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.
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