Hi! I am a recent graphic design graduate. I would like to go to the design agencies in my region and physically give them my portfolio in booklet form. Before I print my design, I want to make sure that the booklet is the best it can be.
It is just in pdf print format for this post, but it will be in a saddle stitch format when I get it printed.
Hello - you donât know me but you put your portfolio in view of everyone.
A bit about my critique style - I focus on the negatives, the positives are not helpful for you. My biggest lesson in design was to âfocus on whatâs bad not whatâs greatâ - thereâs often greatness in front of you but thereâs also something wrong. And I only focus on whatâs wrong.
First thing I notice, the print and bleed marks and the colour bars.
They are not needed, even for print, you donât include bleed marks or colour bars, this a printers perogative, they might require them, but in 25 years Iâve had 0 use for them except in a prepress setting, any designer that sends these they are disregarded.
Next up are questions of how much of this work was conceptual versus client-driven. Seeing projects âborn in a classroomâ is perfectly fine, especially for a student portfolio, but clarity is key.
For example, the âOld Bagâ concept is fun, and âArt of Murderâ shows some interesting motion graphics exploration. However, it would be helpful to distinguish these clearly as conceptual exercises. In the professional world, designers often navigate real-world constraints like client briefs, budgets, and feedback, and itâs great to see how those skills are developing too.
That being said, there are definitely strong points. The âRalewayâ booklet demonstrates a good understanding of typography, and the âKeep Trackâ campaign is a compelling project with a strong visual language. Maybe it needs ore context.
Whereâs the story behind the design choices?
What was the original brief or objective?
What specific problems did the design aim to solve?
Instead of just showcasing the final product, itâs valuable to demonstrate the viewer through your design thinking and process.
Think back to those pesky math classes, you only get partial credit for showing the right answer, you lose marks for not showing your work method. You get more marks for showing the correct working equation even if the answer is incorrect.
Some of the project descriptions could be strengthened by adding more depth. Take the âCan You Hear Me Now?â, itâs visually engaging, but explaining the design rationale beyond âI liked the songâ would provide a richer understanding of your creative decisions.
Regarding the CV, I appreciate youâre highlighting your communication skills, and everyoneâs career journey is unique. However, in a design portfolio, the CV is another opportunity to showcase your design abilities. Presenting it with a bit more visual flair could create a stronger and more consistent overall impression.
To take it to the next level, focusing on these areas could be beneficial:
Reframing the narrative: Emphasise the âwhyâ and the design process, alongside the âwhat.â
Highlighting constraints: Even in student projects, discussing limitations and challenges shows valuable problem-solving skills.
Refining for digital: Ensuring the presentation is optimized for digital viewing is key.
Elevating the CV: Designing the CV to reflect your design aesthetic.
Curating strategically: Being selective and prioritizing quality can make a portfolio even more impactful.
Thereâs a lot to work with here, and with some focused refinements, this portfolio can be even stronger.
Lastly - good work - you CAN do it.
(p.s. stock images are fine - but youâre saying youâre an illustrator⊠you need to clarify what is stock photography/images/AI generated and what you specifically illustrated⊠do not think this went unnoticed)
Oh you said before printing - so you keep the crop marks - offset greater than the bleed - but colour bars and bleed marks are not essential.
And itâs 52 pages - you have it as facing pages - with no cover, it starts on page 2-3 (technically)
You have odd pages on the left - typically page 1 is a right hand page, and all odd pages are right hand pages.
Your cover page spans page 2-3 - so is there a cover? That should be a single page 1
Then PORTFOLIO title page (which is 1 at the moment) would be page 2-3.
Overall, it looks great. A few things to point out.
â Agreeing with @Smurf2 , right-hand pages should be odd numbers.
â On page 2, in 2024, the second 2 has a little spur or something at the top of it that isnât present on any other 2s.
â On page 3, I find your photo to be very low contrast and flat looking. If thatâs the look you were going for, I guess thatâs fine, but Iâd like to see a brighter, more contrast-y photo.
â Page 7, 10, 11, 20, 21, 23, 36, use hanging punctuation for the page title and move âa diptych posterâ to right so all copy is lined up. Iâll include a screen capture showing what Iâm talking about.
â Page 8, I donât like how the folio is sitting right at the bottom of the pink box. This is a personal thing, but I donât mind dropping a folio off of a page if it doesnât fit with the design of the page.
â Page 9, no need to show the printerâs marks on the work sample.
â Page 21, work on the right rag of the paragraph so that you donât have âtypographyâ on a line by itself.
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