Matthew Park. Don’t get me wrong, they definitely weren’t bad.. if I do say so myself! Make it chronological with the latest events coming on top. Place your strongest piece of work first and second-best last (or vice-versa). This means that we may earn a small commission for products/services we link to and recommend. One of the major benefits of physical portfolios is that it is relatively easy to tailor your portfolio to suit the different jobs or companies you are applying for. It’s the most important factor that helps to set yourself apart from the amateurs and show professionalism. Brochures, business cards, website sliders, banners etc. I’ve had a lot of success with Upwork.com. Basically, it has to kick ass. Always ask just to make sure they’re okay with it. We hope that the examples above gave you insights, inspiration, and ideas on how to create your own portfolio website. Just do a quick google search for whatever you’re interested in learning and your bound to find a tutorial on it. **This is important to get permission for as not all clients will be okay with work you’ve done for them being shown in your portfolio. Create your professional portfolio website with Pixpa. Always ask just to make sure they’re okay with it. The clean square grid on the home page puts his work center stage. With all the freelance job posting websites available, you as a contractor need to work a lot harder to stand out. Building a portfolio as a student or young designer is a catch-22: A portfolio is all about showing your design experience, but to have experience you first need a job. Start designing your portfolio by looking at all the work you’ve done, then choose your favorite pieces and the work you’ve gotten the most positive feedback for. Graphic Designer, Kim Dero's graphic design portfolio comes alive through his clean, minimalist website that features large dynamic grids that accentuate the beautiful imagery of Kim's portfolio. Marcus makes a great first impression with a strong, vivid use of his own branding. That means that at no cost to you, Pjs and Paint may earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase. Pixpa is a portfolio website builder platform that is trusted by creative pros around the world. Don't show up empty handed. With over two decades of experience, Robert Irish creates compelling stories through branding and design. Do share your feedback and any design portfolio website you love in the comments. Elizabeth O’meara is a graphic designer, with experience in creating packaging design, magazine, catalog design, logo design, wedding invitations, websites, and much more. The website layout is kept simple yet smart with a fantastic use of a small grid on the home page. If your online graphic design portfolio is mainly to build your brand, you have a lot more freedom to showcase experiments and personal work that you have done along with commercial work. Follow this through with a consistent visual language for your portfolio website, resume, and even your business card. Ask if you can design it for them in exchange for them allowing it to be showcased in your growing portfolio. A graphic design portfolio is the best way to display and showcase your past projects, creativity, and talent. Designer, Chris Tammar, presents his multi-faceted graphic designer portfolio through a simple, intuitive website. Try 3D rather than 2D. All I had in my portfolio when I was first starting out were just figure drawings and oil painting. Whether you are a graphic designer, a product designer, an illustrator, a web designer or a multimedia artist, design portfolios are the prism through which designers are constantly evaluated by new clients and potential employers. As an example, when I was trying to turn my jewelry based Etsy shop into a design shop, I posted on the message boards that I was looking to bulk up my portfolio and was willing to design banners for store owners for free. Pawel’s design portfolio features a nice full-screen design with masonry portfolio elements, all showcased on a clean, white background. Use social media to expose your portfolio to as many people as you can and start building traffic for your website. One idea would be to go to a local business and ask if they would like their business cards redesigned at no cost, or if they are in need of any promotional materials such as flyers. When putting together a showreel or portfolio, Bachelor of Design in Animation student Ryley Miller, 22, recommends both starting and ending on a high note. To push your portfolio to the front of the ever-growing crowd it helps to know what to include and what to leave out. You need to put in place a constant and consistent process of reviewing and refreshing your portfolio website periodically. You need to think about maintaining, improving and evolving your portfolio throughout your graphic design career. Your resume is all about your work and qualifications - be truthful but pick the right details, do not cram it with irrelevant or avoidable information. Your design portfolio represents a window for the world to view your work and judge your talent, skills and experience. Your portfolio will be one of the first things a potential clients sees. I didn’t go to school specifically for graphic design, I didn’t know how the layers panel worked in photoshop, and don’t even get me started on how to use the pen tool… But the great new is that there are so many amazing tools and resources out there now that can help you strengthen your design skills pretty quickly. Designer and Creative Director, A. Darvishi has worked with several design firms and esteemed clients, offering his skills and talents in Graphic Design, Advertising, Pre-Press, Photography and Interior Design. A graphic design portfolio is vital when trying to pursue opportunities as a graphic designer within a company or as a freelance graphic designer pursuing clients. His online portfolio gives a clear view of his work and design style. I’d probably take this type of work out of your portfolio after you build it up enough with client work. Brian Winston is a graphic designer based out of Denver, Colorado. When showcasing your design portfolio, you need to be professional and come off as someone who is serious and successful at work. Get active on social media platforms, start posting your work on Twitter, Instagram, Google Plus, and Facebook with links back to your website. How to Make a Graphic Design Portfolio. 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