Building Design Portfolios

Presenting one's portfolio is where every designer begins his or her career. Therefore, crafting a portfolio, whether online or for presentation in person, is an essential skill for survival. Because a portfolio can make or break a career, it is vital that designers go out armed with all the right moves and materials. This book talks both to the professionals who have both designed their own portfolios and those on the other side of the table who have looked at scores of portfolios, to uncover the tips and tricks that have won jobs, as well as the must-avoid moves that have lost opportunities. This book is not only a handbook for dos and don'ts; it also provides plenty of inspiration from a wide collection of portfolios, both virtual and real-life. This book asks leaders in the field about the real-world realities of presenting one's work for consideration and answers the question, "What sells and what doesn't."

New in Paperback! Brush up your books and PDF portfolios and improve your understanding of what the current standards are. Presenting one's portfolio is where every designer begins his or her career. Therefore, crafting a portfolio, whether online or for presentation in person, is an essential skill for survival. Because a portfolio can make or break a career, it is vital that designers go out armed with all the right moves and materials. This book talks both to the professionals who have both designed their own portfolios and those on the other side of the table who have looked at scores of portfolios, to uncover the tips and tricks that have won jobs, as well as the must-avoid moves that have lost opportunities. This book is not only a handbook for dos and don'ts; it also provides plenty of inspiration from a wide collection of portfolios, both virtual and real-life. This book asks leaders in the field about the real-world realities of presenting one's work for consideration and answers the question, "What sells and what doesn't"?

Today's students of architecture, interior design, and landscape design need to master the art of marketing themselves via multiple print and digital formats. This third edition of Design Portfolios reflects contemporary portfolio practices and enables students to create portfolios that serve as both evolving collections of creative solutions to design problems and evidence of their abilities to visually relay messages. Readers will learn how to create not just a collection of design work but a unique marketing tool for a successful design career.

This book is developed to provide students with everything they need to know to make the transition from design student to design professional. It provides step-by-step instruction for creating professional portfolios, both traditional and digital. Interviewing tips, sample resumes and cover letters, and action verb lists help students prepare for their job search. The second edition includes new sample portfolios, robust case studies, and updated information on digital portfolio trends and techniques.

The creation of a successful portfolio is a vital skill needed by architectural students and professionals alike. In a highly competitive global market the accomplished representation of the architect?s work must be able to turn opportunities into triumphs. This book offers a fresh step-by-step approach to achieving a reflective, attractive and successful representation of one?s work. Structured in four stages it takes the reader through each step needed in the creation of a successful portfolio, from understanding yourself and your market, to planning, designing and producing it. Illustrated throughout in full color, the book includes case study portfolios from the USA, UK, Europe and Asia which demonstrate the steps in the process for both practitioners and students, from sketch trials to full-colour stage lay-outs. These contributions come from architects all over the world, providing terrific insight into current practices and inspiration and ideas. This is essential reading for anyone putting together an architectural portfolio.

Portfolios have always been artists' most valuable tools for communicating their talents to the outside world, whether to potential employers or galleries or clients. But the days of sketches and slides have given way to arrangements of digital assets that are both simpler and more complex than their traditional analog counterparts. Instructor and design professional Cynthia Baron covers all the facets that artists need to know, from choosing the best work for a particular audience to using various file formats to organizing, designing, and presenting the portfolio. Beautiful full-color illustrations demonstrate her instructions, and case studies throughout portray examples of attractive and effective portfolio design. This book gives artists at any level a creative edge, ensuring that their portfolios get noticed and help them stand out from the crowd.

The design marketplace has never been more competitive, or demanded more from emerging talent. To succeed, you must navigate the transition from learner to professional with purpose and precision. In Stand Out: Building Your Design Portfolio, Denise Anderson offers a hands-on, three-step, full-color action plan for establishing your unique brand, crafting a killer portfolio, tailoring and delivering your message, getting your perfect design job, and excelling once you're hired. In this superbly organized and beautifully designed book, Anderson distills 20+ years of experience as a graphic designer, entrepreneur, instructor, and mentor, offering you powerful insights and easy-to-use tools for successfully launching your career. Whether you're in graphic design, advertising design, interactive or web design, fashion, or any other design field, Anderson will help you identify what makes you unique, and use it powerfully differentiate yourself from everyone else. Stand Out's step-by-step approach, hands-on work exercises, and short, easy-to-absorb chapters guide you through: Clarifying your brand purpose and unique attributes Designing your brand identity, encompassing all brand touchpoints Creating an online presence that showcases you at your best Self-promoting your brand, from social media to print "leave-behinds" Optimizing your portfolio for the industry and company where you want to work Discovering what's hot in portfolio design and strategy - and what's not Understanding what employers want from you Producing your digital and/or print portfolio Choosing your mentor(s) and creating your personal advisory board Developing a personal job plan you can start executing right now Protecting your work against theft Identifying your dream job Writing and designing outstanding resumes and job-specific cover letters Interviewing and presenting your work effectively Accepting a position and negotiating salary Succeeding in your first job, and preparing for the next Stand Out brings together all the easy-to-use forms, checklists, and tools you'll need... multiple examples of great student and young professional portfolio work to show you how it's done... dozens of great tips and tricks... "in the trenches" insights from recent graduates... all you need to get where you want to go!