Hi! I would love an honest run-through of my graphic design portfolio, as I am applying to co-ops (internships), but have not had much luck. I am wondering if my projects/work are not good, and if I have projects that are hurting me as a designer, and what I am lacking. I am aware that my portfolio is more on the simpler side, but I am not sure how to or if I should be adding personality.
It is a bit tough to give specific feedback without seeing the actual link to your portfolio! But generally speaking, having a âsimpleâ portfolio layout is actually a good thing. Art directors usually prefer a clean site where your work speaks for itself, rather than being distracted by a cluttered or overly complicated website design. If you want to add more personality, try doing it in your project descriptions. Briefly talk about why you made certain design choices, what the problem was, and how you solved it. Drop your link here when you can, weâd be happy to take a closer look and let you know if any specific pieces are holding you back!
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LOL, I am aware, I wasnât able to post my link when I was making my post so I had hoped to put it when/if someone replied but it is not working. Sorry about that!
I put two spaces and was able to post it, but it wouldnât allow me to put a pressable link.
I fixed that for you. We donât allow first posts to contain links. It keeps the spam down 
Thank you!
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I find your portfolio interesting !
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I think your portfolio is solid for a student and donât see any reason it would hold you back from an internship. The troubles you are experiencing, I would have to guess, are either from a crowded marketplace or possibly the approach you are taking. What step are you following to contact the design studios? Blindly sending an email to a generic email address is probably not going to be your best approach. Finding out a principalâs, creative directorâs or HR personâs name and sending (or dropping off) a hand-made book or something really memorable would be a better approach.
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Overall, the portfolio is very clean and easy to navigate. The work is presented well, the designs are strong, and the overall standard is quite high.
With that said, Iâm going to nitpick as though I were part of a hiring or portfolio review team.
DAAP Galleries
Good work overall. On one of the posters, however, âSundayâ runs down the centre and the accompanying text sits very close to the bottom edge of the page. Be careful with safe areas and allow enough space for trimming.
Automatch
I didnât spend much time on this project because web design is not my area. Someone with more experience in web and interface design would be better placed to critique it.
Pop 2
This is a nice design, although it is aimed at a very niche market. You may not often get this type of work unless you know the band or work with a record label, but it is still an interesting portfolio piece.
Be careful that it does not sit too close visually to the CharliRae Speedin artwork. In a physical shop or online store, the designs could end up competing with one another rather than appearing distinct.
Fatums Forever Florals
This is by far the weakest project in the portfolio.
There appear to be six different business-card designs, each printed in full colour on both sides. Depending on the printing method and quantities required, that could become an expensive option for the client. They may be imposed and printed together, but the number of variations still adds complexity to production, proofing and finishing. Cost is an important part of commercial design and should be considered alongside appearance.
The QR code would not scan on my phone. I had to bring it into Photoshop, convert it to greyscale and strengthen the black before it became readable. QR codes require sufficient contrast, a clear quiet zone and a suitable background. They need to scan reliably across a wide range of devices, not only under ideal conditions.
On one card, text overlaps the QR code, which could interfere with its readability.
The typography is weak, the layout feels disjointed and uneven, and some of the text is extremely close to the trim edge. Important text should remain comfortably inside the safe area to account for normal movement during cutting.
Business cards should generally communicate information quickly and clearly. Including two different types of QR code is unusual and may create unnecessary confusion, although it could be justified if each one has a clearly defined purpose.
I would simplify the colour palette and reduce the floral artwork to cleaner line drawings. Limiting the design to one or two colours could make it more cohesive while also providing more economical printing options.
DUHA
This is a strong logo, but the gradient introduces what effectively becomes an additional colour or tonal transition.
The gradient is so subtle that it may be lost in some print processes. In lithographic printing, it could reproduce too faintly, while some digital printing processes could exaggerate the transition or produce visible banding. It may also be unsuitable for certain applications, such as screen printing, embroidery, vinyl cutting or printing directly onto cups.
The logo should have solid-colour, single-colour and reversed versions alongside any gradient version. In this case, the gradient does not appear necessary and the identity may be stronger and more practical without it.
Elusive Echoes
This is attractive abstract work, and it remains easy to read despite the abstract treatment.
Again, be careful with print-safe areas. Some of the typography sits very close to the edge of the sheet and could become a trimming hazard. Unless an element is intended to bleed off the page, it should remain comfortably within the safe area.
Overall, the portfolio is strong, but there is a noticeable gap in the print-production side of the work, particularly around trim tolerances, safe areas, colour systems and the practical limitations of different printing methods.
