These are tips many might already know but the reminder is definitely helpful. Some of the tips I’ll walk away with include:

Do not follow a standardized resume format at the expense of good typography- your resume should look as though a designer created it (Page 47)

Choose colors wisely. Resumes with yellow or pale gray can appear to lack confidence (Page 48)

Cover letters should be designed in the same spirit, colors, and typeface as your resume (Page 51)

Don’t include any strong opinions or mandates in your cover letter (Page 51)

Give careful though to all follow-up materials (Page 51)

Those are just some of the many tips included in the second chapter. There is a whole movement that goes into the job hunt, presentation and post presentation. Getting a job as a graphic designer isn’t like applying to work as an accountant. Applying to be a graphic designer is its own fulltime job.

Maybe you can list job-hunting as work experience on your resume? Just a thought.

The Real Deal Portfolio

Through reading the first chapter of “Building Design Portfolios” by Sara Eisenman I was able to see in a more practical sense a lot of what was discussed in “How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul.” Portfolios are designed to showcase your work and part of your personality. Your audience should get a good idea of your talent and who you are by looking through your portfolio. With this in mind it is important to remember that we change as people, which means we change as designers. Your portfolio can change as well. The portfolio that I can am in the process of designing is one portfolio meaning that I can redesign it whenever I want too (Page 13). Because portfolios are so fluid there is no best way to design a portfolio.

Another important point brought up my Sara Eisenman is that the “container” of the portfolio is secondary to the content. “It shouldn’t be so fussy or pretentious that it overpowers your work” (Page 13). Your work should be more important than the container. The container shouldn’t be overly complicated. Your work should be what stands out rather than the elaborate flash animation (or not) enabled by clicking on a thumbnail. Less is more when it comes to design a portfolio.

The vast majority of the work that will be in my portfolio has been designed for class projects. This work will reflect some of the professor’s influence. To set yourself apart it is a good idea to design extra pieces that will make your portfolio stand out from other recent graduates. These extra pieces could reflect an interest you have or some aspect of your personality. Along these lines it is a good idea to create samples of things in your area of interest. Eisenman discusses designing book jackets if that is what you’re interested in. If you choose to do this design something that others will be able to recognize. Maybe design the cover of “Catcher in the Rye” as it is a book that is well known by many. This will also show how you’re able to translate the messages of the book into the design.

Every portfolio has a tone. “The tone of the portfolio should reflect the kind of work that most interests you” (Page 14). If you want to work in the corporate world make sure your portfolio reflects that clean, simple, formal look. If you want to design for a younger crowd make sure your portfolio is fun, young and fresh. Portfolios can be eclectic and informal (Page 14). By using materials that are untraditional you are setting yourself apart from the crowd.

One of the coolest suggestions I found was having a notebook filled with found objects as part of the portfolio. What amazed me most about this is that I was looking at a portfolio as a static object. My portfolio was going to be a website. However, I now realize that a portfolio can be anything I want it to be. If I want to cut out news clippings I find interesting and make a collage out of it, that can be incorporated into my portfolio. My portfolio is exactly that mine. I can make it however I see fit.

In terms of range, your portfolio should show different design work you’ve done. “A good range of materials might include identity work with a letterhead and logo, a poster, product design, publication design, postage stamps, a website, and even a screen saver or CD case” (Page 15). About 12 pieces of work should be included. All twelve of these pieces should be your best work. Nothing should be unfinished or redundant.

Another topic in the chapter was portfolios that were constructed in book format. “Portfolios in book format make the designer seem like a master of his or her own creations” (Page 16). Louise Sandhaus, a design professor requires her graduate students to make a book that documents and reflects their studies (Page 16). This is an excellent way to tie everything together and truly show off your design and writing skills. Book portfolios make young designers seem more experienced and professional.

Finally, Eisenman discusses sketchbooks and their importance in design education and portfolios. Robin Lynch, another design educator, “…encourages her students to carry a sketch or process book with them at all times so they can enlighten and engage prospective employers by showing the thought process that led to good design solutions” (Page 23). Many designers hold the believe that a design without some knowledge as to how decisions were made is meaningless (Page 23). Showing the process of your work can be as important as the final outcome.

The first chapter of “Building Design Portfolios” made what was discussed in “How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul” real to me. I’m walking away from this with a better understand of what employers are looking for and what makes a portfolio your own.