| summary | time | deliverables |
|---|---|---|
Start compiling and creating the content for your portfolio website. |
1 hour |
1 text document |
- Start thinking about what work you want on your website. You should have 5–10 of your absolute best pieces—you’re aiming for less pieces for higher quality. (Even just 3 absolutely stunning case studies would be good.)
- Create a list of the pieces you want to include, even if they’re not done yet.
- Write a small description for each piece denoting this information:
- Title of the work
- Type of work (print, motion, web, etc.)
- Why you’re including it—and how it shows your talent
- Try to find sketches, older versions, etc. for each piece—the best portfolios use case studies to show work, not just still images.
The goal is to show off what you’re capable of doing as a graphic designer. The more focused your portfolio pieces the better.
Think about your perfect company & perfect job and only include work that will help you get that job! The more focused the better. If you want a job at Shopify, as an example, target your portfolio to exactly what Shopify is looking for.
Remain honest—if you have absolutely no interest in motion graphics, don’t show motion pieces.
The absolute best portfolio websites include case studies for every showcased work. Case studies are what employers are looking for.
Employers want to see:
- the purpose & goal of the project
- your different ideas
- your process
- the steps you took to get to the final version
- feedback and thoughts for the different stages
- and maybe the final version—but it’s less important
(As a by-product, you also can prove that you are capable of writing—an extremely important trait for a designer.)
Show the teacher your list of pieces and explanations next class.