Hey, everyone, I would appreciate honest critique and criticism on a portfolio I have created after working on graphic design for about two years.
I made this as a junior designer portfolio before I took a break from designing, the focus is brand identities as that was a passion back when I designed, and now that I’m coming back into it, I would like to know if this is worth anything, what do professionals think, and where can I go from here.
Thank you in advance.
The main issue across your portfolio is that it’s too text-heavy and difficult to scan. A portfolio isn’t meant to be read like a document, it should be quick to understand at a glance. Think of it more like a billboard than an essay.
Right now, a lot of the key thinking is getting lost because it’s buried in long blocks of text.
About page in particular is too long and reads more like a personal statement. In most cases, this will only be skimmed for a few seconds, so it needs to be concise and clearly structured. The same applies throughout, shorter sections, clearer headings, and more spacing will make a big difference.
Typography is also an issue. A lot of your body text is very small, condensed, and low contrast (light grey), which makes it physically hard to read. Legibility should always come first if it’s difficult to read, it won’t be read. Giving your text more space, increasing size slightly, and improving contrast will make everything feel more professional.
The way your projects are structured could be improved. At the moment, the explanation often comes after the visuals, but it would be stronger to lead with a short concept or strategy first, then show the work. Also, each project uses more pages than necessary these could be condensed to make the portfolio feel tighter and easier to move through.
Using “Fictional brand brief” makes the work feel less credible than it needs to. A simple change in wording to something like “Self-Initiated Brand Project” or “Brand Identity Case Study” presents it in a more professional way without changing the work itself.
Your colour sections are incomplete from a branding perspective. You’re only showing HEX values, which are for screen use. In real-world design, colours need to work across both digital and print, so including CMYK and Pantone helps show that you understand production and consistency. Without that, the work can come across as conceptual rather than client-ready.
There are also some practical production considerations missing. For example, some elements, like text on the business card, sit very close to the edge and could cause issues when printed and trimmed. It’s important to account for safe margins so designs hold up in real-world use.
In a similar way, some of your logo and colour choices don’t yet reflect production thinking. Presenting multiple colours without considering how they would print can increase complexity and cost. It’s usually best to show a strong single-colour version first, then expand into two or more colours if needed.
There are also small consistency issues, like how colours are described across different pages. Defining your system clearly and applying it consistently will make the work feel more resolved. For example, use of Primary Colour - in some cases you have 2 x Primary Colours.
Abstract logos, it’s always worth considering unintended interpretations. Some shapes can be read in ways you didn’t intend, so it’s useful to sense-check designs to make sure they align clearly with the brand. For me the Patch symbol looks like reproductive organs (upside down).
There’s strong thinking and effort behind the work, but it needs to be presented more clearly. Focusing on reducing text, improving readability, and showing more awareness of real-world application will significantly strengthen the portfolio.
I purposefully put the above paragraph where it is to show how structure matters. Leaving the good stuff to the end often means the person has lost interest/hope before they get to the good stuff.
There’s strong work here, but it’s being held back by how it’s presented. The text is too dense, too small, and difficult to scan.
Think of it like this, your work is the product, and the portfolio is the packaging. Right now, the packaging isn’t doing the product justice. Improving that will make a big difference in how your work is perceived.