You have listed HEX values on every project, including the print projects. HEX is intended for screen and web use. It does not define how a colour will reproduce in print, particularly where the colour falls outside the printable CMYK gamut.
Printed projects should include appropriate CMYK values and, where relevant, Pantone references. Ideally, the identity guidelines should distinguish between colours intended for screen, process printing and spot-colour production rather than presenting one set of values for every application.
The DUHA logo is a good example. It is shown printed on a cup, yet the gradient introduces an additional tonal element that may increase production complexity or may not be reproducible by the selected printing method at all. Many promotional-product suppliers will require solid spot colours. A two-colour or single-colour version would therefore be more practical and could reduce the clientâs production costs.
This also raises broader print-production questions. Where full-colour raster images are used, are they supplied at sufficient effective resolution for the intended reproduction size? Are they in an appropriate colour space? Have bleed, safe areas, ink coverage and output method been considered?
It is difficult to assess those details from the portfolio alone. However, because several visible print considerations have been missed, a reviewer may reasonably question whether the supplied artwork is genuinely production-ready, even if the design itself looks good.
The design ability is clearly there. The next step is to demonstrate that the work has also been considered as something that must be manufactured, printed and paid for by a real client.
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Hi! Thank you for taking the time to look at my portfolio! I have been applying through Handshake and LinkedIn, I thought about sending cold emails, but I wasnât sure where to start. I was told that if I love a company and they do not have a listing, to just email them pitching a job, although I am open to working any design job, I feel like I have not found my niche or something that I am great at.
That is literally how I got my first job in design.
I printed 50 CVs and 50 cover letters, hand-signed every letter, stuffed them into envelopes and addressed them by hand. I went through the Yellow Pages, found every relevant company within travelling distance, put stamps on all 50 envelopes and sent them in the post.
I got an amazing response rate. I did not have a mobile phone at the time or at least I do not think I did so they would call the house phone.
A few years after I was hired, I inherited the desk of a manager who had left. In one of the drawers, I found an old folder containing a letter from the owner asking him to advertise for an apprentice or intern. The manager had replied with something along the lines of:
âNo need to advertise. Someone has sent in their CV, and Iâd like to interview them first.â
That person was me.
So yes, approaching companies directly, particularly in a slightly unconventional way, can be a very effective way to get their attention. An email alone may not be enough. It can be deleted without even being read.
First, I would work out what areas of design you are most interested in and what you would like to learn. Then identify companies doing that type of work and approach them directly. Call in, explain that you are new to design and looking for an opportunity. Even when they are not hiring, ask whether someone could show you around and explain what they do. Leave them with a business card, CV or a small printed portfolio.
If visiting is not practical, sending an email is still worth doing, but follow it up with a phone call. You could also call first, ask for the hiring manager or HR department, and ask whether you may send them your CV and portfolio. Then follow up the next day or a few days later.
Keep at it. A company might receive 100 emails a day and overlook yours. You are more likely to stand out by being proactive, visiting, calling, emailing and introducing yourself. Even asking to see what they do demonstrates genuine interest.
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Wow, thank you so much for taking the time to do an in-depth review of my portfolio, I really appreciate it! I have gotten a few comments on the hex codes so I will be changing them. It was interesting to see you highlight the manufacturing aspect of my designs, as it is something I had not really thought of. We were taught to be focused on the design and how that looks and did not give much thought to how our projects would be produced, it is something I will keep in mind as I revise my projects and design going forward.
I could definitely do better with the business cards, I thought that the two qr codes would be helpful for the different platforms but it does take away from the visual ease. It could be better deisgned and simplified.
Thank you for your notes!
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Design is important, but as Trish at the foldfactory says - âThink finishing at the beginingâ.
Finishing is the production term for how it will be folded, cut down, glued, practical considerations.
Think of your client, will they happy to find out the business cards cost 6 times what they should cost - itâs a nice idea, but something youâd have to run by them.
Think of the mug with the gradient, the client likes the logo, the business cards look great, then they get the mug, and the gradient is destroyed or comes out badly.
Knowing limitations of production allows you to design for that - and more importantly make the client aware of that, so when they get their finished product they are not disappointed as the finishing of the product in their hand is not on par with what they saw on screen.
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I am not surprised that isnât working for you.
I donât think cold emails will work too well.
Call companies and get the name of whoever is in charge of reviewing portfolios or hiring. Make a handmade book with your work samples â maybe include one of the bouquets â and either drop it off in person or send it via FedEx. The vast majority of people will open a hand delivered or FedExâd package. Bottom line, you have to do something to make yourself stand out. Being just another LinkedIn applicant isnât going to do that.
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