Assembling a design portfolio

[g7g7g7g7]

So I'm finished college for the year and have a few different makers I'm in contact with looking to take someone on, so I suppose I've got to assemble some kind of portfolio displaying my work in it's best light. I've spent this weekend taking some better photographs of my best work. I'm struggling to structure something like this, the other half is a bit of a graphic design wiz so I'll see if she has any bright ideas when she finishes work. Does anyone have any advice on how to approach something like this and collate a few years of work into a few pages, how much text should I use. Urgh this is going to take some time and thought and a delicate approach that I'm not so good with. Any input would be appreciated.

 

[SkinnyB]

Coming from someone who goes through a fair few design portfolios as well as my updating my own, I would say:

More photos than text! The object is what they are interested in, they are hiring you mainly for what you can make. That should be the first thing they see.

I like to see a title to the object, I sometimes refer to that object to the potential employee. That way I can ask them questions about it and you know what item I am on about.
Also a small description, Show that you know some of the lingo, what materials it is made from, comments on the design like; its based on a danish mid century furniture (shows you know some history ) , how its finished etc. Information that tells them you know your stuff. But keep it short.

Keep it short: I do not like it when portfolios never end, it should be short enough that there are enough items to convey your skill, too many and the reader will get bored.

Try not to cram too much into a page, you want to show the objects nice and big. I prefer a landscape document with 1-2 items on each page. for you best pieces spread it across a full page, one big image on one side and then a few smaller ones grouped together on the other showing different angles or even a mid project photo.

If you have a 'style' you may want to group those items together to show you can apply your 'style' to multiple items; whether it may be on the same page or across a double page spread. I want to see them side by side.

Put what you feel is your best work in there and try not to put them in an order. I have seen a few where the first 1,2 pieces are really nice then as you go on they are not quite as nice as those first pieces. You do not want them to go away thinking about what they have seen last. Keep your order varied then they will be looking forward to the next page.

Design wise, Try to match it to your style. Me personally, I always like the modern looking ones: White, clean simple text, nice font, coherent design across the portfolio. Great picture/s of the items. Short description of item. This works really well.

You may want to end on a page about you, If they are looking to hire they want you to be relatable. You could show a few picture of you working on projects mid way, show some of the design work (sketches etc) that are projects featured in your portfolio.

Hope that helps a little. Feel free to ask any questions

 

[RobinBHM]

I would suggest taking plenty of detail shots. If you want to create more graphically designed portfolio rather than page after page of images you will need detail shots to add visual interest.

Also the shots you take should not just be conventional compositions that fill the viewfinder. For example if you wanted to have an index for your portfolio with an image to one side, then you need a very tall thin composition. Similarly, if you wanted to overlay text onto an image, you need lots of background area of the photo.

If you want to introduce colour into the portfoliio graphic design, in my experience, only white, black or grey work well and dont distract from the images.

Since Ive had a website and brochure, Ive stopped using a portfolio.

 

[MrTeroo]

+1 for website.

Get a nice clean looking website done and use that as your ongoing portfolio.

 

[tomatwark]

Are you looking for these companies to take you on as a maker or a designer?

I would look at a portfolio differently for a designer than a maker.

For a designer I would want to know how you arrived at your final design, why you made things a certain size, how would the design translate into a product that could make money, where savings could be made without affecting the design and appearance.

For a maker a lot of the above would still be of interest to me, but I would be more interested how you made the item, what jigs you made, what was machined, what was done by hand and how long it took to put it together.

You need to incorporate information that will give some of this information, but more importantly have the answers in you head so you can answer the person interviewing you.

Lots of pictures are a must with close up of details that are important to explain how you went about the design and making process.

Also if you are asked how you did X explain, but if you have since realised that there was a better way tell them that as well, this means you learn as you go and are not set in the ways someone else has shown you.

At the end of the day the company is only really interested in if you can make them money.

 

[g7g7g7g7]

Lots of good stuff so far, thanks everyone. I'm definately 100% going for a website, going to use a wordpress blog with a simple elegant no fuss template to present everything as cleanly as possible.

Need to rethink a lot of photo's especially need more detail shots and wider angles.

 

[MrTeroo]

going to use a wordpress blog with a simple elegant no fuss template to present everything as cleanly as possible.

Divi

 

[YorkshireMartin]

So I'm finished college for the year and have a few different makers I'm in contact with looking to take someone on, so I suppose I've got to assemble some kind of portfolio displaying my work in it's best light. I've spent this weekend taking some better photographs of my best work. I'm struggling to structure something like this, the other half is a bit of a graphic design wiz so I'll see if she has any bright ideas when she finishes work. Does anyone have any advice on how to approach something like this and collate a few years of work into a few pages, how much text should I use. Urgh this is going to take some time and thought and a delicate approach that I'm not so good with. Any input would be appreciated.

Is your work actually physically made or is it concept art, or a mixture of the two?

 

[MrTeroo]

going to use a wordpress blog with a simple elegant no fuss template to present everything as cleanly as possible.

Divi

And here's a nice free page layout to get you started with Divi:

http://beacon.madebysuperfly.com/anchor/