Portfolio crisis
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- bigface
I need some advice from all the good designers, AD's out there. I need to know how I should go about developing a portfolio without having any clients yet.
I didn't finish design school ($$), but I developed a good technical foundation and a decent sense of design (typography, grids, color, image, etc).
I've done a few print projects (business cards, 1 billboard for a indie film festival, menu, etc).
I just don't know what personal projects I should dedicate myself to in order to produce a portfolio that can be taken seriously by those who make the decisions..other good designers, AD's, etc...
Basically, what types of projects should I give myself ? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
- ********0
the kind of work you would like to do and be proud of in an ideal world
- MikeDubs0
Just find work doing what you want to do, do it for free if you have to.
I wanted to be a web designer so I did sites for friends. I did a site for a coffee shop in trade for free coffee. Between those small sites I did I landed a job working with bigger clients.
Once I had that job my portfolio looked half way presentable. I now found a job at a really good place doing exactly what I wanted.
Keep working on what you want to do, don't stray from that path and do wahtever it takes. I had to live out of my car for 6 months but it was worth it in the end.
- -sputnik-0
i'm w/dubs. for my first job while in school i went to an isp and asked if i could intern there for free. i asked them to think of me if/when a position opened...i worked for about a month and then they hired me FT.
if you can't do that, try to get w/one or two other designers you respect and give yourselves projects. do letterheads for a fictitious company one week, a small site for whatever you can think of another and then critique each other.
good luck!
- bigface0
I thought about the free intern thing, but haven't explored. Should I just take in what I already have?
- dopepope0
you have nice work , MikeDubs
- ********0
hey, why don't you guys go to my thread and help me out with my questions since this one has reached 100: Portfolio crisis
bigface6
- -sputnik-0
oops, wrong thread mate
- seed0
If you are going to do free work try to do it for a worthy non-profit or a close friend. Don't do it for someone who can and should be paying. Otherwise you are cheapening design and taking work from others. Pick a large list of non profits and explain to them how you could mutually benefit each other. Go out at least one full day and grind. You should have some work in no time. Even if they are just mockup designs. Do you have any fellow artist friends who may want a site? I know you are desperate right now but try to work out some small fee or trade if possible. What are your skills and what type of work would you like to do?
- Mimio0
Where do you want to work? what industry?
- kyl30
If you don't have much work to show make your portfolio itself speak for what you're capable of.
- bigface0
intermediate photshop and illustrator, xhtml, good grasp on CSS, and just alright in flash though
I like it all, i just need projects. I guess I could just start thinning of different things, but its different when you think of projects yourself because you don't have any boundries..
- ********0
pick something that's already been done by someone else and reinterpret it your way
- bigface0
Oh yeah photogrphy and digital video are things I can do as well. My main interest are web and print though..
- kyl30
make a photo portfolio then put it in your portfolio. Done. Hired.
- spiralstarez0
A good way to sharpen your CSS and design skills is to make a design for http://www.csszengarden.com
the boundaries are pretty defined and the site well known, so if you can get something up there you'd be doing yourself well.
- SamWu0
Spec work should be a major part of your portfolio even if you already have a lot of clients. Good trick is to take a brand that is sufferring and make it look like a rock star. So like, don't do a fake ad for Apple, that's too easy. Do something cool for something pathetic. It is about pushing and improving product in the eyes of some anyway. This is only if you want to AD for Marketing.
- obey460
create yourself a full ad campaign (ads,billboards,packaging etc) of a product or company.
build your portfolio through family/friends. everyones gotta start somewhere
- ********0
most of web guys got famous with doing their own thing. not for clients
so do ur own thing.
you dont need client to show off ur portfolio
- tkmeister0
what everyone said.
you don't need clients to do things. you need clients to get paid. but in terms of creating your own content and design, you can do without them.
- Soler0
1 thing to add:
Do a website for yourself, business cards, resume, sample sheet, and self-promo communication vehicle/s of your choice– you then have succesfully created 1 brand.If it's consistent and tight... that says a lot. It says.. I don't have a lot of work.. but I can do THIS.
I've never been a fan of student and/or imaginary work.