Being a designer, a portfolio holds a great importance and reflects your identity, your thoughts and work to attract new clients and people who are related to the specific field of yours. It can also help you to get your dream job. Publishing your best work on your portfolio reflects what your thoughts are and how you do work that comes straight out of your mind and tells your personality. It is also a promotional tool that can help you expand your opportunities. Similar principles apply to any design portfolio be it in any field of design which can help you portray right things that will keep you in a good position and bring in opportunities for you.
Here are some items that can be included in a good design portfolio:
- Tell the story of each project: You need to exhibit your best designs and projects in your portfolio and you can’t just end it with images. You also need to make it attractive by telling a story behind your project. You need to go the extra mile to make your project differentiated. A designer needs to take a step further and explain the story behind each image you have put in. Try to click pictures and put it in your portfolio so that it looks well thought of and unique with the story behind each image. You can also make patterns throughout the portfolio which depicts in an abstract manner about the particular project in your whole portfolio. There are best photography portfolio websites that let you inspire to do relevant and beautiful photography of which you can put images to tell your story.
- Include the work you want more: You need to include all such projects you are inclined towards to make your portfolio to reflect more of what your interest is. Even if you have done many projects that are worth putting but put more of such projects that can give the company an idea that you are inclined to such things which can interest them. You can land into a good company of your interest. You should include work that you are going to move in future with. You should put projects that are related to the type of company you are applying to because they want to see what you can do for their company and it can help you to get your dream job. People are not mind readers. You need to put it into their mind that what you can do for them and bring in new ideas for their company.
- Just let go of less work: If you have done a lot of things in a project then don’t make it short. Put the whole process in it. Show them how much time and effort you have put into you work and it should definitely depict the project you have put in. There is no hard and fast rule of how many projects you need to put in your portfolio because you can describe a project in length if you have done a good process with proper layouting so that it doesn’t look as if it has been cluttered. Your design portfolio should be the same from start to the end. It should not bore the person who is looking or going through it. You cannot predict what people will dive into so make it worth it and your portfolio should be as good as the first page.
- Show your identity: So many companies want to see who you are and what your design philosophy is on which you work. You need to give whole information about you and your interest and also what is your style of work. You need to reflect your personality in your portfolio. But do not go over the top with this because it can be a backfire if done carelessly. But you should show a little of you in your graphic design portfolio through the work you curate and also the personal branding. You can also create an online portfolio and get inspiration from best portfolio websites and graphic design portfolio websites where a lot of designers showcase their portfolio.
- Include side work other than client work also: If you are a student of graphic design course, it can be difficult for you to put your personal project when you have so much client and freelance work that you have done. Companies always see what you have done for yourself and to make your portfolio other than just freelance work. They want to see what you do without the instructions given. They judge what your thought process is and what you do without any project given by any client or graphic design company.
- Focus on the process: Show the process of your project. Make more focus on the process rather than just the finished work. People want to see your process that how you have come up to the final product. They are more interested in your process that you have gone through to make the final project. They are interested in what problems that you have faced during the process and how you have overcome them. Make sure there is extra content that shows your process and include sketches, screenshots to make it more appropriate. Free online portfolio making websites include Portfoliobox, Crevado, Cargo, Carbonmade which are some of the free online portfolio websites that lets you create and showcase your fashion portfolio examples to the world.
- Contact page: Always include a get in touch page on the last page of your portfolio. What do you want your viewers to do after checking your work? They would obviously want to contact you or be in touch with you when the need arises. Clear call to action is a success for your portfolio and it can get you your dream job. You should mention your email address, contact number or the website link if you have any. Your creative portfolio can make or break the opportunity, so use this opportunity well. A freelance graphic designer portfolio should always have a mention of contact for further communication.
- Be selective and go for variety: Don’t make this mistake of trying to show too much work especially when you are presenting it physically. Potential clients or companies do not want to see everything. They would just see that interests them and will be helpful for their company. If they find such things in your portfolio then you can be hired for the job you were looking for. So put the best and relevant stuff on your design portfolio. Put variety of work which is relevant to put. Make sure it sits well altogether with the portfolio. Designer Corina Nika includes a variety of projects in her online art portfolio which is worth getting inspired. There are best online portfolio making websites which are for free online portfolio making with an amazing template that provides you with a graphic designer portfolio template such as Canva. You can look into the top portfolio websites or graphic design portfolio websites where they have many graphic design portfolio examples of the best of the digital designer portfolio from which you can get inspired.
- Have a clear format: Having a proper format or layout is very important to showcase your work beautifully where not just the layout is seen but the layout is helping the work to be seen more beautifully. So, make a beautiful and a clean format that enhances your work and make it more presentable. For a web developer portfolio website needs to be beautifully built with a good layout.
So, by following these very important methods or ways you can make your design portfolio presentable and do give your audience a sense of design appeal through your work. With each portfolio designers build an image as to what their design philosophy is and what is reflected through your portfolio about you. Give your portfolio viewers a treat to their eyes!