Need Help on My Portfolio!!!

[1LADY]

I need help on how to present my portfolio. I'm going into college and I'm a senior in high school...and I'm planning to major in graphic design. But the problem that has been stressing me out is how to present it?? Should I use slides to present my work or should I just print them out and put them into a 3 ring binder?? But i heard you need good quality paper to print them out into. And I also heard it would be nice to show your other good work...like I've done photography, drawing, printing and sculpture but I don't know if I should put them into my portfolio. I don't know at all what to do....alot is in my mind and it would be nice if I have some imput on this? so please help??

[PersonasBinar]

As it's for college I'd toss in whatever you are proud of.

[1LADY]

As it's for college I'd toss in whatever you are proud of.

I know but how should I present it? and should i use fan art?

[morea]

There is some helpful information about putting portfolios together here:
(scroll down to the 5th post)

http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7892

[PrintDriver]

How long is your interview? We only had 20 minutes.
What kind of 'graphic design' do you want to do? What are you best at?

Is the portfolio review a formality or a requirement? ie can you be bounced based on your portfolio? Do they tell you how many people will be present? If more than one person, be sure your presentation boards are large enough to be seen from one end of a standard folding table to the other.

I avoid using slides when I can. Nothing like fumbling slides into a carousel, possibly getting them upside down. Hate that. LOL.

As for Fan Art. Be careful with it. There are pros and cons to using it in an intake interview. While it may show skill, it may not show originality. The subject of derivative/copyright could come up, derailing your presentation.

Practice Practice Practice.

[aantonsen]

I would say try taking pictures of your work and assemble a piece that shows all of what you've done.

AA

[1LADY]

How long is your interview? We only had 20 minutes.
What kind of 'graphic design' do you want to do? What are you best at?

Is the portfolio review a formality or a requirement? ie can you be bounced based on your portfolio? Do they tell you how many people will be present? If more than one person, be sure your presentation boards are large enough to be seen from one end of a standard folding table to the other.

I avoid using slides when I can. Nothing like fumbling slides into a carousel, possibly getting them upside down. Hate that. LOL.

As for Fan Art. Be careful with it. There are pros and cons to using it in an intake interview. While it may show skill, it may not show originality. The subject of derivative/copyright could come up, derailing your presentation.

Practice Practice Practice.

I want to do computer graphic design...cause i'm good with adobe photoshop in mac and windows...ummm the portfolio is required. They didn't tell how many people I would be presenting too...I guess it's a one on one with the admistrator. Should I just burn all of my work onto a blank cd and send it to them?

And for fan arts, if I'm using them, is it okay if I give credits?

[Rocketpig]

I wouldn't use more than one piece of fan art in your portfolio. First, it lacks creativity and two, one piece will convey your skill level to the judge.

In fact, that's a good rule in general. Any more than two examples of the same media is overkill IMO.

[PrintDriver]

Almost all graphic design is computer driven these days. Web, interactive, print...all done on a computer....

Being good with Photoshop is not necessarily a good indicator for choosing this field.

Back on topic, this isn't a job interview but just as important as one. Leaving a CD of your work is probably not expected. They just want to see if you have the level of skill required to do the program.

Do you have a high school art teacher who can help you prepare? They do this all the time (or at least they should...).

Take a good mix of your best work. No more than 10 pieces, show your second best first and your very best last and you should do ok.

[deezin2]

Hi. Years ago I wrote a 8 part series (maybe longer) to setting up a portfolio. You can find it here - http://www.allcreativeportfolios.com/portfoliolinks.php - it is published on many other sites too...can't remember which ones though. Good Luck.


Rachel G
http://www.allgraphicdesign.com/ (http://www.allgraphicdesign.com/)
http://www.graphicsngraphicdesign.com/ (http://www.graphicsngraphicdesign.com/)
http://www.allwebdesignresources.com/ (http://www.allwebdesignresources.com/)
http://www.allfreelance.com/ (http://www.allfreelance.com/)
http://www.allfreelancework.com/ (http://www.allfreelancework.com/)
http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/ (http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/)

[1LADY]

Thanks :)

[lext]

There is no a rule to do this just Follow your instincts and look at this as a challenge and your first design job; a portfolio is some kind of POP of yourself

My recommendations

This should be so clean and neat.

If you want to put other kind of commercial arts and fine arts works; it should be very good and put it separately of your graphic design work

Use printed material for a print job interview that makes easier for the interviewer to see your talent

[tZ]

Show work that best demostrates your current skill and knowledge of design and more specifically- spacial relationships (ie. correct proportions of a bowl, cup, etc).

At this point a college could care less what your software and perhaps even your design knowledge is... well maybe not design as so much software.

Non the less, it is important to show basic knowledge of design concepts to most simple of forms (ie. traditional- pencil on paper) rather then showing them you know how to use the software- why?

First off you will learn to use the software in college but, first learn to design.

Second, if the school in which you attend has fundementals(assuming its not a tech "college" or anything then they(administrators) will be more concerned that you contain a basic understanding of spatial reltionships(ie. drawing) and perhaps very basic understanding of design thoerys.

Since, design is what your going to college for- correct? If you allready know it then why go to college?

So your main focus should lay in showing you contain some what of an understanding in drawing (spatial relationships- still lifes) then maybe put in one or two ggraphic design based pieces to show somewhat of your "expertise" but, not make it your whole focus.

Since, you are going into college to learn graphic design you need not show them what you "think" you know about any given field. Since, that is what you are attending college for- design and ultimatly graphic design.

hope that helps

Presentation wise- general the school dictates what type of format they would like the work in the portfolio to be presented in (ie. slides, cd, both, etc). You should check with the school on that on.

If its a interview type thing then I would suggest at least a binder or something. If your work is oversized frawings then general you should matt them and just carry them with you in a large enough portfolio. It doesn't have to be anything expensive just something to keep everything safe on transport.

So in short your focus should be your understanding of spatial relations.

Perhaps one or two graphic pieces but, mainly traditional works- if they are available.

Cause what generally happens is you spend one or two years alone focusing on design through the use of traditional materials. The stress being understanding design before on is able to cimmunicate through design- graphic design.

So... if you better know the basics it will be much easier for you to understand everything else hence, letting the college know you are versatile and capable of suceeding in thier program.

hope that helps

[cjoe]

Yep^^

[rockem]

Almost all graphic design is computer driven these days. Web, interactive, print...all done on a computer....

Yes for the final output of the actual piece, but there is way more to design than the computer, computer is a finishing tool to make it all come together