Have you stayed up long nights sweating over the details of your print portfolio? As a designer, you surely know just how important your portfolio is to your success. It is a challenge to condense down all of the great work you have done into a single portfolio, but that is the task of every designer who wishes to impress clients and win jobs.
To help you clear your mind and make good decisions, following are six important elements for any graphic design print portfolio.
#1 – Creativity
Design is a creative field, and you want to make sure that your own personal creativity is on full display within your portfolio. If you put together a bland, predictable package of work that doesn’t say anything about you or your personality, you will quickly be forgotten. Make your mark by bringing creativity to the table above all else
. #2 – Engagement
If you can find a way to make your portfolio interactive in some way, you will have a much easier time retaining the attention of your potential client. Not only with an interactive element be interesting, but it will also be yet another way to demonstrate your creativity.
#3 – Fun!
Who wants to work with someone who is boring? Inject some fun into your portfolio by including items that are unexpected, funny, or otherwise memorable in some way.
#4 – Play to Your Strengths
It is okay if you have weaknesses as a designer – everyone does. The key is to make sure your portfolio is laid out in such a way that it highlights your strengths and minimizes your weaknesses. Take an honest look at your work and include the pieces in your portfolio that will present you in the best possible light.
#5 – Don’t Let It Get Stale
There is nothing wrong with keeping some of your best work in your portfolio for years, but make sure there is plenty of work from recent times as well. If a potential clients sees that all of your portfolio work is from years ago, they may begin to wonder how much you actually work as a graphic designer.
#6 – High Quality Pieces
Your printed work should always look great and be in perfect condition. Spending the money on high quality printing is one good step, as is getting a great case to protect your work. The portfolio cases offered at Portfolios and Art Cases are a great way to keep your pieces looking fresh and beautiful.
